Latest on the Insurgency Front(s)...NPA

The NPA has not been holding back, either for the new Presidency nor for the promised Peace Talks.

On Friday, July 30, 2010 at 735AM at Sitio Manipis, Barangay Poblacion in Davao City's Paquibato District, 4 soldiers from the 69IB (Infantry Battalion) were wounded, 1 critically in an ambush preceeded by 2 command detonated mines.

August 01, 2010, in Barangay Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, AFP Sgt.Elmer Panar was shot to death by a SPARU team (Special Armed Partisan Group). The SPARU,usually incorrectly transliterated as "Sparrow," as in the bird, are small teams of 3 to 4 guerillas who engage in close quarter, usually public executions. Panar had just returned home from a cock fight (the poultry kind sicko). After killing the Sgt. they killed a civilian, Alexander Pabuluan, for unspecified reasons.

August 03, 2010 at 1145AM in Sitio Lusong, Barangay Puting Bato, Cababaran City, Agusan del Norte Province, the 30IB were suprised when they stumbled across a large NPA camp while on routine patrol in a new sector. Approximately 60 NPA guerillas wee undergoing basic military training. In the subsequent fire fight 2 NPA guerillas were killed, 3 were wounded.

On August 04, 2010 in Matanao, Davao del Sur Province, Cresaldo Banan, a Surrenderee to the 39IB was killed by an NPA SPARU team.

Agust 05, 2010 in Barangay Dunganpikong, Matanao, Davao del Sur Province, an AFP patrol encountered a small group of NPA under "Ka Jam Jam." During that firefight Corporal Cesar Bucol was shot to death.

On August 06, 2010 in Barangay Colosas, Paquibato District, Davao City, the NPA ambushed a small group of motorcycles carrying tribal leader Datu Ruben Labawan, newly appointed Datu (Chief) of the STCPD ( Supreme Tribal Council for Peace and Development), an AFP COIN (Counter-Insurgency Force Multiplication front organisation) entity and the 2 AFP soldiers escorting him to a local forum in the local AFP Brigade HQ (1003 Bde), over the border in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte Province. Labawan was unscathed in this 2nd attempt on his life. Sadly, the 2 AFP soldiers were killed, 1 of whom was his brother, Pfc.Kimpio Labawan. Pfc.Labawan and the second soldier, Elansio Alonsagay Jr were attached to the 62nd Recon Company. 4 of Labawan's fellow STCPD members were wounded as well in the gunfire by 12 NPA guerillas. The NPA captured 2 M16s off of the dead soldiers, and an additional wounded civilian, Datu Enecencio Dangkay, a tribal Datu from Bukidnon Province died the following day at the hospital.

The 1st attempt on Datu Labawan's life was when he and his wife were riding tandem on his motorcycle and 18 NPA hidden 2 meters off of the roadside gave him a superficial wound on his right hand. This attempt left a wound on the opposite hand. Go figure.

It is worth noting that Datu Ruben Labawan is also the leader of "Alsa Lumad,"another Force Multiplication effort of the AFP. The name, which means "Hill Tribes Arise," or, "Indigenous People Arise,"is patterned after a mid-80s Force Multiplication effort called "Alsa Masa" (Masses Arise). I will be going into great detail about these organisations as well as Force Multiplication in general.

In response to that incident the NPA has been engaging in PSYOPs (Psychological Warfare/Propaganda) using letter head for Datu Labawan's STCPD letterhead to print inflammatory statements that claim a Pangayaw (Tribal Feud, akin to"Rido,"Muslim Clan Fueuds) is taking place because of this 2nd attempt on the Datu's life. Labawan claims that he hasn't even been back to Barangay Colosas since August 06, the day of the attack, nor is he engaging in warfare against an entire community.

The barangay has been flooded with armed men but Col.Eduardo del Rosario, the CO (Commanding Officer) of the 1003rd Brigade which covers the area in question, insists that it is merely CAFGU and similar pro-government paramilitaries. Responding to Mayor Sarah Duterte Carpio's well voiced sentiments on the AFP's heavy handed operations, he said that he would be relieved of duty if he did not pursue armed insurgents, as well as being remiss with regard to tax payers. Interestingly, del Roasario admitted that there IS a Tribal War brewing against Bisaya, a non-tribal christian ethnicity, by a tribe from Bukidnon Province but that the AFP has intervened and warned the Bukidnon tribals against bringing their violence to Davao City. The Bukidnon tribals are irate over the death of their chief, Datu Enecencio Dangkay.
Speaking of Mayor Duterte Carpio, she instructed the barangay officials from Barangay Colosas, as well as nearby barangays to develop a withdrawal plan for roughly 5,000 IDPs (Refugees) in the event the violence does take place.


That same day, August 06, at 730AM in Monkayo, ComVal Province, AFP Special Forces encountered 30 NPA . After a long firefight the NPA withdrew only to run into the middle of the AFP Blocking Force on the border of Laak and Monkayo. 3 soldiers were badly wounded. the AFP later claimed that it had managed to capture a Hi Value NPA Leader, Percival Manimog during the clashes but the NPA claims that Manimog had withdrawn from the organisation in 2006 and has been incactive since.

On August 10, 2010 at 150PM in Sitio Tulay, Barangay Mahingkog, Magpet, North Cotabato Province a 13 year old boy claiming to be Communist guerilla from an NPA breakaway faction called "BFG" (Black Fighters Group) allegedly surrendered to Barangay Captain Godfrey Acupan. Mr.Acupan claims that Maximo had surrendered just minutes after a clash between the Black Fighters and the 57IB. When the guerillas withdrew with 2 wounded members Maximo managed to stay behind saying that he was tired of the beatings administered by a sub-leader Rex Ansabao.

Rex Ansabo was 1 of 40 escapees from (Amas) North Cotabato Provincial Jail in Feburary of 2007. Ansabo is the youngest brother of Ibon Ansabo, the group's leader, as well as a brother-in-law of young Maximo. A 3rd Ansabo brother, Samante is also a sub-leader in the group.

The group is as of now still relatively small, with 20 Regulars (full time guerillas), all members of the Bagobo Tribe. The Bagobo are "Lumad," the local equivalent of the generic label "Hill Tribe." In terms of demographical breakdowns there are 3 main denominators: I) "Moro," a collective name for 13 large ethno-lingustic groups all professing the Islamic faith; II) "Christian," anyone professing the Christian faith but usually relegated to Cebuanos and Ilonggo, 2 Bisaya (Visayan) groups; III) "Lumad," a collective grouping of 18 Hill Tribes but usually not including Negritos.

The Bagobo Tribe usually lives in the Upper Cotabato Basin and into Bukidnon Province. The Black Fighters cleaved off of the NPA proper roughly 18 months ago and seem to be devoid of any ideological imperative. However, that can easily change with the right person joining. Their current armoury, per IS-AFP (Army Intelligence) is 3 M16s, 3 M14s, 2 carbines and one 12 gaunge. That can also very easily change. One needs to remember that virtually all weapons held by the NPA have been obtained via capture related to tactical offencives.

August 12, 2010 on dirt logging road, Kulambugan Spur, at Kilometer #21, in Sitio Kulambugan, Barangay Danao in Lianga, Surigao del Sur Province a DENR (Dept. of Natural Resources) detachment of Retrieval Officers (officers tasked with reigning in illegal logging and the trade surrounding it) from Region#2 were embedded in a combined team of 50 AFP and PNP (Philippines National Police), to ensure the safety of the DENR personnel from both the NPA as well as criminal elements involved in logging.

The DENR detachment, part of Task Force Kalikasan (Nature), a Task Force aimed at indeciting the illegal trade that is contributing to so much of the island's rapid deforestation, as well as related violent crime, including insurgency, were walking on foot along the road, 2km from the logging site they were inspecting when the group was ambushed by NPA snipers who killed the Chief of Lianga PNP,Inspector Christopher P.Mazo and wounded 4 DENR personnel. Although the "Task Force, which is dedicated to just 4 adjoining towns, Lianga, San Miguel, San Agustin and Marihatag often comes under attack from bonafide criminal elements. However, this attack was NPA and we know this because the NPA itself took credit for it publicly.

Unfortunately for the DENR the AFP has been gearing up for a large offencive in the Andap Complex, which is where that patch of bush is located. Seeing 50 well armed soldiers and police (who also take part in COIN Ops, i.e. anti-insurgency operations) walking through the jungle in full combat mode just as alarge offencive is taking place sort of lends itself to vulnerability. The NPA warned the DENR not to have the AFP or PNP escort it and said that the department and its personnel have nothing to fear unless the agents are "mulcing" (extorting).


August 13, 2010 at 1145AM in Sitio Lusong, Barangay Puting Bato, Cadabaran City in Agusan del Norte Province, 60 NPA undergoing training were engaged by the 30IB with 2 NPA dead and 3 AFP wounded, 1 extremely critical. Earlier in this entry I discussed the 30IB having accidentally found the same NPA element encamped in a different sector of the municipality. As one can see the AFP's policy of breaking off engagement and lack of co-ordination between AFP and PNP elements is merely a stopgap measure, if indeed it can even be called that since it is without rhyme or reason.

August 24, 2010 at 1145AM in Barangay La Fortuna, Veruela, Agusan del Sur Province, NPA Front 3 attacked an AFP detachment of the post of the 26IB,less than 100 meters from the Battalion HQ. In less than 10 minutes they killed 1 AFP NCO and 4 soldiers and escaped after capturing 2 M16s and 1 KC3, along with 1800 rounds of 5.56MM amunition (M16) and ten M203 grenades. The dead AFP personnel: Cpl.Basir Limpasan, Pfc.Roger Espineli, Pvt.Rowell Antonio, Pvt.Elrico Orcijola and Pvt.Sim Bunzalan.

The next day, August 25, at 730AM, in Pursuit Operations the AFP encountered
a small detachment from the same NPA Front, Front 3, near the borders of Veruela and Monkayo which sits just across the line in ComVal (Compostela Valley) Province. 1 soldier from the 26IB and the detachment's civilain guide were critically wounded in that fire fight. After the NPA had withdrawn the soldiers recovered 2 IEDs weighing 1kg each.

The use of the term "IED" (Improvised Explosive Device) is the catch phrase that has become oh so popular this past decade and is used to describe any type of illicit explosive device. In the NPA's case however, the proper term when deployed would be command detonated mine. Without placement however the term loses any real meaning because it needs actual intent to be labeled a "mine" since it is illicitly produced. I am going through this rigamorole because sometimes, sadly, semantics do matter. The AFP is very quick to use the word "mine" with just about every explosive found with regard to the NPA. The term is loaded with negative propaganda value and this needs to be considered.

La Fortuna, the barangay where both the detachment post and its parent Battalion HQ sit is the most heavily NPA Influenced barangay in the town.

August 22, 2010 saw OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process) Secretary Teresita Deles commenting on the spate of recent NPA tactical offencives. Just 1 day prior on the Central Philippine island of Samar 8 PNP officers had been killed in an NPA ambush, along with 1 barangay official. Ms.Deles said that the NPA violence will not put a dent in the government's efforts at re-implementing the GRP (Govt.) and NDF (National Democratic Front, the umbrella org. of Leftist groups including the NPA) Peace Process. Indeed Ms.Deles said that the violence only serves to underscore the pressing need FOR the Process.

Speaking directly about the Samar ambush she said that the specific attack was "condemnable"[sic] and that she was "especially concerned" over reports that it had been precipitated by a landmine detonation which she said is never acceptable and never will be. Of course I have mentioned the government's use of the landmine issue to score propaganda points and this is just another tired recycling of this issue. A command detonated mine, i.e. an IED that it manually detonated, not by timer, is NEVER illegal in terms of LOAC (Laws of Armed Conflict), the body of international Law dealing with warfare. The government's repeated referral to the Ottawa Treaty is also bordering on the ridiculous but that is how the game is played here, par for the course.

The NPA, as I have noted in prior entries is also guilty of using inane issues in propaganda drives. Probablly the most noticeable being the whole "Child Warrior" issue, something that the government ALSO plays with. Customary International Law holds by consensus that the legal age of combatants is 14 and up, and most nations abide by 14.5 as the minimum age. Most Western Nations, the US included have absolutely no problem inducting 17 year olds and sending them to the front lines so that when the NPA and the GRP seize upon 17 year old CAFGU soldiers, or 17 year old NPA guerillas it becomes nothing more than a farce.

On August 26, 2010 in Sitio Gamot, Barangay Santa Filomena, Quezon in Bukidnon Province, the AFP's 43rd Recon Company's 1st and 2nd Platoons on routine patrol got into a heavy 35 minute firefight with the NPA.

On August 28, 2010 at 8AM in Barangay Mahaba, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur, the 36IB responded to HUMINT (Human based intelligence) regarding NPA cadres from Front 19B having been sighted in the village and the result was a 30 minute fire fight. This was followed by 3 more fire fights later that day.

At 1PM in Sitio Palonpon also in Barangay Mahab 10 NPA guerillas were sighted and engaged, wounding 1 AFP NCO.

At 135PM in Barangay Lansones a firefight resulted in 1 AFP NCO, Cpl.Frethel Escabal, being killed and 1 other NCO and 1 soldier being critically wounded.

At 140PM in Barangay Rambutan a 2nd detachment from the 36IB sighted guerillas and engaged without casualties.

At 2PM in Barangay Kalamansi a 3rd detachment of the 36IB was ambushed without casulaties.

At 220 PM in Barangay San Roque the 14th Scout Rangers saw a small group of NPA guerillas moving through the bush and engaged, killing a female and capturing her M16. The rest of her small group escaped into Barangay Boringon.

The violence caused another 1,225 IDPs (in total) to flee with many taking refuge in the municipal gymnasiums of Marihatag and San Isidro.

On Wednesday, September 01, 2010 at Kilometer 24 on Malabog Road, Barangay Malabog, Paquibato District, Davao City in Davao del Sur Province, a detachment from 69IB's Company C, under 1stLt.Ryan Veles was en route to its post when the truck they were in narrowly escaped the blast of a powerful roadside IED.

That same day in Barangay Mapula also in Davao City's Paquibato District a Recon detachment directly attached to 1003 Brigade HQ was nowhere nearly as fortunate when it too hit a powerful roadside IED. 1 soldier, Bonifacio Llaliza was killed as was 1 Bagani Force (Lumad paramilitary) soldier whose identity hasnt yet been released. 2 other soldiers were wounded.

As August went out with a whisper Jorge"Ka Osis"Madlos 1 of 2 NPA cadres who have operated on Mindanao since shortly after Martial Law was originally declared (the other being Leonicio"Ka Parago"Pitao of Davao City), and who concurrently serves as the Mindanowan NDF spokesperson, released a statement in which he compared President Aquino to Pontius Pilate and heavily criticised him for allowing an extension for his predecessor's OPLAN Bantay Laya II, the anti-NPA blueprint that was set to expire on June 30th past, the end of the Arroyo Administration.

Madlos was correct in noting that traditionally, Philippine Administrations have taken a breather after ascending to office so as to allow the Opposition to forge a more moderate position. Of course insurgent organisations have never opted to take a moderate position but that is neither here nor there. Madlos also added that the President is standing with flowers in 1 hand and the 2nd hand holding a pistol behind his back, a pistol he is itching to use imperils the GRP-NDF Peace Process.

The Peace Process ended in 2004 due to the GRP cooperating with the US to place the NPA, CPP and the NDF on the American list of terrorist organisations as well as the GRP having reneged on its vow to release all political prisoners in the Philippines. It is being wound up again for a renewed effort.