Showing posts with label 106 Base Command. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 106 Base Command. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
MILF Armed Contacts for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part IV: The BIFF and BIAF at Each Other's Throats Once Again
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
MILF Armed Contacts for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part II: Bombs Away Part 3
In my first two "Bombs Away" entries, both being "MILF Armed Contacts for the Second Quarter of 2011" I discussed how the MILF's military wing, the BIAF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, must find novel ways in which to raise funds. In the early years of the MILF Insurgency, from 1977 to about 1984 the organisation was much more cohesive. Founder, and then Chairman Hashim Salamat had served in the MNLF as its Chairman of Foreign Affairs (in addition to a concurrent role as Chairman of the Kutawato Revolutionary Committee, the MNLF political entity responsible for most of Central Mindanao(. In his role with the Foreign Affairs Committee Salamat liasoned with both political representatives AND intelligence agencies from several Muslim nations. Some, particularly the petrol-rich Gulf States were more then generous with providing support to the MNLF.
In 1976 MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari rode roughshod over both the MNLF Central Committee AS WELL AS its Executive Committee in trying to reach a consensus on the FPA, or Final Peace Agreement brokered by Libya. Known as "Tripoli 76" the FPA became a massive bone of contention and very quickly the MNLF imploded into several factions, one of which became, in 1981, the MILF/BIAF. Though support was nothing like the sort enjoyed by the MNLF it was still sufficient enough for the nascent organisation whose now infamous exponential growth only began in 1986 as the MNLF and GPH, or Government of the Philippines (then still known as the "GRP," or "Government of the Republic of the Philippines) began yet another interminable slow dance around a true lasting and just settlement.
Before too long however the MILF/BIAF's growth outpaced its resources and so the MILF Central Committee drew back on expidentures. Field Divisions (Base Commands only entered existence after the Buliok Complex War in 2003) were told to begin working towards self sufficiency. More than a few Field Divisions instructed their constituent brigades to do the same and by the end of the 1980s the Kidnap For Ransom Industry had become firmly entrenched throughout the MILF/BIAF AOR, or Area of Responsibility (as in "Area of Operation"). Though lucrative KFR wasn't going to support more than a few brigades. A more widely applicable endeavour presented itself in the form of Extortion and Protection Rackets. In this way groups were able to cast a much wider net, targeting municipal governments and corporations that would be invulnerable to KFR.
Today it is a very simple proposition. A letter is sent, a demand is made. If the target(s) balk, or do the insane thing and refuse, then the gloves quickly come off. The usual device is a 60MM or 81MM mortar shell, 9Volt battery charge, and Nokia cellphone trigger. The bomber simply dials a phone number and BOOM. The sickening aspect to all this is that if they chose, the Extortionists chose, they could very easily avoid human casualties. Targeting valuable business equipment would be very effective. Instead the bombers go after packed busses, or stores during the mid-day rush.
As I noted in my last "Bombs Away" entry, number two, the municipality of Kidapawan City in North Cotabato Province is once again under attack by the al Khobar Group. al Khobar is composed of BIAF guerillas though by all accounts there is no discussion, let alone approval of these Extortion activities by the BIAF General Staff OR MILF Central Committee. The worst that the MILF/BIAF hierachy can be accused of is willfull ignorance. Playing the devil's advocate however, there is no tight chain of command within the organisation. Take for example, the incident I covered in my recent entry, "MILF Armed Contacts for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part I" where I discussed the sub-conflict in the municipality of Datu Piang in Maguindanao Province. There, the BIAF's 106 Base Command under sub-Kumander Adzie has been going mano a mano with sub-Kumander Abu Nuwas of BIFF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, the newest Islamo-fascist organisation on Mindanao. Though the fighting stopped on August 24th they had been warring since August 6th in what merely represents the latest round in a feud spanning half a decade.
The fighting began just prior to the latest formal Round in the GPH-MILF Peace Peocess, an absolutely crucial meeting for a number of reasons (please refer to my "GPH-MILF Peace Process for the Third Quarter of 2011"). Ergo the MILF Central Committee was absolutely desperate to squelch the fighting in Datu Piang. The Central Committee directly ordered sub-Kumander Adzie to cease and desist, to pull back into his camp and relegate his men to defencive posture. Adzie simply ignored the order. The Central Committee then deployed a team of Islamic clerics to reign their man in. Again, with no success. With the Peso spigot closed tightly there isn't much incentive for a BIAF line officer to kpwtow to a non-combatant sitting on the Central Committee.
al Khobar today is centered in the BIAF's 105 Base Command, under sub-Kumander Zabide "Bedz" Abdul, in his camp located in the municipality of Guindulungan's Barangay Pawas, in Maguindanao Province. Obstensibly operating without a direct mandate from the MILF/BIAF.
Due to the rash of bombings lately PRO-12, or Police Regional Office for Region 12, held a seminar on bomb awareness in the North Cotabato Provincial Capital Complex in Barangay Amas. That very night another bombing took place, just a street away. At 10PM that evening Mamapan Dimalen arrived in Kidapawan City by bus from the municipality of Guindulungan in Maguindanao Province. Meeting him at the bus terminal was Kalim Indigay, a resident of Sitio Pagagao in Kidapawan City's Barangay Patadon. Indigay was to guide Dimalan who had never been to the city.
As the pair made their way to Barangay Amas Dimalan revealed that their target was to be a National Irrigation Authority branch office. Taking a triksiad (most basic form of public transport, an offroad motorcycle with a fabricated aluminum shell with two bench seats for fares and an extra wheel like a sidecar) to the general vicinity before deciding to walk the last couple of blocks. As they approached the target though the IED, or Improvised Explosive Device (as in "bomb") prematurely detonated. Mamapan Dimalen died instantly, his head and extremities strewn across a bloody trail nearly a block long. Because he was nearly three meters away from the detonation Kalim Indigay survived, albeit with extremely critical wounds.
Rushed to the hospital Indigay remained lucid and was immediately subjected to interrogation despite his grave condition. Identifying himself as a guerilla in the BMA, or Bangsamoro Army, the armed wing of the MNLF-Misuari Faction, serving under Kumander Usman Kautin. He said that both he and Dimalen regularly set IEDs and that they were both earning handsome fees for doing so. Then, 3 hours after the detonation Kalim Indigay bled out and died.
In the blast the home of Nonong Labog was riddled with shrapnel as well though none of his sleeping family were injured.
The next morning, Saturday, August 13th, 2011, two IEDs fashioned out of 81MM mortar shells were found primed and attacked to a NAPORCOR, or National Power Corporation pylon in the town of Guindulungan in Maguindanao Province. After an AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) discovered the bombs. 6ID (Infantry Division) EOD, or Explosives and Ordnance Detachment safely removed the devices.
At noon that day, in Jolo City, on Sulu Province's Jolo Island, triksiad driver Hajulil Ayub was loading a package into his vehicle as it idled outside his home in the city's Barangay Kasultan when an alert passerby saw what he thought to be an IED. Notifying a nearby police officer who in turn approached the 28 year old triksiad driver to have a look see. Examining the package for himself the officer confirmed that the man had indeed been loading a powerful bomb into his vehicle. Arrested, Ayub is now within the confines of the Sulu Provincial Jail. Though there is a BIAF Base Command in the southernmost provinces of Mindanao, the 117, it is merely on one outlying island in Tawi Tawi Province. In Sulu there is a very small political bureau but it is inconsequential. The KFR Extortion Industries in Sulu Province are firmly under the control of ASG, or the Abu Sayyaf Group so that this IED at least is not related to MILF/BIAF activities.
Not long after, in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat Province, an alert vendor at the city bus terminal oversered a jeepney emptying its customers with a yellow sack remaining on the floor in the rear. Concerned, he alerted a police officer who discovered an IED fashioned from an 81MM mortar shell.
In 1976 MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari rode roughshod over both the MNLF Central Committee AS WELL AS its Executive Committee in trying to reach a consensus on the FPA, or Final Peace Agreement brokered by Libya. Known as "Tripoli 76" the FPA became a massive bone of contention and very quickly the MNLF imploded into several factions, one of which became, in 1981, the MILF/BIAF. Though support was nothing like the sort enjoyed by the MNLF it was still sufficient enough for the nascent organisation whose now infamous exponential growth only began in 1986 as the MNLF and GPH, or Government of the Philippines (then still known as the "GRP," or "Government of the Republic of the Philippines) began yet another interminable slow dance around a true lasting and just settlement.
Before too long however the MILF/BIAF's growth outpaced its resources and so the MILF Central Committee drew back on expidentures. Field Divisions (Base Commands only entered existence after the Buliok Complex War in 2003) were told to begin working towards self sufficiency. More than a few Field Divisions instructed their constituent brigades to do the same and by the end of the 1980s the Kidnap For Ransom Industry had become firmly entrenched throughout the MILF/BIAF AOR, or Area of Responsibility (as in "Area of Operation"). Though lucrative KFR wasn't going to support more than a few brigades. A more widely applicable endeavour presented itself in the form of Extortion and Protection Rackets. In this way groups were able to cast a much wider net, targeting municipal governments and corporations that would be invulnerable to KFR.
Today it is a very simple proposition. A letter is sent, a demand is made. If the target(s) balk, or do the insane thing and refuse, then the gloves quickly come off. The usual device is a 60MM or 81MM mortar shell, 9Volt battery charge, and Nokia cellphone trigger. The bomber simply dials a phone number and BOOM. The sickening aspect to all this is that if they chose, the Extortionists chose, they could very easily avoid human casualties. Targeting valuable business equipment would be very effective. Instead the bombers go after packed busses, or stores during the mid-day rush.
As I noted in my last "Bombs Away" entry, number two, the municipality of Kidapawan City in North Cotabato Province is once again under attack by the al Khobar Group. al Khobar is composed of BIAF guerillas though by all accounts there is no discussion, let alone approval of these Extortion activities by the BIAF General Staff OR MILF Central Committee. The worst that the MILF/BIAF hierachy can be accused of is willfull ignorance. Playing the devil's advocate however, there is no tight chain of command within the organisation. Take for example, the incident I covered in my recent entry, "MILF Armed Contacts for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part I" where I discussed the sub-conflict in the municipality of Datu Piang in Maguindanao Province. There, the BIAF's 106 Base Command under sub-Kumander Adzie has been going mano a mano with sub-Kumander Abu Nuwas of BIFF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, the newest Islamo-fascist organisation on Mindanao. Though the fighting stopped on August 24th they had been warring since August 6th in what merely represents the latest round in a feud spanning half a decade.
The fighting began just prior to the latest formal Round in the GPH-MILF Peace Peocess, an absolutely crucial meeting for a number of reasons (please refer to my "GPH-MILF Peace Process for the Third Quarter of 2011"). Ergo the MILF Central Committee was absolutely desperate to squelch the fighting in Datu Piang. The Central Committee directly ordered sub-Kumander Adzie to cease and desist, to pull back into his camp and relegate his men to defencive posture. Adzie simply ignored the order. The Central Committee then deployed a team of Islamic clerics to reign their man in. Again, with no success. With the Peso spigot closed tightly there isn't much incentive for a BIAF line officer to kpwtow to a non-combatant sitting on the Central Committee.
al Khobar today is centered in the BIAF's 105 Base Command, under sub-Kumander Zabide "Bedz" Abdul, in his camp located in the municipality of Guindulungan's Barangay Pawas, in Maguindanao Province. Obstensibly operating without a direct mandate from the MILF/BIAF.
Due to the rash of bombings lately PRO-12, or Police Regional Office for Region 12, held a seminar on bomb awareness in the North Cotabato Provincial Capital Complex in Barangay Amas. That very night another bombing took place, just a street away. At 10PM that evening Mamapan Dimalen arrived in Kidapawan City by bus from the municipality of Guindulungan in Maguindanao Province. Meeting him at the bus terminal was Kalim Indigay, a resident of Sitio Pagagao in Kidapawan City's Barangay Patadon. Indigay was to guide Dimalan who had never been to the city.
As the pair made their way to Barangay Amas Dimalan revealed that their target was to be a National Irrigation Authority branch office. Taking a triksiad (most basic form of public transport, an offroad motorcycle with a fabricated aluminum shell with two bench seats for fares and an extra wheel like a sidecar) to the general vicinity before deciding to walk the last couple of blocks. As they approached the target though the IED, or Improvised Explosive Device (as in "bomb") prematurely detonated. Mamapan Dimalen died instantly, his head and extremities strewn across a bloody trail nearly a block long. Because he was nearly three meters away from the detonation Kalim Indigay survived, albeit with extremely critical wounds.
Rushed to the hospital Indigay remained lucid and was immediately subjected to interrogation despite his grave condition. Identifying himself as a guerilla in the BMA, or Bangsamoro Army, the armed wing of the MNLF-Misuari Faction, serving under Kumander Usman Kautin. He said that both he and Dimalen regularly set IEDs and that they were both earning handsome fees for doing so. Then, 3 hours after the detonation Kalim Indigay bled out and died.
In the blast the home of Nonong Labog was riddled with shrapnel as well though none of his sleeping family were injured.
The next morning, Saturday, August 13th, 2011, two IEDs fashioned out of 81MM mortar shells were found primed and attacked to a NAPORCOR, or National Power Corporation pylon in the town of Guindulungan in Maguindanao Province. After an AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) discovered the bombs. 6ID (Infantry Division) EOD, or Explosives and Ordnance Detachment safely removed the devices.
At noon that day, in Jolo City, on Sulu Province's Jolo Island, triksiad driver Hajulil Ayub was loading a package into his vehicle as it idled outside his home in the city's Barangay Kasultan when an alert passerby saw what he thought to be an IED. Notifying a nearby police officer who in turn approached the 28 year old triksiad driver to have a look see. Examining the package for himself the officer confirmed that the man had indeed been loading a powerful bomb into his vehicle. Arrested, Ayub is now within the confines of the Sulu Provincial Jail. Though there is a BIAF Base Command in the southernmost provinces of Mindanao, the 117, it is merely on one outlying island in Tawi Tawi Province. In Sulu there is a very small political bureau but it is inconsequential. The KFR Extortion Industries in Sulu Province are firmly under the control of ASG, or the Abu Sayyaf Group so that this IED at least is not related to MILF/BIAF activities.
Not long after, in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat Province, an alert vendor at the city bus terminal oversered a jeepney emptying its customers with a yellow sack remaining on the floor in the rear. Concerned, he alerted a police officer who discovered an IED fashioned from an 81MM mortar shell.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
MILF Armed Contacts for the Third Quarter of 2011, Part I: The 106 Base Command Battles BIFF in Datu Piang
Datu Piang was a half Chinese, half Maguindanowan Tribesman who lived at the tail end of the 19th Century. Piang was more or less a self made man. Son of a Maguindanowan concubine to the Rajah of Buayan and a favoured Chinese merchant she was gifted to he gambled his future on an alliance with the Americans. As Datu Ali inherited what was left of Buayan Datu Piang moved down river into the Cotabato Basin, to a lowland site in what is today Maguindanao Province. Eventually becoming the richest man in the Southern Philippines his climb to riches and fame was made over the broken backs of countless enemies and more than a few innocent bystanders. Like its namesake, the municipality of Datu Piang, in Maguindanao Province has never enjoyed more than a few peaceful days. Datu Piang is perhaps the most violent town in an extremely violent province which itself exists on the Philippine's most violent island.
In early August of 2010 a clash took place in Datu Piang between sub-Kumander Ustadz Akas "Adzmie" Kasim of the BIAF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (the military wing of the MILF) and sub-Kumander Ustadz Abu Nuwas "Bayawak" Ibad Maniog of the BIAF's 104 Base Command (see my entry entilted "MILF Armed Contacts for the Second and Third Quarters of 2010"). Both men are natives of Datu Piang's Barangay Alonganen and in fact are related to one another as indeed are most villagers living in that barangay. At stake was a 6 hectare tract of arable land immediately adjacent to the Pulangi River (Rio Grande del Mindanao), situated directly on the border of Datu Piang's Barangays Alonganen and Liong and a stone's throw from the infamous Liguasan Marsh. The conflicting claims on the untitled tract first turned violent in 2009 but was largely ignored by the Philippine Government and world at large. After all, any armed conflict in Central Mindanao must automatically be connected to War of 2008, a larger conflict that continued unabated until July of 2009, or so goes the popular assumption.
The firefights lasted only as long as the rice harvest since most of that 6 hectare tract had been cultivated with rice. As soon as the paddy was plowed under life returned to normal, at least as "normal" as it ever gets in Mindanao. Just before New Year 2011 sub-Kumander Bayawak (Abu Nawas) tendered his formal resignation to the MILF Central Committe and almost immediately afterward joined Kumander Ustadz Ameril Ombra Kato's Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, or BIFF. Fast forward to July 20th, 2011. BIFF's Chief of Staff, sub-Kumander Karialan Indong personaly led an attack on BIAF 106 Base Command positions in Barangay Balanaken's Sitio Nimao after BIAF guerillas had been sighted on a security permiter established around that 6 hectare collection of rice paddies in Barangay Alonganen. As the BIAF responded by launching retaliattory strikes the wife of sub-Kumander Bayawak (Abu Nuwas) was critically wounded during a mortar volley.
After that initial attack in July both sides took a step back from that bloody abyss and orally agreed to resolve their differences in a non-violent manner, despite the wounds inflicted on sub-Kumander Adzmie. That agreement held fast for a little more than two weeks. On August 6th Abu Nuwas led his men on an attack against Adzmie's men in their camp in Barangay Alonganen. Even before the shooting began that morning hundreds of families had began fleeing. Quickly joining them were families from the adjacent barangays Liong and Balanaken. The town's Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School has long served as the municipality's IDP, or Internally Displaced Persons centre. By night fall on August 6th the official IDP tally stood at 482 families, of which 190 came from Balakaken, 180 from Liong, and 112 from Alonganen. In the Philippines a "family" is assumed to include five people but that figure borders on useless since demographers make no allowances for cultural, religious or even regional differences. A "family in Luzon will on average contain much less people than a socio-economically disadvantaged Tribal family whose head of household practices polygamy and whose religion commands a high reproductive rate. Moreover, the figures offered only take into account the number of heads of household that have managed to undergo the official registration process. Most IDPs take succor in other households and a fair number, distrustful of the Government or fearing disease and other negative aspects found in the state IDP centres make the best of it alongside hiways and in isolated jungle clearings. The displaced people themselves, known as "Bakwit" in the local dialect have had their daily lives disrupted every couple of months since 1972 and yet we have politicians in Manila asking why Maguindanao is the poorest province in the nation. Go figure
The day, August 7th, intermittent firefights took place in Barangays Alonganen, Liong, Balanaken with IDPs fleeing from the adjacent municipality of Guindulungan, home to the BIFF's main camp, the former-BIAF camp Omar ibn Khattab on Perez Hill. The resident of Barangay Muslim had received word that the BIAF was considering a direct attack on the camp and the news caused widespread apprehension that very quickly devolved into sheer panic. The day's fighting ended at nightfall with a finall tally (including the initial clash the day before) of five BIAF KIAs, or Killed in Actions with one known wounded. BIFF made out slightly better with three KIAs.
On August 8th BIFF launched the first attack with a moderate salvo of mortar shells against BIAF positions in Barangays Alonganen, now devoid of all civilians with the entire population having fled and Barangay Balanaken, itself nearly a carbon copy with the rest of its residents fleeing during a lull between salvos.
August 9th saw the heaviest fighting yet since this latest round commenced on August 6th. Fighting began at 630AM with the BIAF initiating a firefight and continued unabated until 330PM. At 700PM fighting began once again and only ended right before 11PM. During the morning exchanges fighting did finally spread to Guindulungan's Barangay Muslim although not related to any BIAF tactical strike against the main BIFF camp on Perez Hill. Most of Barangay Muslim's population had already fled in the preceding days but the remaining residents fled as the combatants entered the barangay with BIFF guerillas attempting to implement a Blocking Force there to deal more than 100 re-inforcements from the BIAF's 105 Base Command, co-incidentally the old command of BIFF leader Kumander Ustadz Kato. The IDPs from Barangay Muslim made their way into the ajoining municipality of Talayan's Barangays Binangga North, Tambunan, and Katibpuan. Gunidulungan's Barangay Damablak then fled en masse, totally emptying the barangay with most villagers taking shelter in Talayan's Barangay Katibpuan as well, along with the IDPs from Barangay Muslim.
August 10th FINALLY saw the Government respond. In cases of intercine conflict within the BIAF, or in this case between the BIAF and its recent offshoot BIFF, the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines almost always takes a hands off approach. This isn't an absolute rule as in last year's BIAF 104 Base Command throwdown with the MNLF/BMA's newest faction, MMSC, or Mainland Mindanao State Committee on the Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao Provincial borders. In that imbroglio the AFP entered the fray AGAINST the BIAF, but then BIAF on BMA (Bangsamoro Army, armed wing of the MNLF) isn't exactly an intercine affair. The AFP's 40IB (Infantry Battalion) implemented Blocking Force positions along the riverfront of Midsayap, in North Cotabato Province.
Midsayap sits directly parallel to Datu Piang, across the Pulangi River. It is also home to a camp of the BIAF's 105 Base Command, the Base Command most likely to re-inforce the 106th despite a bit of anomosity between the two Base Commands (after all, this anomosity led to the recent creation of the 118 Base Command, an episode I covered in a "MILF Armed Contacts for the Second Quarter of 2011" entry). In addition PNP, or Philippine National Police's PRO-12, or Police Regional Office for Region 12 deployed its PSCs, or Public Saety Companies (aaaah, the Filipino penchant for acronyms, gotta' love it) in key entrances to all North Cotabato municipalities fronting the Pulangi River. Until August 10th the only AFP element involved was the 1st Mechanised Brigade (M 1st Bde), attached to 6ID (Infantry Division) from 1ID, tasked with aiding IDPs and providing security at the IDP centre at Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School.
The next day, August 11th, fighting finally spread across the river into North Cotabato Province's municipality of Midsayap when the predicted re-inforcement from the 105 Base Command began and their guerillas happened upon BIFF re-inforcements making their way into Maguindanao Province. Resident's of Midsayap's Barangay Damatulan fled as they witnessed BIAF guerillas from the 105 Base Command moving through their barangay en route. As night fell and fighting continued most residents living across the river in Puroks #4 and 5 in Guindulungan's Barangay Binangga North fled en masse with most IDPs ending up in that barangay's Purok #1.
On August 12th the AFP actually deployed non-lethal munitions as it dropped smoke in Datu Piang in an effort to separate both sides. On Mindanao smoke is used as a warning that should belligerents not heed the warning and cease and desist, the next munition will not be innocuous. The smoke did manage to soften the exhanges from incessant to sporadic but did not come close to shutting down the firefights raging in barangays Alonganen, Liong and Balanaken and just then spreading into Barangay Masigay. As fighting began in Barangay Masigay 170 of its families fled to Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School.
On the following day, August 13th fighting petered out shortly after re-commencing just after daybreak. Sub-Kumander Adzmie, leader of the BIAF forces in this nightmare finally paid heed to the MILF's Central Command directive issued on August 10th in which he was ordered to stand down "unless attacked." As for sub-Kumander Bayawak (Abu Nuwas), he was under no such orders with Kumander Kato brusquely telling the media that IF the BIAF doesn't want trouble IT should NOT attack BIFF guerillas. Aaah, can't you just feel the love?
In early August of 2010 a clash took place in Datu Piang between sub-Kumander Ustadz Akas "Adzmie" Kasim of the BIAF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (the military wing of the MILF) and sub-Kumander Ustadz Abu Nuwas "Bayawak" Ibad Maniog of the BIAF's 104 Base Command (see my entry entilted "MILF Armed Contacts for the Second and Third Quarters of 2010"). Both men are natives of Datu Piang's Barangay Alonganen and in fact are related to one another as indeed are most villagers living in that barangay. At stake was a 6 hectare tract of arable land immediately adjacent to the Pulangi River (Rio Grande del Mindanao), situated directly on the border of Datu Piang's Barangays Alonganen and Liong and a stone's throw from the infamous Liguasan Marsh. The conflicting claims on the untitled tract first turned violent in 2009 but was largely ignored by the Philippine Government and world at large. After all, any armed conflict in Central Mindanao must automatically be connected to War of 2008, a larger conflict that continued unabated until July of 2009, or so goes the popular assumption.
The firefights lasted only as long as the rice harvest since most of that 6 hectare tract had been cultivated with rice. As soon as the paddy was plowed under life returned to normal, at least as "normal" as it ever gets in Mindanao. Just before New Year 2011 sub-Kumander Bayawak (Abu Nawas) tendered his formal resignation to the MILF Central Committe and almost immediately afterward joined Kumander Ustadz Ameril Ombra Kato's Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, or BIFF. Fast forward to July 20th, 2011. BIFF's Chief of Staff, sub-Kumander Karialan Indong personaly led an attack on BIAF 106 Base Command positions in Barangay Balanaken's Sitio Nimao after BIAF guerillas had been sighted on a security permiter established around that 6 hectare collection of rice paddies in Barangay Alonganen. As the BIAF responded by launching retaliattory strikes the wife of sub-Kumander Bayawak (Abu Nuwas) was critically wounded during a mortar volley.
After that initial attack in July both sides took a step back from that bloody abyss and orally agreed to resolve their differences in a non-violent manner, despite the wounds inflicted on sub-Kumander Adzmie. That agreement held fast for a little more than two weeks. On August 6th Abu Nuwas led his men on an attack against Adzmie's men in their camp in Barangay Alonganen. Even before the shooting began that morning hundreds of families had began fleeing. Quickly joining them were families from the adjacent barangays Liong and Balanaken. The town's Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School has long served as the municipality's IDP, or Internally Displaced Persons centre. By night fall on August 6th the official IDP tally stood at 482 families, of which 190 came from Balakaken, 180 from Liong, and 112 from Alonganen. In the Philippines a "family" is assumed to include five people but that figure borders on useless since demographers make no allowances for cultural, religious or even regional differences. A "family in Luzon will on average contain much less people than a socio-economically disadvantaged Tribal family whose head of household practices polygamy and whose religion commands a high reproductive rate. Moreover, the figures offered only take into account the number of heads of household that have managed to undergo the official registration process. Most IDPs take succor in other households and a fair number, distrustful of the Government or fearing disease and other negative aspects found in the state IDP centres make the best of it alongside hiways and in isolated jungle clearings. The displaced people themselves, known as "Bakwit" in the local dialect have had their daily lives disrupted every couple of months since 1972 and yet we have politicians in Manila asking why Maguindanao is the poorest province in the nation. Go figure
The day, August 7th, intermittent firefights took place in Barangays Alonganen, Liong, Balanaken with IDPs fleeing from the adjacent municipality of Guindulungan, home to the BIFF's main camp, the former-BIAF camp Omar ibn Khattab on Perez Hill. The resident of Barangay Muslim had received word that the BIAF was considering a direct attack on the camp and the news caused widespread apprehension that very quickly devolved into sheer panic. The day's fighting ended at nightfall with a finall tally (including the initial clash the day before) of five BIAF KIAs, or Killed in Actions with one known wounded. BIFF made out slightly better with three KIAs.
On August 8th BIFF launched the first attack with a moderate salvo of mortar shells against BIAF positions in Barangays Alonganen, now devoid of all civilians with the entire population having fled and Barangay Balanaken, itself nearly a carbon copy with the rest of its residents fleeing during a lull between salvos.
August 9th saw the heaviest fighting yet since this latest round commenced on August 6th. Fighting began at 630AM with the BIAF initiating a firefight and continued unabated until 330PM. At 700PM fighting began once again and only ended right before 11PM. During the morning exchanges fighting did finally spread to Guindulungan's Barangay Muslim although not related to any BIAF tactical strike against the main BIFF camp on Perez Hill. Most of Barangay Muslim's population had already fled in the preceding days but the remaining residents fled as the combatants entered the barangay with BIFF guerillas attempting to implement a Blocking Force there to deal more than 100 re-inforcements from the BIAF's 105 Base Command, co-incidentally the old command of BIFF leader Kumander Ustadz Kato. The IDPs from Barangay Muslim made their way into the ajoining municipality of Talayan's Barangays Binangga North, Tambunan, and Katibpuan. Gunidulungan's Barangay Damablak then fled en masse, totally emptying the barangay with most villagers taking shelter in Talayan's Barangay Katibpuan as well, along with the IDPs from Barangay Muslim.
August 10th FINALLY saw the Government respond. In cases of intercine conflict within the BIAF, or in this case between the BIAF and its recent offshoot BIFF, the AFP, or Armed Forces of the Philippines almost always takes a hands off approach. This isn't an absolute rule as in last year's BIAF 104 Base Command throwdown with the MNLF/BMA's newest faction, MMSC, or Mainland Mindanao State Committee on the Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao Provincial borders. In that imbroglio the AFP entered the fray AGAINST the BIAF, but then BIAF on BMA (Bangsamoro Army, armed wing of the MNLF) isn't exactly an intercine affair. The AFP's 40IB (Infantry Battalion) implemented Blocking Force positions along the riverfront of Midsayap, in North Cotabato Province.
Midsayap sits directly parallel to Datu Piang, across the Pulangi River. It is also home to a camp of the BIAF's 105 Base Command, the Base Command most likely to re-inforce the 106th despite a bit of anomosity between the two Base Commands (after all, this anomosity led to the recent creation of the 118 Base Command, an episode I covered in a "MILF Armed Contacts for the Second Quarter of 2011" entry). In addition PNP, or Philippine National Police's PRO-12, or Police Regional Office for Region 12 deployed its PSCs, or Public Saety Companies (aaaah, the Filipino penchant for acronyms, gotta' love it) in key entrances to all North Cotabato municipalities fronting the Pulangi River. Until August 10th the only AFP element involved was the 1st Mechanised Brigade (M 1st Bde), attached to 6ID (Infantry Division) from 1ID, tasked with aiding IDPs and providing security at the IDP centre at Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School.
The next day, August 11th, fighting finally spread across the river into North Cotabato Province's municipality of Midsayap when the predicted re-inforcement from the 105 Base Command began and their guerillas happened upon BIFF re-inforcements making their way into Maguindanao Province. Resident's of Midsayap's Barangay Damatulan fled as they witnessed BIAF guerillas from the 105 Base Command moving through their barangay en route. As night fell and fighting continued most residents living across the river in Puroks #4 and 5 in Guindulungan's Barangay Binangga North fled en masse with most IDPs ending up in that barangay's Purok #1.
On August 12th the AFP actually deployed non-lethal munitions as it dropped smoke in Datu Piang in an effort to separate both sides. On Mindanao smoke is used as a warning that should belligerents not heed the warning and cease and desist, the next munition will not be innocuous. The smoke did manage to soften the exhanges from incessant to sporadic but did not come close to shutting down the firefights raging in barangays Alonganen, Liong and Balanaken and just then spreading into Barangay Masigay. As fighting began in Barangay Masigay 170 of its families fled to Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School.
On the following day, August 13th fighting petered out shortly after re-commencing just after daybreak. Sub-Kumander Adzmie, leader of the BIAF forces in this nightmare finally paid heed to the MILF's Central Command directive issued on August 10th in which he was ordered to stand down "unless attacked." As for sub-Kumander Bayawak (Abu Nuwas), he was under no such orders with Kumander Kato brusquely telling the media that IF the BIAF doesn't want trouble IT should NOT attack BIFF guerillas. Aaah, can't you just feel the love?
Thursday, July 7, 2011
MILF Armed Contacts, Second Quarter of 2011, Part II: Bombs Away
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Kidnap for Ransom,Second Quarter of 2011,Part VII:Fake Report of 2 British Subjects Kidnapped in Davao City,a Fake Kidnapping of a German AND One Real Kidnapping of a German
Of all Mindanowan locales Davao City is perhaps the one place alone that is absolutely immune from KFR (Kidnap for Ransom). The island's largest city is ruled by local warlord Rodrigo "Roddy" Duterte who because of a 9 year Term Limit had to step down as mayor in the last election in May of 2010. Currently sitting as the city's Vice Mayor his daughter Sarah Duterte Carpio graciously agreed to keep the Mayoral throne warm for Big Daddy as he sits out the mandatory 3 year cooling off period. Still, no local observer ever doubts who is in charge.
Though having a violent warlord as mayor definitely has its negative consequences...say the Extra-Judicial Execution of 12 year old glue addicts...it also has some very real and tangible benefits. One such benefit is the city's de facto neutral status vis a vis the many insurgencies wracking our beautiful island. Davao City is the only municipality on Mindanao where one finds NPA Committee Secretaries hobknobbing with MNLF Kumanders as the latter chat amicably with counterparts from the MILF, all without a hassle from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP (Philippine National Police). The unusual situation also extends into other spheres...like KFR (Kidnap for Ransom). While KFR is off the charts in four neighbouring regions it is all but unheard of in Davao del Sur Province, Duterte's influence obviously extending past his city's boundries. Foreigners in Davao City don't think twice in terms of personal safety. This in turn leads to beaucoup investment and so Duterte shows us that indeed there is a certain method to his violent madness.
In fact, Duterte's influence is seen as so all pervasive that any reported KFR within the city limits is almost always dismissed out of hand even before a cursory investigation is performed. This condescending attitude is what led a local woman into a shi*storm of controversy recently.
Catherine Graciela Manalo, a registered nurse from the town of San Pablo in Laguna Province on Luzon walked into a Davao City CPO (City Police Office) Santa Ana Station very early Monday morning, May 23rd, 2011, and told a fantastic tale. She reported that she had been party to a large group that included 2 of her brothers:
1) Alexander Ulysis Manalo
2) Benjamin Gabriel Manalo
their girlfriends:
1) Ellaine Fidez Mondejar
2) Bella Marie Labastida
and more importantly for Philippine authorities,2 foreigners:
1) Marco Bennet
2) Graham Walker
both British subjects. Ms.Manalo related that the group had been staying at the city's Grand Regal Hotel before recently transferring to the Pinnacle Hotel, also in the city, on Santa Ana Avenue but that late the evening before, Sunday May 22nd, a man known only as "Remy" had picked the entire group up in a van and transferred them en masse to the Apo View Hotel, also in Davao City. She told police officers that after the group had left the Pinnacle Hotel she had seen them at the popular downtown eatery, "Shakeys" on Governor Duterte Street (named after Vice Mayor Duterte's late father,warlord #1). According to Ms.Manalo Remy had driven them there as a group. Leaving early Ms.Manalo decided to return to her room in a local boarding house on the corner of Gempesaw and Juan Luna Streets.
While retiring in her room Ms.Manalo said she received an SMS (Text) from one of her brothers that simply said,"SOS."Not long after that strange SMS she received a phone call in which the caller demanded a P20 Million ransom (US460,000).At her landlord's insistence she then made her way to the CPO and reported the"crime."
Immediately the Davao City PNP checked with the registars of all three hotels:
1) Grand Regal
2) Pinnacle
3) Apo View
and found that none of the hotels had registered any of the six names Ms.Manalo had provided. More over, none had recently registered any British men. Next the PNP contacted the BID (Bureau of Immigration and Detention, known usually as the"BI") and found that no British men with those names had entered the Philippines, EVER. They then began interrogating the complaintant a tad bit more aggressively. Calling the cellphone numbers of the victims they found that none were working. Trying to bolster her own credibility Ms.Manalo provided 3 photographs of the victims. One of the pictures appeared to have been a still shot from a Hollywood film. By now the CPO was sure that Ms.Manalo had made the whole thing up but they couldn't understand why she would do such a thing. In seeking answers they went to the boarding house and interviewed the owner,Ms.Manalo's landlord.Apparently Ms.Manalo had arrived in Davao City sometime in mid-2010 and had sought to rent a room in that particular boarding house despite her having no money.She had told the landlord that she had come south to await the imminent arrival of a sister who had been working in Canada.She vowed to pay for her room and board as soon as her sister arrived from abroad.Such stories are common enough and so the landlord consented but the"few days"turned into 11 months and so Ms.Manalo's subterfuge became more and more complicated as she sought ways in which to avoid the inevitable"paying the piper."
Finally,on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011 Ms.Manalo's story evolved into the KFR Plot. Having had enough the landlord told Ms.Manalo that she better come up with something concrete to prove her excuse or else she would be reported for fraud.When the story hit the media it turned out that Ms.Manalo was actually named Minelda Que and was not from Luzon but was in fact a local woman.She had reportedly ran out on a string of similar frauds totalling P400,000 (almost US9,000).Ms.Manalo/Que's latest caper carries a fine of P200 (US4.80,that's right,less than 5 US Dollars) and up to 6 months in jail. Realising that the gig was up the forlorn woman admitted to having manufactured the tale in an attempt to avoid Fraud charges over her debt to her landlady.
In fact the sad tale brings to mind the last faked KFR out of Davao City. In early June of 2010 30 year old German citizen Fier Medricat got into a huge row with his father Ralph Medricat. Fier, a Vetinary Assistant had come to Mindanao to try and patch up his spotty relationship with his father.The elder man had been living in Pagadian City with his young Filipina girlfriend, Magdalena Morales. From the start Fier's presence had led to knoch down,drag em' out fights.
Thinking that Fier might calm down a bit if he had a girlfriend of his own Magdalena invited her niece over for a couple of days.Teenaged Crystal Morales Villamor was a native of Toril District in Davao City and had never managed to travel out of her province,Davao del Sur.Arriving in Pagadian City she and Fier got along great and for a few days everybody was happy. When Crystal had to return home though Fier was beside himself.Almost immediately he made plans to take a trip himself and to visit Crystal in Davao City.Worried about his son's safety Ralph forbade it and threatened to make his son return home to Germany.
On June 18th Fier went for broke. Taking a bus he made his way down to Davao.Nearing the city he told a shocked Crystal that he was in Davao City and was coming to see her.A shocked but flattered Crystal gave him directions to Toril District and told him she would be waiting for him. Having taken a jeepney (ubiqitous form of public transportation in the Philippines) to the outlying district of Toril Fier found himself wandering its isolated dirt roads searching for Crystal's Barangay Catigan.
Toril District is 1 of 4 Davao City districts controlled by the NPA, or Maoist New Peoples Army. As ground zero of the Maoist Insurgency it is not a place that sees a lot of wandering foreigners. Were it a pacified area there would still be a rush of attention. As it was absolutely all eyes were riveted on our would be Lothario.Soon 3 teenaged boys came along side and finding that Fier was lost they volunteered to"help"him find his girlfriend's home.Before long,with the 3 teens leading him, Fier was far off the beaten path and well beyond any any chance of genuine help.One of the helpful teens volunteered that the home of his aunt was nearby and that they ought to take shelter there for the evening lest they endanger themselves trying to navigate narrow mountain trails during the thick of the night.Fier had to admit that the suggestion made a whole lot of sense and so it was that his new found"friends"led him to the home of a woman introduced to him as"Mama."
After they ate a small meal of boiled white rice and ampalaya (bitter squash) his new friends began asking him what he was carrying in his fanny pack. Innocently Fier showed them,it was P5,600 (US150).Suddenly his friends stopped talking English and their demeanour changed from friendly to frightening and they grabbed the money.As Fier complained that that was he had and that he needed it for his return to Pagadian City he was told that he was being kidnapped by the NPA.He was then instructed to notify his girlfriend and to tell her to arrange for his ransom.Three days later his father's girlfriend, Magdalena Morales, reported the kidnapping to the Davao City CPO.
This was Fier's account. However the reality was quite different. By June 22nd the Davao City CPO had uncovered a plot by Fier to stick it to his hapless father. He was attenpting to get his father to pony up P500,000 (US11,000) so that he and his young girlfriend Crystal could make a life of their own.After some very high ranking CPO Officers convinced him to reconsider he made his way back to Pagadian City when one hoped that his father gave him the once over.
Of course the Philippine Media was clueless and reported on July 10th of that year,2010,that young Fier had just been released in Pagadian City.
Speaking of silly Germans in Davao, Ms.Manalo's decision to involve the Apo View Hotel in her scheme brings to mind yet another KFR case tied to Davao City.On May 31st, 2007, German citizen Thomas Wallraf hired a van and along with his girlfriend, Sharon Mae Jackson, a Filipina and 2 Indian nationals left the Apo View Hotel for a long drive to the town of Pikit in North Cotabato Province. The group was en route to meet a man with whom Wallraf had been communicating online.
As I have noted in a recent KFR entry on an American victim who had arrived on Mindanao in hopes of striking it rich,Treasure Hunting attracts A LOT of foreigners and even a smattering of ignorant locals. Thomas Wallraf, 44, was hoping to uncover a valuable cachet of nickel babbit. Thinking he had hit the motherlode he piled in the van with his lifesavings and drove to Pikit's Barangay Batulawan.Upon arriving at the designated location he was greeted by 9 MNLF/BMA (Moro National Liberation Force/Bangsamoro Army) guerillas. Led by Kumander Datucan Samad the guerillas hogtied and gagged their captives and tied each one to the back of an off road motorcycle.
Leaving the clearing in Barangay Bantulawan the group drove to Barangay Balongis where they crossed into an MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces) AOR (Area of Responsibility,meaning Area of Operation).The BIAF, under Kumander Moti of the 106 Base Command then ordered the MNLF/BMA to turn the captives over to the BIAF,since foreign captives generate huge ransoms. The MNLF/BMA balked until the BIAF fired a single RPG round right next to MNLF Kumander Datucan Samad's head. The MILF/BIAF then took custody of the 4 captives and withdrew to the 106 Base Command Camp in the municipality of Parang, across the provincial border in Maguindanao. By the afternoon of June 1st, 24 hours after the MILF/BIAF forced the MNLF/BMA into surrendering the victims,the MILF leadership ordered the BIAF to release the captives to the IMT (International Monitoring Team, a Malaysian led force made up of personnel from Brunei, Libya and Japan at that point, tasked with helping to investigate any alleged Ceasefire violations by the MILF/BIAF and the GPH).
Interestingly it was depicted as a BIAF rescue from "cattle rustling gun runners" with the MILF scrambling a BIAF force to chase after the criminals who had kidnapped the group.In reality the BIAF 106 Base Command wanted to earn some money but the GPH-MILF Peace Process was starting up again and the MILF Central Committee couldn't stand to have something weaken their hand or even scuttle the Talks in their entierty. After the 106 Base Command captured the 4 victims and word reached Camp Darapanan (MILF General Headquarters) just down the road the MILF leadership moved to turn a negative into a positive.
I should add that on June 24th, 2008, Kumander Datucan Samad was arrested for this kidnapping. Based upon a warrant issued by the RTC (Regional Trial Court) in Pikit, North Cotabato Province. Taken into custody in the municipality of Malabang in Lanao del Sur Province but released exactly 1 week later. Why? Lack of Evidence. The only other person ever brought to justice was Samad's #2 man,22 year old Saludin Lampangan of Pikit's Barangay Gocotan. On July 8th, 2008zn just 8 days after Samad's aforementioned release, the Chief of Police in Pikit (Sr.Inspector Elias Dandan) saw Lampangan casually sauntering up to a group of youth in the town plaza. The Chief of Police called in the AFP for backup and when the reinforcements arrived took the suspect into custody.He too was released for Lack of Evidence.
Though having a violent warlord as mayor definitely has its negative consequences...say the Extra-Judicial Execution of 12 year old glue addicts...it also has some very real and tangible benefits. One such benefit is the city's de facto neutral status vis a vis the many insurgencies wracking our beautiful island. Davao City is the only municipality on Mindanao where one finds NPA Committee Secretaries hobknobbing with MNLF Kumanders as the latter chat amicably with counterparts from the MILF, all without a hassle from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP (Philippine National Police). The unusual situation also extends into other spheres...like KFR (Kidnap for Ransom). While KFR is off the charts in four neighbouring regions it is all but unheard of in Davao del Sur Province, Duterte's influence obviously extending past his city's boundries. Foreigners in Davao City don't think twice in terms of personal safety. This in turn leads to beaucoup investment and so Duterte shows us that indeed there is a certain method to his violent madness.
In fact, Duterte's influence is seen as so all pervasive that any reported KFR within the city limits is almost always dismissed out of hand even before a cursory investigation is performed. This condescending attitude is what led a local woman into a shi*storm of controversy recently.
Catherine Graciela Manalo, a registered nurse from the town of San Pablo in Laguna Province on Luzon walked into a Davao City CPO (City Police Office) Santa Ana Station very early Monday morning, May 23rd, 2011, and told a fantastic tale. She reported that she had been party to a large group that included 2 of her brothers:
1) Alexander Ulysis Manalo
2) Benjamin Gabriel Manalo
their girlfriends:
1) Ellaine Fidez Mondejar
2) Bella Marie Labastida
and more importantly for Philippine authorities,2 foreigners:
1) Marco Bennet
2) Graham Walker
both British subjects. Ms.Manalo related that the group had been staying at the city's Grand Regal Hotel before recently transferring to the Pinnacle Hotel, also in the city, on Santa Ana Avenue but that late the evening before, Sunday May 22nd, a man known only as "Remy" had picked the entire group up in a van and transferred them en masse to the Apo View Hotel, also in Davao City. She told police officers that after the group had left the Pinnacle Hotel she had seen them at the popular downtown eatery, "Shakeys" on Governor Duterte Street (named after Vice Mayor Duterte's late father,warlord #1). According to Ms.Manalo Remy had driven them there as a group. Leaving early Ms.Manalo decided to return to her room in a local boarding house on the corner of Gempesaw and Juan Luna Streets.
While retiring in her room Ms.Manalo said she received an SMS (Text) from one of her brothers that simply said,"SOS."Not long after that strange SMS she received a phone call in which the caller demanded a P20 Million ransom (US460,000).At her landlord's insistence she then made her way to the CPO and reported the"crime."
Immediately the Davao City PNP checked with the registars of all three hotels:
1) Grand Regal
2) Pinnacle
3) Apo View
and found that none of the hotels had registered any of the six names Ms.Manalo had provided. More over, none had recently registered any British men. Next the PNP contacted the BID (Bureau of Immigration and Detention, known usually as the"BI") and found that no British men with those names had entered the Philippines, EVER. They then began interrogating the complaintant a tad bit more aggressively. Calling the cellphone numbers of the victims they found that none were working. Trying to bolster her own credibility Ms.Manalo provided 3 photographs of the victims. One of the pictures appeared to have been a still shot from a Hollywood film. By now the CPO was sure that Ms.Manalo had made the whole thing up but they couldn't understand why she would do such a thing. In seeking answers they went to the boarding house and interviewed the owner,Ms.Manalo's landlord.Apparently Ms.Manalo had arrived in Davao City sometime in mid-2010 and had sought to rent a room in that particular boarding house despite her having no money.She had told the landlord that she had come south to await the imminent arrival of a sister who had been working in Canada.She vowed to pay for her room and board as soon as her sister arrived from abroad.Such stories are common enough and so the landlord consented but the"few days"turned into 11 months and so Ms.Manalo's subterfuge became more and more complicated as she sought ways in which to avoid the inevitable"paying the piper."
Finally,on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011 Ms.Manalo's story evolved into the KFR Plot. Having had enough the landlord told Ms.Manalo that she better come up with something concrete to prove her excuse or else she would be reported for fraud.When the story hit the media it turned out that Ms.Manalo was actually named Minelda Que and was not from Luzon but was in fact a local woman.She had reportedly ran out on a string of similar frauds totalling P400,000 (almost US9,000).Ms.Manalo/Que's latest caper carries a fine of P200 (US4.80,that's right,less than 5 US Dollars) and up to 6 months in jail. Realising that the gig was up the forlorn woman admitted to having manufactured the tale in an attempt to avoid Fraud charges over her debt to her landlady.
In fact the sad tale brings to mind the last faked KFR out of Davao City. In early June of 2010 30 year old German citizen Fier Medricat got into a huge row with his father Ralph Medricat. Fier, a Vetinary Assistant had come to Mindanao to try and patch up his spotty relationship with his father.The elder man had been living in Pagadian City with his young Filipina girlfriend, Magdalena Morales. From the start Fier's presence had led to knoch down,drag em' out fights.
Thinking that Fier might calm down a bit if he had a girlfriend of his own Magdalena invited her niece over for a couple of days.Teenaged Crystal Morales Villamor was a native of Toril District in Davao City and had never managed to travel out of her province,Davao del Sur.Arriving in Pagadian City she and Fier got along great and for a few days everybody was happy. When Crystal had to return home though Fier was beside himself.Almost immediately he made plans to take a trip himself and to visit Crystal in Davao City.Worried about his son's safety Ralph forbade it and threatened to make his son return home to Germany.
On June 18th Fier went for broke. Taking a bus he made his way down to Davao.Nearing the city he told a shocked Crystal that he was in Davao City and was coming to see her.A shocked but flattered Crystal gave him directions to Toril District and told him she would be waiting for him. Having taken a jeepney (ubiqitous form of public transportation in the Philippines) to the outlying district of Toril Fier found himself wandering its isolated dirt roads searching for Crystal's Barangay Catigan.
Toril District is 1 of 4 Davao City districts controlled by the NPA, or Maoist New Peoples Army. As ground zero of the Maoist Insurgency it is not a place that sees a lot of wandering foreigners. Were it a pacified area there would still be a rush of attention. As it was absolutely all eyes were riveted on our would be Lothario.Soon 3 teenaged boys came along side and finding that Fier was lost they volunteered to"help"him find his girlfriend's home.Before long,with the 3 teens leading him, Fier was far off the beaten path and well beyond any any chance of genuine help.One of the helpful teens volunteered that the home of his aunt was nearby and that they ought to take shelter there for the evening lest they endanger themselves trying to navigate narrow mountain trails during the thick of the night.Fier had to admit that the suggestion made a whole lot of sense and so it was that his new found"friends"led him to the home of a woman introduced to him as"Mama."
After they ate a small meal of boiled white rice and ampalaya (bitter squash) his new friends began asking him what he was carrying in his fanny pack. Innocently Fier showed them,it was P5,600 (US150).Suddenly his friends stopped talking English and their demeanour changed from friendly to frightening and they grabbed the money.As Fier complained that that was he had and that he needed it for his return to Pagadian City he was told that he was being kidnapped by the NPA.He was then instructed to notify his girlfriend and to tell her to arrange for his ransom.Three days later his father's girlfriend, Magdalena Morales, reported the kidnapping to the Davao City CPO.
This was Fier's account. However the reality was quite different. By June 22nd the Davao City CPO had uncovered a plot by Fier to stick it to his hapless father. He was attenpting to get his father to pony up P500,000 (US11,000) so that he and his young girlfriend Crystal could make a life of their own.After some very high ranking CPO Officers convinced him to reconsider he made his way back to Pagadian City when one hoped that his father gave him the once over.
Of course the Philippine Media was clueless and reported on July 10th of that year,2010,that young Fier had just been released in Pagadian City.
Speaking of silly Germans in Davao, Ms.Manalo's decision to involve the Apo View Hotel in her scheme brings to mind yet another KFR case tied to Davao City.On May 31st, 2007, German citizen Thomas Wallraf hired a van and along with his girlfriend, Sharon Mae Jackson, a Filipina and 2 Indian nationals left the Apo View Hotel for a long drive to the town of Pikit in North Cotabato Province. The group was en route to meet a man with whom Wallraf had been communicating online.
As I have noted in a recent KFR entry on an American victim who had arrived on Mindanao in hopes of striking it rich,Treasure Hunting attracts A LOT of foreigners and even a smattering of ignorant locals. Thomas Wallraf, 44, was hoping to uncover a valuable cachet of nickel babbit. Thinking he had hit the motherlode he piled in the van with his lifesavings and drove to Pikit's Barangay Batulawan.Upon arriving at the designated location he was greeted by 9 MNLF/BMA (Moro National Liberation Force/Bangsamoro Army) guerillas. Led by Kumander Datucan Samad the guerillas hogtied and gagged their captives and tied each one to the back of an off road motorcycle.
Leaving the clearing in Barangay Bantulawan the group drove to Barangay Balongis where they crossed into an MILF/BIAF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front/Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces) AOR (Area of Responsibility,meaning Area of Operation).The BIAF, under Kumander Moti of the 106 Base Command then ordered the MNLF/BMA to turn the captives over to the BIAF,since foreign captives generate huge ransoms. The MNLF/BMA balked until the BIAF fired a single RPG round right next to MNLF Kumander Datucan Samad's head. The MILF/BIAF then took custody of the 4 captives and withdrew to the 106 Base Command Camp in the municipality of Parang, across the provincial border in Maguindanao. By the afternoon of June 1st, 24 hours after the MILF/BIAF forced the MNLF/BMA into surrendering the victims,the MILF leadership ordered the BIAF to release the captives to the IMT (International Monitoring Team, a Malaysian led force made up of personnel from Brunei, Libya and Japan at that point, tasked with helping to investigate any alleged Ceasefire violations by the MILF/BIAF and the GPH).
Interestingly it was depicted as a BIAF rescue from "cattle rustling gun runners" with the MILF scrambling a BIAF force to chase after the criminals who had kidnapped the group.In reality the BIAF 106 Base Command wanted to earn some money but the GPH-MILF Peace Process was starting up again and the MILF Central Committee couldn't stand to have something weaken their hand or even scuttle the Talks in their entierty. After the 106 Base Command captured the 4 victims and word reached Camp Darapanan (MILF General Headquarters) just down the road the MILF leadership moved to turn a negative into a positive.
I should add that on June 24th, 2008, Kumander Datucan Samad was arrested for this kidnapping. Based upon a warrant issued by the RTC (Regional Trial Court) in Pikit, North Cotabato Province. Taken into custody in the municipality of Malabang in Lanao del Sur Province but released exactly 1 week later. Why? Lack of Evidence. The only other person ever brought to justice was Samad's #2 man,22 year old Saludin Lampangan of Pikit's Barangay Gocotan. On July 8th, 2008zn just 8 days after Samad's aforementioned release, the Chief of Police in Pikit (Sr.Inspector Elias Dandan) saw Lampangan casually sauntering up to a group of youth in the town plaza. The Chief of Police called in the AFP for backup and when the reinforcements arrived took the suspect into custody.He too was released for Lack of Evidence.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
MILF/BIAF Developments for the Second and Third Quarters of 2010
The MILF is gearing up for the Peace Process once again, set to resume after Ramadan, i.e. in mid-September to early October, though of course we will be lucky if it happens anytime close to late October. While the MILF has yet to announce its new Peace Panel, GRP (Govt.) has, and I will get to that in this entry. In the interim the killing continues though of course without official MILF sanctioning (cough).
June 5th, 2010 saw Norway joining the MILF-GRP Peace Process. Norway has agreed to join the IMT (International Monitoring Team, an entity I have explained in detail a bit further on in this post) via a letter from Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines, Kmot Solem to GHP Peace Panel Chairman Rafael Seguis with a corresponding copy to MILF Peace Panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal.
July 4th, 2010 in Barangay Buluan, Sultan Kudarat (town, not province), in Maguindanao Province, an IED, or Improvised Explosive Device (as in "bomb") fashioned from a 60MM mortar shell detonated and critically wounded one man. As the 54IB (Infantry Battalion) responded and set up a security perimeter and the 6ID (Infantry Division) EOD (Ordnance Team) Detachment set about scouring the immediate area for clues an alert soldier discovered a well concealed, second IED fasioned from an 81MM mortar shell. This 2nd device, much more powerful than the first was primed to detonate just as 1st Responders (medical, police and soldiers) reached critical mass on scene. Luckily this was averted and the device was decommisioned by Phased Water Cannon.
Predictably, and tiredly, the AFP tried to spin it as an MILF-SOG (MILF Special Operations Group, an almost apocryphal element of the MILF blamed for any type of bombing not thoroughly linked to any of the Kidnap for Ransom cum Extortion Gangs in the MILF AOR). The MILF though tried to outdo the AFP in implausability as it actually issued a release 9as opposed to unoffical comment or innuendo) blaming the AFP for a "False Flag Operation." For those unaware, a False Flag Operation is an act of war , or sabotage/terrorism undertaken by one side but served up as to appear as if it is from a second group. A good historical example might be the "Lavon Affair" that Israel undertook in Egypt in the very early 1950s.
The MILF is claiming, amazingly, that soldiers belonging to Datu Piang's Mayor Samer Uy's CVO had personally witnessed men in MILF fatigues walking from the town of Datu Piang across the border into the municipality of Sultan Kudarat and setting the 60MM IED. They then allegedly witnessed this group of men walking back into Datu Piang and entering the 29IB post, from which they were not observed leaving. In other words, 29IB soldiers wearing MILF camoflauge uniforms walked right past MILF supporters, crossed a municipal border, and in full view primed and buried a large IED. They then supposedly walked back across the border and down the street, back past MILF supporters, and then casually sauntered into an AFP post...in MILF uniforms. Riiiight.
In reality it was the work of BIAF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (armed wing of the MILF) Kumander Tata Uy, the nephew of the Mayor of Datu Piang, Samer Uy. The 2 kinsmen are battling each other over the younger man, Tata, not bowing to his older and more powerful kinsman, Mayor Samer Uy.
At 805PM on July 12th, 2010 in Datu Piang's Barangay Poblacion, a young man carrying an ADIDDAS gymbag hurriedly walked towards the towns MPO, or Municipal Police Office and set the bag down on the ground. Next door the town plaza was full of young students from Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School who were having a school celebration in the cool evening air. Then the powerful IED inside the bag detonated and rained debris for a radius of at least a half a kilometer. 8 year old student Moktar Ma was vapourised, a principal of a school in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, a neighbouring community and two 12 year old High School students were also critically wounded.
Young Moktar Ma had attended the school function in the town plaza and after it ended had gone across the road for a take away meal with his dad. Getting into a Triskiad (i.e. "Trike," i.e. "Tuk Tuk,"the most popular form of public transport in most Philippine communities. Fashioned from a dirt bike or off road motorcycle with a small cubic centimeter engine, inserted into an aluminum or iron carriage with bench seats front and back for passengers, unlike the similar contraptions one sees in Mainland SE Asia). As the triskiad began the ride to the Ma home, several streets away, the IED detonated and left little of the small boy. Amazingly, his father sitting next to him as well as the driver were left entirely unscathed.
The "School Principal" was on his own motorcycle and passing by the plaza as the detonation took place. He was able to survive with just a slight flesh wound in his leg. The two high schoolers were walking along the shoulder of the main road, en route to their homes after witnessing the event in the plaza. Both suffered moderate shrapnel wounds. All victims were residents of Datu Piang's Barangay Poblacion.
The BIAF itself is not known for laying IEDs though its members are often times involved in profitable sidelines, feuds and even stated political objectives that are, quite interestingly, 100% in synch with MILF/BIAF Objectives. IS-AFP (AFP Intelligence) often talks about the MILF-SOG (MILF Special Operations Group) as if it is an actual MILF entity, which it is not. What IS factual though is that particular BIAF Kumanders (Base Command brass) sanction these operations either for profit (as in Lanao del Sur and Norte transformers and Globe Telecom cell towers being blown to bits) or for political ends, as in the 105, 101 and 102 Base Commands, the so called "MILF Lost Commands" (another bit of fantasy) which use these bombings to manipulate both the GPH, or Government of the Philippines and the MILF political echelon.
The Datu Piang bombing, the 2nd in 2 months to hit the town, is the work of the 105 Base Command, in a matter of speaking since it is the work of its sub-Kumander Tata Uy, and though the MILF has made quite a show of giving its Kumander Ustadz Kato a lateral transfer into the political echelon, he is sanctioning the attacks for Kumander Tata Uy and his long running sub-conflict in Barangay Reina Regente. The fact of the matter is that the entire town has been terrorised since 2008 (actually since 1968 but you get the idea) and so, at present, the reasons why these bombings take place no longer really matters.
That same day, July 12, at 10PM, in Barangay Barurao, Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao Province the 105 Base Command's sub-Kumander Maestro Felmin led 400 of his well armed guerillas into town and surrounded roughly 100 homes belonging to clansmen and supporters of ex-Vice Mayor Oca Badal. The MILF then proceeded to burn almost the entire barangay to the ground. Badal is a Kumander in the ILLEGAL (as opposed to the re-formed and legal) Ampatuan CVO, the entity behind the Maguindanao Massacre. The CVO and the MILF have been at each other's throats for nearly 3 decades due to the Ampatuan's loyalty to the MNLF and their having exerted considerable power within the MILF AOR (Area of Operations).
As if Datu Piang, Maguindanao Province didnt have enough problems with its Mayor, Samer Uy battling his nephew and MILF sub-Kumander, Tata Uy, it also must contend with 2 other MILF groups battling EACH OTHER. Kumander Abunawas of the 104 Base Command is at odds with Kumander Adzmi of the 106 Base Command in one of those rice harvest blood baths that strike all over the island during the twice yearly harvest. It began when small detachments of uerillas from both groups came into the town to assist (i.e. "guard" i.e. "EXTORT") villagers with their rice harvests.
Tempers being what they are, especially when it comes to one fo the more lucrative forms of income for these guerillas, a fire fight borke out, lasting approximayely 45 minutes before both sides withdrew back into the bush. This initial exchange caused 500 IDPs to flee Barangays Liong and Balanaken, most taking shelter in Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School in Barangay Poblacion.
At that point it was only a matter of time before violence re-erupted and at 1130AM on August 07 it took place once again. By then the 29IB had set up a small lean-to outside the main gate to the school housing the IDPs from the earlier exchange. Open 9AM to 5PM, 7 days a week, and again from 730PM to 11PM on week nights it has managed to ensure the safety of all IDPs taking refuge inside the school compound. An additional 1200 people sought shelter at the school and at 2 other locations (Fish Landing Shelter on the Pulangi/rio Grande de Mindanao River in Barangay Buayan, at GLAC13, a.k.a. Gani L.Abpi College, a local private school also serving as an IDP centre).
On August 08 the 29IB, only tallying those IDPs at Datu Gumbay recorded, in number of families not individuals, 89 families from Barangay Alonganen, 63 from Barangay Balanaken and 194 from Barangay Liong. To the 29IB's credit it has taken it upon itself to show films on the school's stage, almost every evening to try and entertain the IDPs, a measure not usually taken by other Infantry Battalions. Outside the school that evening, 2 of Kumander Abunawas' guerillas were shot to death.
July 14, at 7PM in Barangay Labu Labu, Datu Hofer, Maguindanao Province, Labu Labu Elementary School was struck with a pre-mature IED detonation whose only casulaty was its courier.24 year old Sabtula Kad Unte was arrested at Cotabato Regional Medical Center as he was being treated for shrapnel wounds. He was then transferred to the 6th Infantry Division Hospital at Camp Siongco outside the city.
On July 19, 2010, the MILF formally announced the 4 month suspension of BDA (Bangsamoro Development Agency) BOD (Board of Directors) Chairman, Dr.Safrullah Dipatuan.The suspension formally began on July 15 and will run until November 15. He has been suspended for not having gotten his superiors' permission prior to a trip abroad. He had left on June 09 for Kuala Lampur, Malaysia to attend an Islamic conference where he harshly criticised Israel's Blockade of Gaza. This of courswe would probbally earn him kudos for a job well done with the MILF except that hidden in the Suspension Order is an interesting mention of his having gone there to "meet a friend."
Dr.Dipatuan had become chairman in 2009 when his predecessor Dr.Parido Pigkaulan was demoted to Member of the Board (on BOD)in what the MILF has claimed was a regular rotation of staff in that all appointees to the BDA are there for a 2 year rotation unless extended. Of course that doesnt explain just why Dr.Pigkaulan became a Member after serving as the Board's Chairman.
From July 19 to July 21, 2010 in Sitio Risingan, Barangay Dunguan, aleosan, North Cotabato Province, just over the river from Datu Piang, the municipality discussed in my last paragraph(s), Kumander Hadju Sajid of the 105 Base Command was warring with his arch nemesis Norodin Ungkay, a Town Councilotr in Aleosan and local CVO Kumander.
On the 19th Sajid attacked a CAFGU post loyal to Ungkay in Sitio Manggahan, Barangay Dunguan and caused an unknown (but large) number of IDPs to flee into the adjoining towns of Pikit, North Cotabato.
July 25 to August 01, 2010 in Barangay Matabong, Ampatuan, Maguindanao Province saw the LEGAL Ampatuan CVO under Kumander Marcos battling the MILF's 105 Base Command. The "Legal Ampatuan CVO" is the newly organised and trained, government sanctioned CVO operating out of Shariff Aguak, the provincial capitol of Maguindano but with branches in the towns once dominated by the ILLEGAL Ampatuan CVO (towns like Datu Saudi, etc,etc). A CVO, or "Civilain Volunteer Organisation" is an official government paramilitary that operates as a very localised military reserve. Manned by citizens of and only operating in specific municipalities and sublimated to the LGU at hand (Local Governmental Unit, i.e. "municipality or barangay), and usually operating under supervision of an infantry Battalion though the Ampatuan CVO did not have much to do with the AFP. The illegal Ampatuan CVO was the group responsible for the so called "Maguindanao Massacre" in late November of 2009. Almost all Filipinos and ex-pats reading this will know pretty much whom and what I am talking about, owning to the entire brouhaha's domination of the media for the first 6 months of 2010. However, imagining that others may not know these things, I will briefly offer up some context.
The Ampatuan Clan is, or perhaps was (actually still is) Maguindanao's most powerful clan. Led by patriarch Andal Sr, who at the time of the Massacre was the provincial governor, with his son and heir apparent Anadal Jr, the mayor of a town created just for him (1 of a few created by andal Sr, who also created an entire province, Shariff Aguak before the Supreme Court dissolved it). the Clan held a tite reign over the province but one time aly, Mayor Eshmael"Toto"Mangudadatu" sought to chalenge this monopoly of power with a run for the governor's seat in the last election, in 2010. Making known his intent, he sought to negate any chance for violence by deploying his wife at the head of a large convoy of SUVs filled with female clan members, allied attorneys and a horde of media representatives.
Driving down National Hiway towards to provincial capitol of Shariff Aguak (town, not the afore mentioned failed province), they were held at a PNP checkpoint in the town of Ampatuan. Andal jr., leading about 100 well armed members of the Ampatuan CVO appeared out of the jungle by the side of the road, and after some physical assaults had the CVO soldiers drive the vehicles in the Mangudadatu convoy to a hill about 2 kms away but over looking the checkpoint. At that site all 57 people (including a few who had only been sandwiched in by the convoy and weren't attached toit at all) were murdered by chain-fed M16 (1 journalist, hogtied and in the front seat of an SUV had been shot in the head with a double barrled shotgun).
The dead and their vehicles were being interred in 3 hastily excavated pits, with provincially owned construction machinery when CVO scouts alerted the group to an approaching detachment of AFP soldies not allied with the Ampatuan Clan. the soldiers had been deployed after a flurry of communications between the media and the AFP, by the companies employing the murdered journalists. the gruseome scene was recorded for all posterity instead of simply becoming yet another one of the many Philippine "Killing Fields" and the Ampatuans themselves were pretty much under the microscope, but not out of power, and not separated from their vast ill gotten fortune.
198 people have been charged in the incident, of which more than 100 remain at large. Many of those wanted men are CVO soldiers. interestingly, the CVO which had roughly 2500 men, has pretty much gone rogue with an estimated 2000 gunmen operating in Maguindanao and N.Cotabato Provinces, battling both the AFP as well as their perennial enemy , the MILF.
The whole sordid affair deserves its own series of entires and I will be producing them soon.
After the Massacre a State of Emergency, then a State of Martial Law which soon reverted back to a State of Emergency was declared for Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces (the latter being the base of the Mangudadatu Clan, themselves fairly powerful), as well as Cotabato City. Cotabato City was added because it is the capitol of the ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao). Besides Maguindanao being 1 of 5 ARMM provinces, the Governor of the ARMM (at the time) was another Ampatuan son, Zaldi Ampatuan. The region remains under a State of Emergency and the Ampatuan CVO (illegal) is spilling alot of blood up until the present.
On the day in question, the MILF 105 Base Command battled the legal Ampatuan CVO and around nightfall the moratars began pounding both sides without let up. At that point the AFP's 46IB came in and reinforced the CVO. The bloodshed stopped on August 01 when the IMT (International Monitoring Team, an entity composed of Brunei, Japan, Norway and the EU and led by Malaysia, created to monitor and support the Cease Fire between the MILF and the AFP/GRP), and the CCCH-MILF and the CCCH-GRP (explained in an earlier portion of this post) set up shoppe in Barangay Matabong and the adjoining Barangay Kapimpilan. This enabled both sides to save face due to international pressure and attention.
During this same period, July 25 through August 01, 2010 in Barangay Salat, President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat Province, 400 MILF guerillas under sub-Kumander Daud Macaalay entered the barangay and burned more than 100 homes to the ground. Most of the burned homes and buildings belonged to MNLF Kumander Magalona Ampatuan, a barangay councilor in Barangay Salat. Ampatuan's brother, Manny, also an MNLF Kumander was killed in an earlier exchange of gunfire. IDPs in the town have set up temporary shacks around the city hall compound.
July 26 through July 30, 2010 in Malabalay City, Bukidnon Province, the PMA (Pangadapu Mindanao Association) under Supreme Datu Migketay Victorino Saway, a Lumad (Hill Tribes) umbrella organisation held an important meeting of tribal chiefs in which they produced a Resolution demanding that Lumads (of course via the PMA) be given a seat at the next MILF-GRP Talks in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia after Ramadan. They demand that their rights with regard to Ancestral Domain be respected.
Datu Saway is a nemesis of the MILF's alternate Peace Panel member, Datu Antonio P.Ki , a B'laan tribal Historian who takes the opposite tact, i.e. the MILF party line. The MILF of course tries to sell a defected bill of goods claiming that while the MILF would hold political sovereignity of the Lumad Ancestral Domains, it would not actually "control" them. Instead it says, the Lumad themselves would handle the tracts. Naturally this has failed to satisfy anyone but the few Lumad puppets on the MILF payroll.
Again, a subject deserving of its own entry, Ancestral Domain is a concept akin to the US' Native American "Reservation" system with limited autonomy to indigenous groups over patches of land, not neccessarily contigious with which specific indigenous groups have a recorded historical conenction. These Domains involve alot of money because of timber, minerals, metals, and agricultral land. The Talks so far have hardly even mentioned the Lumad, and when mentioning them have sublimated their concerns to that of the Moros, the collective term for Muslims. in other words, the MILF wants to have ultimate control over Lumad lands within lands awarded to the Moros. Naturally this doesnt sit well with Lumads themselves.
On July 29, 2010, the Chairman of the MDA (Mindanao Development Authority). Jesus Dureza who concurrently has served in successive Peace Panels in MILF Talks, most recently as Chairman of the last Panel under the Arroyo Government in the 2003 Talks (which took place after the 2003 MILF-GRP War), has resigned his position at MDA. He was in the middle of a 6 year term but left his position because of his heavy identification with the former Administration.
Some may recall that as Chairman of the 2003 GRP-MILF Talks he became embroiled in some controversy when he was accused of "annotating" the proceedings minutes (the transcript of what is said during negotations), specifically 1 very important parlez in Kaula Lampur, Malaysia on February 28 that year. interestingly, and not known to very many, in 1999 long before the government utilised his services or gave him a position in any office he had contacted the MILF on his own and had offered to serve on THEIR Panel.
There is alot that can be said about this, and some may even argue that as a lifelong resident of Mindanao and a well known attorney not connected to either side that there was nothing wrong in what he did but it does show a certain level of ambitiousness that has caused some to call his abilities into question. when a person is attracted to the limelight, and more specifically to the hallowed halls of pwoer they will do anything within their reach to stay there, no matter the cause, the ends will justify the means. With that said, since his appointment to the GRP, both on the Panel as well as in his position at the MDA, he has done nothing to prove his critics right.
That same day, July 29, Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdullah Kiram I of Suluofficially asked the GRP to disqualify Malaysia from its role as mediator of the GRP-MILF PEace PRocess Talks owing to his long time claim on Sabah. As I briefly discussed in my "Whole Lot of Ugly cum Operation Merdeka" series of entries, although Malaysia has flown its flag over Sabah State on Borneo since Malaysian Independance the state historically belongs to the Sulu Sultanate.
The remarks first surfaced at the CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats, as in Lakas-KAMPI-CMD) joint SultanteAward Presentation at Quezon City's Sulo Hotel. The Sultan (actually 1 of several claimants for the title of Sultan) clarified that he does not advocate seccession of Mindanao but does advocate a form of autonomy akin to Finalnd's entity created for its Sami ("Lapp") minority. The MILF which is heavily biased towards Malaysia came out swining and warned the Sultan to "be careful" with his words and made sure to describe him as a "claimant" to the throne.
In a related development, on Monday, August 30 GRP re-certified Malaysian participation and rationalised this by pointing out Malaysia's lengthly and deeply immersed service to the process. Malaysia which joined the Process as Mediator in March of 2001 also heads the IMT (International Monitoring Team), an entity devoted to preserving the Cease Fire. Malaysia reciprocated on Wednesday, September 01 by officially re-commmitting itself. If the government had not re-certified Malaysia it would have not only grreatly delayed the Talks, but could have very well jeapourdised the Process owing to MILF's afore mentioned bias towards the country. To reject the nation would have taken a bi-lateral agreement by both the GRP AND the MILF, and the latter would have never come.
July 30 to August 01, 2010 in Barangay Makasendeg, Pikit, North Cotabato saw the 29IB ensconed and shelling the MILF under Kumander Tata Uy who were dug in across the provincial border in Barangays Reina Regente and Dasawao in Datu Piang, Maguindanao. The AFP was lobbing 81MM mortar shells for 2 days stright and one of the last shells, at 3PM on August 01 managed to critically wound 4th grader Datu Mama Samiling (the child's first name is "Datu," he was not actually a "Datu" which means "Most Esteemed Man" and idiomatically means "Tribal Chief").
On August 07, 2010 in Sitio Kimudal, Barangay Balanakan, Datu Piang, Maguindanao Province, a detachment from the 29IB (Infantry Battalion), under Lt.Orcullo has ensconced itself in a village mosque as it sets up shoppe trying to pacify a local Rido (Clan Warfare) between 2 MILF factions from 2 different Base Commands ("Base Command" is a designation akin to conventional Brigade, a format the MILF adopted after the 2000 GRP-MILF War when the MILF destroyed almost all the MILF's static camps.
The fighting, which I had discussed earlier in this entry, reached its apex on August 10, but has ebbed and flowed continuously since then with very hot flare ups. I do know that 4 guerillas from the 106 Base Command died on the 10th but other than that it is exceedingly difficult to keep a tally since according to Shar'ia Law (Islamic Law), the dead must be buried before the following nightfall (though alternatively, "martyrs" in the undertaking of Jihad can be left as is but that is a Maranaw and Yakan custom not universally adhered to y all Moro ethnicities and certainly not at all held by the Islamic World in general).
The villagers are angry at the AFP for living in the mosque, especially since most in the AFP are non-Muslim and drink beer, eat pork, etc. As of posting, today is August 28, they are still biouvaced in that mosque. Some may recall that in 2009 the 54IB came under criticism for doing this same thing in Barangay Sambulawan, in Datu Salibo in that same province. This has also happened in Datu Piang's Barangays Magaslong and Balanakan in the past. In fairness to the AFP, there just arent that many semi-modern buildings large enough, and safe enough to house at least a platoon, and usually a company of soldiers. As long as the soldiers do not desecrate the building and make allowances for worshippers it shouldnt be a problem, irrespective of the Muslim belief that non-muslims shouldnt be living there.
The MILF has filed an official complaint for a Cease Fire Violation, by the AFP (i.e. "GRP") via the CCCH (an entity consisting of a panel from each side that is designed to mediate so called Violations so as to prolong the Cease Fire). The comaplaint is against an alleged bombing run by 2 AFP OV-10s ("Broncos," jets) that the MILF maintains bombed an entire barangay, Algunganan in Datu Piang, Maguindanao in fighting related to the 104 and 106 Base Commands. On August 07 those 2 jets dropped WP (White Phosphorus) in a rice paddy where the 2 groups were battling as a distinct warning. WP, as some may very well know, is the munition which turned the world's angry attention (once again) to Israel during the IDF's (Israeli Defense Forces) December 2008/Janurary 2009 operation in Gaza. Amazing how THAT can get the world on the edge of its collective seat while the very same munition can land on heads in umpteenth other conflicts that the West could not care the least about.
In truth, WP is completely legal and is NOT an AP (Anti-Personnel) Munition, meaning that it is not used to cause death or injury. Rather, when used correctly, it is designed to denude brush (clear foilage), Mark terrain (for subsequent bombing runs) , for Illumination (to provide light in dark conditions, or as an Obscurant (to give "Smoke" so that Ground Forces, i.e. infantry can operate in a much improved environment, safety wise).
On the day in question, the AFP dropped it a a Marker, so as to send a loud and clear message to the 2 MILF Base Commands to knock off the nonsense or take some 500 pounders on the head (stop fighting or you will be bombed into submission). The MILF, ignoring the fact that the entire sub-conflict is an MILF on MILF affair, and ignoring the bloodshed and misery not only amongst its own guerillas but the civlians amongst whom the operate instead chooses to spin the 2 WP shells as a propaganda exercise that noone even pays attention to. That day in question, 6000 new villagers (in total) became IDPs (Refugees).
August 09, 2010, Camp Darapanan, in Barangay Darapnan, Sultan Kudarat (town, not province), in Maguindanao Province, the camp holding the MILF's main political apparattus was home to the MILF-FOCAP (Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines), "Forum of the Peace Process." al Haj Ebrahim Murad, the Chairman of the MILF gave the Opening Speech.
In his speech chairman Murad claimed that there is merely 1 "Substantiative Agenda Item" holding the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and the MILF apart. Om Janurary 27, 2010 both sides attempted to solve the impasse via the "Comprehensive Compact" Draft Agreement. The exchange of Drafts failed to bbring the 2 sides together. Murad claims that the MILF merely reiterated its last position, the so caled, "Assymetrical State and Sub-State Arrangement of Governance" where as the GRP recycled an untenable position it had held from 2000 to 2003.
The circa 2003 position, "Enhanced Autonomy" is merely a slight riff on the current programme, "ARMM" (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao). He continued, relating that at the last tet a tet in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia on June 03, 2010 left the GRP merely repeating its stated lack of direction. Murad sees no difference twith the new Administration, thus far but is taking a wait and see approach.
August 12, 2010 saw the IS-AFP (AFP Intelligence) distribute a Report on the MILF's "State of Readiness" over the preceeding 7 months. Camp Palestine, in butig, Lanao del Sur Province was home to 8 Training cycles. Of these 8, 2 were 90 day Basic Training courses, one 30 day Intelligence course and 6 courses of 3 day Reivews (Brush Ups) on Infantry technique. The 3 day Reviews of course entailed hundreds of trainnes per cycle. there was also 1 cycle in Tawi Tawi under the 117 Base Command, in Jungle Warfare, something that the MILF hasnt really concentrated on given the terrain under which it usually operates (Maranaw and Maguindanaowan area are marsh or river basins, or otherwise very denunded farmland that would not look entirely out of place in say, Essex in England or Wisconsin in the US). 2 Base Commands, the 114 and afore mentioned 117 do primarily operate in the jungle but then the 117th, whose AOR is Sulu and Tawi Tawi but basically only exists on Tawi Tawi, is ineffectual and basically concentrates its efforts at "fundraising," while the 114, whose AOR (Area of Operations) is on Basilan Island, is for all intensive purposes folded into the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group).
On august 18, 2010, MILF Peace Panel Chairman (or I should say former since the Panel was officially deactivated almost 2 months ago though it is an open secret that he will once again be made Chairman when the re-constituted Panel is announced within the week) Jun Mantawil responded to media reports that Congressman Rodolfo Biazon has remarked that "Cha Cha" (Charter change, i.e. Constituional Ammending) is a pre-requisite for any realisation of the MoA (Memorandum of Agreement) on Ad (Ancestral Domain), per the current MILF position on the issue. Mantawil pointed out that under the current MILF position (this "position" being "Assymetrical State and Sub-State Arrangement") there are no demands for anything not currently allowed by the 1987 Constitution.
Mantawil stresses that the MILF is not demanding ultimate control over Currency/Monetary Arrangements or Foreign Relations and that indeed the MILF conceeds these to the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) along with Postal Powers (maybe this last aspect was given as a joke given the absolutely deplorable state of the Philippine Postal System, with most Mindanowan towns taking 6 months or more to receive DOMESTIC mail if they even ever receive it at all).
It is also worth noting that Mantawil also flogged the latest joint venture of the MILF and the Asia Foundation, a nicely bound (and rather expencive) compendium of all signed GRP-MILG Agreements post 1996 's Jakarta Accord. for those keeping count, there are 87 including the non-sensical blather like the last Agreement signed in Kuala Lampur in early june this year.
On August 21, 2010 on the eastside of Zamboanga City, 2 MILF guerillas were taken into custody re the AFP's Order of Battle. They were wanted though for their involvement with a local extortion gang along the likes of al Khobar and the Pentagon Gang, groups who I will discuss, as well as their dynamic, in an upcoming entry. The 2 men are charged with having strafed alocal bus with M16s as it sped by with passengers in an extortion plot against the bus company. The first attack in this spate took place on Janurary 17, 2010 in Licomo, Zamboanga del Sur Province when 12 people were wounded by an M16 strafing. 2 of those 12 people were plainclothes PNP Marshalls working with the bus company, Rural Transit.
June 5th, 2010 saw Norway joining the MILF-GRP Peace Process. Norway has agreed to join the IMT (International Monitoring Team, an entity I have explained in detail a bit further on in this post) via a letter from Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines, Kmot Solem to GHP Peace Panel Chairman Rafael Seguis with a corresponding copy to MILF Peace Panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal.
July 4th, 2010 in Barangay Buluan, Sultan Kudarat (town, not province), in Maguindanao Province, an IED, or Improvised Explosive Device (as in "bomb") fashioned from a 60MM mortar shell detonated and critically wounded one man. As the 54IB (Infantry Battalion) responded and set up a security perimeter and the 6ID (Infantry Division) EOD (Ordnance Team) Detachment set about scouring the immediate area for clues an alert soldier discovered a well concealed, second IED fasioned from an 81MM mortar shell. This 2nd device, much more powerful than the first was primed to detonate just as 1st Responders (medical, police and soldiers) reached critical mass on scene. Luckily this was averted and the device was decommisioned by Phased Water Cannon.
Predictably, and tiredly, the AFP tried to spin it as an MILF-SOG (MILF Special Operations Group, an almost apocryphal element of the MILF blamed for any type of bombing not thoroughly linked to any of the Kidnap for Ransom cum Extortion Gangs in the MILF AOR). The MILF though tried to outdo the AFP in implausability as it actually issued a release 9as opposed to unoffical comment or innuendo) blaming the AFP for a "False Flag Operation." For those unaware, a False Flag Operation is an act of war , or sabotage/terrorism undertaken by one side but served up as to appear as if it is from a second group. A good historical example might be the "Lavon Affair" that Israel undertook in Egypt in the very early 1950s.
The MILF is claiming, amazingly, that soldiers belonging to Datu Piang's Mayor Samer Uy's CVO had personally witnessed men in MILF fatigues walking from the town of Datu Piang across the border into the municipality of Sultan Kudarat and setting the 60MM IED. They then allegedly witnessed this group of men walking back into Datu Piang and entering the 29IB post, from which they were not observed leaving. In other words, 29IB soldiers wearing MILF camoflauge uniforms walked right past MILF supporters, crossed a municipal border, and in full view primed and buried a large IED. They then supposedly walked back across the border and down the street, back past MILF supporters, and then casually sauntered into an AFP post...in MILF uniforms. Riiiight.
In reality it was the work of BIAF, or Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (armed wing of the MILF) Kumander Tata Uy, the nephew of the Mayor of Datu Piang, Samer Uy. The 2 kinsmen are battling each other over the younger man, Tata, not bowing to his older and more powerful kinsman, Mayor Samer Uy.
At 805PM on July 12th, 2010 in Datu Piang's Barangay Poblacion, a young man carrying an ADIDDAS gymbag hurriedly walked towards the towns MPO, or Municipal Police Office and set the bag down on the ground. Next door the town plaza was full of young students from Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School who were having a school celebration in the cool evening air. Then the powerful IED inside the bag detonated and rained debris for a radius of at least a half a kilometer. 8 year old student Moktar Ma was vapourised, a principal of a school in Datu Saudi Ampatuan, a neighbouring community and two 12 year old High School students were also critically wounded.
Young Moktar Ma had attended the school function in the town plaza and after it ended had gone across the road for a take away meal with his dad. Getting into a Triskiad (i.e. "Trike," i.e. "Tuk Tuk,"the most popular form of public transport in most Philippine communities. Fashioned from a dirt bike or off road motorcycle with a small cubic centimeter engine, inserted into an aluminum or iron carriage with bench seats front and back for passengers, unlike the similar contraptions one sees in Mainland SE Asia). As the triskiad began the ride to the Ma home, several streets away, the IED detonated and left little of the small boy. Amazingly, his father sitting next to him as well as the driver were left entirely unscathed.
The "School Principal" was on his own motorcycle and passing by the plaza as the detonation took place. He was able to survive with just a slight flesh wound in his leg. The two high schoolers were walking along the shoulder of the main road, en route to their homes after witnessing the event in the plaza. Both suffered moderate shrapnel wounds. All victims were residents of Datu Piang's Barangay Poblacion.
The BIAF itself is not known for laying IEDs though its members are often times involved in profitable sidelines, feuds and even stated political objectives that are, quite interestingly, 100% in synch with MILF/BIAF Objectives. IS-AFP (AFP Intelligence) often talks about the MILF-SOG (MILF Special Operations Group) as if it is an actual MILF entity, which it is not. What IS factual though is that particular BIAF Kumanders (Base Command brass) sanction these operations either for profit (as in Lanao del Sur and Norte transformers and Globe Telecom cell towers being blown to bits) or for political ends, as in the 105, 101 and 102 Base Commands, the so called "MILF Lost Commands" (another bit of fantasy) which use these bombings to manipulate both the GPH, or Government of the Philippines and the MILF political echelon.
The Datu Piang bombing, the 2nd in 2 months to hit the town, is the work of the 105 Base Command, in a matter of speaking since it is the work of its sub-Kumander Tata Uy, and though the MILF has made quite a show of giving its Kumander Ustadz Kato a lateral transfer into the political echelon, he is sanctioning the attacks for Kumander Tata Uy and his long running sub-conflict in Barangay Reina Regente. The fact of the matter is that the entire town has been terrorised since 2008 (actually since 1968 but you get the idea) and so, at present, the reasons why these bombings take place no longer really matters.
That same day, July 12, at 10PM, in Barangay Barurao, Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao Province the 105 Base Command's sub-Kumander Maestro Felmin led 400 of his well armed guerillas into town and surrounded roughly 100 homes belonging to clansmen and supporters of ex-Vice Mayor Oca Badal. The MILF then proceeded to burn almost the entire barangay to the ground. Badal is a Kumander in the ILLEGAL (as opposed to the re-formed and legal) Ampatuan CVO, the entity behind the Maguindanao Massacre. The CVO and the MILF have been at each other's throats for nearly 3 decades due to the Ampatuan's loyalty to the MNLF and their having exerted considerable power within the MILF AOR (Area of Operations).
As if Datu Piang, Maguindanao Province didnt have enough problems with its Mayor, Samer Uy battling his nephew and MILF sub-Kumander, Tata Uy, it also must contend with 2 other MILF groups battling EACH OTHER. Kumander Abunawas of the 104 Base Command is at odds with Kumander Adzmi of the 106 Base Command in one of those rice harvest blood baths that strike all over the island during the twice yearly harvest. It began when small detachments of uerillas from both groups came into the town to assist (i.e. "guard" i.e. "EXTORT") villagers with their rice harvests.
Tempers being what they are, especially when it comes to one fo the more lucrative forms of income for these guerillas, a fire fight borke out, lasting approximayely 45 minutes before both sides withdrew back into the bush. This initial exchange caused 500 IDPs to flee Barangays Liong and Balanaken, most taking shelter in Datu Gumbay Piang Elementary School in Barangay Poblacion.
At that point it was only a matter of time before violence re-erupted and at 1130AM on August 07 it took place once again. By then the 29IB had set up a small lean-to outside the main gate to the school housing the IDPs from the earlier exchange. Open 9AM to 5PM, 7 days a week, and again from 730PM to 11PM on week nights it has managed to ensure the safety of all IDPs taking refuge inside the school compound. An additional 1200 people sought shelter at the school and at 2 other locations (Fish Landing Shelter on the Pulangi/rio Grande de Mindanao River in Barangay Buayan, at GLAC13, a.k.a. Gani L.Abpi College, a local private school also serving as an IDP centre).
On August 08 the 29IB, only tallying those IDPs at Datu Gumbay recorded, in number of families not individuals, 89 families from Barangay Alonganen, 63 from Barangay Balanaken and 194 from Barangay Liong. To the 29IB's credit it has taken it upon itself to show films on the school's stage, almost every evening to try and entertain the IDPs, a measure not usually taken by other Infantry Battalions. Outside the school that evening, 2 of Kumander Abunawas' guerillas were shot to death.
July 14, at 7PM in Barangay Labu Labu, Datu Hofer, Maguindanao Province, Labu Labu Elementary School was struck with a pre-mature IED detonation whose only casulaty was its courier.24 year old Sabtula Kad Unte was arrested at Cotabato Regional Medical Center as he was being treated for shrapnel wounds. He was then transferred to the 6th Infantry Division Hospital at Camp Siongco outside the city.
On July 19, 2010, the MILF formally announced the 4 month suspension of BDA (Bangsamoro Development Agency) BOD (Board of Directors) Chairman, Dr.Safrullah Dipatuan.The suspension formally began on July 15 and will run until November 15. He has been suspended for not having gotten his superiors' permission prior to a trip abroad. He had left on June 09 for Kuala Lampur, Malaysia to attend an Islamic conference where he harshly criticised Israel's Blockade of Gaza. This of courswe would probbally earn him kudos for a job well done with the MILF except that hidden in the Suspension Order is an interesting mention of his having gone there to "meet a friend."
Dr.Dipatuan had become chairman in 2009 when his predecessor Dr.Parido Pigkaulan was demoted to Member of the Board (on BOD)in what the MILF has claimed was a regular rotation of staff in that all appointees to the BDA are there for a 2 year rotation unless extended. Of course that doesnt explain just why Dr.Pigkaulan became a Member after serving as the Board's Chairman.
From July 19 to July 21, 2010 in Sitio Risingan, Barangay Dunguan, aleosan, North Cotabato Province, just over the river from Datu Piang, the municipality discussed in my last paragraph(s), Kumander Hadju Sajid of the 105 Base Command was warring with his arch nemesis Norodin Ungkay, a Town Councilotr in Aleosan and local CVO Kumander.
On the 19th Sajid attacked a CAFGU post loyal to Ungkay in Sitio Manggahan, Barangay Dunguan and caused an unknown (but large) number of IDPs to flee into the adjoining towns of Pikit, North Cotabato.
July 25 to August 01, 2010 in Barangay Matabong, Ampatuan, Maguindanao Province saw the LEGAL Ampatuan CVO under Kumander Marcos battling the MILF's 105 Base Command. The "Legal Ampatuan CVO" is the newly organised and trained, government sanctioned CVO operating out of Shariff Aguak, the provincial capitol of Maguindano but with branches in the towns once dominated by the ILLEGAL Ampatuan CVO (towns like Datu Saudi, etc,etc). A CVO, or "Civilain Volunteer Organisation" is an official government paramilitary that operates as a very localised military reserve. Manned by citizens of and only operating in specific municipalities and sublimated to the LGU at hand (Local Governmental Unit, i.e. "municipality or barangay), and usually operating under supervision of an infantry Battalion though the Ampatuan CVO did not have much to do with the AFP. The illegal Ampatuan CVO was the group responsible for the so called "Maguindanao Massacre" in late November of 2009. Almost all Filipinos and ex-pats reading this will know pretty much whom and what I am talking about, owning to the entire brouhaha's domination of the media for the first 6 months of 2010. However, imagining that others may not know these things, I will briefly offer up some context.
The Ampatuan Clan is, or perhaps was (actually still is) Maguindanao's most powerful clan. Led by patriarch Andal Sr, who at the time of the Massacre was the provincial governor, with his son and heir apparent Anadal Jr, the mayor of a town created just for him (1 of a few created by andal Sr, who also created an entire province, Shariff Aguak before the Supreme Court dissolved it). the Clan held a tite reign over the province but one time aly, Mayor Eshmael"Toto"Mangudadatu" sought to chalenge this monopoly of power with a run for the governor's seat in the last election, in 2010. Making known his intent, he sought to negate any chance for violence by deploying his wife at the head of a large convoy of SUVs filled with female clan members, allied attorneys and a horde of media representatives.
Driving down National Hiway towards to provincial capitol of Shariff Aguak (town, not the afore mentioned failed province), they were held at a PNP checkpoint in the town of Ampatuan. Andal jr., leading about 100 well armed members of the Ampatuan CVO appeared out of the jungle by the side of the road, and after some physical assaults had the CVO soldiers drive the vehicles in the Mangudadatu convoy to a hill about 2 kms away but over looking the checkpoint. At that site all 57 people (including a few who had only been sandwiched in by the convoy and weren't attached toit at all) were murdered by chain-fed M16 (1 journalist, hogtied and in the front seat of an SUV had been shot in the head with a double barrled shotgun).
The dead and their vehicles were being interred in 3 hastily excavated pits, with provincially owned construction machinery when CVO scouts alerted the group to an approaching detachment of AFP soldies not allied with the Ampatuan Clan. the soldiers had been deployed after a flurry of communications between the media and the AFP, by the companies employing the murdered journalists. the gruseome scene was recorded for all posterity instead of simply becoming yet another one of the many Philippine "Killing Fields" and the Ampatuans themselves were pretty much under the microscope, but not out of power, and not separated from their vast ill gotten fortune.
198 people have been charged in the incident, of which more than 100 remain at large. Many of those wanted men are CVO soldiers. interestingly, the CVO which had roughly 2500 men, has pretty much gone rogue with an estimated 2000 gunmen operating in Maguindanao and N.Cotabato Provinces, battling both the AFP as well as their perennial enemy , the MILF.
The whole sordid affair deserves its own series of entires and I will be producing them soon.
After the Massacre a State of Emergency, then a State of Martial Law which soon reverted back to a State of Emergency was declared for Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat Provinces (the latter being the base of the Mangudadatu Clan, themselves fairly powerful), as well as Cotabato City. Cotabato City was added because it is the capitol of the ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao). Besides Maguindanao being 1 of 5 ARMM provinces, the Governor of the ARMM (at the time) was another Ampatuan son, Zaldi Ampatuan. The region remains under a State of Emergency and the Ampatuan CVO (illegal) is spilling alot of blood up until the present.
On the day in question, the MILF 105 Base Command battled the legal Ampatuan CVO and around nightfall the moratars began pounding both sides without let up. At that point the AFP's 46IB came in and reinforced the CVO. The bloodshed stopped on August 01 when the IMT (International Monitoring Team, an entity composed of Brunei, Japan, Norway and the EU and led by Malaysia, created to monitor and support the Cease Fire between the MILF and the AFP/GRP), and the CCCH-MILF and the CCCH-GRP (explained in an earlier portion of this post) set up shoppe in Barangay Matabong and the adjoining Barangay Kapimpilan. This enabled both sides to save face due to international pressure and attention.
During this same period, July 25 through August 01, 2010 in Barangay Salat, President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat Province, 400 MILF guerillas under sub-Kumander Daud Macaalay entered the barangay and burned more than 100 homes to the ground. Most of the burned homes and buildings belonged to MNLF Kumander Magalona Ampatuan, a barangay councilor in Barangay Salat. Ampatuan's brother, Manny, also an MNLF Kumander was killed in an earlier exchange of gunfire. IDPs in the town have set up temporary shacks around the city hall compound.
July 26 through July 30, 2010 in Malabalay City, Bukidnon Province, the PMA (Pangadapu Mindanao Association) under Supreme Datu Migketay Victorino Saway, a Lumad (Hill Tribes) umbrella organisation held an important meeting of tribal chiefs in which they produced a Resolution demanding that Lumads (of course via the PMA) be given a seat at the next MILF-GRP Talks in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia after Ramadan. They demand that their rights with regard to Ancestral Domain be respected.
Datu Saway is a nemesis of the MILF's alternate Peace Panel member, Datu Antonio P.Ki , a B'laan tribal Historian who takes the opposite tact, i.e. the MILF party line. The MILF of course tries to sell a defected bill of goods claiming that while the MILF would hold political sovereignity of the Lumad Ancestral Domains, it would not actually "control" them. Instead it says, the Lumad themselves would handle the tracts. Naturally this has failed to satisfy anyone but the few Lumad puppets on the MILF payroll.
Again, a subject deserving of its own entry, Ancestral Domain is a concept akin to the US' Native American "Reservation" system with limited autonomy to indigenous groups over patches of land, not neccessarily contigious with which specific indigenous groups have a recorded historical conenction. These Domains involve alot of money because of timber, minerals, metals, and agricultral land. The Talks so far have hardly even mentioned the Lumad, and when mentioning them have sublimated their concerns to that of the Moros, the collective term for Muslims. in other words, the MILF wants to have ultimate control over Lumad lands within lands awarded to the Moros. Naturally this doesnt sit well with Lumads themselves.
On July 29, 2010, the Chairman of the MDA (Mindanao Development Authority). Jesus Dureza who concurrently has served in successive Peace Panels in MILF Talks, most recently as Chairman of the last Panel under the Arroyo Government in the 2003 Talks (which took place after the 2003 MILF-GRP War), has resigned his position at MDA. He was in the middle of a 6 year term but left his position because of his heavy identification with the former Administration.
Some may recall that as Chairman of the 2003 GRP-MILF Talks he became embroiled in some controversy when he was accused of "annotating" the proceedings minutes (the transcript of what is said during negotations), specifically 1 very important parlez in Kaula Lampur, Malaysia on February 28 that year. interestingly, and not known to very many, in 1999 long before the government utilised his services or gave him a position in any office he had contacted the MILF on his own and had offered to serve on THEIR Panel.
There is alot that can be said about this, and some may even argue that as a lifelong resident of Mindanao and a well known attorney not connected to either side that there was nothing wrong in what he did but it does show a certain level of ambitiousness that has caused some to call his abilities into question. when a person is attracted to the limelight, and more specifically to the hallowed halls of pwoer they will do anything within their reach to stay there, no matter the cause, the ends will justify the means. With that said, since his appointment to the GRP, both on the Panel as well as in his position at the MDA, he has done nothing to prove his critics right.
That same day, July 29, Sultan Muhammad Fuad Abdullah Kiram I of Suluofficially asked the GRP to disqualify Malaysia from its role as mediator of the GRP-MILF PEace PRocess Talks owing to his long time claim on Sabah. As I briefly discussed in my "Whole Lot of Ugly cum Operation Merdeka" series of entries, although Malaysia has flown its flag over Sabah State on Borneo since Malaysian Independance the state historically belongs to the Sulu Sultanate.
The remarks first surfaced at the CMD (Christian Muslim Democrats, as in Lakas-KAMPI-CMD) joint SultanteAward Presentation at Quezon City's Sulo Hotel. The Sultan (actually 1 of several claimants for the title of Sultan) clarified that he does not advocate seccession of Mindanao but does advocate a form of autonomy akin to Finalnd's entity created for its Sami ("Lapp") minority. The MILF which is heavily biased towards Malaysia came out swining and warned the Sultan to "be careful" with his words and made sure to describe him as a "claimant" to the throne.
In a related development, on Monday, August 30 GRP re-certified Malaysian participation and rationalised this by pointing out Malaysia's lengthly and deeply immersed service to the process. Malaysia which joined the Process as Mediator in March of 2001 also heads the IMT (International Monitoring Team), an entity devoted to preserving the Cease Fire. Malaysia reciprocated on Wednesday, September 01 by officially re-commmitting itself. If the government had not re-certified Malaysia it would have not only grreatly delayed the Talks, but could have very well jeapourdised the Process owing to MILF's afore mentioned bias towards the country. To reject the nation would have taken a bi-lateral agreement by both the GRP AND the MILF, and the latter would have never come.
July 30 to August 01, 2010 in Barangay Makasendeg, Pikit, North Cotabato saw the 29IB ensconed and shelling the MILF under Kumander Tata Uy who were dug in across the provincial border in Barangays Reina Regente and Dasawao in Datu Piang, Maguindanao. The AFP was lobbing 81MM mortar shells for 2 days stright and one of the last shells, at 3PM on August 01 managed to critically wound 4th grader Datu Mama Samiling (the child's first name is "Datu," he was not actually a "Datu" which means "Most Esteemed Man" and idiomatically means "Tribal Chief").
On August 07, 2010 in Sitio Kimudal, Barangay Balanakan, Datu Piang, Maguindanao Province, a detachment from the 29IB (Infantry Battalion), under Lt.Orcullo has ensconced itself in a village mosque as it sets up shoppe trying to pacify a local Rido (Clan Warfare) between 2 MILF factions from 2 different Base Commands ("Base Command" is a designation akin to conventional Brigade, a format the MILF adopted after the 2000 GRP-MILF War when the MILF destroyed almost all the MILF's static camps.
The fighting, which I had discussed earlier in this entry, reached its apex on August 10, but has ebbed and flowed continuously since then with very hot flare ups. I do know that 4 guerillas from the 106 Base Command died on the 10th but other than that it is exceedingly difficult to keep a tally since according to Shar'ia Law (Islamic Law), the dead must be buried before the following nightfall (though alternatively, "martyrs" in the undertaking of Jihad can be left as is but that is a Maranaw and Yakan custom not universally adhered to y all Moro ethnicities and certainly not at all held by the Islamic World in general).
The villagers are angry at the AFP for living in the mosque, especially since most in the AFP are non-Muslim and drink beer, eat pork, etc. As of posting, today is August 28, they are still biouvaced in that mosque. Some may recall that in 2009 the 54IB came under criticism for doing this same thing in Barangay Sambulawan, in Datu Salibo in that same province. This has also happened in Datu Piang's Barangays Magaslong and Balanakan in the past. In fairness to the AFP, there just arent that many semi-modern buildings large enough, and safe enough to house at least a platoon, and usually a company of soldiers. As long as the soldiers do not desecrate the building and make allowances for worshippers it shouldnt be a problem, irrespective of the Muslim belief that non-muslims shouldnt be living there.
The MILF has filed an official complaint for a Cease Fire Violation, by the AFP (i.e. "GRP") via the CCCH (an entity consisting of a panel from each side that is designed to mediate so called Violations so as to prolong the Cease Fire). The comaplaint is against an alleged bombing run by 2 AFP OV-10s ("Broncos," jets) that the MILF maintains bombed an entire barangay, Algunganan in Datu Piang, Maguindanao in fighting related to the 104 and 106 Base Commands. On August 07 those 2 jets dropped WP (White Phosphorus) in a rice paddy where the 2 groups were battling as a distinct warning. WP, as some may very well know, is the munition which turned the world's angry attention (once again) to Israel during the IDF's (Israeli Defense Forces) December 2008/Janurary 2009 operation in Gaza. Amazing how THAT can get the world on the edge of its collective seat while the very same munition can land on heads in umpteenth other conflicts that the West could not care the least about.
In truth, WP is completely legal and is NOT an AP (Anti-Personnel) Munition, meaning that it is not used to cause death or injury. Rather, when used correctly, it is designed to denude brush (clear foilage), Mark terrain (for subsequent bombing runs) , for Illumination (to provide light in dark conditions, or as an Obscurant (to give "Smoke" so that Ground Forces, i.e. infantry can operate in a much improved environment, safety wise).
On the day in question, the AFP dropped it a a Marker, so as to send a loud and clear message to the 2 MILF Base Commands to knock off the nonsense or take some 500 pounders on the head (stop fighting or you will be bombed into submission). The MILF, ignoring the fact that the entire sub-conflict is an MILF on MILF affair, and ignoring the bloodshed and misery not only amongst its own guerillas but the civlians amongst whom the operate instead chooses to spin the 2 WP shells as a propaganda exercise that noone even pays attention to. That day in question, 6000 new villagers (in total) became IDPs (Refugees).
August 09, 2010, Camp Darapanan, in Barangay Darapnan, Sultan Kudarat (town, not province), in Maguindanao Province, the camp holding the MILF's main political apparattus was home to the MILF-FOCAP (Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines), "Forum of the Peace Process." al Haj Ebrahim Murad, the Chairman of the MILF gave the Opening Speech.
In his speech chairman Murad claimed that there is merely 1 "Substantiative Agenda Item" holding the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) and the MILF apart. Om Janurary 27, 2010 both sides attempted to solve the impasse via the "Comprehensive Compact" Draft Agreement. The exchange of Drafts failed to bbring the 2 sides together. Murad claims that the MILF merely reiterated its last position, the so caled, "Assymetrical State and Sub-State Arrangement of Governance" where as the GRP recycled an untenable position it had held from 2000 to 2003.
The circa 2003 position, "Enhanced Autonomy" is merely a slight riff on the current programme, "ARMM" (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao). He continued, relating that at the last tet a tet in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia on June 03, 2010 left the GRP merely repeating its stated lack of direction. Murad sees no difference twith the new Administration, thus far but is taking a wait and see approach.
August 12, 2010 saw the IS-AFP (AFP Intelligence) distribute a Report on the MILF's "State of Readiness" over the preceeding 7 months. Camp Palestine, in butig, Lanao del Sur Province was home to 8 Training cycles. Of these 8, 2 were 90 day Basic Training courses, one 30 day Intelligence course and 6 courses of 3 day Reivews (Brush Ups) on Infantry technique. The 3 day Reviews of course entailed hundreds of trainnes per cycle. there was also 1 cycle in Tawi Tawi under the 117 Base Command, in Jungle Warfare, something that the MILF hasnt really concentrated on given the terrain under which it usually operates (Maranaw and Maguindanaowan area are marsh or river basins, or otherwise very denunded farmland that would not look entirely out of place in say, Essex in England or Wisconsin in the US). 2 Base Commands, the 114 and afore mentioned 117 do primarily operate in the jungle but then the 117th, whose AOR is Sulu and Tawi Tawi but basically only exists on Tawi Tawi, is ineffectual and basically concentrates its efforts at "fundraising," while the 114, whose AOR (Area of Operations) is on Basilan Island, is for all intensive purposes folded into the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group).
On august 18, 2010, MILF Peace Panel Chairman (or I should say former since the Panel was officially deactivated almost 2 months ago though it is an open secret that he will once again be made Chairman when the re-constituted Panel is announced within the week) Jun Mantawil responded to media reports that Congressman Rodolfo Biazon has remarked that "Cha Cha" (Charter change, i.e. Constituional Ammending) is a pre-requisite for any realisation of the MoA (Memorandum of Agreement) on Ad (Ancestral Domain), per the current MILF position on the issue. Mantawil pointed out that under the current MILF position (this "position" being "Assymetrical State and Sub-State Arrangement") there are no demands for anything not currently allowed by the 1987 Constitution.
Mantawil stresses that the MILF is not demanding ultimate control over Currency/Monetary Arrangements or Foreign Relations and that indeed the MILF conceeds these to the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) along with Postal Powers (maybe this last aspect was given as a joke given the absolutely deplorable state of the Philippine Postal System, with most Mindanowan towns taking 6 months or more to receive DOMESTIC mail if they even ever receive it at all).
It is also worth noting that Mantawil also flogged the latest joint venture of the MILF and the Asia Foundation, a nicely bound (and rather expencive) compendium of all signed GRP-MILG Agreements post 1996 's Jakarta Accord. for those keeping count, there are 87 including the non-sensical blather like the last Agreement signed in Kuala Lampur in early june this year.
On August 21, 2010 on the eastside of Zamboanga City, 2 MILF guerillas were taken into custody re the AFP's Order of Battle. They were wanted though for their involvement with a local extortion gang along the likes of al Khobar and the Pentagon Gang, groups who I will discuss, as well as their dynamic, in an upcoming entry. The 2 men are charged with having strafed alocal bus with M16s as it sped by with passengers in an extortion plot against the bus company. The first attack in this spate took place on Janurary 17, 2010 in Licomo, Zamboanga del Sur Province when 12 people were wounded by an M16 strafing. 2 of those 12 people were plainclothes PNP Marshalls working with the bus company, Rural Transit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)