Saturday, July 17, 2010
The NPA, Keeping Busy in Other Ways
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Thursday, July 15, 2010
NPA Election Related Activities,National and Local Elections of 2010
The NPA, or "New People's Army" is a Maoist organisation founded as the armed wing of the CPP,or"Communist Party of the Philippines."Both entities being the handiwork of former U of P (University of the Philippines) professor, Jose Maria"JOMA"Sison.Sison, a native of Luzon founded the NPA in 1969 and it was not until 1971 and the dawn of President Marcos' Martial Law that the group truly branched out to Mindanao.
Philosophically the group offers very little original ideology,strictly patterning itself after Mao in all key areas.Juxtapose 95% of orthadox Maosim with Sisonian ideology and you have a perfect fit.Needless to say I will go into great detail about the organisation and its beliefs in future entries,for now I am just trying to catalouge all recent events,especially with regard to the 2010 Election this past May 10th.
To the NPA's credit it does not overtly interfere in election related goings on but does take a very proactive stance with regard to candidates.This year,as in elections past,the group has"sold""PTCs" (Permits to Campaign).A PTC enables a candidate who buys one to campaign relatively worry free in the NPA's AOR (Area of Responsibility,in this case synonymous with Area of Operations).Contrary to AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) claims,there was no evolution this year towards a"PTW,"or"Permit to Win."The AFP claimed that this year,instead of PTCs the NPA was selling their services to ensure that a given candidate would win a particular office by mobilising their"mass base of support"(civilian supporters).For candidates unwilling to pay the relatively steep fee (a minimum of 50,000 Pesos,roughly 1,000 Euros),they risked having their security details disarmed at gunpoint,weapons taken and for a recalcitrant few,they risked kidnapping.
The NPA's AOR on Mindanao is almost entirely in the northeast and the Davao Region,connected by the Diwata Mountain chain from Surigao del Sur Province down through ComVal (Compostela Valley Province) with a strong pocket in N.Cotabato Province towards the Bukidnon provincial line.The following incidents all took place in the northeast, unless otherwise noted.A note,the title"Ka"is idiomatically akin to"Comrade"and is a unisex appellation.A"Front"is equivalent to a military company and they operate within a given geographical zone.
Valentine's Day in the Philippines is all about hearts,candy and love...unless you happen to live on Mindanao. On our island it is one of many times each year when specific insurgent groups make regularly timed attacks. Valentine's' because it is of course associated with the Catholic faith,the dominant religion of the Philippines,is a day on which the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces),and to a lesser extent ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) go on rampages.This Valentine's however the culprit was the NPA who launched a tactical operation in Barangay Sibahay in the town of Boston in Davao Oriental Province.Unfortunately,an innocent bystander, 13 year old Memilyn Moreno,was shot and killed.
March 11,2010 at 230PM in Davao City's Paquibato District,an NPA stronghold,an advance team for candidate Prospero Nograles was forced to stop at an NPA checkpoint.Although the occupants of the SUV were unarmed,in accordance with the COMELEC Election Season Weapons Ban,the team was made to exit their vehicle and walk out of the outlying district on foot.All campaign materiels which included personalised bottles of liquor with Nograles' face imprinted upon the label were"confiscated"by the guerillas (hiccup) from the NPA's Pulang Bagani Company 1 (PBC1),the company sized formation belonging to one of the oldest NPA Fronts on Mindanao,Front 53.
After proving their point,whatever that"point"may be,the NPA surrdendered the SUV at 8PM that evening,notifying 1 of Nograles' campaign workers where they could pick up the SUV which had been left in satisfactory condition.
The AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 69IB (Infantry Battalion) rationalised the incident as primarily being the fault of Nograles' advance team.Why?The workers didnt coordinate their movements prior to entering the sector, as all candidates and supporters are advised to do,so says the 69th's CO (Commanding Officer),Col.De Mesa.
On March 22, 2010,in the town of Sapang-Dalaga in Misamis Occidental Province,incumbent Mayor Donjie"Dondon"D'lonso Animas was stopped at an NPA checkpoint and found his security detail disarmed of four 45 caliber pistols.
On Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 420 PM in Sitio Kalayan in Barangay Malixi near the border of Barangay San Vincente in the municipality of Tagbina in Surigao del Sur Province,Tagbina's Vice Mayor Jessie Callano who was running for mayor was stopped at an NPA checkpoint by 30 guerillas from Front 14 led by Ka Tata.Ka Tata demanded that Callano, who had been resistant up until then,finally buy a PTC for P50,000 (1,000 Euros).Callano sent for the money and once it was received,in approximately 30 minutes,he and his entourage were released.Two 45 pistols were captured by the NPA.
That same day in in Barangay Mabuhay in the town of Tandag which is also in Surigao del Sur Province,incumbent Mayor Alexander"Ayek" (not "Ike" as it is usually listed by the media) Pimentel,the brother of the governor and running unopposed in Tandag,had his security detail disarmed at an NPA checkpoint manned by 100 guerillas but was released after 30 minutes.
On April 15,2010 in the municipality of Gigaquit which is ALSO in Surigao del Sur Province,Mayor Caloy Egay had his security detail disamred at an NPA checkpoint.One KG 9 and one 45 caliber pistol were captured.
On April 20,2010 in the town of Sibagat in the province of Agusan del Sur,Mayor Dr.Thelma Gonzaga Lamanilao had her detail disarmed as well at an NPA checkpoint.One KG 9,two 45 caliber pistols,one 9MM and two 38 caliber revolvers were captured.
April 22,2010 in Barangay Santa Juana in the town of Tagbina in Surigao del Sur Province,incumbent Mayor Donnel Villaluz Polizon and 4 of the Sangguniang Bayan (Town Council) found themselves and their very large security detail disarmed at an NPA checkpoint.No inventory of divested weapons available.
Sunday,April 25,2010 in Sitio Paklap in Barangay San Vincente in Bislig City in Surigao del Sur Province,200 NPA guerillas from Front 14 under Ka Dino stopped the 2 SUVs of Provincial Council candidates Natciso Curalde and Gertrude Cabatingan who were travelling in tandem for safety.The 2 candidates were en route to a rally in Hinatuan's Barangay Tidman but never made it though they were released unharmed after 3 hours,and after paying for PTCs.
Speaking of Hinatuan,on April 26,2010 a well known supporter of incumbent Mayor Candelario J.Viola Jr. was stopped at an NPA checkpoint manned by 60 guerillas from the afore mentioned Front 14,this time under the command of Ka Juniel.The mayor himself was returning from a rally in Barangay San Vincente but intelligently took an alternate route upon leaving the gathering.When it was discovered that the supporter was not with the mayor the disappointed guerillas allowed the man to leave unmolested,albeit after a stern dressing down.
On April 28,2010,Wednesday,on Road #13 in Sitio Mamparasan in Barangay San Roque in Bislig City in Surigao del Sur Province,at 11AM,incumbent Mayor Alberto M.Tan was stopped and had himself and his security detail disarmed at an NPA checkpoint.
That same day,at 2PM in Sitio Cadlum in Barangay Kabangahan in the municipality of Tago in Surigao del Sur Province, a political rally for incumbent Congressman Philip Pichay,Tago's outgoing Mayor Hermenegildo Pimentel Jr.and the man running to replace him,Henrich Pimentel was interrupted by 30 NPA guerillas from Front 30,under Ka Puma.The guerillas quickly disarmed the extra-large security detail and managed to capture four AK47s,three M16s and 1 each of the following pistols:45 caliber,9MM, and 40 caliber.Congressman Pichay,who rarely travels in his own district says that he was so shaken up that he will now pay the PTC in any future candidacies.
On May 1,2010,early Saturday morning in the town of Malimono in the province of Surigao del Sur,incumbent Mayor Teodoro Sinaca's home was surrounded by well armed gunmen who then proceeded to strafe it with M16s for about 30 minutes.Malimono's MPO (Municipal Police Office,as in PNP station) responded in force and an intense firefight ensued for another hour before the gunmen withdrew into the bush.3 members of the mayor's family were moderately wounded in the gunbattle.
This incident has been pawned off on the NPA by the AFP and PNP,but of course it is entirely not the modus operandi of the NPA to surround a home and just shoot 3 round bursts for a half hour.For one thing,the NPA pays P40 to 50 Pesos per round (1 Euro,more or less) and otherwise depends almost entirely upon captured ammunition.That is purely from a common sensical point of view.More to the point,though its SPARU squads (incorrectly spelled as "Sparrow," assasination squads,"Special Partisan Armed Units") would never place themselves in such a jeapourdising position, neither do they operate in larger than 5 man contingents and almost always in 3,composed of 1 shooter,1 back -up and 1 look out.Almost certainly this was entirely related to a competitor who I will leave to the imagination owning to the very strict libel laws we enjoy here in the Philippines).
On Wednesday,May 5,2010 as the sun rose over Agusan-Davao National Hiway,Lingig Mayor Roberto"Jimmy"Luna Jr.and his 4 man security detail pulled up to what they believed was a PNP Checkpoint in Barangay Pasi-an in the town of Monkayo in ComVal (Compostela Valley) Province,not too far from Trento on the Agusan del Sur Provincial Line and Agusan Marsh.Much to their suprise however,the checkpoint was manned by the NPA guerillas who disarmed the 4 man detail (2 AFP soldiers and 2 PNP officers) and kidnapped all 5 men,seizing both their SUVs.
The mayor,who was en route to Davao Doctors Hospital to visit an ill son was"charged"by the NPA with a variety of offences:
1) Murdering his predecessor,Mayor Amerosin V.Onsing in 2001
2) Murdering the Suazo brothers in 2007 in his town's Barangay Union
3) Burning out squatters on a 30 hectare plot of land in Barangay Pagbacatan
4) Doing the same on a smaller plot on Dahican Island
5) Embezzling 26 million Pesos from a Land Bank Loan to improve irrigation in his municipality.The 2009 loan is now wrapped up in legal proceedings with government prosecutors charging him as well so the headaches just keep piling up for Mayor Luna.
He and his detail,2 Pfcs from the 58IB:
1) Arnel Dizon
2) Jon Rey Abao
along with 2 Lingig PNP officers:
1) PO2 Boy de Castro
2) PO3 Alan Dapitanon
were moved 5 times during their 8 days of captivity but were treated fairly well they all say,and were released in a carefully orchestrated propaganda exercise on May 13, 3 days after the election.
On May 8,2010,Saturday,11AM on the Hinatuan-Bislig City Boundry Road, in Sitio Tandawan in Barangay Loyola on the Bislig side.Outgoing Governor Vincente Pimentel Jr'sconvoy of 3 SUVs was stopped at an NPA checkpoint manned by 90 guerillas.The Governor's security detail then proceeded to get into a heated argument with the guerillas as they were being divested of weaponry and the scene could have easily turned into one giant blood bath.Instead the guerillas captured four M16s,one MP5 and two 45 caliber pistols and allowed the convoy to proceed.
They had been coming from a meeting about Lingig's afore mentioned Mayor Roberto"Jimmy"Luna Jr. who had just been kidnapped days before.It is also worth mentioning that the Governor,who has reached his term limit was campaigning for the mayoralty of Carrascal in Surigao del Sur Province,and later ended up winning that election.
In Davao Oriental Province's municipality of Lupon on Sunday,April 11th,2010 at 3 PM,mayoral candidate Arfran Larrobis Quinones who had served as mayor in the past as well,was en route to a campaign meeting with supporters to Sitio Tiombokan in Barangay Marayag and had just entered Sitio Calatagan in that same barangay when 30 NPA guerillas from Front 18 under Ka Benjie stopped them at a checkpoint.At 6PM all except Quinones and Barnagay Chairman/Captain Pedro Rosito were released.The 2 were kidnapped victims were then released as ComVal Governor Arturo Uy began negotiations for their release.Both were released in good condition on April 13th at 8PM in that town's Barangay Kalatagan.
Philosophically the group offers very little original ideology,strictly patterning itself after Mao in all key areas.Juxtapose 95% of orthadox Maosim with Sisonian ideology and you have a perfect fit.Needless to say I will go into great detail about the organisation and its beliefs in future entries,for now I am just trying to catalouge all recent events,especially with regard to the 2010 Election this past May 10th.
To the NPA's credit it does not overtly interfere in election related goings on but does take a very proactive stance with regard to candidates.This year,as in elections past,the group has"sold""PTCs" (Permits to Campaign).A PTC enables a candidate who buys one to campaign relatively worry free in the NPA's AOR (Area of Responsibility,in this case synonymous with Area of Operations).Contrary to AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) claims,there was no evolution this year towards a"PTW,"or"Permit to Win."The AFP claimed that this year,instead of PTCs the NPA was selling their services to ensure that a given candidate would win a particular office by mobilising their"mass base of support"(civilian supporters).For candidates unwilling to pay the relatively steep fee (a minimum of 50,000 Pesos,roughly 1,000 Euros),they risked having their security details disarmed at gunpoint,weapons taken and for a recalcitrant few,they risked kidnapping.
The NPA's AOR on Mindanao is almost entirely in the northeast and the Davao Region,connected by the Diwata Mountain chain from Surigao del Sur Province down through ComVal (Compostela Valley Province) with a strong pocket in N.Cotabato Province towards the Bukidnon provincial line.The following incidents all took place in the northeast, unless otherwise noted.A note,the title"Ka"is idiomatically akin to"Comrade"and is a unisex appellation.A"Front"is equivalent to a military company and they operate within a given geographical zone.
Valentine's Day in the Philippines is all about hearts,candy and love...unless you happen to live on Mindanao. On our island it is one of many times each year when specific insurgent groups make regularly timed attacks. Valentine's' because it is of course associated with the Catholic faith,the dominant religion of the Philippines,is a day on which the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces),and to a lesser extent ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) go on rampages.This Valentine's however the culprit was the NPA who launched a tactical operation in Barangay Sibahay in the town of Boston in Davao Oriental Province.Unfortunately,an innocent bystander, 13 year old Memilyn Moreno,was shot and killed.
March 11,2010 at 230PM in Davao City's Paquibato District,an NPA stronghold,an advance team for candidate Prospero Nograles was forced to stop at an NPA checkpoint.Although the occupants of the SUV were unarmed,in accordance with the COMELEC Election Season Weapons Ban,the team was made to exit their vehicle and walk out of the outlying district on foot.All campaign materiels which included personalised bottles of liquor with Nograles' face imprinted upon the label were"confiscated"by the guerillas (hiccup) from the NPA's Pulang Bagani Company 1 (PBC1),the company sized formation belonging to one of the oldest NPA Fronts on Mindanao,Front 53.
After proving their point,whatever that"point"may be,the NPA surrdendered the SUV at 8PM that evening,notifying 1 of Nograles' campaign workers where they could pick up the SUV which had been left in satisfactory condition.
The AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 69IB (Infantry Battalion) rationalised the incident as primarily being the fault of Nograles' advance team.Why?The workers didnt coordinate their movements prior to entering the sector, as all candidates and supporters are advised to do,so says the 69th's CO (Commanding Officer),Col.De Mesa.
On March 22, 2010,in the town of Sapang-Dalaga in Misamis Occidental Province,incumbent Mayor Donjie"Dondon"D'lonso Animas was stopped at an NPA checkpoint and found his security detail disarmed of four 45 caliber pistols.
On Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 420 PM in Sitio Kalayan in Barangay Malixi near the border of Barangay San Vincente in the municipality of Tagbina in Surigao del Sur Province,Tagbina's Vice Mayor Jessie Callano who was running for mayor was stopped at an NPA checkpoint by 30 guerillas from Front 14 led by Ka Tata.Ka Tata demanded that Callano, who had been resistant up until then,finally buy a PTC for P50,000 (1,000 Euros).Callano sent for the money and once it was received,in approximately 30 minutes,he and his entourage were released.Two 45 pistols were captured by the NPA.
That same day in in Barangay Mabuhay in the town of Tandag which is also in Surigao del Sur Province,incumbent Mayor Alexander"Ayek" (not "Ike" as it is usually listed by the media) Pimentel,the brother of the governor and running unopposed in Tandag,had his security detail disarmed at an NPA checkpoint manned by 100 guerillas but was released after 30 minutes.
On April 15,2010 in the municipality of Gigaquit which is ALSO in Surigao del Sur Province,Mayor Caloy Egay had his security detail disamred at an NPA checkpoint.One KG 9 and one 45 caliber pistol were captured.
On April 20,2010 in the town of Sibagat in the province of Agusan del Sur,Mayor Dr.Thelma Gonzaga Lamanilao had her detail disarmed as well at an NPA checkpoint.One KG 9,two 45 caliber pistols,one 9MM and two 38 caliber revolvers were captured.
April 22,2010 in Barangay Santa Juana in the town of Tagbina in Surigao del Sur Province,incumbent Mayor Donnel Villaluz Polizon and 4 of the Sangguniang Bayan (Town Council) found themselves and their very large security detail disarmed at an NPA checkpoint.No inventory of divested weapons available.
Sunday,April 25,2010 in Sitio Paklap in Barangay San Vincente in Bislig City in Surigao del Sur Province,200 NPA guerillas from Front 14 under Ka Dino stopped the 2 SUVs of Provincial Council candidates Natciso Curalde and Gertrude Cabatingan who were travelling in tandem for safety.The 2 candidates were en route to a rally in Hinatuan's Barangay Tidman but never made it though they were released unharmed after 3 hours,and after paying for PTCs.
Speaking of Hinatuan,on April 26,2010 a well known supporter of incumbent Mayor Candelario J.Viola Jr. was stopped at an NPA checkpoint manned by 60 guerillas from the afore mentioned Front 14,this time under the command of Ka Juniel.The mayor himself was returning from a rally in Barangay San Vincente but intelligently took an alternate route upon leaving the gathering.When it was discovered that the supporter was not with the mayor the disappointed guerillas allowed the man to leave unmolested,albeit after a stern dressing down.
On April 28,2010,Wednesday,on Road #13 in Sitio Mamparasan in Barangay San Roque in Bislig City in Surigao del Sur Province,at 11AM,incumbent Mayor Alberto M.Tan was stopped and had himself and his security detail disarmed at an NPA checkpoint.
That same day,at 2PM in Sitio Cadlum in Barangay Kabangahan in the municipality of Tago in Surigao del Sur Province, a political rally for incumbent Congressman Philip Pichay,Tago's outgoing Mayor Hermenegildo Pimentel Jr.and the man running to replace him,Henrich Pimentel was interrupted by 30 NPA guerillas from Front 30,under Ka Puma.The guerillas quickly disarmed the extra-large security detail and managed to capture four AK47s,three M16s and 1 each of the following pistols:45 caliber,9MM, and 40 caliber.Congressman Pichay,who rarely travels in his own district says that he was so shaken up that he will now pay the PTC in any future candidacies.
On May 1,2010,early Saturday morning in the town of Malimono in the province of Surigao del Sur,incumbent Mayor Teodoro Sinaca's home was surrounded by well armed gunmen who then proceeded to strafe it with M16s for about 30 minutes.Malimono's MPO (Municipal Police Office,as in PNP station) responded in force and an intense firefight ensued for another hour before the gunmen withdrew into the bush.3 members of the mayor's family were moderately wounded in the gunbattle.
This incident has been pawned off on the NPA by the AFP and PNP,but of course it is entirely not the modus operandi of the NPA to surround a home and just shoot 3 round bursts for a half hour.For one thing,the NPA pays P40 to 50 Pesos per round (1 Euro,more or less) and otherwise depends almost entirely upon captured ammunition.That is purely from a common sensical point of view.More to the point,though its SPARU squads (incorrectly spelled as "Sparrow," assasination squads,"Special Partisan Armed Units") would never place themselves in such a jeapourdising position, neither do they operate in larger than 5 man contingents and almost always in 3,composed of 1 shooter,1 back -up and 1 look out.Almost certainly this was entirely related to a competitor who I will leave to the imagination owning to the very strict libel laws we enjoy here in the Philippines).
On Wednesday,May 5,2010 as the sun rose over Agusan-Davao National Hiway,Lingig Mayor Roberto"Jimmy"Luna Jr.and his 4 man security detail pulled up to what they believed was a PNP Checkpoint in Barangay Pasi-an in the town of Monkayo in ComVal (Compostela Valley) Province,not too far from Trento on the Agusan del Sur Provincial Line and Agusan Marsh.Much to their suprise however,the checkpoint was manned by the NPA guerillas who disarmed the 4 man detail (2 AFP soldiers and 2 PNP officers) and kidnapped all 5 men,seizing both their SUVs.
The mayor,who was en route to Davao Doctors Hospital to visit an ill son was"charged"by the NPA with a variety of offences:
1) Murdering his predecessor,Mayor Amerosin V.Onsing in 2001
2) Murdering the Suazo brothers in 2007 in his town's Barangay Union
3) Burning out squatters on a 30 hectare plot of land in Barangay Pagbacatan
4) Doing the same on a smaller plot on Dahican Island
5) Embezzling 26 million Pesos from a Land Bank Loan to improve irrigation in his municipality.The 2009 loan is now wrapped up in legal proceedings with government prosecutors charging him as well so the headaches just keep piling up for Mayor Luna.
He and his detail,2 Pfcs from the 58IB:
1) Arnel Dizon
2) Jon Rey Abao
along with 2 Lingig PNP officers:
1) PO2 Boy de Castro
2) PO3 Alan Dapitanon
were moved 5 times during their 8 days of captivity but were treated fairly well they all say,and were released in a carefully orchestrated propaganda exercise on May 13, 3 days after the election.
On May 8,2010,Saturday,11AM on the Hinatuan-Bislig City Boundry Road, in Sitio Tandawan in Barangay Loyola on the Bislig side.Outgoing Governor Vincente Pimentel Jr'sconvoy of 3 SUVs was stopped at an NPA checkpoint manned by 90 guerillas.The Governor's security detail then proceeded to get into a heated argument with the guerillas as they were being divested of weaponry and the scene could have easily turned into one giant blood bath.Instead the guerillas captured four M16s,one MP5 and two 45 caliber pistols and allowed the convoy to proceed.
They had been coming from a meeting about Lingig's afore mentioned Mayor Roberto"Jimmy"Luna Jr. who had just been kidnapped days before.It is also worth mentioning that the Governor,who has reached his term limit was campaigning for the mayoralty of Carrascal in Surigao del Sur Province,and later ended up winning that election.
In Davao Oriental Province's municipality of Lupon on Sunday,April 11th,2010 at 3 PM,mayoral candidate Arfran Larrobis Quinones who had served as mayor in the past as well,was en route to a campaign meeting with supporters to Sitio Tiombokan in Barangay Marayag and had just entered Sitio Calatagan in that same barangay when 30 NPA guerillas from Front 18 under Ka Benjie stopped them at a checkpoint.At 6PM all except Quinones and Barnagay Chairman/Captain Pedro Rosito were released.The 2 were kidnapped victims were then released as ComVal Governor Arturo Uy began negotiations for their release.Both were released in good condition on April 13th at 8PM in that town's Barangay Kalatagan.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Abu Sayyaf Armed Contacts for First and Second Quarters of 2010
Seeing as how I have spent the last 2 entries discussing the island province of Basilan I thought I might make a relatively painless segue directly into an update about actions undertaken by the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) as I begin discussing the insurgency on that small island.
On Feburary 2nd, 2010, Tuesday at 12PM in Barangay Guiong in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province, an AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 6 x 6 truck with armoured refitting was flipped onto its back by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device, i.e. "Bomb"), one of two that day on that same Sumisip-Maluso Road (I wrote about the second IED in my previous entry on the Election Related Violence on Basilan). Corporal Bryan Ansing of the 32IB (Infantry Battalion) was killed instantly while eight of his mates were severely wounded.
With two IEDs by Abu Sayyaf, one hitting the army, the second hitting a politician, it is difficult to say which 1 was the target. IEDs in the Philippines are almost always command detonated (someone must physically detonate it, no timer is used) as indeed these two were...which leads one to wonder just whom the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) was aiming for. Conceivably it could have been both but the organisation hasn't attempted any finely co-ordinated attacks since the younger Janjalani brother was killed on Jolo Island. It is more likely than not that the target was the military and that the political killing was simply a stroke of luck (good luck for ASG but terrible luck of course for the victims).
Feburary 26th, 2010, at 820PM in Barangay Biembengan, in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province,the two Chinese nationals kidnapped from the island's Chinese owned Hi-Tech Wood Craft Plywood mill in the town of Maluso on Novemeber 10th, 2009 were finally freed. They had been taken with Filipino worker Mark Singson who was decapitated not long after because of his family's refusal to negotiate a ransom. 51 year old Zhi Shun Lu, known as "Oscar Lu," and 27 year old Bo Shung Tan, known as "Michael Tan," were found after a firefight between the Marines and ASG's Puruji Indama Faction, the strongest ASG faction on Basilan.
The men, both natives of Guanghzou, China, were then taken to the AFP's Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City for de-briefing and the requisite hospitalisation. Unfortunately, the older man, "Oscar Lu," who has had advanced kidney disease for a number of years, and who of course was without medications and dialysis for the length of his ordeal, passed away due to organ failure three days after being found. Talk about "mixed blessings."
On Saturday, Feburary 27th, 2010,at 545AM in the town of Maluso's Barangay Tubigan seventy ASG guerillas launched a village wide raid and burned five homes down by throwing kerosene lamps onto the thatched huts roofs. Most villagers were still sleeping at what for them was a relatively late hour due to an Islamic holiday the evening before and a party at the village mosque. As villagers were running for safety ASG began picking them off. Eleven died on scene. The raid stemmed from a personal disagreement between the Barangay Chairman/Captain (village chief) and an ASG factional leader,Puruji Indama. One of the dead was an off duty CVO soldier (Civilian Volunteer Organization, one of four entities that together form the CAA, or Civilian Active Auxiliary,the cornerstone of the AFP's counterinsurgency Force Multiplication protocol. CVO though, unlike all others, is under the PNP, Philippine National Police, and not the AFP). Among the initial eleven killed was young mother Karen Bucoy, her 9 year old son Arjie, and infant Abigail who were all burned alive in their home.
Other eight casulaties:
1) Benjie Laping
2) Timhaar Arakani
3) Uding Pagdalian
4) John Laping
5) Salima Salapuddin
6) Lorna Sahidda Salisa
7) Tawasil Idjiran
the eleventh initial victim, the CVO soldier, has not been immediately identified as per SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). In addition, ten other villagers were wounded, with two of them dying over the next 48 hours. One of the latter was 9 year old Jabrian Laping who died from organ failure related to his severe burns. The last and thirteenth fatality has not had their identity released.
Thursday, March 18th, 2010 was a lucky day for Examinda Lindio of Isabela City on Basilan, perhaps her luckiest ever when the AFP was able to pressure her Abu Sayyaf kidnappers into withdrawing without her. At 11AM, in Barangay San Jose Maloong, in Lamitan City in Basilan Province, MBLT-1 (Marine Battalion Landing Team #1 (a Landing Team being the equivalent of a company in strength but battalion in deployment) affected the capture Abu Sayyaf member Arvin Guirny of that same barangay.
After interrogating him they were able to glean the location of Ms.Lindio and by 115PM were in position. As the cordon tightened lookouts alerted the kidnappers who quickly fled the abandoned three story building without taking the necessary time to free and take their captive who was held in a tiny crawlspace underneath the 1st floor of the building.
Ms.Lindio had been kidnapped on Saturday, March 13th so she is doubly lucky having only spent roughly five days in captivity and having been freed unscathed which is incredibly rare here.
On April 13th, 2010 at 1030 AM in Isabela City's Barangay Eastside in Basilan Provincr Abu Sayyaf attempted to duplicate the 1995 Attack on Ipil, a majority Christian city on Mindanao's Zamboanga Peninsula, an isthmus that sits directly north of Isabela City. Ipil, an attack that killed fifty-six civlians was an operation that put Abu Sayyaf on the map.It was extremely well planned and audacious in nature but more importantly the group was able to pull it off in textbook fashion. Unfortunately for Abu Sayyaf, those days are long gone. 15 years later Abu Sayyaf, devoid of the Janjalani brothers and all other founding members dead and gone, the April 13th operation in Isabela City should prove this better than anything else.
At 1030 AM a truck bomb fashioned out of a Hyundai minivan parked behind Basilan National High School's grandstand detonated in a spectacular fireball. PNP (Philippine National Police) officer SPO4 Enrico "Ricky" Morales who commanded the Basilan PNP PPO (Provincial Police Office) joined 2 Marines stsnding nearby and ran to the source of the explosion. As the 3 men rounded the corner on the opposite end of the grandstand Abu Sayyaf snipers in captured PNP uniforms drew a bead on them. Both Marines died instantly while SPO4 Morales was seriously wounded. Sadly, Professor Bong de la Luna who taught at Basilan State College was caught in a crossfire between SPO4 Morales and the snipers and was also killed in the melee. Two Abu Sayyaf snipers were taken down,dying on scene,1 of which was in plain clothes.
At this point the remaining ASG snipers and their blocking force (shooters who protect escape routes and rear echelons) began to rapidly withdraw, pursued by SPO4 Morales' underlings aided by well armed civlians so that the barangay devolved into a chaotic scene of running firefights.
2 more Abu Sayyaf were wounded,both in PNP SAF (Special Action Forces,the PNP Special Forces) fatigues. They were taken to nearby Infante Hospital before being quickly airlifted across the water to Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamboanga City (1 dying days later,on April 21,from sepsis,with his only known ID being his nom de guerre, "Umbar" (He was buried on the coast of Zamboanga at Caragasan by the local Imam). The surviving Abu Sayyaf guerilla,Ajid Jalil,alternatively known as "Ajid Jainul" was arrested on June 29th after being released from WESMINCOM (West Mindanao Command) Hospital, the AFP's Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamoboanga City.
At just before 11AM, the day of the aforementioned ASG raid,after the wounding of the two Abu Sayyaf gunment above,a 2nd IED with an equally powerful payload (a"payload"being the expolsive component of the bomb) detonated at the Cathedral of Santa Isabela and destroyed 70% of the building's compound, wounding thirteen civilians. The bomb had been rigged to a motorcycle parked in the compound's parking lot immediately adjacent to the cathedral itself. Six SUVs were also destroyed along with 10 other motorcycles and 1 habal-habal (motorcycle taxi).
A third IED set in front of the home of Judge Leo Jay Principe, adjacent to Basilan RTC-1 (Regional Trial Court 1) was discovered prior to detonation. An AFP EOD (Explosive and Ordnance Detachment) detonated the device near by.Judge Princpe is the jurist who swore out the warrants for the 130 ASG and MILF 114 Base Command guerillas who are said to have taken part in the infamous joint action in July of 2007 that killed fourteen Marines, ten of whom were then decapitated,on Basilan.
A fourth IED did detonate, though prematurely as a cargo van full of Abu Sayyaf guerillas were driving through the streets of Isabela City at 1135 AM.Their van inexplicably caught fire causing the IED to go off before they could stop and exit the van. The guerillas were killed.
In a tell tale sign of just how low Abu Sayyaf has sunk,the wounded guerilla revealed during interrogation at Camp Navarro that almost all actors were in fact inexperienced youth hired from Basilan's municipality of Tipo Tipo.The operation was entirely devoid of political ideology and the fact that their direct employer was apparently a middle man,brokering the operation clearly points to an act of election sabotage in the avaristic sense, a candidate attempting to gain the upper hand over 1 or another of his (or her) competitors and win the election. Ergo, a political act devoid of political ideology if you will. Since Abu Sayyaf has been operating entirely for profit since 2002, this should come as no suprise.
On April 26th, 2010 in Barangay Baiwas, in the town of Sumisip, five Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in an accidental encounter with the AFP, as was one AFP soldier. After that initial bloody encounter running firefights took place throughout the rest of the day. These skirmishes in turn led to another unexpected windfall when the AFP"s 4th Scount Ranger Company (AFP Special Forces) stumbled into a major Abu Sayyaf camp.4 of the Rangers were moderately wounded when 1 inadvertantly tripped a boobytrapped IED inside the camp's perimeter. The IED was fashioned from a 60MM mortar shell with a simple monofilament trip wire.More shells,as is,were recovered as were RPG-2 rounds.
Tuesday, April 27th,2010, on the border of Barangays Pamasatken and Baiwas in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province, an IED detonated wounding three AFP Scout Rangers from the 4th Scout Ranger Company on the side of Bundok Abong-Abong (Abong Abong Mountain) during a firefight with ASG who were wearing captured AFP fatigues along the ridgeline. A fourth Scout Ranger from the same company was wounded in a firefight 30 minutes later under the ridgeline as they began withdrawing to Medivac the 3 previously wounded soldiers.
On Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 at 5PM, in Barangay Bakong, in the town of Sumisip in Basilan Proince,a PNP convoy from Isabela City that had arrived in search of Abu Sayyaf after ASG guerillas had been sighted in and out of the bush outside of town had come up empty and was just turning around for the return trip into Isabela City when they were ambushed by that same band of Abu Sayyaf. Two PNP officers, SPO1 Abdurajik Haji and PO1 Charlie Arsenal were shot to death just as the ambush began. In a stroke of luck, Basilan's Director of the PNP PPO, Senior Superint.Antonio"Tony"Mendoza just missed punching his ticket by a single meter as his unarmoured vehicle managed to round the bend as the shooting began.Talk about thanking your lucky stars.
Two Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in that attack as well, one of which, Adduji Kawwil, is an ex-CVO soldier as well as a current Barangay Councilman/Kagawad. He was moonlighting but whether as a guerilla or a councilman depends upon perspective.
Wednesday,May 26th,2010 at 6 AM in Sitio Mompol in Barangay Libug,cin the town of Sumisip,30 Abu Sayyaf guerillas ambushed a jeepney (ubiqitous form of Philippine public transportation,fashioned from WWII Era American military jeeps that have had their axles lengthened to about 10 meters,thus resembling lowriding school busses) that was plying the road between Isabela City and Sumisip.
The Jeepney had just picked up a load of passengers for the return trip to Isabela City when it was flagged down by well armed Abu Sayyaf guerillas. Stopping, all passengers jumped out the rear,3 passengers,all males were singled out and taken away by the gunmen.
Claudio Mananita, an employee of Manggal Agrarian Reform Beneficiary and Development Cooperative, a rubber plantation land distribution concern was the 1st to be ransomed off,for P2 Million (roughly 40,000 Euros).His family,unable to pay anything at all later found that he had been executed.
His two fellow passengers, a gay couple,were executed just 2 hours after being led into the bush,apparently because of their sexual orientation since no ransom demands were even floated (despite widely circulated media reports that the kidnappers had sent SMS messages to victim's grandmother demanding a P1 Million (roughly 20,000 Euros) payment. Also just as inaccurate are the reports that the 2 gay men had been executed at around the same time that Mr.Mananita was,24 hours prior to discovery).The 2,Rolando Francisco Jr. and Dariel Quintela were heading into Isabela City so that Francisco could earn money by styling hair as he tried to save enough to enter college.
The bodies of all 3 men were found on Saturday,June 4th in Barangay Sukaten in the town of Sumisip,after a fire fight at 8am the day before.As the AFP pursued the withdrawing ASG guerillas into their stronghold in Barangay Baiwas they came across the decomposing remains.That fire fight on Friday also wounded 2 AFP soldiers.It is worth noting that all 3 had been shot at close range and not decapitated as has also been reported by the media.
June 11,2010,Saturday,3PM outside of the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,3 men were illegaly logging in the bush, towing logs with caraboa (water buffalo) when they had the extremely bad luck to come across a retreating group of ASG. All 3 were found decapitated in Sitio Pali in Barangay Abong-Abong in that same town,Maluso.
On Wednesday, June 26th, 2010 at about 2PM in Sitio Stardust, in Barangay Tubig,also in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,a jeepney en route to Sumisip's Barangay Calcaban from Isabela City became the 2nd to be waylaid by Abu Sayyaf in the last four weeks,killing four and critically wounding wounding,including a 10 year old boy.The older wounded passenger was hacked nearly to death by bolo (machete) but despite media reports was not decapitated. The dead were the driver, 35 year old Rodel Weng Circulado and passengers Salsijan Ampuan Sali aged 22,Rahma Anjalun aged 35 and 17 year old Solis Aspalun.
Abu Sayyaf snipers atop a hill strafed the side of the jeepney, killing its driver and causing it to roll to a stop. At that point all passengers jumped out the rear and made a run for it with four being shot as they did so. As mentioned, one unlucky man,though managing to outrun his attacker was still badly mutilated by his pursuer's bolo.
On Feburary 2nd, 2010, Tuesday at 12PM in Barangay Guiong in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province, an AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 6 x 6 truck with armoured refitting was flipped onto its back by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device, i.e. "Bomb"), one of two that day on that same Sumisip-Maluso Road (I wrote about the second IED in my previous entry on the Election Related Violence on Basilan). Corporal Bryan Ansing of the 32IB (Infantry Battalion) was killed instantly while eight of his mates were severely wounded.
With two IEDs by Abu Sayyaf, one hitting the army, the second hitting a politician, it is difficult to say which 1 was the target. IEDs in the Philippines are almost always command detonated (someone must physically detonate it, no timer is used) as indeed these two were...which leads one to wonder just whom the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) was aiming for. Conceivably it could have been both but the organisation hasn't attempted any finely co-ordinated attacks since the younger Janjalani brother was killed on Jolo Island. It is more likely than not that the target was the military and that the political killing was simply a stroke of luck (good luck for ASG but terrible luck of course for the victims).
Feburary 26th, 2010, at 820PM in Barangay Biembengan, in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province,the two Chinese nationals kidnapped from the island's Chinese owned Hi-Tech Wood Craft Plywood mill in the town of Maluso on Novemeber 10th, 2009 were finally freed. They had been taken with Filipino worker Mark Singson who was decapitated not long after because of his family's refusal to negotiate a ransom. 51 year old Zhi Shun Lu, known as "Oscar Lu," and 27 year old Bo Shung Tan, known as "Michael Tan," were found after a firefight between the Marines and ASG's Puruji Indama Faction, the strongest ASG faction on Basilan.
The men, both natives of Guanghzou, China, were then taken to the AFP's Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City for de-briefing and the requisite hospitalisation. Unfortunately, the older man, "Oscar Lu," who has had advanced kidney disease for a number of years, and who of course was without medications and dialysis for the length of his ordeal, passed away due to organ failure three days after being found. Talk about "mixed blessings."
On Saturday, Feburary 27th, 2010,at 545AM in the town of Maluso's Barangay Tubigan seventy ASG guerillas launched a village wide raid and burned five homes down by throwing kerosene lamps onto the thatched huts roofs. Most villagers were still sleeping at what for them was a relatively late hour due to an Islamic holiday the evening before and a party at the village mosque. As villagers were running for safety ASG began picking them off. Eleven died on scene. The raid stemmed from a personal disagreement between the Barangay Chairman/Captain (village chief) and an ASG factional leader,Puruji Indama. One of the dead was an off duty CVO soldier (Civilian Volunteer Organization, one of four entities that together form the CAA, or Civilian Active Auxiliary,the cornerstone of the AFP's counterinsurgency Force Multiplication protocol. CVO though, unlike all others, is under the PNP, Philippine National Police, and not the AFP). Among the initial eleven killed was young mother Karen Bucoy, her 9 year old son Arjie, and infant Abigail who were all burned alive in their home.
Other eight casulaties:
1) Benjie Laping
2) Timhaar Arakani
3) Uding Pagdalian
4) John Laping
5) Salima Salapuddin
6) Lorna Sahidda Salisa
7) Tawasil Idjiran
the eleventh initial victim, the CVO soldier, has not been immediately identified as per SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). In addition, ten other villagers were wounded, with two of them dying over the next 48 hours. One of the latter was 9 year old Jabrian Laping who died from organ failure related to his severe burns. The last and thirteenth fatality has not had their identity released.
Thursday, March 18th, 2010 was a lucky day for Examinda Lindio of Isabela City on Basilan, perhaps her luckiest ever when the AFP was able to pressure her Abu Sayyaf kidnappers into withdrawing without her. At 11AM, in Barangay San Jose Maloong, in Lamitan City in Basilan Province, MBLT-1 (Marine Battalion Landing Team #1 (a Landing Team being the equivalent of a company in strength but battalion in deployment) affected the capture Abu Sayyaf member Arvin Guirny of that same barangay.
After interrogating him they were able to glean the location of Ms.Lindio and by 115PM were in position. As the cordon tightened lookouts alerted the kidnappers who quickly fled the abandoned three story building without taking the necessary time to free and take their captive who was held in a tiny crawlspace underneath the 1st floor of the building.
Ms.Lindio had been kidnapped on Saturday, March 13th so she is doubly lucky having only spent roughly five days in captivity and having been freed unscathed which is incredibly rare here.
On April 13th, 2010 at 1030 AM in Isabela City's Barangay Eastside in Basilan Provincr Abu Sayyaf attempted to duplicate the 1995 Attack on Ipil, a majority Christian city on Mindanao's Zamboanga Peninsula, an isthmus that sits directly north of Isabela City. Ipil, an attack that killed fifty-six civlians was an operation that put Abu Sayyaf on the map.It was extremely well planned and audacious in nature but more importantly the group was able to pull it off in textbook fashion. Unfortunately for Abu Sayyaf, those days are long gone. 15 years later Abu Sayyaf, devoid of the Janjalani brothers and all other founding members dead and gone, the April 13th operation in Isabela City should prove this better than anything else.
At 1030 AM a truck bomb fashioned out of a Hyundai minivan parked behind Basilan National High School's grandstand detonated in a spectacular fireball. PNP (Philippine National Police) officer SPO4 Enrico "Ricky" Morales who commanded the Basilan PNP PPO (Provincial Police Office) joined 2 Marines stsnding nearby and ran to the source of the explosion. As the 3 men rounded the corner on the opposite end of the grandstand Abu Sayyaf snipers in captured PNP uniforms drew a bead on them. Both Marines died instantly while SPO4 Morales was seriously wounded. Sadly, Professor Bong de la Luna who taught at Basilan State College was caught in a crossfire between SPO4 Morales and the snipers and was also killed in the melee. Two Abu Sayyaf snipers were taken down,dying on scene,1 of which was in plain clothes.
At this point the remaining ASG snipers and their blocking force (shooters who protect escape routes and rear echelons) began to rapidly withdraw, pursued by SPO4 Morales' underlings aided by well armed civlians so that the barangay devolved into a chaotic scene of running firefights.
2 more Abu Sayyaf were wounded,both in PNP SAF (Special Action Forces,the PNP Special Forces) fatigues. They were taken to nearby Infante Hospital before being quickly airlifted across the water to Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamboanga City (1 dying days later,on April 21,from sepsis,with his only known ID being his nom de guerre, "Umbar" (He was buried on the coast of Zamboanga at Caragasan by the local Imam). The surviving Abu Sayyaf guerilla,Ajid Jalil,alternatively known as "Ajid Jainul" was arrested on June 29th after being released from WESMINCOM (West Mindanao Command) Hospital, the AFP's Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamoboanga City.
At just before 11AM, the day of the aforementioned ASG raid,after the wounding of the two Abu Sayyaf gunment above,a 2nd IED with an equally powerful payload (a"payload"being the expolsive component of the bomb) detonated at the Cathedral of Santa Isabela and destroyed 70% of the building's compound, wounding thirteen civilians. The bomb had been rigged to a motorcycle parked in the compound's parking lot immediately adjacent to the cathedral itself. Six SUVs were also destroyed along with 10 other motorcycles and 1 habal-habal (motorcycle taxi).
A third IED set in front of the home of Judge Leo Jay Principe, adjacent to Basilan RTC-1 (Regional Trial Court 1) was discovered prior to detonation. An AFP EOD (Explosive and Ordnance Detachment) detonated the device near by.Judge Princpe is the jurist who swore out the warrants for the 130 ASG and MILF 114 Base Command guerillas who are said to have taken part in the infamous joint action in July of 2007 that killed fourteen Marines, ten of whom were then decapitated,on Basilan.
A fourth IED did detonate, though prematurely as a cargo van full of Abu Sayyaf guerillas were driving through the streets of Isabela City at 1135 AM.Their van inexplicably caught fire causing the IED to go off before they could stop and exit the van. The guerillas were killed.
In a tell tale sign of just how low Abu Sayyaf has sunk,the wounded guerilla revealed during interrogation at Camp Navarro that almost all actors were in fact inexperienced youth hired from Basilan's municipality of Tipo Tipo.The operation was entirely devoid of political ideology and the fact that their direct employer was apparently a middle man,brokering the operation clearly points to an act of election sabotage in the avaristic sense, a candidate attempting to gain the upper hand over 1 or another of his (or her) competitors and win the election. Ergo, a political act devoid of political ideology if you will. Since Abu Sayyaf has been operating entirely for profit since 2002, this should come as no suprise.
On April 26th, 2010 in Barangay Baiwas, in the town of Sumisip, five Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in an accidental encounter with the AFP, as was one AFP soldier. After that initial bloody encounter running firefights took place throughout the rest of the day. These skirmishes in turn led to another unexpected windfall when the AFP"s 4th Scount Ranger Company (AFP Special Forces) stumbled into a major Abu Sayyaf camp.4 of the Rangers were moderately wounded when 1 inadvertantly tripped a boobytrapped IED inside the camp's perimeter. The IED was fashioned from a 60MM mortar shell with a simple monofilament trip wire.More shells,as is,were recovered as were RPG-2 rounds.
Tuesday, April 27th,2010, on the border of Barangays Pamasatken and Baiwas in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province, an IED detonated wounding three AFP Scout Rangers from the 4th Scout Ranger Company on the side of Bundok Abong-Abong (Abong Abong Mountain) during a firefight with ASG who were wearing captured AFP fatigues along the ridgeline. A fourth Scout Ranger from the same company was wounded in a firefight 30 minutes later under the ridgeline as they began withdrawing to Medivac the 3 previously wounded soldiers.
On Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 at 5PM, in Barangay Bakong, in the town of Sumisip in Basilan Proince,a PNP convoy from Isabela City that had arrived in search of Abu Sayyaf after ASG guerillas had been sighted in and out of the bush outside of town had come up empty and was just turning around for the return trip into Isabela City when they were ambushed by that same band of Abu Sayyaf. Two PNP officers, SPO1 Abdurajik Haji and PO1 Charlie Arsenal were shot to death just as the ambush began. In a stroke of luck, Basilan's Director of the PNP PPO, Senior Superint.Antonio"Tony"Mendoza just missed punching his ticket by a single meter as his unarmoured vehicle managed to round the bend as the shooting began.Talk about thanking your lucky stars.
Two Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in that attack as well, one of which, Adduji Kawwil, is an ex-CVO soldier as well as a current Barangay Councilman/Kagawad. He was moonlighting but whether as a guerilla or a councilman depends upon perspective.
Wednesday,May 26th,2010 at 6 AM in Sitio Mompol in Barangay Libug,cin the town of Sumisip,30 Abu Sayyaf guerillas ambushed a jeepney (ubiqitous form of Philippine public transportation,fashioned from WWII Era American military jeeps that have had their axles lengthened to about 10 meters,thus resembling lowriding school busses) that was plying the road between Isabela City and Sumisip.
The Jeepney had just picked up a load of passengers for the return trip to Isabela City when it was flagged down by well armed Abu Sayyaf guerillas. Stopping, all passengers jumped out the rear,3 passengers,all males were singled out and taken away by the gunmen.
Claudio Mananita, an employee of Manggal Agrarian Reform Beneficiary and Development Cooperative, a rubber plantation land distribution concern was the 1st to be ransomed off,for P2 Million (roughly 40,000 Euros).His family,unable to pay anything at all later found that he had been executed.
His two fellow passengers, a gay couple,were executed just 2 hours after being led into the bush,apparently because of their sexual orientation since no ransom demands were even floated (despite widely circulated media reports that the kidnappers had sent SMS messages to victim's grandmother demanding a P1 Million (roughly 20,000 Euros) payment. Also just as inaccurate are the reports that the 2 gay men had been executed at around the same time that Mr.Mananita was,24 hours prior to discovery).The 2,Rolando Francisco Jr. and Dariel Quintela were heading into Isabela City so that Francisco could earn money by styling hair as he tried to save enough to enter college.
The bodies of all 3 men were found on Saturday,June 4th in Barangay Sukaten in the town of Sumisip,after a fire fight at 8am the day before.As the AFP pursued the withdrawing ASG guerillas into their stronghold in Barangay Baiwas they came across the decomposing remains.That fire fight on Friday also wounded 2 AFP soldiers.It is worth noting that all 3 had been shot at close range and not decapitated as has also been reported by the media.
June 11,2010,Saturday,3PM outside of the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,3 men were illegaly logging in the bush, towing logs with caraboa (water buffalo) when they had the extremely bad luck to come across a retreating group of ASG. All 3 were found decapitated in Sitio Pali in Barangay Abong-Abong in that same town,Maluso.
On Wednesday, June 26th, 2010 at about 2PM in Sitio Stardust, in Barangay Tubig,also in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,a jeepney en route to Sumisip's Barangay Calcaban from Isabela City became the 2nd to be waylaid by Abu Sayyaf in the last four weeks,killing four and critically wounding wounding,including a 10 year old boy.The older wounded passenger was hacked nearly to death by bolo (machete) but despite media reports was not decapitated. The dead were the driver, 35 year old Rodel Weng Circulado and passengers Salsijan Ampuan Sali aged 22,Rahma Anjalun aged 35 and 17 year old Solis Aspalun.
Abu Sayyaf snipers atop a hill strafed the side of the jeepney, killing its driver and causing it to roll to a stop. At that point all passengers jumped out the rear and made a run for it with four being shot as they did so. As mentioned, one unlucky man,though managing to outrun his attacker was still badly mutilated by his pursuer's bolo.
Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010,Part VI:Election Related Violence on Basilan
Having last posted about the burgeoning Akmad Dynasty on Basilan it would most definitely make sense to jump right into a breakdown of the 2010 Election Related Violence on that island, so without further ado...
Tuesday,Feburary 2nd,2010 saw 1 of 2 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices,aka"Bombs") hit a vehicle holding 3 supporters of Sumisip mayoral candidate Boy Hataman.The device detonated just as their SUV entered Maluso's Barangay Guiong on Basilan.The 3 were en route to Barangay Buli Buli in that same town from their homes in Sumisip's Barangay Look Ba'it.
Boy Hataman's father is Partylist incumbent Congressman Mujiv Hataman,an NPA guerilla who joined the Rejectionist Front during the NPA's Rectification of the early 90s and went on to join Mindnowan based RPM-M (Revolutionary Proletariat Movement of Mindanao as the organisation was known in English).Like all Rejectionist Front organisations the RPM-M was no longer enamoured with the NPA's orthadox Maosim and were firmly in the grasp of Leninism,but alas that is a discussion meant for another entry.Sufficient to say that the RPM-M is now defunct since signing an FPA (Final Peace Agreement) in 2007 though it has never disarmed.
On Thursday,April 29th,2010 at 11AM in Sitio Sogemol,Barangay San Jose Maloong in the municipality of Lamitan City on Basilan a multicap carrying 3 people including an 8 year old boy was attacked by 5 gunmen.The attackers carefully ascertained the identities of 2 adult males before picking out Aga Sabatal,a campaign worker for incumbent Governor Jum Akbar.Mr.Sabatal was then shot to death while the other 2 were released unharmed.
On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 armed supporters of Lakas-KAMPI-CMD (then the national ruling party) took control of ballot distribution in Sumisip,Basilan and refused to allow distribution in 20 of the town's barangays. When concerned campaign workers notified the authorities the Marines were deployed resulting in a firefight that wounded 2 Marines.
Elsewhere that same day in the town of al Barka,also in Basilan Province,BEIs (Board of Election Inspectors who are almost always public school teachers) refused to show up for their assigned duties due to overt threats of violence causing most of the town's barangays to suffer failed elections. Until now, mid-july, a Re-Balloting has not even been scheduled.
Likewise in Maluso.another town on Basilan,2 barangays were declared failed as well and were Re-Balloted on Thursday,June 7th along with the 7 failed towns in Lanao del Sur Province,an event that I will get to a bit later in this entry.
On Friday,May 14th,2010 at 2PM in Barangays Mangalut,Semut,Upper Sinangkapan,Caddayan and Paguengan in the town of Akbar, on Basilan,supporters of losing mayoral candidate Hadjarun Jamiri battled Marines both in Akbar and in Jamiri's residential compound in Lamitan City after a week that saw his Abu Sayyaf allied paramilitary burn down most of the public buildings in the 5 aforementioned Akbar barangays.This included all schools as well. Most of the burning an looting ended late Wednesday,May 12th having begun early Tuesday the 11th when the election's victor was announced.
At the Lamitan compound in Sitio Libi,Barangay Bulanting 2 of his gunmen were captured,guns blazing along with fatigues, weapons and ammo.
On Saturday, May 15th,2010 in Barangay Giyong in the municipality of Sumisip,AFP Scout Rangers (Army Special Forces) en route to try and capture Abu Sayyaf gunman and kinapping suspect Omar Ippong instead ended up with 14 suspects found to be carrying firearms in violation of the COMELEC (Election Authority) nationwide weapons ban for the length of the election season.When their detention expired without formal arrests taking place,48 hours later,all were released and the violations dropped.GEE,I wonder why such bans have absolutely no effect on Election Related Violence (EVR)?
On the Re-Ballot of Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 for the 2 barangays in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province with the 2 barangays clustered as a single polling site.The normal security for such a clustered site,no matter the number of barangays is 2 AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) soldiers and 2 PNP (Philippines National Police) officers. Maluso though had 2 platoons from MBLT-7 (Marine Battalion Landing Team #7) for a total of 60 Marines plus officers, along with 54 PNP officers of various rank.Those 2 barangays (Upper and Lower Mayahay) have roughly 1500 voters.
Still,even with 120 well armed and experienced security personnel all told the site still suffered from violence.It began when incumbent Mayor Sakib Salijin and supporters became aware that a competitor's supporters had infiltrated the site as Observers (NGO personnel,domestic and foreign,that record any improprieties in hopes of minimising such negative happenings).The 4"infiltrators"were from the Filipino NGO,"PPCRV"(Parish Peace Council for Responsible Voting).
Salijin and company began to physically beat the men before some of those 120 well armed security personnel on site decided to intervene.Dragging some very bloodied men from the precinct site it was in fact discovered that 1 of the Observers was carrying wads of 20 and 50 Peso notes with the specific candidate in question's name written in magic marker across the edge. He also had campaign materiels as well as a rather large combat knife.
On Monday,June 28th, 2010 Basilan Govenor Jum Akbar formally asked COMELEC to finally hold the neccessary Re-Balloting for the municipality of al Barka's 7 affected barangays.Without that Re-Balloting the Provincial Council's 8 seats cannot be filled.The Council's term was ending on June 30th and without some quick action the province of Basilan would slow to a standstill since the Council is akin to an American state legislature.COMELEC offered nothing substantiative and the old Council ended up extending its term indefinitely which of course is absolutely illegal under Philippine Law.
Tuesday,Feburary 2nd,2010 saw 1 of 2 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices,aka"Bombs") hit a vehicle holding 3 supporters of Sumisip mayoral candidate Boy Hataman.The device detonated just as their SUV entered Maluso's Barangay Guiong on Basilan.The 3 were en route to Barangay Buli Buli in that same town from their homes in Sumisip's Barangay Look Ba'it.
Boy Hataman's father is Partylist incumbent Congressman Mujiv Hataman,an NPA guerilla who joined the Rejectionist Front during the NPA's Rectification of the early 90s and went on to join Mindnowan based RPM-M (Revolutionary Proletariat Movement of Mindanao as the organisation was known in English).Like all Rejectionist Front organisations the RPM-M was no longer enamoured with the NPA's orthadox Maosim and were firmly in the grasp of Leninism,but alas that is a discussion meant for another entry.Sufficient to say that the RPM-M is now defunct since signing an FPA (Final Peace Agreement) in 2007 though it has never disarmed.
On Thursday,April 29th,2010 at 11AM in Sitio Sogemol,Barangay San Jose Maloong in the municipality of Lamitan City on Basilan a multicap carrying 3 people including an 8 year old boy was attacked by 5 gunmen.The attackers carefully ascertained the identities of 2 adult males before picking out Aga Sabatal,a campaign worker for incumbent Governor Jum Akbar.Mr.Sabatal was then shot to death while the other 2 were released unharmed.
On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 armed supporters of Lakas-KAMPI-CMD (then the national ruling party) took control of ballot distribution in Sumisip,Basilan and refused to allow distribution in 20 of the town's barangays. When concerned campaign workers notified the authorities the Marines were deployed resulting in a firefight that wounded 2 Marines.
Elsewhere that same day in the town of al Barka,also in Basilan Province,BEIs (Board of Election Inspectors who are almost always public school teachers) refused to show up for their assigned duties due to overt threats of violence causing most of the town's barangays to suffer failed elections. Until now, mid-july, a Re-Balloting has not even been scheduled.
Likewise in Maluso.another town on Basilan,2 barangays were declared failed as well and were Re-Balloted on Thursday,June 7th along with the 7 failed towns in Lanao del Sur Province,an event that I will get to a bit later in this entry.
On Friday,May 14th,2010 at 2PM in Barangays Mangalut,Semut,Upper Sinangkapan,Caddayan and Paguengan in the town of Akbar, on Basilan,supporters of losing mayoral candidate Hadjarun Jamiri battled Marines both in Akbar and in Jamiri's residential compound in Lamitan City after a week that saw his Abu Sayyaf allied paramilitary burn down most of the public buildings in the 5 aforementioned Akbar barangays.This included all schools as well. Most of the burning an looting ended late Wednesday,May 12th having begun early Tuesday the 11th when the election's victor was announced.
At the Lamitan compound in Sitio Libi,Barangay Bulanting 2 of his gunmen were captured,guns blazing along with fatigues, weapons and ammo.
On Saturday, May 15th,2010 in Barangay Giyong in the municipality of Sumisip,AFP Scout Rangers (Army Special Forces) en route to try and capture Abu Sayyaf gunman and kinapping suspect Omar Ippong instead ended up with 14 suspects found to be carrying firearms in violation of the COMELEC (Election Authority) nationwide weapons ban for the length of the election season.When their detention expired without formal arrests taking place,48 hours later,all were released and the violations dropped.GEE,I wonder why such bans have absolutely no effect on Election Related Violence (EVR)?
On the Re-Ballot of Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 for the 2 barangays in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province with the 2 barangays clustered as a single polling site.The normal security for such a clustered site,no matter the number of barangays is 2 AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) soldiers and 2 PNP (Philippines National Police) officers. Maluso though had 2 platoons from MBLT-7 (Marine Battalion Landing Team #7) for a total of 60 Marines plus officers, along with 54 PNP officers of various rank.Those 2 barangays (Upper and Lower Mayahay) have roughly 1500 voters.
Still,even with 120 well armed and experienced security personnel all told the site still suffered from violence.It began when incumbent Mayor Sakib Salijin and supporters became aware that a competitor's supporters had infiltrated the site as Observers (NGO personnel,domestic and foreign,that record any improprieties in hopes of minimising such negative happenings).The 4"infiltrators"were from the Filipino NGO,"PPCRV"(Parish Peace Council for Responsible Voting).
Salijin and company began to physically beat the men before some of those 120 well armed security personnel on site decided to intervene.Dragging some very bloodied men from the precinct site it was in fact discovered that 1 of the Observers was carrying wads of 20 and 50 Peso notes with the specific candidate in question's name written in magic marker across the edge. He also had campaign materiels as well as a rather large combat knife.
On Monday,June 28th, 2010 Basilan Govenor Jum Akbar formally asked COMELEC to finally hold the neccessary Re-Balloting for the municipality of al Barka's 7 affected barangays.Without that Re-Balloting the Provincial Council's 8 seats cannot be filled.The Council's term was ending on June 30th and without some quick action the province of Basilan would slow to a standstill since the Council is akin to an American state legislature.COMELEC offered nothing substantiative and the old Council ended up extending its term indefinitely which of course is absolutely illegal under Philippine Law.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Portrait of a Warlord: The Akbar Dynasty of Basilan
Basilan is a relatively small island, 800 square kilometers and sitting almost directly off of Zamboanga City. Many people, Filipinos included, are unware that Mindanao also governs 3 provinces consisting of smaller islands, Tawi Tawi, Sulu (including Jolo) and of course Basilan. While the population is 71% Muslim, Christian ethnicities were settled here during the American colonial era, mostly to work the huge rubber and lumber concerns that American investors created in the island's lush volcanic soil. Today they and their descendants make up a full 75% of the land holders. Tsinoy, or "Chinoy" as some call them are Filipino-Chinese, some with ancestors going back well over 400 years. On Basilan more than 75% of all businesses are directly owned by Tsinoy, who for a variety of reasons also dominate most of the nation in this manner.
Politically, it is a mixed bag. For along time Christians dominated, then Tuasug, a Muslim tribe indigenous to Sulu Province who over the centuries created many coastal communities ringing Basilan and nearby islands. Today the indigenous Yakan tribe has come into its own with the dyansty de jour being the Akbar clan.
Founded by the late Ustadz Wahab Akbar, the family is unique among Filipino political dynasties in that he is the first patriarch to have installed multiple wives in leadership roles, with his first 2 wives, now widows currently the Governor (Jum Akbar) and the mayor of the capitol, Isabela City (Cherrilyn Akbar). Some point to his personal history, as an ex-guerilla but in the Philippines that is truly par for the course, albeit in his case it is highly unusual.
Born in 1960 to a bandit clan, on an island famed for its bandits, he joined his father in the mountains in 1971 while only 11 years old. This gave him a first hand opportunity to observe how politics, and life in general is played here in the Southern Philippines, His father, Mutamad Salijin, like the smarter among his ilk, surrendered to the Marcos Government and was promptly rewarded with a mayorship, controlling one of the island's largest population centres, Lantawan in 1974.
This move, while Akmad was nearing 15 enabled him to gain a top rate education in Manila. Education is not generally valued by most Moro (Filipino Muslim) ethnicities above and beyond a very basic Islamic education. Then, having missed a considerable number of school years while encamped with his father deep in the bush, it says alot in defence of Akmad's character that he was able to not only resume his education but to do so with elan and to then promptly enter a top university.
Unfortunately it all came to an end abruptly when Akmad involved himself with the MNLF's political apparattus and was arrested by the Marcos regime in 1979. After being released from a short stint in prison on Luzon he made his way to Malaysia's Sabah State on Borneo, then the Capitol-in-Exile of the MNLF. In 1982 it was the MNLF that sponsored his advanced religious education in Damascus where he was able to earn the honourific "Ustadz" (Teacher of Religion).
In 1987 his MNLF handlers deployed him to Libya to undertake advanced military training at 1 of 2 MNLF administered camps existing there at the time. It was in Tripoli that he first crossed paths with fellow Yakan and Basileno, Abdurajak Abubakr Janjalani, the main founder of Abu Sayyaf. Janjalani was in Tripoli courtesy of the organisation Tabligh Islamiyya (usually known as Tabligh Islam) and their interaction was limited , though apparently fruitful.
Six months later, as Janjalani headed to Pakistan to join his university professor in a paramilitary allied with the nascent Osama Bin Laden organisation near Mazar-e-Sharif, inside Afghanistan, Akbar was returning to Basilan where he was given a junior command role within the Basilan BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Front), the military arm of the MNLF.
In 1990 Janjalani returned to Basilan where he found work as an Ustadz ofr younger boys. It was in that unused classroom 1 evening in 1991 that Janjanlani sold Akbar on his vision of a pan-Asian state based on shari'a, or Islamic Law. The entity was to serve as a springboard with which to propgate his particular islamic beliefs. Though Abu Sayyaf, usually known as "ASG" (Abu Sayyaf Group) later devolved into the avaristic gang of kidnappers it remains today, Janjalani aimed for something much higher.
I wont devolve into a piece about the nascent ASG, only to say that in the beginning at least, the organisation actually did adhere to a very political agenda. Akbar, though relatively new within the BIAF, had already become a minor factional leader. He found himself frustrated with the hedging and hawing of the MNLF's leader, Nur Misuari. He also felt, as did Moro ethnicities on mainland Mindanao that the MNLF was a Tuasug-centric organisation, concentrating much too much on Sulu and the needs of the Tuasug tribe, a tribe that had related to Yakans historically as inferiors.
Thus it did not take too much cajoling to get Akbar to join with Janjalani and become a co-founder of ASG, something he tried to seriously downplay in later life.
In 1998, for a variety of reasons, Akbar chose to distance himself from ASG and declare his candidacy for Governor of Basilan. Against tough odds he won that election and for 3 consecutive terms he held court as the island's top leader. In 2007, with his term limit upon him he traded that role for the island's Congressional seat, and slid his 1st (as in "primary") wife Jum Akbar into the governor's seat, a position she just had reaffirmed in this last election, May, 2010.
As stated earlier in this entry, he also installed his 2nd wife Cherrilyn as mayor of the island's capitol, Isabela City along with 8 other lesser relatives in a variety of leadership positions though it is worth noting that his 3rd wife lost her election for a large town that same year.
Akbar took well to his new role as Congressman and seemed to enjoy being back in Manila and is probablly best remembered by other Filipinos for his Speech of Privelege, shortly after that first election in 2007. directing his comments to the Speaker of the House as protocol demanded, he addressed the "allegations" that he had beein "involved" in the founding of Abu Sayyaf, and I quote:
"Dear Mr.Speaker, when I joined politics, there were accusations that I was the founder of the BULLSHI* Abu Sayyaf..." Definitely a personality in a nation of such personalities.
Sadly for Ustadz Wahad Akbar, he never got to finish his 1st and only term as Basilan's Congressman. On the evening of Novemeber 13th, 2007, just 5 months after gaining that position, he was blown to bits as he exited Batasan Pambansa , the Congressional Forum in Manila. As he exited shourtly before Session adjourned, a motorcycle parked next to his SUV detonated, seriously wounding 8 people including Akbar and a 2nd Congressman (Henry Teves of Negros Oriental).
Both men were taken to separate hospitals but Akbar succumbed just 2 hours later. The bombing remains unclaimed and unsolved until the present, 3 years later.
Today Basilan remains controlled by the Akbar clan, but violence didnt stop with their ascencion and neither has it diminished since. In my next entry i will outline the most recent Election related developments on the island.
Politically, it is a mixed bag. For along time Christians dominated, then Tuasug, a Muslim tribe indigenous to Sulu Province who over the centuries created many coastal communities ringing Basilan and nearby islands. Today the indigenous Yakan tribe has come into its own with the dyansty de jour being the Akbar clan.
Founded by the late Ustadz Wahab Akbar, the family is unique among Filipino political dynasties in that he is the first patriarch to have installed multiple wives in leadership roles, with his first 2 wives, now widows currently the Governor (Jum Akbar) and the mayor of the capitol, Isabela City (Cherrilyn Akbar). Some point to his personal history, as an ex-guerilla but in the Philippines that is truly par for the course, albeit in his case it is highly unusual.
Born in 1960 to a bandit clan, on an island famed for its bandits, he joined his father in the mountains in 1971 while only 11 years old. This gave him a first hand opportunity to observe how politics, and life in general is played here in the Southern Philippines, His father, Mutamad Salijin, like the smarter among his ilk, surrendered to the Marcos Government and was promptly rewarded with a mayorship, controlling one of the island's largest population centres, Lantawan in 1974.
This move, while Akmad was nearing 15 enabled him to gain a top rate education in Manila. Education is not generally valued by most Moro (Filipino Muslim) ethnicities above and beyond a very basic Islamic education. Then, having missed a considerable number of school years while encamped with his father deep in the bush, it says alot in defence of Akmad's character that he was able to not only resume his education but to do so with elan and to then promptly enter a top university.
Unfortunately it all came to an end abruptly when Akmad involved himself with the MNLF's political apparattus and was arrested by the Marcos regime in 1979. After being released from a short stint in prison on Luzon he made his way to Malaysia's Sabah State on Borneo, then the Capitol-in-Exile of the MNLF. In 1982 it was the MNLF that sponsored his advanced religious education in Damascus where he was able to earn the honourific "Ustadz" (Teacher of Religion).
In 1987 his MNLF handlers deployed him to Libya to undertake advanced military training at 1 of 2 MNLF administered camps existing there at the time. It was in Tripoli that he first crossed paths with fellow Yakan and Basileno, Abdurajak Abubakr Janjalani, the main founder of Abu Sayyaf. Janjalani was in Tripoli courtesy of the organisation Tabligh Islamiyya (usually known as Tabligh Islam) and their interaction was limited , though apparently fruitful.
Six months later, as Janjalani headed to Pakistan to join his university professor in a paramilitary allied with the nascent Osama Bin Laden organisation near Mazar-e-Sharif, inside Afghanistan, Akbar was returning to Basilan where he was given a junior command role within the Basilan BIAF (Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Front), the military arm of the MNLF.
In 1990 Janjalani returned to Basilan where he found work as an Ustadz ofr younger boys. It was in that unused classroom 1 evening in 1991 that Janjanlani sold Akbar on his vision of a pan-Asian state based on shari'a, or Islamic Law. The entity was to serve as a springboard with which to propgate his particular islamic beliefs. Though Abu Sayyaf, usually known as "ASG" (Abu Sayyaf Group) later devolved into the avaristic gang of kidnappers it remains today, Janjalani aimed for something much higher.
I wont devolve into a piece about the nascent ASG, only to say that in the beginning at least, the organisation actually did adhere to a very political agenda. Akbar, though relatively new within the BIAF, had already become a minor factional leader. He found himself frustrated with the hedging and hawing of the MNLF's leader, Nur Misuari. He also felt, as did Moro ethnicities on mainland Mindanao that the MNLF was a Tuasug-centric organisation, concentrating much too much on Sulu and the needs of the Tuasug tribe, a tribe that had related to Yakans historically as inferiors.
Thus it did not take too much cajoling to get Akbar to join with Janjalani and become a co-founder of ASG, something he tried to seriously downplay in later life.
In 1998, for a variety of reasons, Akbar chose to distance himself from ASG and declare his candidacy for Governor of Basilan. Against tough odds he won that election and for 3 consecutive terms he held court as the island's top leader. In 2007, with his term limit upon him he traded that role for the island's Congressional seat, and slid his 1st (as in "primary") wife Jum Akbar into the governor's seat, a position she just had reaffirmed in this last election, May, 2010.
As stated earlier in this entry, he also installed his 2nd wife Cherrilyn as mayor of the island's capitol, Isabela City along with 8 other lesser relatives in a variety of leadership positions though it is worth noting that his 3rd wife lost her election for a large town that same year.
Akbar took well to his new role as Congressman and seemed to enjoy being back in Manila and is probablly best remembered by other Filipinos for his Speech of Privelege, shortly after that first election in 2007. directing his comments to the Speaker of the House as protocol demanded, he addressed the "allegations" that he had beein "involved" in the founding of Abu Sayyaf, and I quote:
"Dear Mr.Speaker, when I joined politics, there were accusations that I was the founder of the BULLSHI* Abu Sayyaf..." Definitely a personality in a nation of such personalities.
Sadly for Ustadz Wahad Akbar, he never got to finish his 1st and only term as Basilan's Congressman. On the evening of Novemeber 13th, 2007, just 5 months after gaining that position, he was blown to bits as he exited Batasan Pambansa , the Congressional Forum in Manila. As he exited shourtly before Session adjourned, a motorcycle parked next to his SUV detonated, seriously wounding 8 people including Akbar and a 2nd Congressman (Henry Teves of Negros Oriental).
Both men were taken to separate hospitals but Akbar succumbed just 2 hours later. The bombing remains unclaimed and unsolved until the present, 3 years later.
Today Basilan remains controlled by the Akbar clan, but violence didnt stop with their ascencion and neither has it diminished since. In my next entry i will outline the most recent Election related developments on the island.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Political Developmemts,Second Quarter of 2010,Part V:Election Related Violence in Sultan Kudarat Province
Sultan Kudarat Province is one of the 2 provinces placed under Martial Law on December 5th,2009,in response to the "Maguindanao Massacre"in the neighbouring province of Maguindanao.Unlike Maguindanao,Sultan Kudarat has a significant majority of non-Muslims,mainly northerners from Luzon who were resettled here in a counter-insuregency programme of the mid-1950s under Magsaysay.Towns like President Quirino owe their entire existince to this very successful effort (successful with regard to stopping,or rather stalling the Huk Communist Insurgency on Luzon).
Unfortunately this resettlement would create even bigger problems down the road but that is perhaps a problem of less concern since it significantly weakened what was then a very real threat to the nation's capitol,Manila. Mindanao after all might as well be another nation as far as most of Manila is concerned,save the royalties and profits that come from raking in the islands extremely rich natural resources.
I have mentioned,in a previous post,the trouble on the Maguindanao/Sultan Kudarat provincial border between the MNLF-MMSC (Moro National Liberation Front-Mainland Mindanao State Committee) and the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,the latter being the armed wing of the organisation) 104 Base Command ("Base Commands"being unconventional military structure aking to the conventional"brigade") has broken out once again but lest you imagine that Sultan Kudarat Province might have somehow been immune to the Election Related Violence,I offer the following...
On Monday,April 26th,2010 at the Narciso Farm in Sitio Crossing Salaam,Barangay Katiki in the municipality of President Quirino a recon patrol made up of a composite force of different Infantry elements (38 Infantry Battalion, CAFGU 9CAA and the 65th Explosive Ordnance Detachment) discovered 2 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices,as in"bombs") under a Bajar tree slightly off the main road.One of the devices was made from an 81MM mortar shell and the other from an RPG MEUG APERS (Rocket Propelled Grenade),both wrapped in cellophane and primed to detonate.The 65th EOD detonated both on site given the danger presented in the transporting either one.
On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 in Sitio Kolomno,Barangay Villamonte in the town of Lebak in Sultan Kudarat Province,the Ampatuan Paramilitary,now a rogue force since going into the bush after committing the"Maguindano Massacre"as I have discussed in other recent"Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010"entries,deployed 100 gunmen under Kumander Tammy Maliga and raided the sitio for supplies,kidnapping a Bisayan (non-Muslim) family (30 year old Francisco Javier,his 26 year old wife Joy,their 2 year old son and 4 year old daughter) to use as Human Shields upon withdrawal.They also took the entire family fortune in the form of 2 cows and 8 goats as they moved back into Maguindano Province where they now have a static camp in Barangay San Jose's Sitio Kasam.No word on the fate of the family.
On Wednesday,May 13th,2010,Provincial Board (aka Sangguniang Panlalawigan) candidate for the NPC (Nationalist People's Coallition) Peter Peralta was in his car,allowing his teenaged son Feljavar Peralta to drive and just pulling up to the Capitol Complex in Isulan when 3 men on a single motorcycle pulled up next to them and began shooting.Feljavar was hit first and then Peter,who was killed instantly.
Feljavar was able to drive his car towards the PNP (Philippine National Police) PMG in neighbouring Tacurong City (Police Mobile Group,a PNP detachment sublimated to the PPO,or Provincial Police Office,designed as a re-inforcing unit) but died before crossing the city limit, his car rolling to a standstill.His father's race had not been declared one way or another.
The sub-conflict I have been talking about,between the MNLF and MILF/BIAF on the provincial borders of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao has flared up again on Friday,July 2nd, 2010.The MILF/BIAF is calling foul saying that Datu Faisal"Randy"Karon's MNLF faction (Mainland Mindanao State Committe, 1 of 5 MNLF factions currently and the newest one) has employed the AFP to do battle.
The AFP's 6IB (Infantry Battalion) which had been deployed on the provincial line as a sort of Observer Force has entered the fray,as the MILF/BIAF has told the world and has in fact attacked BIAF positions in the town of Datu Blah Sinsuat's Barangays Laguitan and Meti.The 6IB had managed to effect a Ceasefire on June 13th as I mentioned in an earlier entry,with both sides withdrawing from Barangay Tran in Lebak in the adjacent province of Sultan Kudarat ("Lebak"is the same town that I spoke about earlier in thie entry,that the Ampatuan Paramilitary had attacked in late April).
The MNLF has NOT been involved in the latest flare up,it has been the 6IB using mortars and 105MM howitzers in trying to dislodge BIAF 104 Kumander Jud Caludtiag's faction of the 104 Base Command.Most of the population in both towns have become IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,i.e."Refugees") once again.
Unfortunately this resettlement would create even bigger problems down the road but that is perhaps a problem of less concern since it significantly weakened what was then a very real threat to the nation's capitol,Manila. Mindanao after all might as well be another nation as far as most of Manila is concerned,save the royalties and profits that come from raking in the islands extremely rich natural resources.
I have mentioned,in a previous post,the trouble on the Maguindanao/Sultan Kudarat provincial border between the MNLF-MMSC (Moro National Liberation Front-Mainland Mindanao State Committee) and the MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,the latter being the armed wing of the organisation) 104 Base Command ("Base Commands"being unconventional military structure aking to the conventional"brigade") has broken out once again but lest you imagine that Sultan Kudarat Province might have somehow been immune to the Election Related Violence,I offer the following...
On Monday,April 26th,2010 at the Narciso Farm in Sitio Crossing Salaam,Barangay Katiki in the municipality of President Quirino a recon patrol made up of a composite force of different Infantry elements (38 Infantry Battalion, CAFGU 9CAA and the 65th Explosive Ordnance Detachment) discovered 2 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices,as in"bombs") under a Bajar tree slightly off the main road.One of the devices was made from an 81MM mortar shell and the other from an RPG MEUG APERS (Rocket Propelled Grenade),both wrapped in cellophane and primed to detonate.The 65th EOD detonated both on site given the danger presented in the transporting either one.
On Election Day,Monday,May 10th,2010 in Sitio Kolomno,Barangay Villamonte in the town of Lebak in Sultan Kudarat Province,the Ampatuan Paramilitary,now a rogue force since going into the bush after committing the"Maguindano Massacre"as I have discussed in other recent"Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010"entries,deployed 100 gunmen under Kumander Tammy Maliga and raided the sitio for supplies,kidnapping a Bisayan (non-Muslim) family (30 year old Francisco Javier,his 26 year old wife Joy,their 2 year old son and 4 year old daughter) to use as Human Shields upon withdrawal.They also took the entire family fortune in the form of 2 cows and 8 goats as they moved back into Maguindano Province where they now have a static camp in Barangay San Jose's Sitio Kasam.No word on the fate of the family.
On Wednesday,May 13th,2010,Provincial Board (aka Sangguniang Panlalawigan) candidate for the NPC (Nationalist People's Coallition) Peter Peralta was in his car,allowing his teenaged son Feljavar Peralta to drive and just pulling up to the Capitol Complex in Isulan when 3 men on a single motorcycle pulled up next to them and began shooting.Feljavar was hit first and then Peter,who was killed instantly.
Feljavar was able to drive his car towards the PNP (Philippine National Police) PMG in neighbouring Tacurong City (Police Mobile Group,a PNP detachment sublimated to the PPO,or Provincial Police Office,designed as a re-inforcing unit) but died before crossing the city limit, his car rolling to a standstill.His father's race had not been declared one way or another.
The sub-conflict I have been talking about,between the MNLF and MILF/BIAF on the provincial borders of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao has flared up again on Friday,July 2nd, 2010.The MILF/BIAF is calling foul saying that Datu Faisal"Randy"Karon's MNLF faction (Mainland Mindanao State Committe, 1 of 5 MNLF factions currently and the newest one) has employed the AFP to do battle.
The AFP's 6IB (Infantry Battalion) which had been deployed on the provincial line as a sort of Observer Force has entered the fray,as the MILF/BIAF has told the world and has in fact attacked BIAF positions in the town of Datu Blah Sinsuat's Barangays Laguitan and Meti.The 6IB had managed to effect a Ceasefire on June 13th as I mentioned in an earlier entry,with both sides withdrawing from Barangay Tran in Lebak in the adjacent province of Sultan Kudarat ("Lebak"is the same town that I spoke about earlier in thie entry,that the Ampatuan Paramilitary had attacked in late April).
The MNLF has NOT been involved in the latest flare up,it has been the 6IB using mortars and 105MM howitzers in trying to dislodge BIAF 104 Kumander Jud Caludtiag's faction of the 104 Base Command.Most of the population in both towns have become IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons,i.e."Refugees") once again.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010,Part V:Election Related Violence in Cotabato City
As I continue my wrap up of the 2010 Election Season one might ask just why I even bother since thus far,all areas mentioned have managed to live up to their nefarious reputations.I suppose that it might be a fair question but apart from simply noting the causes of unrest,i.e."insurgency,"people familiar with Mindanao are well aware of how such events go woefully under reported.People who have never been here or alternatively may have only been here in passing would usually have to rely strictly upon media reportage in trying to gain a clear picture of what took place this past Election Season.Obviously that would be problematic.Before a problem can be solved it has to be first identified and then discussed.
The government has its reasons for claiming that this was one of the safest Election Seasons in memory,but their rationale is self serving and will not do anything for the people of Mindanao or those trying to help them.The National figures for Election Related Violence,or"EVR,"and more to the point the figures relating to EVR Deaths does not even exceed the number of deaths from a single Mindanowan Region (Region IX, Zamoboanga Peninsula for example) so there definitely needs to be a record made of what happened this year,and what happens here day in and day out. Pretending it does not happen is not going to help a single person on this island,save a precious few deeply tied into the national government either politically or economically (which in the Philippines,like most nations,happens to be one and the same).
All things considered,Cotabato's 2 provinces (North and South,with North's infamous city, Cotabato City) are the historical epicenter of the Mindanowan insurgency.Originally the capital of the Maguindanowan Sultante,and the seat of Spanish administration of the island until Zamoboanga"s"La Caldera"was developed,the city has seen it share of hard times.A metropolis with a strong Christian population (mostly Ilonggons and to a lesser degree Cebuanos) it sits in the middle of a mostly Islamic region.
The night before Election Day,Sunday,May 9th at 7PM,just as the Islamic 4th Prayer finished,a man tossed a hand grenade into the entrance of a village mosque in Sitio Tinibtikan,Barangay Batulawan,in the town of Pikit,North Cotabato Province killing 1 man,Manuel Tautin and wounding 9 others.Although the town is the historical epicenter of the Ilaga-Barakuda paramilitary war (Christian versus Muslim) of the late 1960s/early 1970s (with the Ilaga re-emerging there in the early mid-1980s) this killing is not believed to be sectarian related and is instead believed to be Election related.
On Election Day itself,Monday,May 10th, 2010 at 105AM in Kidipawan City,South Cotabato Province,supporters of local cable television magnate Nancy Catamco were out plastering campaign posters near Catamco's home when they ran across supporters of Cotabato Christian (as in the ethnic sense) icon Congressman Bernardo"Bernie"Pinol,of the Pinol political dyansty.As these things usually do,it quickly devolved into gunfire causing the death of Pinol supporter Johnny Magbanua,aged 28.Interestingly,instead of simply denying any level of culpability,Ms.Catamco blamed the killing on another Pinol supporter,Efren Albaera Rivera.A 2nd man,Leo Laquinadanum,was badly wounded.
After the dust had cleared,and Ms.Catamco won a stunning upset against Pinol in the election that day,the soon to be ex-Governor Pinol went to the media with his version of events,which do not seem that removed from reality considering all reports thus far.Pinol claims that Catamco's armed supporters were at one of her cable stations,just meters away from the shooting site and that as Magbanua turned to leave,seeing that he was greatly outnumbered,these men shot him in the back (also supported by autopsy reports).It has to be noted that the CIDG (Criminal Investigations and Detection Group of the PNP) has failed to connect any Catamco supporters but then again they have failed to solidly connect anyone to the shooting).Indeed,the CIDG Report seems to actually point a finger at the aforementioned Pinol supporter,Efren Albaera Rivera,showing the PNP to truly epitomise political whoredom.After buttering their bread off of the Pinol Clan's collective backside the local PNP stooges took all of 9 hours to completely burn a decades long bridge.
Congresswoman Elect Catamco's version has the campaign workers out plastering posters when they notice a group of 4 men on 4 motorcycles trailing them.This almost always signals deadly trouble in Mindanao,all the more so when the men,like these men are wearing skimasks,or as they are called locally,"bonnets."Seeing they were had,the men on motorcycles allegedly took some pistol shots at the Catamco campaign workers,who were themselves then able to speed away towards Catamco's residence and flagship cable station (the 2 buildings are adjacent to one another).Reaching the front of that station,the groups collided and 1 man died in the subsequent firefight.The Catamco group IDd the shooters as Magbanua,Laquindanum,Rivera and a man named Syl Aranas Aninon.
Rivera is listed as a suspect because 18 people from both sides,said to have been present,were parrafin tested for gunshot residue and only Rivera tested positive.A big problem with that type of claim is that when one wears gloves, as most people do when riding motorcycles...or shooting people, they will test negative for gunshot residue.Basing culpability upon residue is a bit ridiculous in a place where the majority of men handle weapons.
That same morning,Election Day,May 10th,a cousin of former Congressman Pinol was shot to death while riding his motorcycle,also in Kidapawan City,South Cotabato Province.His passenger,another man,was seriously wounded.The gunman using a 45 pistol,the weapon of choice for motorcycle borne assassins here,has not been IDd but the conventional wisdom is that it is a supporter of Emmylou Talino Mendoza,a candidate for Vice Governor of North Cotabato Province. Aside from being the cousin of ex-Congressman Pinol,the unidentified dead cousin was also the cousin of incumbent Vice Governor Emmanuel"Manny"Pinol.
On Thursday,May 13th,2010,Abdulrakman Mero,a principal at Litain Elemntary School on Bongo Island,an offshore part of the municipality of Parang in Manguindanao Province was driving down Cotabato City's Bonifacio Avenue with his wife and 2 young children having arrived the evening before.Sitting next to him in his white VW were the results of the Parang Municipal Elections being delivered to the regional COMELEC (Electoral Authority) office in Cotabato City.
As the car crawled along in traffic,reaching the corner of Jose Lim Avenue,2 men riding tandem on a single motorcycle got off of their bike and casually walked over to the diver's side of the Mero auto.Looking over Mero's wife,they then walked around the back of the car and as they approached the driver's side window one of them pulled a 45 caliber pistol from his waistband and shot Mero in the head, killing him instantly.Then they slowly walked back to their motorcycle,calmly started it and rode off towards People's Plaza,the city hall of Cotabato City.
In a very suprising turn of events,on Wednesday,June 6th,2010,the 2 hired guns were arrested, a rare occurrence indeed.30 year old Malik Alano of Cotabato City's Barangay Campo Muslim and 31 year old Mandi Karublian of Bongo Island in the aforementioned town of Paranag in Maguindanao Province (the same locale as Mero) were taken without incident as they ate their lunch in a cafe near the Cotabato City town market.Alano had a loaded 45 in his waistband.
There is no word as to whether or not the Ballots had even been taken during the killing,let alone whether or not they had been recovered.
The government has its reasons for claiming that this was one of the safest Election Seasons in memory,but their rationale is self serving and will not do anything for the people of Mindanao or those trying to help them.The National figures for Election Related Violence,or"EVR,"and more to the point the figures relating to EVR Deaths does not even exceed the number of deaths from a single Mindanowan Region (Region IX, Zamoboanga Peninsula for example) so there definitely needs to be a record made of what happened this year,and what happens here day in and day out. Pretending it does not happen is not going to help a single person on this island,save a precious few deeply tied into the national government either politically or economically (which in the Philippines,like most nations,happens to be one and the same).
All things considered,Cotabato's 2 provinces (North and South,with North's infamous city, Cotabato City) are the historical epicenter of the Mindanowan insurgency.Originally the capital of the Maguindanowan Sultante,and the seat of Spanish administration of the island until Zamoboanga"s"La Caldera"was developed,the city has seen it share of hard times.A metropolis with a strong Christian population (mostly Ilonggons and to a lesser degree Cebuanos) it sits in the middle of a mostly Islamic region.
The night before Election Day,Sunday,May 9th at 7PM,just as the Islamic 4th Prayer finished,a man tossed a hand grenade into the entrance of a village mosque in Sitio Tinibtikan,Barangay Batulawan,in the town of Pikit,North Cotabato Province killing 1 man,Manuel Tautin and wounding 9 others.Although the town is the historical epicenter of the Ilaga-Barakuda paramilitary war (Christian versus Muslim) of the late 1960s/early 1970s (with the Ilaga re-emerging there in the early mid-1980s) this killing is not believed to be sectarian related and is instead believed to be Election related.
On Election Day itself,Monday,May 10th, 2010 at 105AM in Kidipawan City,South Cotabato Province,supporters of local cable television magnate Nancy Catamco were out plastering campaign posters near Catamco's home when they ran across supporters of Cotabato Christian (as in the ethnic sense) icon Congressman Bernardo"Bernie"Pinol,of the Pinol political dyansty.As these things usually do,it quickly devolved into gunfire causing the death of Pinol supporter Johnny Magbanua,aged 28.Interestingly,instead of simply denying any level of culpability,Ms.Catamco blamed the killing on another Pinol supporter,Efren Albaera Rivera.A 2nd man,Leo Laquinadanum,was badly wounded.
After the dust had cleared,and Ms.Catamco won a stunning upset against Pinol in the election that day,the soon to be ex-Governor Pinol went to the media with his version of events,which do not seem that removed from reality considering all reports thus far.Pinol claims that Catamco's armed supporters were at one of her cable stations,just meters away from the shooting site and that as Magbanua turned to leave,seeing that he was greatly outnumbered,these men shot him in the back (also supported by autopsy reports).It has to be noted that the CIDG (Criminal Investigations and Detection Group of the PNP) has failed to connect any Catamco supporters but then again they have failed to solidly connect anyone to the shooting).Indeed,the CIDG Report seems to actually point a finger at the aforementioned Pinol supporter,Efren Albaera Rivera,showing the PNP to truly epitomise political whoredom.After buttering their bread off of the Pinol Clan's collective backside the local PNP stooges took all of 9 hours to completely burn a decades long bridge.
Congresswoman Elect Catamco's version has the campaign workers out plastering posters when they notice a group of 4 men on 4 motorcycles trailing them.This almost always signals deadly trouble in Mindanao,all the more so when the men,like these men are wearing skimasks,or as they are called locally,"bonnets."Seeing they were had,the men on motorcycles allegedly took some pistol shots at the Catamco campaign workers,who were themselves then able to speed away towards Catamco's residence and flagship cable station (the 2 buildings are adjacent to one another).Reaching the front of that station,the groups collided and 1 man died in the subsequent firefight.The Catamco group IDd the shooters as Magbanua,Laquindanum,Rivera and a man named Syl Aranas Aninon.
Rivera is listed as a suspect because 18 people from both sides,said to have been present,were parrafin tested for gunshot residue and only Rivera tested positive.A big problem with that type of claim is that when one wears gloves, as most people do when riding motorcycles...or shooting people, they will test negative for gunshot residue.Basing culpability upon residue is a bit ridiculous in a place where the majority of men handle weapons.
That same morning,Election Day,May 10th,a cousin of former Congressman Pinol was shot to death while riding his motorcycle,also in Kidapawan City,South Cotabato Province.His passenger,another man,was seriously wounded.The gunman using a 45 pistol,the weapon of choice for motorcycle borne assassins here,has not been IDd but the conventional wisdom is that it is a supporter of Emmylou Talino Mendoza,a candidate for Vice Governor of North Cotabato Province. Aside from being the cousin of ex-Congressman Pinol,the unidentified dead cousin was also the cousin of incumbent Vice Governor Emmanuel"Manny"Pinol.
On Thursday,May 13th,2010,Abdulrakman Mero,a principal at Litain Elemntary School on Bongo Island,an offshore part of the municipality of Parang in Manguindanao Province was driving down Cotabato City's Bonifacio Avenue with his wife and 2 young children having arrived the evening before.Sitting next to him in his white VW were the results of the Parang Municipal Elections being delivered to the regional COMELEC (Electoral Authority) office in Cotabato City.
As the car crawled along in traffic,reaching the corner of Jose Lim Avenue,2 men riding tandem on a single motorcycle got off of their bike and casually walked over to the diver's side of the Mero auto.Looking over Mero's wife,they then walked around the back of the car and as they approached the driver's side window one of them pulled a 45 caliber pistol from his waistband and shot Mero in the head, killing him instantly.Then they slowly walked back to their motorcycle,calmly started it and rode off towards People's Plaza,the city hall of Cotabato City.
In a very suprising turn of events,on Wednesday,June 6th,2010,the 2 hired guns were arrested, a rare occurrence indeed.30 year old Malik Alano of Cotabato City's Barangay Campo Muslim and 31 year old Mandi Karublian of Bongo Island in the aforementioned town of Paranag in Maguindanao Province (the same locale as Mero) were taken without incident as they ate their lunch in a cafe near the Cotabato City town market.Alano had a loaded 45 in his waistband.
There is no word as to whether or not the Ballots had even been taken during the killing,let alone whether or not they had been recovered.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Political Developments,Second Quarter of 2010,Part IV:Election Related Violence in Lanao del Norte Province
While Lanao del Sur is a majority Muslim province,Lanao del Norte is a bit different.While a fair number of Maranao (Maranaw) tribesmen,Muslims,do live in Norte,it has a rapidly increasing population of Bisayans (Visayans),a thoroughly Christian ethnicity.Bisaya are not native to this part of Mindanao and most are 2nd or 3rd generation transplants from the Visayan Archipelago,chiefly the island of Cebu at the archipelago's eastern extreme.Yet unlike other Muslim areas where Bisayans have settled,Lanao del Norte rarely suffers from communal violence.A huge exception to this co-existence was the"2008 War,"an event that I will get to eventually.
The largest population centre,Iligan City,is fairly safe and generally free from the overt violence effecting Lanao del Sur and many other areas of the island.All the more so since the very recent re-districting which created a 3rd Congressional district just for the city,the Lone District of Illigan City,Lanao del Norte Province.One exception however is the town of Pantao Ragat,ruled by the Lantud family.All other towns in the province are ruiled by the Dimaporo clan,a solid political dynasty who,if they are not ruling a town themselves have closely positioned allies who do so.This interesting dynamic resulted in a moderate flare up in this year's Election Season.
The Dimaporos,controls 21 of the provinces 22 municipalities and have long been at odds with the much smaller Lantud family,despite a blood relationship.Vice Mayor Lacson Mangotara Lantud is married to a Dimaporo,Eleanor Dimaporo Lantud who assumed her husband's former role as mayor when he finished his 3rd (and maximum term) in 2007.Vice Mayor's maternal relations,the Mangorara family are arch rivals of the Dimaporos and so the Lantuds have thrown their lot in against the province's strongest clan.
Eleanor Dimaporo Lantud is not only a Dimaporo,she is the 1st cousin of the clan's sitting patriarch,Congressman Abdullah Dimaporo who represents the province's 2nd Congressional District.It was Congressman Dimaporo who on December 6th,2009 asked the government to extend Martial Law over the town of Pantao Ragat.Martial Law had just been declared 1 day previously for Manguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces along with Cotabato City,to also cover Pantano Ragat.His rationale he claimed was that Vice Mayor Lantud personally controlled a 200 man paramilitary in the form of CAFGU (Civlian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit,a cornerstone of the AFP,or Armed Forces of the Philippine's counterinsurgency programme).No mattwe that CAFGU are an official arm of local government sublimated to the AFP.He cited an example where he claims Lantud burned an entire barangay in his own municipality simply because he wanted to gain control over a considerable number of coconut palm trees growing there.He refused to name this barangay,didnt produce a single witness or piece of corroborating evidence.Not suprisingly then,his application was denied.
Of course Congressmen,or"Solon"as they are called in the Pilippines,are not allowed to even actually apply for such things.Only a provincial governor can actually make the request.It helps though when the governor happens to be your own son,who took your place when you had served the maximum number of terms.Governor Khalid Quibranza Dimaporo then went on the offencive and ordered a"Preventive Suspension"of 60 days for Lantud,effective January 21st,2010.
On Feburary 5th, 2010 Lantud filed a Petition with the governmental authority for elections,COMELEC,claiming that the suspension was illegal for having been implemented during an Election Season.Lantud cited 2 statutes:
I)Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code which states that such suspensions must first have COMELEC authorisation,
II) COMELEC Resolution,promulgated in December of 2009 which offers that such illegal suspensions are punishable by 6 years imprisonment.He charged Gov.Dimaporo,Acting Provincial Administrator Joselito Quibranza (a relative of the governor,et al) and PNP (Philippine National Police) Director of the PPO,or Provincial Police Office,Orlando Benas.
On March 18th, 2010,fourty well armed men belonging to a Dimaporo allied paramilitary entered Pantao and attempted to storm city hall.In running gun battles that lasted much of that afternoon the AFP's 43IB (Infantry Battalion) and the"Lantud paramilitary,"the 5IB CAFGU were able to defeat the invaders despite their having been significantly reinforced shortly after the initial push.Only 1 person was reported killed,a Dimaporo guerilla.
During the melee it was reported that Congressman Dimaporo personally phoned the 43rd's local pointman and asked for a ceasefire,telling the man,"They are my men."Reportedly the AFP officer responded that Dimaporo,as a politician for many years,should be well aware of the circumstances since a COMELEC weapons ban was in effect for the entire Election Season.Dimaporo then went on local radio station DXIC to deny any culpability and connection to the invading force.
Interestingly,most media have reported the event as a relatively minor event where"some armed men"went to"visit"an "ally of Dimaporo's."Lantud reportedly jumped the gun and called in the AFP who in responding were fired upon, responded and inadvertantly killing 1 man.That is as far as the reporting goes.As for background,all sources have only offered a single activist's assertion,defending the Dimaporo version of events.
On Tuesday,April 22nd, 2010 at 330PM in the town of Maguntao in Lanao del Norte Province,Lantud's father was himself involved in an incident.Inurac Lantud is running for mayor of the town,much to the chagrin of Dimaporo ally,incumbent Mayor Jabber Azis.On the day in question,Inurac's chief Organiser,Kunum Radto Manguranda was surrounded by 9 men on motorcycles,including the aforementioned mayor's brother Samuel Bocor Azis.Samuel Azis told Manguranda that his brother,the mayor,wanted to talk to him at city hall about his support and legwork for Inurac Lantud.He then ordered Manguranda to get on the back of his motorbike.Not feeling as if he had a choice the man complied.
Approaching Barangay Poblacion (the location of city hall) Manguranda shifted his weight so as to spill the motorcycle and did so in front of Lantud's campaign headquarters. When the accident happened Lantud supporters ran to the scene including 1 of Lantud's 2 PNP (Police) officer bodyguards.Attempting to stop a physical melee the police officer was pulling his pistol when Samuel Azis beat him to the draw,to avoid being shot himself the officer fired a single round in Azis' stomach.This of course led to much more pitched violence and so the 601 Brigade's Col.Leo Ferrer ended up deploying the 15IB under LtCol.Allan Hambala to try and prevent the violence from spreading. Shortly afterwards he also redployed 2 APCs (Armoured Personnel Carriers) via the 43rd IB.
In the end a possible massacre was averted so that all in all one can say that it was a"peaceful election" as far as Mindanao goes.
The largest population centre,Iligan City,is fairly safe and generally free from the overt violence effecting Lanao del Sur and many other areas of the island.All the more so since the very recent re-districting which created a 3rd Congressional district just for the city,the Lone District of Illigan City,Lanao del Norte Province.One exception however is the town of Pantao Ragat,ruled by the Lantud family.All other towns in the province are ruiled by the Dimaporo clan,a solid political dynasty who,if they are not ruling a town themselves have closely positioned allies who do so.This interesting dynamic resulted in a moderate flare up in this year's Election Season.
The Dimaporos,controls 21 of the provinces 22 municipalities and have long been at odds with the much smaller Lantud family,despite a blood relationship.Vice Mayor Lacson Mangotara Lantud is married to a Dimaporo,Eleanor Dimaporo Lantud who assumed her husband's former role as mayor when he finished his 3rd (and maximum term) in 2007.Vice Mayor's maternal relations,the Mangorara family are arch rivals of the Dimaporos and so the Lantuds have thrown their lot in against the province's strongest clan.
Eleanor Dimaporo Lantud is not only a Dimaporo,she is the 1st cousin of the clan's sitting patriarch,Congressman Abdullah Dimaporo who represents the province's 2nd Congressional District.It was Congressman Dimaporo who on December 6th,2009 asked the government to extend Martial Law over the town of Pantao Ragat.Martial Law had just been declared 1 day previously for Manguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces along with Cotabato City,to also cover Pantano Ragat.His rationale he claimed was that Vice Mayor Lantud personally controlled a 200 man paramilitary in the form of CAFGU (Civlian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit,a cornerstone of the AFP,or Armed Forces of the Philippine's counterinsurgency programme).No mattwe that CAFGU are an official arm of local government sublimated to the AFP.He cited an example where he claims Lantud burned an entire barangay in his own municipality simply because he wanted to gain control over a considerable number of coconut palm trees growing there.He refused to name this barangay,didnt produce a single witness or piece of corroborating evidence.Not suprisingly then,his application was denied.
Of course Congressmen,or"Solon"as they are called in the Pilippines,are not allowed to even actually apply for such things.Only a provincial governor can actually make the request.It helps though when the governor happens to be your own son,who took your place when you had served the maximum number of terms.Governor Khalid Quibranza Dimaporo then went on the offencive and ordered a"Preventive Suspension"of 60 days for Lantud,effective January 21st,2010.
On Feburary 5th, 2010 Lantud filed a Petition with the governmental authority for elections,COMELEC,claiming that the suspension was illegal for having been implemented during an Election Season.Lantud cited 2 statutes:
I)Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code which states that such suspensions must first have COMELEC authorisation,
II) COMELEC Resolution,promulgated in December of 2009 which offers that such illegal suspensions are punishable by 6 years imprisonment.He charged Gov.Dimaporo,Acting Provincial Administrator Joselito Quibranza (a relative of the governor,et al) and PNP (Philippine National Police) Director of the PPO,or Provincial Police Office,Orlando Benas.
On March 18th, 2010,fourty well armed men belonging to a Dimaporo allied paramilitary entered Pantao and attempted to storm city hall.In running gun battles that lasted much of that afternoon the AFP's 43IB (Infantry Battalion) and the"Lantud paramilitary,"the 5IB CAFGU were able to defeat the invaders despite their having been significantly reinforced shortly after the initial push.Only 1 person was reported killed,a Dimaporo guerilla.
During the melee it was reported that Congressman Dimaporo personally phoned the 43rd's local pointman and asked for a ceasefire,telling the man,"They are my men."Reportedly the AFP officer responded that Dimaporo,as a politician for many years,should be well aware of the circumstances since a COMELEC weapons ban was in effect for the entire Election Season.Dimaporo then went on local radio station DXIC to deny any culpability and connection to the invading force.
Interestingly,most media have reported the event as a relatively minor event where"some armed men"went to"visit"an "ally of Dimaporo's."Lantud reportedly jumped the gun and called in the AFP who in responding were fired upon, responded and inadvertantly killing 1 man.That is as far as the reporting goes.As for background,all sources have only offered a single activist's assertion,defending the Dimaporo version of events.
On Tuesday,April 22nd, 2010 at 330PM in the town of Maguntao in Lanao del Norte Province,Lantud's father was himself involved in an incident.Inurac Lantud is running for mayor of the town,much to the chagrin of Dimaporo ally,incumbent Mayor Jabber Azis.On the day in question,Inurac's chief Organiser,Kunum Radto Manguranda was surrounded by 9 men on motorcycles,including the aforementioned mayor's brother Samuel Bocor Azis.Samuel Azis told Manguranda that his brother,the mayor,wanted to talk to him at city hall about his support and legwork for Inurac Lantud.He then ordered Manguranda to get on the back of his motorbike.Not feeling as if he had a choice the man complied.
Approaching Barangay Poblacion (the location of city hall) Manguranda shifted his weight so as to spill the motorcycle and did so in front of Lantud's campaign headquarters. When the accident happened Lantud supporters ran to the scene including 1 of Lantud's 2 PNP (Police) officer bodyguards.Attempting to stop a physical melee the police officer was pulling his pistol when Samuel Azis beat him to the draw,to avoid being shot himself the officer fired a single round in Azis' stomach.This of course led to much more pitched violence and so the 601 Brigade's Col.Leo Ferrer ended up deploying the 15IB under LtCol.Allan Hambala to try and prevent the violence from spreading. Shortly afterwards he also redployed 2 APCs (Armoured Personnel Carriers) via the 43rd IB.
In the end a possible massacre was averted so that all in all one can say that it was a"peaceful election" as far as Mindanao goes.
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