ASG,or the Abu Sayyaf Group,is a very small but volatile problem for the Philippine Government. Numbering less than 500 guerillas who are extremely factionalised and operating on only 2 of Mindanao's small island provinces (Basilan and Sulu) the organisation is approaching the 20 year mark with no end in sight. The different factions co-operate with one another but because of their relative isolation from each other are unable to forge a concerted ideological and operative front. In fact, the group has been almost entirely devoid of any ideology since 1999. Its activities centre upon KFR (Kidnap for Ransom) and Commercial Extortion. "Jihad" is used as a convenient rationale but that is where its Islamo-fascist leanings end.
One of the group's hallmarks is the use of ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil) primed IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices,as in"bombs"). Elsewhere in Mindanao ANFO is rarely utilised. Instead, bomb builders rely upon UXO (Unexploded Ordinance), especially mortar shells (the actualy substance is Compound B). Indeed, even within ASG AOR (Area of Responsibility, in this case "Area of Operation") one sees other groups using UXO. The typical ASG IED uses ANFO as the primer, TNT as the charge and 2 Nokia 3310 or 3315 cell phones as the powerpack and timer. Lately a second signature has been encountered on Basilan, which I will touch upon a bit later on in this entry.
April 9th, 2011 was much like any other Saturday Night at Spasky Lodging House. The 3 floored concrete building on the island province of Basilan's Barangay Maligaya in Lamitan City was rarely busy. Basilan has never been a tourist destination. With the majority of the islanders belonging to 1 of 4 Islamicised Tribes:
1) Yakan, the indigenous tribe of Basilan
2) Tausug, an Islamicised Bisaya Tribe centered upon Sulu Province's Jolo Island
3) Sama (Samal), the tribe indigenous to Sulu Province
4) Badjao (Bajao), a nomadic seafaring tribe known popularly as "Sea Gypsies"
there just wasn't a huge market for the sort of business most hotels depend upon. At 655PM 2 young men in their late teens or early 20s checked in carrying a large green plastic shopping bag. Requesting a room on the ground floor the young men were given the key to room #200. Just a few minutes later both men left, no longer carrying their shopping bag and hurried down Flores Street, away from the hotel. Just as the clock struck 710PM a powerful IED pancaked the entire building, 2 adjoining houses and everything inside them. As is almost always the case in Mindanao, the authorities refuse to discuss bodycounts. In fact, true to form, the official narrative has no casualties whatsoever. That is pretty amazing considering that at the bare minimum the desk clerk would have been crushed. Owner Jose Tejada had been receiving threatening SMS (Text) messages demanding monthly payments and just a week prior to the detonation he had been visited by 3 well armed ASG guerillas who again demanded a monthly protection fee. Mr.Tejada refused.
At a bit past 9PM that same night, Saturday April 9th, the 3rd Special Forces (Airborne) Battalion's COY 15 (15th Company) on foot patrol in Barangay Port Area [sic] of Basilan's provincial capitol Isabela City turned onto JS Alano Street. One keen soldier espied an abandoned shoulder bag sitting squarely against the exterior wall of an ice plant. Located just 10 meters from a street corner holding a petrol station and a videoke bar (known as the "Sofia Hotel") the AFP CO (Commanding Officer),1LT (First Lieutenant) Arizabel cautiously approached the bag and by carefully examining it found that it contained a small plastic doll (yep,go figure) and a cluster of wires. Ordering his men to set a perimeter to protect an unsuspecting public he then contacted the nearest EOD (Explosives and Ordinance Disposal), in this case the PNP SAF (Philippine National Police Special Action Force, the PNP Special Forces element). After vetting the device which consisted of 2 Nokia 3310 cellphones, a clear plastic lunch box-type container that held the ANFO slash TNT payload and was labeled "ABO SAYYAF" [sic], entirely in capitol letters, the EOD detonated it on site without incident.
At 10AM the next morning the 32IB (Infantry Battalion) was conducting a limited foot patrol with a K9 (bomb sniffing dog) to secure a mobile checkpoint in front of Lamitan Central Elementary School) on Quezon Blvd. The dog alerted and quickly uncovered a yellow plastic shopping bag which, except for it not having a plastic doll was exactly the same signature as the device found in front of the ice plant in Isabela City. The payload sat in a pink tinted clear lunch box-type plastic container. 32IB EOD responded and safely removed the device and disposed of it off site.
On Good Friday, April 22nd, 2011 a passerby discovered a very powerful IED placed directly in front of the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) Building. Though most people unfamiliar with the locale focused on the BIR the site is actually a mere 7 meters from the main gate to Santa Isabela Cathedral, a large Catholic Church that was holding Good Friday Mass. Again, this device had the same signature except that its payload was much larger and was wrapped inside bands of sheetrock nails.
The next day, Saturday April 23rd, a teenaged boy was enjoying the cool evening air in Isabela City when he decided to take a shortcut across Plaza Rizal and its Rizal Monument, opposite the Basilan Provincial Capital Complex. As the youth approached the monument itself he saw a blinking red light inside a pile of rocks placed around the base of the statue. To his credit he didn't approach it but rather dialed up the Isabela CPO (City Police Office) which promptly deployed a detachment. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief after discovering a flashlight wired to a 9Volt battery.
Showing posts with label 32IB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 32IB. Show all posts
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Abu Sayyaf, First Quarter Engagements, 2011
As I noted in my previous entry ("Abu Sayyaf Interdiction, First Quarter 2011") the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) would appear to some as if it has finally been making much needed headway against ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group). It has roped in several high profile arrests in the most notorious incidents ("Sipadan Island," "Dos Palmas," Siege of Lamitan" and "Golden Harvest Plantation") and has finally moved forward in the assasination of Congressman Wahab Akbar in the 2007 bombing of the Congressional Complex that killed Rep.Akbar and 4 others.
As the AFP readied itself to go mano a mano with ASG on Basilan LGUs (Local Govt. Units, barangay, town, city and provincial govts.) in the Visayas (Central Philippines) began getting very nervous about the possibility of ASG heading north to their shores. Though historically in the early Spanish Era Muslims would indeed push north, raping, pillaging and enslaving as they moved through the islands, in the present its not likely to happen. ASG goes no further north than the Zamboanga Peninsula (excepting its infamous and singular foray into Palawan in 2001) and even then it does so only out of absolute necessity, the Sulu archipelago being their preferred destination. As if unsteady nerves weren't bad enough, AFP Intelligence warned of an impending attack in Negros, Bohol and/or Siquijor Islands. On January 03, 2011 Intelligence had warned of a large detachment of ASG leaving Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte Province and heading to Negros Oriental Province on the island of Negros. A week later, after the first warning amounted to nothing, ASG was said to be departing Zamboanga City in Zamboanga del Norte Province en route to Dumaguete on Negros Island. On January 14 the attack was said to be impending on Bohol Island. The Alert ended February 01.
January 07 five members of ASG were charged in the "Camp Asturias Chapel" bombing that took place during Xmas Mass in 2010, wounding 11 people including 2 Roman Catholic priests. The 5 charged are;
1) Alhabsy Misaya
2) Dodong Tarik
3) Sali Sa'id
4) Arola (epnonymously named)
5) Gafur (epononymously named)
Number 3, Sali Sa'id, was nabbed on February 01,as I discussed in my previous entry. He was on Chinese Wharf in Jolo City shortly after disembarking from am inter-island ferry.
On January 09,2011 a group of ASG under sub-Kumander Patti Kabulot of the Jamiri Faction ambushed the AFP in Barangay Baguindan, Tipo Tipo on Basilan Island. 2 guerillas were killed in the 45 minute fire fight, one of which was Kabulot himself. A third was captured alive along with two M16s and one RPG, along with two RPG shells.
January 14, in Sitio Fuente, Barangay Sapa Bulag, Sumisip on Basilan Island, Cpl.Haber Akil of the 32IB (32nd Infantry Battalion) was en route to Tumahubong from Isabela City on a motorcycle while on duty. A sniper took his life with a shot to the chest.
January 19, in Sitio Kurellem, Barangay Silangkum, Tipo Tipo on Basilan Island, ASG Factional Leader Nurhusin Jamiri was with at least 50 gunmen when the 4th Scout Rangers Battalion, COY (Company) 13 accidentally found him while scouring the sector. In the ensuing fire fight 1 Scout Ranger was critically wounded and died after being helicoptered out to Zamboanga City for treatment.
January 21 in Barangay Macalang, al Barka, the 4th Scout Rangers Battalion entered a recently abandoned ASG Camp where they discovered 2 IEDs (though not primed as booby traps, merely being stored after manufacture), 50 grammes of ammonium nitrate (an ingredient in IED payloads) and 14 rounds of M60 (large crew fired weapon) ammunition. The camp wad comprised of 4 "nipas" (single roomed bamboo framed palm thatched huts, the average home in the Philippines) that could have held 20 men. The camp was discovered by accident during a scour (meter by meter search within established co-ordinates).
Barangay Maclang is 1 of several al Barka barangays whose residents have fled en masse during the afore mentioned tactical push against ASG. Roughly 6,000 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons, aka"Refugees") from Barangays Macalang, Danapa and Ka'ilih took refuge in and around Danapa Elementary School in the barangay of the same name. As Febuary began the AFP and LGU (Local Government Unit tried their best to persuade the terrified villagers to go back to their homes and farms but to no avail. Almost all refused to move back home or even tend their farms for as long as the AFP continued its tactical operations in the town.
On February 12 in Barangay Baiwas in Sumisip, Basilan, the 4th Scout Rangers Battalion launched a direct assault on the camp of ASG sub-Kumander Juhaiber"Abu Kiks"Alamsirul of the Janatul Faction. The operation, which began at daybreak was difficult as the camp clings to a very steep mountainside but was deemed high priority after receiving intelligence that the factional leader, Kumander Radzmil Janatul had stayed there overnight with 30 of his best men. A single platoon under Captain Daet was all that Task Force Headquarters could muster on such short notice though all things considered, a platoon of Scout Rangers are worth at least 2 companies of regular AFP Infantrymen (a platoon averages 30 men while a company nets 100 to 120 men). The attack lasted until 3 hours, until 730AM and left 2 soldiers dead, 5 wounded. Upon ASG withdrawing the Scout Rangers entered the camp and secured it, discovering 7 earthen bunkers.
On March 06 in Barangay Santa Barbara, Isabela City, Basilan, PNP PO1 (PNP officers are ranked by a 1,2 or 3 depending upon their seniority, with "1" being the lowest rank equivalent to a "Private" in the Army,with "PO" signifying "Police Officer") Dennis Aquino, Barangay Captain Noel Mirasol and 3 Barangay Kagawads (Barangay Councillors) were walking through the barangay when they were ambushed by snipers. Mirasol and Aquino were critically wounded as the 3 Barangay Kagawads returned fire and killed 2 of the gunmen, epononymously named Baljubir and Nadjar.Though the officials were Cebuanos and Chavacanos (non-Muslim) and the gunmen were Muslim there are rumours that this didn't involve ASG per se and wasn't even political in nature. Aquino and Mirasol are said to be neck deep in the drug trade and since this is the Southern Philippines "drugs" are synonymous with "Shabu," highly pure smokable methamphetamine.
March 09, an IED placed inside a triksiad (ubiqitous form of Philippine public transport constructed out of a motorcycle dirt bike with an aluminum body constructed around it, inside of which there are 2 bench seats hold passengers) detonated as a group of triksiads idled in front of the Sulu Peovincial Board of Education building in Jolo City, on Jolo Island. The blast, timed for afternoon rush hour killed 5 drivers and wounded 11, including passerby. The blast seems to have been aimed for a PNP transport carrying a detachment of SAF (Special Action Force, the PNP's Special Operations element) which had just passed by when detonation occurred. The group of drivers were parked against the fence around Salih Ututalum Elementary School where 2 men were immediately killed. The other 3 deaths occurred during treatment at a nearby hospital. The initial 2 fatalities are unidentifiable because of the damage to their bodies from the powerful blast. The 3 men who died during treatment are:
1) Habir Sabri
2) Abdulmajid Ibrahim
3) Aleson Ma'ing
On that same day, March 09 the AFP threw all progress they had made thus far in 2011 out the proverbial window when they played the "Keystone Cops, Philippine Style" in an episode we will call, "Sacol Island: Whose on First?" In a Top Secret Operation so hush hush that Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin had no idea it was even planned, never mind dumbfounded LGUs who have been railing against this breech of protocol.
Acting upon intelligence that ASG-Basilan Factional Leader Khair Mundos was ensconced on an isolated tract on Sacol Island, possibly wit the other major factional leader on Basilan, Nurhusin Jamiri, the AFP's TF Basilan launched a massive air/amphibious operation. Using Hueys (helicopters) to insert Airborne soldiers from 3rd Special Forces Battalion, covered by 2 MG-529s (helicopter gunships) on the far side of the very small islet. On the tract where ASG was supposed to be dug in, those Gun Ships softened the ground with 8 missiles launched as the soldiers were scouring from the other coast. The problem however is that that ASG "camp"? The one containing Khair Mundos and Nurhusin Jamiri? It was an empty mangrove. If ASG had ever been there they weren't now. Sadly it took the AFP NINE HOURS to discover they were killing...a...MANGROVE. I need to also add that the missile strikes were supposed to be kilometers away from the nearest civilians but residents of Barangay Landang Laum note that the strikes hit mere meters from their village which abuts that mangrove. Perhaps the AFP should be happy people are laughing at them as opposed to calling them "mass murderers."
March 17 the AFP seems to have caught with its pants down AGAIN. Scout Rangers set a cross fire ambush along a main road to try and interdict ASG. It ended up instead critically wounding a PNP (Pgilippine National Police) officer who was operating a motorcycle and his civilian passenger. In its own defence the Scout Ranger Team in question claimed it had thought the motorcycle was carrying Barangay Captain Nat Haddalam, a member of ASG. In other words, the AFP's elite units see the need to lay a cross fire ambush rather than to try and LAWFULLY stop and arrest the subject they were after. Even more disgustingly, both men on the motorcycle were shot in the back!
On Saturday, March 19 off of Menes Island, part of the island municipality of Hadji Panglima Tahil, formerly known as "Marunggas," yet another case of "Ambak Pare" took place. The phrase is Cebuano and idiomatically is akin to, "You better jump dude!" It denotes piracy, almost always by ASG, where if you aren't kidnapped you are told, "Ambak Pare!" It is prevalent on Mindanao's southwestern coast and Zamboanga Peninsula. Less often it happens like Saturday's case, in the Sulu archipelago and Tawi Tawi, the Philippines' southern most island. This last case revolved around the typical ASG extortion aimed at small to medium sized fishing companies. The vessel "M/V Mega VIII" was manned by 3 men, who are missing:
1) Captain Renato Panisales
2) Wennie Ferrer
3) Jonald Ocsimar
The 3 men were initially believed to have been killed but 2 days after their disappearance the Jamiri Jawari Faction of ASG made contact with the fishing company and demanded 10 Million Pesos in Ransom. From then until March 31 nothing else was known though the AFP concentrated its search in and around the factional territory near the municipality of Patikul on Jolo Island. On the day in question, March 31, the military entered an outlying barangay within Patikul and came under fire from Abu Sayyaf. During intence fighting the AFP killed 3 guerillas but failed to sight the 3 captives. When ASG withdrew from the village 50 minutes later the soldiers found the Seaman Book (a work permit issued to maritime workers) issued to the fishing boat captain, Renato Panisales. As for the island municipality where this incident initially took place, took place, Hadji Panglima Tahil, the town is spread out over several tiny islets and is an MNLF-Misuari Faction stronghold now mainly populated by MNLF guerillas who sought land after the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. Led by Kumander Elol Salim, the 417 guerillas now put their energy into an abalome co-operative and a seaweed farming operation funded by ELAP (Emergency Livlihood Assistance Program) and its evolved form, LEAP (Livlihood Enhancement and Peace Pogrsmme). LEAP is funded by USAID's GEM (Growth with Equity in Mindanao), a programme meant to help de-programme MNLF guerillas.
On Monday, March 21 ASG's Jamiri Faction kidnapped yet another person on Basilan Island. At 130 AM Rolando de la Cruz, caretaker for "Cawley Resturant" on Aguinaldo Street, Barangay Matibay, Lamitan City, was checking for intruders after his dogs began barking excitedly. As the 44 year old man stepped into the compound he was confronyed by ASG guerillas under sub-Kumander Ustadz Salim Tado. The kidnapper's forced de la Cruz into his own vehicle and sped off in the direction of that city's Barangay Bulanting. It was in that barangay's Sitio Libi that the SUV was found on fire. However, by early that evening the 32IB had brought that band of guerillas to heel and rather than be caught themselves the kidnappers simply release Mr.de la Cruz. It is a standard ASG diversionary tactic and for better or for worse there is an unwritten but well understood rule between the AFP and ASG. IF ASG releases a kidnapping victim without having harmed him or her the AFP allows a route for escape and does not attack. After being released by ASG in Barangay Sinulatan, Tuburan at 520PM the 32IB gave the kidnappers an hour to fully withdraw and so they recovered the victim alive and well at 620PM.
Ironically the kidnapping coincides with US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr's visit to the region. Arriving in Zamboanga City on the March 21 he will next head across the strait to Basilan and then to Jolo City where he will take part in a ceremony marking the US grant of more than 1 million US Dollars (23,000 Pesos) to local NGO, "LPDR" (Literacy for Peace and Development).
March 28, 2011 saw the closure of a case that had been vexing Philippine authorities for almost a decade. Javanese bomb expert Umar"Mike"Patek of the Indonesian terrorist organisation Jemaya'a Islamiyya ("JI"). Having been arrested by Pakistan's "Inter-Services Intelligence Agency" on information provided by the CIA (American Intelligence, isn't THAT an oxymoron?).For nearly a decade JI and ASG have been nearly synonymous with one another, ever since the aftermath of JI's "Bali Bombing." Patek, and by extension JI's first involvement with ASG first took place in 1995 when he arrived in Mindanao to relieve Nasir bin Abas as the CO (Commanding Officer" of JI's "Mantiki III," the label applied to the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Southern Thailand and Brunei. In 1999 he returned to Jakarta and assumed a leadership role as the group began laying the ground work needed for the "Bali Bombing." The attack, which eventually transpired in 2002. The act killed 202 people, nearly half of them Australian, and thereby turned JI into the posterboy of SE Asian Terrorism. An international manhunt began with several relatively high ranking members choosing to capitalise on a long standing relationship with Mindanao and the Muslims living here. It was a natural thing to do given the common Malay ancestry, common physical appearance and of course, a common faith.
JI members like Patek, and his brother-in-law Joko"Dulmatin"Pitoyo originally came to teach at an MILF "academy" in a now defunct jungle stronghold, "Camp Hudaibiyah." Located in Pawas, Maguindanao, it trained MILF, ASG AND JI members. It was in Hudaibiyah that the 2 JI leaders would cultivate relationships and teach both ASG AND MILF members how to manufacture technically proficient IEDs.
After the bombing in Bali, in 2002, the Indonesian authorities, aided by Australian law enforcement began a relentless manhunt for not only the bombers but all Islamo-fascists in general. Patek decided to travel with Dulmatin north to Mindanao. With authorities all over the region on the look out this latest trip would have to take place off the grid; The Southern Philippines (Mindanao and its outlying island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi) have regional agreements concerning unfettered travel between ialands, regardless of international borders. One can take a ferry, freighter or fishing boat between Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. There is no need for Immigration OR Customs, one simply disembarks and isn't questioned or impeded. Still, it takes a bit of knowhow in choosing which craft from whatever port and so the duo had an acquaintance from the Islamo-fascist organisation "Darul Islam" to guide them on their journey north. The man chosen, Arham (a.k.a."Arnoldl) was a . Arriving in mid-2003 the duo immediately returned to Maguindanao Province and Camp Hudaibiyah.
Though their old protector, the MILF's Kumamder Abu Badrin Badruddin welcomed the 2 men back to Central Mindanao things had changed drastically. Since the Indonesians had left in 1999 the MILF had been badly beaten, almost to the point of destruction, during then President Estrada's "All Out War on the MILF." The war, in 2000, had been precipitated by an attack by an MILF unit on the town of Kauswagan in Lanao del Norte Province. Occupying the Christian town in a show of strength the MILF hadn't been aware that that AFP AOR (Area of Responsibility) had received a Brigade strength deployment of Marines just 4 hours prior. Without even unpacking their kitbags the Marines rushed to Kauswagan from their new base in Cagayan del Oro City in the adjacent province of Misamis Oriental and freed the town by midnite. From that quick victory Estrada, capitalising on its momentum added 2 entire Infantry Divisions and in a pincer move began advancing up Narciso Ramos National Hiway from both its terminuses, clearing all MILF positions as they went. Within 3 months the government forces reached Camp Abubakar, the MILF nerve center, and leveled it. So total was the victory that Estrada himself hurried south by private jet and then helicoptered into Camp Abubakar in order to personally host a pigroast and beerbash. Edtrada's choice of refreshments being highly symbolic in what was here to fore a bastion of Islamic Power on the island. The President swilling beer and chewing pork cracklings in the MILF Central Mosque had its intended effect, the MILF almost collapsed.
In the nearly 3 years since, MILF Kumanders like Badruddin had reorganised their forces into highly mobile formationd known as "Base Commands" and operated without much of a power structure above them. This essentially meant that Patek and Dulmatin were incredibly vulnerable despite Camp Hudaibiyah having managed to survive largely unscathed within the impenetrable Ligusan Marsh. Within months of the pair's arrival the MILF came under intense political pressure from the Philippine Government.
In the Philippines it is the military that runs the country. Though Estrada's guidance had led to a massive victory for the AFP in the 2000 War, his corruption had reached epic proportions. This became the impetus for a strong faction within the Army to forment a coup to install then Vice President Gloria M.Arroyo in the Presidential Palace. Almost immediately after seizing power President Arroyo sought to solidify her position by reaching a Peace Agreement with at least 1 of the several insurgencies plagueing the nation. She decided that the MILF presented the strongest chance for a successful outcome. After enlisting the aid of Malaysia to Facilitate these Talks she and the MILF began aggressively negotiating. Just after the Indonesian's arrival in Mindanao the Philippine Government turned its attentions towards Camp Hudaibaya after Australian Intelligence ascertained that members of Indonesian terror groups (JI, Darul Islam, KOMPAK) and leaned on the MILF to shutter the encampment.
It was in mid-2004 then that Patel and Dulmatin took refuge with the Khadaffi Janjalani Faction of ASG on Basilan. On Basilan the conditions were deplorable, trekking deep in the isolated bush, always being pursued by the AFP and so by 2005 they had sailed south with part of the Janjalani Faction, taking refuge on Jolo Island with the Sadhiron Faction of ASG. From that point there are highly conflicting reports on his whereabouts. Readers might recall that in my ASG entry for the last quarter of 2010 that pundits were getting hot and bothered as they challenged each others' view concerning Patek's latest whereabouts. Some thought he was still in Sulu Province, others in Tawi Tawi Province (supported by a video of him there though not dated in any way), while others had him in Pakistan. Lo and behold, Pakistan was correct. No word on who gets to collect a 10 Million US Bounty.
Finally this quarter, just after New Year, skeletal remains of a decapitated male waa found in a cave in the hills above Tipo Tipo, in that municipality's Barangay Kabug Pababag. Forensics are being formed with American assistance to try and determine the identity of the deceased.
As the AFP readied itself to go mano a mano with ASG on Basilan LGUs (Local Govt. Units, barangay, town, city and provincial govts.) in the Visayas (Central Philippines) began getting very nervous about the possibility of ASG heading north to their shores. Though historically in the early Spanish Era Muslims would indeed push north, raping, pillaging and enslaving as they moved through the islands, in the present its not likely to happen. ASG goes no further north than the Zamboanga Peninsula (excepting its infamous and singular foray into Palawan in 2001) and even then it does so only out of absolute necessity, the Sulu archipelago being their preferred destination. As if unsteady nerves weren't bad enough, AFP Intelligence warned of an impending attack in Negros, Bohol and/or Siquijor Islands. On January 03, 2011 Intelligence had warned of a large detachment of ASG leaving Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte Province and heading to Negros Oriental Province on the island of Negros. A week later, after the first warning amounted to nothing, ASG was said to be departing Zamboanga City in Zamboanga del Norte Province en route to Dumaguete on Negros Island. On January 14 the attack was said to be impending on Bohol Island. The Alert ended February 01.
January 07 five members of ASG were charged in the "Camp Asturias Chapel" bombing that took place during Xmas Mass in 2010, wounding 11 people including 2 Roman Catholic priests. The 5 charged are;
1) Alhabsy Misaya
2) Dodong Tarik
3) Sali Sa'id
4) Arola (epnonymously named)
5) Gafur (epononymously named)
Number 3, Sali Sa'id, was nabbed on February 01,as I discussed in my previous entry. He was on Chinese Wharf in Jolo City shortly after disembarking from am inter-island ferry.
On January 09,2011 a group of ASG under sub-Kumander Patti Kabulot of the Jamiri Faction ambushed the AFP in Barangay Baguindan, Tipo Tipo on Basilan Island. 2 guerillas were killed in the 45 minute fire fight, one of which was Kabulot himself. A third was captured alive along with two M16s and one RPG, along with two RPG shells.
January 14, in Sitio Fuente, Barangay Sapa Bulag, Sumisip on Basilan Island, Cpl.Haber Akil of the 32IB (32nd Infantry Battalion) was en route to Tumahubong from Isabela City on a motorcycle while on duty. A sniper took his life with a shot to the chest.
January 19, in Sitio Kurellem, Barangay Silangkum, Tipo Tipo on Basilan Island, ASG Factional Leader Nurhusin Jamiri was with at least 50 gunmen when the 4th Scout Rangers Battalion, COY (Company) 13 accidentally found him while scouring the sector. In the ensuing fire fight 1 Scout Ranger was critically wounded and died after being helicoptered out to Zamboanga City for treatment.
January 21 in Barangay Macalang, al Barka, the 4th Scout Rangers Battalion entered a recently abandoned ASG Camp where they discovered 2 IEDs (though not primed as booby traps, merely being stored after manufacture), 50 grammes of ammonium nitrate (an ingredient in IED payloads) and 14 rounds of M60 (large crew fired weapon) ammunition. The camp wad comprised of 4 "nipas" (single roomed bamboo framed palm thatched huts, the average home in the Philippines) that could have held 20 men. The camp was discovered by accident during a scour (meter by meter search within established co-ordinates).
Barangay Maclang is 1 of several al Barka barangays whose residents have fled en masse during the afore mentioned tactical push against ASG. Roughly 6,000 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons, aka"Refugees") from Barangays Macalang, Danapa and Ka'ilih took refuge in and around Danapa Elementary School in the barangay of the same name. As Febuary began the AFP and LGU (Local Government Unit tried their best to persuade the terrified villagers to go back to their homes and farms but to no avail. Almost all refused to move back home or even tend their farms for as long as the AFP continued its tactical operations in the town.
On February 12 in Barangay Baiwas in Sumisip, Basilan, the 4th Scout Rangers Battalion launched a direct assault on the camp of ASG sub-Kumander Juhaiber"Abu Kiks"Alamsirul of the Janatul Faction. The operation, which began at daybreak was difficult as the camp clings to a very steep mountainside but was deemed high priority after receiving intelligence that the factional leader, Kumander Radzmil Janatul had stayed there overnight with 30 of his best men. A single platoon under Captain Daet was all that Task Force Headquarters could muster on such short notice though all things considered, a platoon of Scout Rangers are worth at least 2 companies of regular AFP Infantrymen (a platoon averages 30 men while a company nets 100 to 120 men). The attack lasted until 3 hours, until 730AM and left 2 soldiers dead, 5 wounded. Upon ASG withdrawing the Scout Rangers entered the camp and secured it, discovering 7 earthen bunkers.
On March 06 in Barangay Santa Barbara, Isabela City, Basilan, PNP PO1 (PNP officers are ranked by a 1,2 or 3 depending upon their seniority, with "1" being the lowest rank equivalent to a "Private" in the Army,with "PO" signifying "Police Officer") Dennis Aquino, Barangay Captain Noel Mirasol and 3 Barangay Kagawads (Barangay Councillors) were walking through the barangay when they were ambushed by snipers. Mirasol and Aquino were critically wounded as the 3 Barangay Kagawads returned fire and killed 2 of the gunmen, epononymously named Baljubir and Nadjar.Though the officials were Cebuanos and Chavacanos (non-Muslim) and the gunmen were Muslim there are rumours that this didn't involve ASG per se and wasn't even political in nature. Aquino and Mirasol are said to be neck deep in the drug trade and since this is the Southern Philippines "drugs" are synonymous with "Shabu," highly pure smokable methamphetamine.
March 09, an IED placed inside a triksiad (ubiqitous form of Philippine public transport constructed out of a motorcycle dirt bike with an aluminum body constructed around it, inside of which there are 2 bench seats hold passengers) detonated as a group of triksiads idled in front of the Sulu Peovincial Board of Education building in Jolo City, on Jolo Island. The blast, timed for afternoon rush hour killed 5 drivers and wounded 11, including passerby. The blast seems to have been aimed for a PNP transport carrying a detachment of SAF (Special Action Force, the PNP's Special Operations element) which had just passed by when detonation occurred. The group of drivers were parked against the fence around Salih Ututalum Elementary School where 2 men were immediately killed. The other 3 deaths occurred during treatment at a nearby hospital. The initial 2 fatalities are unidentifiable because of the damage to their bodies from the powerful blast. The 3 men who died during treatment are:
1) Habir Sabri
2) Abdulmajid Ibrahim
3) Aleson Ma'ing
On that same day, March 09 the AFP threw all progress they had made thus far in 2011 out the proverbial window when they played the "Keystone Cops, Philippine Style" in an episode we will call, "Sacol Island: Whose on First?" In a Top Secret Operation so hush hush that Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin had no idea it was even planned, never mind dumbfounded LGUs who have been railing against this breech of protocol.
Acting upon intelligence that ASG-Basilan Factional Leader Khair Mundos was ensconced on an isolated tract on Sacol Island, possibly wit the other major factional leader on Basilan, Nurhusin Jamiri, the AFP's TF Basilan launched a massive air/amphibious operation. Using Hueys (helicopters) to insert Airborne soldiers from 3rd Special Forces Battalion, covered by 2 MG-529s (helicopter gunships) on the far side of the very small islet. On the tract where ASG was supposed to be dug in, those Gun Ships softened the ground with 8 missiles launched as the soldiers were scouring from the other coast. The problem however is that that ASG "camp"? The one containing Khair Mundos and Nurhusin Jamiri? It was an empty mangrove. If ASG had ever been there they weren't now. Sadly it took the AFP NINE HOURS to discover they were killing...a...MANGROVE. I need to also add that the missile strikes were supposed to be kilometers away from the nearest civilians but residents of Barangay Landang Laum note that the strikes hit mere meters from their village which abuts that mangrove. Perhaps the AFP should be happy people are laughing at them as opposed to calling them "mass murderers."
March 17 the AFP seems to have caught with its pants down AGAIN. Scout Rangers set a cross fire ambush along a main road to try and interdict ASG. It ended up instead critically wounding a PNP (Pgilippine National Police) officer who was operating a motorcycle and his civilian passenger. In its own defence the Scout Ranger Team in question claimed it had thought the motorcycle was carrying Barangay Captain Nat Haddalam, a member of ASG. In other words, the AFP's elite units see the need to lay a cross fire ambush rather than to try and LAWFULLY stop and arrest the subject they were after. Even more disgustingly, both men on the motorcycle were shot in the back!
On Saturday, March 19 off of Menes Island, part of the island municipality of Hadji Panglima Tahil, formerly known as "Marunggas," yet another case of "Ambak Pare" took place. The phrase is Cebuano and idiomatically is akin to, "You better jump dude!" It denotes piracy, almost always by ASG, where if you aren't kidnapped you are told, "Ambak Pare!" It is prevalent on Mindanao's southwestern coast and Zamboanga Peninsula. Less often it happens like Saturday's case, in the Sulu archipelago and Tawi Tawi, the Philippines' southern most island. This last case revolved around the typical ASG extortion aimed at small to medium sized fishing companies. The vessel "M/V Mega VIII" was manned by 3 men, who are missing:
1) Captain Renato Panisales
2) Wennie Ferrer
3) Jonald Ocsimar
The 3 men were initially believed to have been killed but 2 days after their disappearance the Jamiri Jawari Faction of ASG made contact with the fishing company and demanded 10 Million Pesos in Ransom. From then until March 31 nothing else was known though the AFP concentrated its search in and around the factional territory near the municipality of Patikul on Jolo Island. On the day in question, March 31, the military entered an outlying barangay within Patikul and came under fire from Abu Sayyaf. During intence fighting the AFP killed 3 guerillas but failed to sight the 3 captives. When ASG withdrew from the village 50 minutes later the soldiers found the Seaman Book (a work permit issued to maritime workers) issued to the fishing boat captain, Renato Panisales. As for the island municipality where this incident initially took place, took place, Hadji Panglima Tahil, the town is spread out over several tiny islets and is an MNLF-Misuari Faction stronghold now mainly populated by MNLF guerillas who sought land after the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. Led by Kumander Elol Salim, the 417 guerillas now put their energy into an abalome co-operative and a seaweed farming operation funded by ELAP (Emergency Livlihood Assistance Program) and its evolved form, LEAP (Livlihood Enhancement and Peace Pogrsmme). LEAP is funded by USAID's GEM (Growth with Equity in Mindanao), a programme meant to help de-programme MNLF guerillas.
On Monday, March 21 ASG's Jamiri Faction kidnapped yet another person on Basilan Island. At 130 AM Rolando de la Cruz, caretaker for "Cawley Resturant" on Aguinaldo Street, Barangay Matibay, Lamitan City, was checking for intruders after his dogs began barking excitedly. As the 44 year old man stepped into the compound he was confronyed by ASG guerillas under sub-Kumander Ustadz Salim Tado. The kidnapper's forced de la Cruz into his own vehicle and sped off in the direction of that city's Barangay Bulanting. It was in that barangay's Sitio Libi that the SUV was found on fire. However, by early that evening the 32IB had brought that band of guerillas to heel and rather than be caught themselves the kidnappers simply release Mr.de la Cruz. It is a standard ASG diversionary tactic and for better or for worse there is an unwritten but well understood rule between the AFP and ASG. IF ASG releases a kidnapping victim without having harmed him or her the AFP allows a route for escape and does not attack. After being released by ASG in Barangay Sinulatan, Tuburan at 520PM the 32IB gave the kidnappers an hour to fully withdraw and so they recovered the victim alive and well at 620PM.
Ironically the kidnapping coincides with US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr's visit to the region. Arriving in Zamboanga City on the March 21 he will next head across the strait to Basilan and then to Jolo City where he will take part in a ceremony marking the US grant of more than 1 million US Dollars (23,000 Pesos) to local NGO, "LPDR" (Literacy for Peace and Development).
March 28, 2011 saw the closure of a case that had been vexing Philippine authorities for almost a decade. Javanese bomb expert Umar"Mike"Patek of the Indonesian terrorist organisation Jemaya'a Islamiyya ("JI"). Having been arrested by Pakistan's "Inter-Services Intelligence Agency" on information provided by the CIA (American Intelligence, isn't THAT an oxymoron?).For nearly a decade JI and ASG have been nearly synonymous with one another, ever since the aftermath of JI's "Bali Bombing." Patek, and by extension JI's first involvement with ASG first took place in 1995 when he arrived in Mindanao to relieve Nasir bin Abas as the CO (Commanding Officer" of JI's "Mantiki III," the label applied to the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Southern Thailand and Brunei. In 1999 he returned to Jakarta and assumed a leadership role as the group began laying the ground work needed for the "Bali Bombing." The attack, which eventually transpired in 2002. The act killed 202 people, nearly half of them Australian, and thereby turned JI into the posterboy of SE Asian Terrorism. An international manhunt began with several relatively high ranking members choosing to capitalise on a long standing relationship with Mindanao and the Muslims living here. It was a natural thing to do given the common Malay ancestry, common physical appearance and of course, a common faith.
JI members like Patek, and his brother-in-law Joko"Dulmatin"Pitoyo originally came to teach at an MILF "academy" in a now defunct jungle stronghold, "Camp Hudaibiyah." Located in Pawas, Maguindanao, it trained MILF, ASG AND JI members. It was in Hudaibiyah that the 2 JI leaders would cultivate relationships and teach both ASG AND MILF members how to manufacture technically proficient IEDs.
After the bombing in Bali, in 2002, the Indonesian authorities, aided by Australian law enforcement began a relentless manhunt for not only the bombers but all Islamo-fascists in general. Patek decided to travel with Dulmatin north to Mindanao. With authorities all over the region on the look out this latest trip would have to take place off the grid; The Southern Philippines (Mindanao and its outlying island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi) have regional agreements concerning unfettered travel between ialands, regardless of international borders. One can take a ferry, freighter or fishing boat between Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines. There is no need for Immigration OR Customs, one simply disembarks and isn't questioned or impeded. Still, it takes a bit of knowhow in choosing which craft from whatever port and so the duo had an acquaintance from the Islamo-fascist organisation "Darul Islam" to guide them on their journey north. The man chosen, Arham (a.k.a."Arnoldl) was a . Arriving in mid-2003 the duo immediately returned to Maguindanao Province and Camp Hudaibiyah.
Though their old protector, the MILF's Kumamder Abu Badrin Badruddin welcomed the 2 men back to Central Mindanao things had changed drastically. Since the Indonesians had left in 1999 the MILF had been badly beaten, almost to the point of destruction, during then President Estrada's "All Out War on the MILF." The war, in 2000, had been precipitated by an attack by an MILF unit on the town of Kauswagan in Lanao del Norte Province. Occupying the Christian town in a show of strength the MILF hadn't been aware that that AFP AOR (Area of Responsibility) had received a Brigade strength deployment of Marines just 4 hours prior. Without even unpacking their kitbags the Marines rushed to Kauswagan from their new base in Cagayan del Oro City in the adjacent province of Misamis Oriental and freed the town by midnite. From that quick victory Estrada, capitalising on its momentum added 2 entire Infantry Divisions and in a pincer move began advancing up Narciso Ramos National Hiway from both its terminuses, clearing all MILF positions as they went. Within 3 months the government forces reached Camp Abubakar, the MILF nerve center, and leveled it. So total was the victory that Estrada himself hurried south by private jet and then helicoptered into Camp Abubakar in order to personally host a pigroast and beerbash. Edtrada's choice of refreshments being highly symbolic in what was here to fore a bastion of Islamic Power on the island. The President swilling beer and chewing pork cracklings in the MILF Central Mosque had its intended effect, the MILF almost collapsed.
In the nearly 3 years since, MILF Kumanders like Badruddin had reorganised their forces into highly mobile formationd known as "Base Commands" and operated without much of a power structure above them. This essentially meant that Patek and Dulmatin were incredibly vulnerable despite Camp Hudaibiyah having managed to survive largely unscathed within the impenetrable Ligusan Marsh. Within months of the pair's arrival the MILF came under intense political pressure from the Philippine Government.
In the Philippines it is the military that runs the country. Though Estrada's guidance had led to a massive victory for the AFP in the 2000 War, his corruption had reached epic proportions. This became the impetus for a strong faction within the Army to forment a coup to install then Vice President Gloria M.Arroyo in the Presidential Palace. Almost immediately after seizing power President Arroyo sought to solidify her position by reaching a Peace Agreement with at least 1 of the several insurgencies plagueing the nation. She decided that the MILF presented the strongest chance for a successful outcome. After enlisting the aid of Malaysia to Facilitate these Talks she and the MILF began aggressively negotiating. Just after the Indonesian's arrival in Mindanao the Philippine Government turned its attentions towards Camp Hudaibaya after Australian Intelligence ascertained that members of Indonesian terror groups (JI, Darul Islam, KOMPAK) and leaned on the MILF to shutter the encampment.
It was in mid-2004 then that Patel and Dulmatin took refuge with the Khadaffi Janjalani Faction of ASG on Basilan. On Basilan the conditions were deplorable, trekking deep in the isolated bush, always being pursued by the AFP and so by 2005 they had sailed south with part of the Janjalani Faction, taking refuge on Jolo Island with the Sadhiron Faction of ASG. From that point there are highly conflicting reports on his whereabouts. Readers might recall that in my ASG entry for the last quarter of 2010 that pundits were getting hot and bothered as they challenged each others' view concerning Patek's latest whereabouts. Some thought he was still in Sulu Province, others in Tawi Tawi Province (supported by a video of him there though not dated in any way), while others had him in Pakistan. Lo and behold, Pakistan was correct. No word on who gets to collect a 10 Million US Bounty.
Finally this quarter, just after New Year, skeletal remains of a decapitated male waa found in a cave in the hills above Tipo Tipo, in that municipality's Barangay Kabug Pababag. Forensics are being formed with American assistance to try and determine the identity of the deceased.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Developments Within the Military,Last Quarter 2010,Part IV:Combat Pay is Doubled,Feliciano Angue Commits Career Suicide, the New Face of TF Basilan and Pacquiao joins Peace Panel
On Tuesday, December 21, 2010 the AFP got some additional holiday cheer as President Aquino unveiled his new anti-coup measure (sarcasm).The life-long bachelor's brainstorm was revealed during the 75th Anniversary of the AFP festivities at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City,Metro Manila.During the President's speech he revealed that just the day before he had signed an Amendment to Executive Order #658 which will raise the Combat Bonus from 240 Pesos a month ($6) to 500 Pesos A MONTH ($11), which ends up coming to 2.65 US Dollars A WEEK to dodge bullets, RPGs, IEDs and abductions, oh goody.The bonus,which is doled out on the 15th of the month,hadn't been raised since March 22, 1985.Yep, that is correct, under Marcos (via EO #1017).
The good news (though it is seriously a tragedy if you think about it,is that almost 70% of the AFP will get the raise. OK, you still can't figure out the tragedy? More that 110,000 soldiers,sailors,marines and airmen are in combat situations.In any event,it will be effective as of January 01,2011 and will be funded via outlay from Personnel Service savings for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011.Alhough President Aquino is being credited it actually arose out of the Senate's Committees on Defense and Finance"Joint Resolution #8."
Last Summer (July,2010) Rear Admiral Feliciano Angue was given a technically lateral transfer from Command of NCRCOM (National Capitol Region Command, aka Manila) to WESCOM (Western Command, HQd in Puerto Princessa,Palawan,not to be confused with WESMINCOM,aka Western Mindanao Command HQd in Zamboanga City on Mindanao).Angue is a Rear Admiral,a 2 Star Rank.NCR is a 3 Star Command.WES is a 2 Star Command.Angue,who never received his 3rd Star saw that he was being transferred to a 2 Star Command,meaning that getting a 3rd Star would have to wait at least 1 more rotation.
Technically, as I have noted, Angue was getting a lateral transfer,neither up nor down,simply a 2 Star Officer going to a 2 Star Command.Angue however felt it was about time that the AFP recognised what he's made of and so he did the unthinkable (for a career officer),he ran to the media and blamed his Superiors for politicking (meaning they were playing "personality" over "potential").Then he quickly went one further and inferred that Superiors had connived with former President Arroyo in her manipulation (let us be honest, STEALING ) of the 2004 Election when he was deployed on Tawi Tawi. He also accused Superiors of doing the same in the 2010 synchronised Local/National Elections (May 10, 2010).
The consequences were predictable.The Navy deployed a 4 man panel to conduct a preliminary investigation to help determine whether-or-not Angue should face a General Court Martial.The panel was Chaired by former Vice Commander of the Navy(Retired) Rear Admiral Roberto Estioko who over saw the 3 members:
I) Naval JAG (Judge Advocate General, equivalent to a Chief Prosecutor in the non-military justice system),Col.Al Pererras
II) Naval Deputy JAG,LTC.Jose Feliciano Loy
III) Naval Provost Marshal (CO of MPs,aka Military Police) , Col.Antonieto Ga
The panel made its determination in early November and recommended that Angue...BIG SUPRISE (not by a long shot) face a General Court Martial (though technically they can only recommend that a Second investigation take place,in reality that Second Investigation will absolutely come back recommending that General Court Martial).
Specifically they found grounds for 3 charges:
I) Article of War #65 (Insubordination)
II) Article of War #97 (Conduct Prejudicial to Good Order and Military Discipline)
III) Military Code of Ethics, exact determination not made (for running his insolent pouty mouth to the demon known as the media)
Not long before the panel submitted its findings,WESCOM the Command Angue whined about,ended up being handed to Major General Juancho Sabban (formerly the Marines CO,who was replaced in that Command by Brig.Gen.Rustico Guerrero after Brig.Gen.Alvio was passed over for being physically unfit).Angue's former Command,NCR,was given to Major General Arthur Tabaquero.Tabaquero only held it for a short while though,before getting WESMINCOM which itself had been vacated upon Lieutenant General Ben Dolorfino's retirement from service (which I discussed in another current"AFP,Last Quarter 2010"entry).
Ironically Angue had only held Command of NCR since March,2010.Not only did he hold NCR for a mere 96 days before receiving this transfer,he knew that with former President Arroyo maxing out on her term limit that a change in Administration just wasn't probable,it was guaranteed.Unlike militaries in more stable nations,the AFP undergoes a thorough re-shuffling when Administrations change to try and stave off mutinies and coup attempts.How much more so when NCRCOM plays the top dog in guarding against military related threats to the Presidency?Total stupidity on Angue's part although I really do see his point on politicking,the 2004 Election and most of all his complaints (that I haven't touched upon) with regard to current Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin.Gazmin has been shuffling his former cronies (from his time in the AFP) to the top of the deck.In the AFP personality and connections (patronage) are everything.That is why the AFP,for the most part,is the most inept military in SE Asia.
On November 11, 2010 the 4th Special Forces Riverine Battalion,currently headquartered in Zamboanga City,took receipt of 13 Light Support Craft.The Riverine Force is comprised of soldiers specially trained for operating in estuaries,marshes and mangroves.The craft were locally made by Bajao and Sama (Samal) Tribesmen as part of the AFP's Oplan Condor (the AFP just can't get enough of those silly labels).Although the label is silly the plan itself is actually very intelligent. Utilising the skills of the nation's best boat builders who also happen to be among the country's most marginal of ethnicities the military comes off with a win:win situation.Empowering the poorest of the poor while engaging them in pro-government activities they do a whole lot more than the Basilan Circumfrential Road (a CMO Hearts and Minds Project that utilised 0% local labour and services thus far). Although Bajao aren't a demographic associated on the shooting end of insurgencies they ARE the epitome of a"Mass Base of Support."Sama on the other hand are sometimes found in the MILF and a whole of them were MNLF (some still are).
At the same time the AFP has saved a tonne of cash.Those 13 boats cost the army 10.56 Million Pesos ($220,000),roughly 10% of what the PA (Philippine Army) could expect to pay for commercially manufactured craft.Indeed,
the entire tab would have covered a single commercial Support Craft with a 25 man payload.The 22 artisans contracted received the order in early September so that time was also a huge advantage in the order.24 months would not be unusual commercially.12 of the boats are just short of 6 meters long and powered by 115hp inboard engines with a maximum speed of 39 knots.The 13th craft is nearly 18 meters long with a 250hp inboard engine with a maximum speed of 24 knots.Carrying a 5 man crew and up to half a Company (50 soldiers) it will serve as a Support Craft for the other dozen.Each of those 12 boats will carry a 2 man crew and 6 soldiers and function as Scout Craft.
A Riverine Force would seem to be a natural element for a nation spread out over 7,107 tropical islands but then a lot of obvious things seem to slip right by the powers that be in the AFP.It wasn't until early 2007 that this no brainer took shape.Utilising the 11th Anniversary of SOCOM (Special Operations Command) on June 01, 2007 to officially announce the formation of the first Riverine COY,analysts were suddenly optimistic that the AFP was finally going to try and re-shape itself into something more than just a police force.It is amazing how just a single sensible idea could make so many people buy into a false sense of expectation.Still,positivity should be acknowledged and re-inforced.In fact the PA did already have 2 Riverine COYs-at least in name:
1) COY 11
2) COY 18
also attached to SOCOM but de-activated during the SOCOM re-organisation that took place in 2004.Those 2 de-activated COYs only operated in Central Luzon which is about as asinine as it gets considering that the minimal insurgency taking place there (3 communist forces, only 1 of which,the NPA ranks above typical Peace and Order Operations,and THEY were NOT doing it in mangroves).With the 2007 formation a COY (designated 12th) would finally operate down south where it was actually crucially needed.
Speaking of SOCOM,Deputy CO (Commanding Officer),Col.Nicanor Dolojan was given the concurrent Command of TF Basilan (Task Force Basilan).The TF has recently been thoroughly re-organised as the Basilan Theater has been stripped of its Fleet-Marine Doctrine.Though Fleet-Marine HAS certainly shown improvements over the previous hydra of a pseudo-doctrine that held sway on that island province,it still wasn't able to do anything more than offer a more visible presence. The SOCOM TF,the new TF Basilan was specially created to pick up the slack once the Marines 1st Brigade rotated out.Making up the new and improved TF is the 3rd Special Forces Battalion (Airborne, as if PA soldiers will ever need to parachute somewhere),4th Scout Rangers Battalion (a newly raised battalion), and a single IB (Infantry Battalion), the 32nd.The re-deployment out of and into Basilan was supposed to have been completed within the 2nd week of November (after the earlier deadline of September 31st came and went without anyone blinking).Of course things being what they are in the Philippines it still hasn't been completed and New Year is upon us.Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz,newly installed CO at SOCOM was schedualed to preside at the Turn Over of Command Ceremony but instead merely oversaw the Activation of the afore mentioned 4th Scout Rangers Battalion.I also need to credit Lieutenant General Ortiz as the primary mover and shaker behind Oplan Condor.IF this is what the man is made of maybe SOCOM can have a reason to swagger.
The Marines aren't saying a thing but the Fleet Doctrine didn't pan out too well.Neither are they saying why they quickly rotated the Marine 1st Bde into 6ID (Infantry Division) AOR.Beginning with the Summer 2010 kidnapping of 2 Tsinoy (Filipino-Chinese) in Cotabato City,LGU (Local Government Unit,aka"municipal") executives there began screaming for another Marine deployment on to Central Mindanao (6ID AOR).Officially the shuffle was to take place on Sunday,September 31st, but as I mentioned above it is evidently taking longer than anticipated.MILF Spokesman (now "ex" since Eid Kabalu has been brought back) Von al Haq says that the MILF CCCH (a Ceasefire entity I have discussed in my MILF entries) will file an official complaint since according to the CCCH MoA (Memorandum of Agreement),any troop movements or rotations in or out of MILF AOR must abide by the terms spelled out in that bilateral agreement.According to al Haq the AFP hasn't said a word (via the GRP CCCH Panel (GRP being"Govt.of the Philippines") whose task it is to do so).Of course the MILF is always looking for problems where there aren't any.The MoA is supposed to address re-deployments over land so that there isn't an accidental Ground War when AFP and MILF elements physically trip over each other.This is besides the fact that the rotation was 4 months in the making,get a grip.
Most Filipinos are unaware but boxing champ and Mindanowan Congressman (Sarangani Province) Manny Pacquiao is ALSO an AFP Army Reservist.Holding the rank of a Master Sergeant,Manny brings great pride to the military,so much so that on November 14,2010. (Wait... I am trying to do a serious Blog...OK, thanks, back to our show) Col.Antonio Parlade Jr.,AFP Reserves Spokesperson revealed that just as soon as Pugilist cum Congressman slash Master Seargent of the Reserves Pacquiao returns from his sojourn to Mexico,the AFP will lobby for Mindanao's own Renaissance Man to gain a slot on the GRP Peace Panel. Of course Col.Einstein,I mean Parlade Jr,didn't deign to reveal WHICH Peace Panel Manny should sit on.Look, I am not a Filipino and even I beam with pride when Manny waxes some Mexican's as* but "Peace Panel?"
Of course the comment (or revelation) came almost immediately after the Congressman from Sarangani won his 8th World Title against Antonio Margarito so let's just do the good Colonel a favour and chalk it up to patriotism and booze,never a good combination but hey,better than the alternative (which would be complete and utter mental illness).
The good news (though it is seriously a tragedy if you think about it,is that almost 70% of the AFP will get the raise. OK, you still can't figure out the tragedy? More that 110,000 soldiers,sailors,marines and airmen are in combat situations.In any event,it will be effective as of January 01,2011 and will be funded via outlay from Personnel Service savings for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011.Alhough President Aquino is being credited it actually arose out of the Senate's Committees on Defense and Finance"Joint Resolution #8."
Last Summer (July,2010) Rear Admiral Feliciano Angue was given a technically lateral transfer from Command of NCRCOM (National Capitol Region Command, aka Manila) to WESCOM (Western Command, HQd in Puerto Princessa,Palawan,not to be confused with WESMINCOM,aka Western Mindanao Command HQd in Zamboanga City on Mindanao).Angue is a Rear Admiral,a 2 Star Rank.NCR is a 3 Star Command.WES is a 2 Star Command.Angue,who never received his 3rd Star saw that he was being transferred to a 2 Star Command,meaning that getting a 3rd Star would have to wait at least 1 more rotation.
Technically, as I have noted, Angue was getting a lateral transfer,neither up nor down,simply a 2 Star Officer going to a 2 Star Command.Angue however felt it was about time that the AFP recognised what he's made of and so he did the unthinkable (for a career officer),he ran to the media and blamed his Superiors for politicking (meaning they were playing "personality" over "potential").Then he quickly went one further and inferred that Superiors had connived with former President Arroyo in her manipulation (let us be honest, STEALING ) of the 2004 Election when he was deployed on Tawi Tawi. He also accused Superiors of doing the same in the 2010 synchronised Local/National Elections (May 10, 2010).
The consequences were predictable.The Navy deployed a 4 man panel to conduct a preliminary investigation to help determine whether-or-not Angue should face a General Court Martial.The panel was Chaired by former Vice Commander of the Navy(Retired) Rear Admiral Roberto Estioko who over saw the 3 members:
I) Naval JAG (Judge Advocate General, equivalent to a Chief Prosecutor in the non-military justice system),Col.Al Pererras
II) Naval Deputy JAG,LTC.Jose Feliciano Loy
III) Naval Provost Marshal (CO of MPs,aka Military Police) , Col.Antonieto Ga
The panel made its determination in early November and recommended that Angue...BIG SUPRISE (not by a long shot) face a General Court Martial (though technically they can only recommend that a Second investigation take place,in reality that Second Investigation will absolutely come back recommending that General Court Martial).
Specifically they found grounds for 3 charges:
I) Article of War #65 (Insubordination)
II) Article of War #97 (Conduct Prejudicial to Good Order and Military Discipline)
III) Military Code of Ethics, exact determination not made (for running his insolent pouty mouth to the demon known as the media)
Not long before the panel submitted its findings,WESCOM the Command Angue whined about,ended up being handed to Major General Juancho Sabban (formerly the Marines CO,who was replaced in that Command by Brig.Gen.Rustico Guerrero after Brig.Gen.Alvio was passed over for being physically unfit).Angue's former Command,NCR,was given to Major General Arthur Tabaquero.Tabaquero only held it for a short while though,before getting WESMINCOM which itself had been vacated upon Lieutenant General Ben Dolorfino's retirement from service (which I discussed in another current"AFP,Last Quarter 2010"entry).
Ironically Angue had only held Command of NCR since March,2010.Not only did he hold NCR for a mere 96 days before receiving this transfer,he knew that with former President Arroyo maxing out on her term limit that a change in Administration just wasn't probable,it was guaranteed.Unlike militaries in more stable nations,the AFP undergoes a thorough re-shuffling when Administrations change to try and stave off mutinies and coup attempts.How much more so when NCRCOM plays the top dog in guarding against military related threats to the Presidency?Total stupidity on Angue's part although I really do see his point on politicking,the 2004 Election and most of all his complaints (that I haven't touched upon) with regard to current Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin.Gazmin has been shuffling his former cronies (from his time in the AFP) to the top of the deck.In the AFP personality and connections (patronage) are everything.That is why the AFP,for the most part,is the most inept military in SE Asia.
On November 11, 2010 the 4th Special Forces Riverine Battalion,currently headquartered in Zamboanga City,took receipt of 13 Light Support Craft.The Riverine Force is comprised of soldiers specially trained for operating in estuaries,marshes and mangroves.The craft were locally made by Bajao and Sama (Samal) Tribesmen as part of the AFP's Oplan Condor (the AFP just can't get enough of those silly labels).Although the label is silly the plan itself is actually very intelligent. Utilising the skills of the nation's best boat builders who also happen to be among the country's most marginal of ethnicities the military comes off with a win:win situation.Empowering the poorest of the poor while engaging them in pro-government activities they do a whole lot more than the Basilan Circumfrential Road (a CMO Hearts and Minds Project that utilised 0% local labour and services thus far). Although Bajao aren't a demographic associated on the shooting end of insurgencies they ARE the epitome of a"Mass Base of Support."Sama on the other hand are sometimes found in the MILF and a whole of them were MNLF (some still are).
At the same time the AFP has saved a tonne of cash.Those 13 boats cost the army 10.56 Million Pesos ($220,000),roughly 10% of what the PA (Philippine Army) could expect to pay for commercially manufactured craft.Indeed,
the entire tab would have covered a single commercial Support Craft with a 25 man payload.The 22 artisans contracted received the order in early September so that time was also a huge advantage in the order.24 months would not be unusual commercially.12 of the boats are just short of 6 meters long and powered by 115hp inboard engines with a maximum speed of 39 knots.The 13th craft is nearly 18 meters long with a 250hp inboard engine with a maximum speed of 24 knots.Carrying a 5 man crew and up to half a Company (50 soldiers) it will serve as a Support Craft for the other dozen.Each of those 12 boats will carry a 2 man crew and 6 soldiers and function as Scout Craft.
A Riverine Force would seem to be a natural element for a nation spread out over 7,107 tropical islands but then a lot of obvious things seem to slip right by the powers that be in the AFP.It wasn't until early 2007 that this no brainer took shape.Utilising the 11th Anniversary of SOCOM (Special Operations Command) on June 01, 2007 to officially announce the formation of the first Riverine COY,analysts were suddenly optimistic that the AFP was finally going to try and re-shape itself into something more than just a police force.It is amazing how just a single sensible idea could make so many people buy into a false sense of expectation.Still,positivity should be acknowledged and re-inforced.In fact the PA did already have 2 Riverine COYs-at least in name:
1) COY 11
2) COY 18
also attached to SOCOM but de-activated during the SOCOM re-organisation that took place in 2004.Those 2 de-activated COYs only operated in Central Luzon which is about as asinine as it gets considering that the minimal insurgency taking place there (3 communist forces, only 1 of which,the NPA ranks above typical Peace and Order Operations,and THEY were NOT doing it in mangroves).With the 2007 formation a COY (designated 12th) would finally operate down south where it was actually crucially needed.
Speaking of SOCOM,Deputy CO (Commanding Officer),Col.Nicanor Dolojan was given the concurrent Command of TF Basilan (Task Force Basilan).The TF has recently been thoroughly re-organised as the Basilan Theater has been stripped of its Fleet-Marine Doctrine.Though Fleet-Marine HAS certainly shown improvements over the previous hydra of a pseudo-doctrine that held sway on that island province,it still wasn't able to do anything more than offer a more visible presence. The SOCOM TF,the new TF Basilan was specially created to pick up the slack once the Marines 1st Brigade rotated out.Making up the new and improved TF is the 3rd Special Forces Battalion (Airborne, as if PA soldiers will ever need to parachute somewhere),4th Scout Rangers Battalion (a newly raised battalion), and a single IB (Infantry Battalion), the 32nd.The re-deployment out of and into Basilan was supposed to have been completed within the 2nd week of November (after the earlier deadline of September 31st came and went without anyone blinking).Of course things being what they are in the Philippines it still hasn't been completed and New Year is upon us.Lieutenant General Arturo Ortiz,newly installed CO at SOCOM was schedualed to preside at the Turn Over of Command Ceremony but instead merely oversaw the Activation of the afore mentioned 4th Scout Rangers Battalion.I also need to credit Lieutenant General Ortiz as the primary mover and shaker behind Oplan Condor.IF this is what the man is made of maybe SOCOM can have a reason to swagger.
The Marines aren't saying a thing but the Fleet Doctrine didn't pan out too well.Neither are they saying why they quickly rotated the Marine 1st Bde into 6ID (Infantry Division) AOR.Beginning with the Summer 2010 kidnapping of 2 Tsinoy (Filipino-Chinese) in Cotabato City,LGU (Local Government Unit,aka"municipal") executives there began screaming for another Marine deployment on to Central Mindanao (6ID AOR).Officially the shuffle was to take place on Sunday,September 31st, but as I mentioned above it is evidently taking longer than anticipated.MILF Spokesman (now "ex" since Eid Kabalu has been brought back) Von al Haq says that the MILF CCCH (a Ceasefire entity I have discussed in my MILF entries) will file an official complaint since according to the CCCH MoA (Memorandum of Agreement),any troop movements or rotations in or out of MILF AOR must abide by the terms spelled out in that bilateral agreement.According to al Haq the AFP hasn't said a word (via the GRP CCCH Panel (GRP being"Govt.of the Philippines") whose task it is to do so).Of course the MILF is always looking for problems where there aren't any.The MoA is supposed to address re-deployments over land so that there isn't an accidental Ground War when AFP and MILF elements physically trip over each other.This is besides the fact that the rotation was 4 months in the making,get a grip.
Most Filipinos are unaware but boxing champ and Mindanowan Congressman (Sarangani Province) Manny Pacquiao is ALSO an AFP Army Reservist.Holding the rank of a Master Sergeant,Manny brings great pride to the military,so much so that on November 14,2010. (Wait... I am trying to do a serious Blog...OK, thanks, back to our show) Col.Antonio Parlade Jr.,AFP Reserves Spokesperson revealed that just as soon as Pugilist cum Congressman slash Master Seargent of the Reserves Pacquiao returns from his sojourn to Mexico,the AFP will lobby for Mindanao's own Renaissance Man to gain a slot on the GRP Peace Panel. Of course Col.Einstein,I mean Parlade Jr,didn't deign to reveal WHICH Peace Panel Manny should sit on.Look, I am not a Filipino and even I beam with pride when Manny waxes some Mexican's as* but "Peace Panel?"
Of course the comment (or revelation) came almost immediately after the Congressman from Sarangani won his 8th World Title against Antonio Margarito so let's just do the good Colonel a favour and chalk it up to patriotism and booze,never a good combination but hey,better than the alternative (which would be complete and utter mental illness).
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Abu Sayyaf Armed Contacts for First and Second Quarters of 2010
Seeing as how I have spent the last 2 entries discussing the island province of Basilan I thought I might make a relatively painless segue directly into an update about actions undertaken by the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) as I begin discussing the insurgency on that small island.
On Feburary 2nd, 2010, Tuesday at 12PM in Barangay Guiong in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province, an AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 6 x 6 truck with armoured refitting was flipped onto its back by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device, i.e. "Bomb"), one of two that day on that same Sumisip-Maluso Road (I wrote about the second IED in my previous entry on the Election Related Violence on Basilan). Corporal Bryan Ansing of the 32IB (Infantry Battalion) was killed instantly while eight of his mates were severely wounded.
With two IEDs by Abu Sayyaf, one hitting the army, the second hitting a politician, it is difficult to say which 1 was the target. IEDs in the Philippines are almost always command detonated (someone must physically detonate it, no timer is used) as indeed these two were...which leads one to wonder just whom the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) was aiming for. Conceivably it could have been both but the organisation hasn't attempted any finely co-ordinated attacks since the younger Janjalani brother was killed on Jolo Island. It is more likely than not that the target was the military and that the political killing was simply a stroke of luck (good luck for ASG but terrible luck of course for the victims).
Feburary 26th, 2010, at 820PM in Barangay Biembengan, in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province,the two Chinese nationals kidnapped from the island's Chinese owned Hi-Tech Wood Craft Plywood mill in the town of Maluso on Novemeber 10th, 2009 were finally freed. They had been taken with Filipino worker Mark Singson who was decapitated not long after because of his family's refusal to negotiate a ransom. 51 year old Zhi Shun Lu, known as "Oscar Lu," and 27 year old Bo Shung Tan, known as "Michael Tan," were found after a firefight between the Marines and ASG's Puruji Indama Faction, the strongest ASG faction on Basilan.
The men, both natives of Guanghzou, China, were then taken to the AFP's Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City for de-briefing and the requisite hospitalisation. Unfortunately, the older man, "Oscar Lu," who has had advanced kidney disease for a number of years, and who of course was without medications and dialysis for the length of his ordeal, passed away due to organ failure three days after being found. Talk about "mixed blessings."
On Saturday, Feburary 27th, 2010,at 545AM in the town of Maluso's Barangay Tubigan seventy ASG guerillas launched a village wide raid and burned five homes down by throwing kerosene lamps onto the thatched huts roofs. Most villagers were still sleeping at what for them was a relatively late hour due to an Islamic holiday the evening before and a party at the village mosque. As villagers were running for safety ASG began picking them off. Eleven died on scene. The raid stemmed from a personal disagreement between the Barangay Chairman/Captain (village chief) and an ASG factional leader,Puruji Indama. One of the dead was an off duty CVO soldier (Civilian Volunteer Organization, one of four entities that together form the CAA, or Civilian Active Auxiliary,the cornerstone of the AFP's counterinsurgency Force Multiplication protocol. CVO though, unlike all others, is under the PNP, Philippine National Police, and not the AFP). Among the initial eleven killed was young mother Karen Bucoy, her 9 year old son Arjie, and infant Abigail who were all burned alive in their home.
Other eight casulaties:
1) Benjie Laping
2) Timhaar Arakani
3) Uding Pagdalian
4) John Laping
5) Salima Salapuddin
6) Lorna Sahidda Salisa
7) Tawasil Idjiran
the eleventh initial victim, the CVO soldier, has not been immediately identified as per SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). In addition, ten other villagers were wounded, with two of them dying over the next 48 hours. One of the latter was 9 year old Jabrian Laping who died from organ failure related to his severe burns. The last and thirteenth fatality has not had their identity released.
Thursday, March 18th, 2010 was a lucky day for Examinda Lindio of Isabela City on Basilan, perhaps her luckiest ever when the AFP was able to pressure her Abu Sayyaf kidnappers into withdrawing without her. At 11AM, in Barangay San Jose Maloong, in Lamitan City in Basilan Province, MBLT-1 (Marine Battalion Landing Team #1 (a Landing Team being the equivalent of a company in strength but battalion in deployment) affected the capture Abu Sayyaf member Arvin Guirny of that same barangay.
After interrogating him they were able to glean the location of Ms.Lindio and by 115PM were in position. As the cordon tightened lookouts alerted the kidnappers who quickly fled the abandoned three story building without taking the necessary time to free and take their captive who was held in a tiny crawlspace underneath the 1st floor of the building.
Ms.Lindio had been kidnapped on Saturday, March 13th so she is doubly lucky having only spent roughly five days in captivity and having been freed unscathed which is incredibly rare here.
On April 13th, 2010 at 1030 AM in Isabela City's Barangay Eastside in Basilan Provincr Abu Sayyaf attempted to duplicate the 1995 Attack on Ipil, a majority Christian city on Mindanao's Zamboanga Peninsula, an isthmus that sits directly north of Isabela City. Ipil, an attack that killed fifty-six civlians was an operation that put Abu Sayyaf on the map.It was extremely well planned and audacious in nature but more importantly the group was able to pull it off in textbook fashion. Unfortunately for Abu Sayyaf, those days are long gone. 15 years later Abu Sayyaf, devoid of the Janjalani brothers and all other founding members dead and gone, the April 13th operation in Isabela City should prove this better than anything else.
At 1030 AM a truck bomb fashioned out of a Hyundai minivan parked behind Basilan National High School's grandstand detonated in a spectacular fireball. PNP (Philippine National Police) officer SPO4 Enrico "Ricky" Morales who commanded the Basilan PNP PPO (Provincial Police Office) joined 2 Marines stsnding nearby and ran to the source of the explosion. As the 3 men rounded the corner on the opposite end of the grandstand Abu Sayyaf snipers in captured PNP uniforms drew a bead on them. Both Marines died instantly while SPO4 Morales was seriously wounded. Sadly, Professor Bong de la Luna who taught at Basilan State College was caught in a crossfire between SPO4 Morales and the snipers and was also killed in the melee. Two Abu Sayyaf snipers were taken down,dying on scene,1 of which was in plain clothes.
At this point the remaining ASG snipers and their blocking force (shooters who protect escape routes and rear echelons) began to rapidly withdraw, pursued by SPO4 Morales' underlings aided by well armed civlians so that the barangay devolved into a chaotic scene of running firefights.
2 more Abu Sayyaf were wounded,both in PNP SAF (Special Action Forces,the PNP Special Forces) fatigues. They were taken to nearby Infante Hospital before being quickly airlifted across the water to Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamboanga City (1 dying days later,on April 21,from sepsis,with his only known ID being his nom de guerre, "Umbar" (He was buried on the coast of Zamboanga at Caragasan by the local Imam). The surviving Abu Sayyaf guerilla,Ajid Jalil,alternatively known as "Ajid Jainul" was arrested on June 29th after being released from WESMINCOM (West Mindanao Command) Hospital, the AFP's Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamoboanga City.
At just before 11AM, the day of the aforementioned ASG raid,after the wounding of the two Abu Sayyaf gunment above,a 2nd IED with an equally powerful payload (a"payload"being the expolsive component of the bomb) detonated at the Cathedral of Santa Isabela and destroyed 70% of the building's compound, wounding thirteen civilians. The bomb had been rigged to a motorcycle parked in the compound's parking lot immediately adjacent to the cathedral itself. Six SUVs were also destroyed along with 10 other motorcycles and 1 habal-habal (motorcycle taxi).
A third IED set in front of the home of Judge Leo Jay Principe, adjacent to Basilan RTC-1 (Regional Trial Court 1) was discovered prior to detonation. An AFP EOD (Explosive and Ordnance Detachment) detonated the device near by.Judge Princpe is the jurist who swore out the warrants for the 130 ASG and MILF 114 Base Command guerillas who are said to have taken part in the infamous joint action in July of 2007 that killed fourteen Marines, ten of whom were then decapitated,on Basilan.
A fourth IED did detonate, though prematurely as a cargo van full of Abu Sayyaf guerillas were driving through the streets of Isabela City at 1135 AM.Their van inexplicably caught fire causing the IED to go off before they could stop and exit the van. The guerillas were killed.
In a tell tale sign of just how low Abu Sayyaf has sunk,the wounded guerilla revealed during interrogation at Camp Navarro that almost all actors were in fact inexperienced youth hired from Basilan's municipality of Tipo Tipo.The operation was entirely devoid of political ideology and the fact that their direct employer was apparently a middle man,brokering the operation clearly points to an act of election sabotage in the avaristic sense, a candidate attempting to gain the upper hand over 1 or another of his (or her) competitors and win the election. Ergo, a political act devoid of political ideology if you will. Since Abu Sayyaf has been operating entirely for profit since 2002, this should come as no suprise.
On April 26th, 2010 in Barangay Baiwas, in the town of Sumisip, five Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in an accidental encounter with the AFP, as was one AFP soldier. After that initial bloody encounter running firefights took place throughout the rest of the day. These skirmishes in turn led to another unexpected windfall when the AFP"s 4th Scount Ranger Company (AFP Special Forces) stumbled into a major Abu Sayyaf camp.4 of the Rangers were moderately wounded when 1 inadvertantly tripped a boobytrapped IED inside the camp's perimeter. The IED was fashioned from a 60MM mortar shell with a simple monofilament trip wire.More shells,as is,were recovered as were RPG-2 rounds.
Tuesday, April 27th,2010, on the border of Barangays Pamasatken and Baiwas in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province, an IED detonated wounding three AFP Scout Rangers from the 4th Scout Ranger Company on the side of Bundok Abong-Abong (Abong Abong Mountain) during a firefight with ASG who were wearing captured AFP fatigues along the ridgeline. A fourth Scout Ranger from the same company was wounded in a firefight 30 minutes later under the ridgeline as they began withdrawing to Medivac the 3 previously wounded soldiers.
On Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 at 5PM, in Barangay Bakong, in the town of Sumisip in Basilan Proince,a PNP convoy from Isabela City that had arrived in search of Abu Sayyaf after ASG guerillas had been sighted in and out of the bush outside of town had come up empty and was just turning around for the return trip into Isabela City when they were ambushed by that same band of Abu Sayyaf. Two PNP officers, SPO1 Abdurajik Haji and PO1 Charlie Arsenal were shot to death just as the ambush began. In a stroke of luck, Basilan's Director of the PNP PPO, Senior Superint.Antonio"Tony"Mendoza just missed punching his ticket by a single meter as his unarmoured vehicle managed to round the bend as the shooting began.Talk about thanking your lucky stars.
Two Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in that attack as well, one of which, Adduji Kawwil, is an ex-CVO soldier as well as a current Barangay Councilman/Kagawad. He was moonlighting but whether as a guerilla or a councilman depends upon perspective.
Wednesday,May 26th,2010 at 6 AM in Sitio Mompol in Barangay Libug,cin the town of Sumisip,30 Abu Sayyaf guerillas ambushed a jeepney (ubiqitous form of Philippine public transportation,fashioned from WWII Era American military jeeps that have had their axles lengthened to about 10 meters,thus resembling lowriding school busses) that was plying the road between Isabela City and Sumisip.
The Jeepney had just picked up a load of passengers for the return trip to Isabela City when it was flagged down by well armed Abu Sayyaf guerillas. Stopping, all passengers jumped out the rear,3 passengers,all males were singled out and taken away by the gunmen.
Claudio Mananita, an employee of Manggal Agrarian Reform Beneficiary and Development Cooperative, a rubber plantation land distribution concern was the 1st to be ransomed off,for P2 Million (roughly 40,000 Euros).His family,unable to pay anything at all later found that he had been executed.
His two fellow passengers, a gay couple,were executed just 2 hours after being led into the bush,apparently because of their sexual orientation since no ransom demands were even floated (despite widely circulated media reports that the kidnappers had sent SMS messages to victim's grandmother demanding a P1 Million (roughly 20,000 Euros) payment. Also just as inaccurate are the reports that the 2 gay men had been executed at around the same time that Mr.Mananita was,24 hours prior to discovery).The 2,Rolando Francisco Jr. and Dariel Quintela were heading into Isabela City so that Francisco could earn money by styling hair as he tried to save enough to enter college.
The bodies of all 3 men were found on Saturday,June 4th in Barangay Sukaten in the town of Sumisip,after a fire fight at 8am the day before.As the AFP pursued the withdrawing ASG guerillas into their stronghold in Barangay Baiwas they came across the decomposing remains.That fire fight on Friday also wounded 2 AFP soldiers.It is worth noting that all 3 had been shot at close range and not decapitated as has also been reported by the media.
June 11,2010,Saturday,3PM outside of the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,3 men were illegaly logging in the bush, towing logs with caraboa (water buffalo) when they had the extremely bad luck to come across a retreating group of ASG. All 3 were found decapitated in Sitio Pali in Barangay Abong-Abong in that same town,Maluso.
On Wednesday, June 26th, 2010 at about 2PM in Sitio Stardust, in Barangay Tubig,also in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,a jeepney en route to Sumisip's Barangay Calcaban from Isabela City became the 2nd to be waylaid by Abu Sayyaf in the last four weeks,killing four and critically wounding wounding,including a 10 year old boy.The older wounded passenger was hacked nearly to death by bolo (machete) but despite media reports was not decapitated. The dead were the driver, 35 year old Rodel Weng Circulado and passengers Salsijan Ampuan Sali aged 22,Rahma Anjalun aged 35 and 17 year old Solis Aspalun.
Abu Sayyaf snipers atop a hill strafed the side of the jeepney, killing its driver and causing it to roll to a stop. At that point all passengers jumped out the rear and made a run for it with four being shot as they did so. As mentioned, one unlucky man,though managing to outrun his attacker was still badly mutilated by his pursuer's bolo.
On Feburary 2nd, 2010, Tuesday at 12PM in Barangay Guiong in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province, an AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) 6 x 6 truck with armoured refitting was flipped onto its back by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device, i.e. "Bomb"), one of two that day on that same Sumisip-Maluso Road (I wrote about the second IED in my previous entry on the Election Related Violence on Basilan). Corporal Bryan Ansing of the 32IB (Infantry Battalion) was killed instantly while eight of his mates were severely wounded.
With two IEDs by Abu Sayyaf, one hitting the army, the second hitting a politician, it is difficult to say which 1 was the target. IEDs in the Philippines are almost always command detonated (someone must physically detonate it, no timer is used) as indeed these two were...which leads one to wonder just whom the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) was aiming for. Conceivably it could have been both but the organisation hasn't attempted any finely co-ordinated attacks since the younger Janjalani brother was killed on Jolo Island. It is more likely than not that the target was the military and that the political killing was simply a stroke of luck (good luck for ASG but terrible luck of course for the victims).
Feburary 26th, 2010, at 820PM in Barangay Biembengan, in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province,the two Chinese nationals kidnapped from the island's Chinese owned Hi-Tech Wood Craft Plywood mill in the town of Maluso on Novemeber 10th, 2009 were finally freed. They had been taken with Filipino worker Mark Singson who was decapitated not long after because of his family's refusal to negotiate a ransom. 51 year old Zhi Shun Lu, known as "Oscar Lu," and 27 year old Bo Shung Tan, known as "Michael Tan," were found after a firefight between the Marines and ASG's Puruji Indama Faction, the strongest ASG faction on Basilan.
The men, both natives of Guanghzou, China, were then taken to the AFP's Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City for de-briefing and the requisite hospitalisation. Unfortunately, the older man, "Oscar Lu," who has had advanced kidney disease for a number of years, and who of course was without medications and dialysis for the length of his ordeal, passed away due to organ failure three days after being found. Talk about "mixed blessings."
On Saturday, Feburary 27th, 2010,at 545AM in the town of Maluso's Barangay Tubigan seventy ASG guerillas launched a village wide raid and burned five homes down by throwing kerosene lamps onto the thatched huts roofs. Most villagers were still sleeping at what for them was a relatively late hour due to an Islamic holiday the evening before and a party at the village mosque. As villagers were running for safety ASG began picking them off. Eleven died on scene. The raid stemmed from a personal disagreement between the Barangay Chairman/Captain (village chief) and an ASG factional leader,Puruji Indama. One of the dead was an off duty CVO soldier (Civilian Volunteer Organization, one of four entities that together form the CAA, or Civilian Active Auxiliary,the cornerstone of the AFP's counterinsurgency Force Multiplication protocol. CVO though, unlike all others, is under the PNP, Philippine National Police, and not the AFP). Among the initial eleven killed was young mother Karen Bucoy, her 9 year old son Arjie, and infant Abigail who were all burned alive in their home.
Other eight casulaties:
1) Benjie Laping
2) Timhaar Arakani
3) Uding Pagdalian
4) John Laping
5) Salima Salapuddin
6) Lorna Sahidda Salisa
7) Tawasil Idjiran
the eleventh initial victim, the CVO soldier, has not been immediately identified as per SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). In addition, ten other villagers were wounded, with two of them dying over the next 48 hours. One of the latter was 9 year old Jabrian Laping who died from organ failure related to his severe burns. The last and thirteenth fatality has not had their identity released.
Thursday, March 18th, 2010 was a lucky day for Examinda Lindio of Isabela City on Basilan, perhaps her luckiest ever when the AFP was able to pressure her Abu Sayyaf kidnappers into withdrawing without her. At 11AM, in Barangay San Jose Maloong, in Lamitan City in Basilan Province, MBLT-1 (Marine Battalion Landing Team #1 (a Landing Team being the equivalent of a company in strength but battalion in deployment) affected the capture Abu Sayyaf member Arvin Guirny of that same barangay.
After interrogating him they were able to glean the location of Ms.Lindio and by 115PM were in position. As the cordon tightened lookouts alerted the kidnappers who quickly fled the abandoned three story building without taking the necessary time to free and take their captive who was held in a tiny crawlspace underneath the 1st floor of the building.
Ms.Lindio had been kidnapped on Saturday, March 13th so she is doubly lucky having only spent roughly five days in captivity and having been freed unscathed which is incredibly rare here.
On April 13th, 2010 at 1030 AM in Isabela City's Barangay Eastside in Basilan Provincr Abu Sayyaf attempted to duplicate the 1995 Attack on Ipil, a majority Christian city on Mindanao's Zamboanga Peninsula, an isthmus that sits directly north of Isabela City. Ipil, an attack that killed fifty-six civlians was an operation that put Abu Sayyaf on the map.It was extremely well planned and audacious in nature but more importantly the group was able to pull it off in textbook fashion. Unfortunately for Abu Sayyaf, those days are long gone. 15 years later Abu Sayyaf, devoid of the Janjalani brothers and all other founding members dead and gone, the April 13th operation in Isabela City should prove this better than anything else.
At 1030 AM a truck bomb fashioned out of a Hyundai minivan parked behind Basilan National High School's grandstand detonated in a spectacular fireball. PNP (Philippine National Police) officer SPO4 Enrico "Ricky" Morales who commanded the Basilan PNP PPO (Provincial Police Office) joined 2 Marines stsnding nearby and ran to the source of the explosion. As the 3 men rounded the corner on the opposite end of the grandstand Abu Sayyaf snipers in captured PNP uniforms drew a bead on them. Both Marines died instantly while SPO4 Morales was seriously wounded. Sadly, Professor Bong de la Luna who taught at Basilan State College was caught in a crossfire between SPO4 Morales and the snipers and was also killed in the melee. Two Abu Sayyaf snipers were taken down,dying on scene,1 of which was in plain clothes.
At this point the remaining ASG snipers and their blocking force (shooters who protect escape routes and rear echelons) began to rapidly withdraw, pursued by SPO4 Morales' underlings aided by well armed civlians so that the barangay devolved into a chaotic scene of running firefights.
2 more Abu Sayyaf were wounded,both in PNP SAF (Special Action Forces,the PNP Special Forces) fatigues. They were taken to nearby Infante Hospital before being quickly airlifted across the water to Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamboanga City (1 dying days later,on April 21,from sepsis,with his only known ID being his nom de guerre, "Umbar" (He was buried on the coast of Zamboanga at Caragasan by the local Imam). The surviving Abu Sayyaf guerilla,Ajid Jalil,alternatively known as "Ajid Jainul" was arrested on June 29th after being released from WESMINCOM (West Mindanao Command) Hospital, the AFP's Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamoboanga City.
At just before 11AM, the day of the aforementioned ASG raid,after the wounding of the two Abu Sayyaf gunment above,a 2nd IED with an equally powerful payload (a"payload"being the expolsive component of the bomb) detonated at the Cathedral of Santa Isabela and destroyed 70% of the building's compound, wounding thirteen civilians. The bomb had been rigged to a motorcycle parked in the compound's parking lot immediately adjacent to the cathedral itself. Six SUVs were also destroyed along with 10 other motorcycles and 1 habal-habal (motorcycle taxi).
A third IED set in front of the home of Judge Leo Jay Principe, adjacent to Basilan RTC-1 (Regional Trial Court 1) was discovered prior to detonation. An AFP EOD (Explosive and Ordnance Detachment) detonated the device near by.Judge Princpe is the jurist who swore out the warrants for the 130 ASG and MILF 114 Base Command guerillas who are said to have taken part in the infamous joint action in July of 2007 that killed fourteen Marines, ten of whom were then decapitated,on Basilan.
A fourth IED did detonate, though prematurely as a cargo van full of Abu Sayyaf guerillas were driving through the streets of Isabela City at 1135 AM.Their van inexplicably caught fire causing the IED to go off before they could stop and exit the van. The guerillas were killed.
In a tell tale sign of just how low Abu Sayyaf has sunk,the wounded guerilla revealed during interrogation at Camp Navarro that almost all actors were in fact inexperienced youth hired from Basilan's municipality of Tipo Tipo.The operation was entirely devoid of political ideology and the fact that their direct employer was apparently a middle man,brokering the operation clearly points to an act of election sabotage in the avaristic sense, a candidate attempting to gain the upper hand over 1 or another of his (or her) competitors and win the election. Ergo, a political act devoid of political ideology if you will. Since Abu Sayyaf has been operating entirely for profit since 2002, this should come as no suprise.
On April 26th, 2010 in Barangay Baiwas, in the town of Sumisip, five Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in an accidental encounter with the AFP, as was one AFP soldier. After that initial bloody encounter running firefights took place throughout the rest of the day. These skirmishes in turn led to another unexpected windfall when the AFP"s 4th Scount Ranger Company (AFP Special Forces) stumbled into a major Abu Sayyaf camp.4 of the Rangers were moderately wounded when 1 inadvertantly tripped a boobytrapped IED inside the camp's perimeter. The IED was fashioned from a 60MM mortar shell with a simple monofilament trip wire.More shells,as is,were recovered as were RPG-2 rounds.
Tuesday, April 27th,2010, on the border of Barangays Pamasatken and Baiwas in the municipality of Sumisip in Basilan Province, an IED detonated wounding three AFP Scout Rangers from the 4th Scout Ranger Company on the side of Bundok Abong-Abong (Abong Abong Mountain) during a firefight with ASG who were wearing captured AFP fatigues along the ridgeline. A fourth Scout Ranger from the same company was wounded in a firefight 30 minutes later under the ridgeline as they began withdrawing to Medivac the 3 previously wounded soldiers.
On Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 at 5PM, in Barangay Bakong, in the town of Sumisip in Basilan Proince,a PNP convoy from Isabela City that had arrived in search of Abu Sayyaf after ASG guerillas had been sighted in and out of the bush outside of town had come up empty and was just turning around for the return trip into Isabela City when they were ambushed by that same band of Abu Sayyaf. Two PNP officers, SPO1 Abdurajik Haji and PO1 Charlie Arsenal were shot to death just as the ambush began. In a stroke of luck, Basilan's Director of the PNP PPO, Senior Superint.Antonio"Tony"Mendoza just missed punching his ticket by a single meter as his unarmoured vehicle managed to round the bend as the shooting began.Talk about thanking your lucky stars.
Two Abu Sayyaf guerillas were killed in that attack as well, one of which, Adduji Kawwil, is an ex-CVO soldier as well as a current Barangay Councilman/Kagawad. He was moonlighting but whether as a guerilla or a councilman depends upon perspective.
Wednesday,May 26th,2010 at 6 AM in Sitio Mompol in Barangay Libug,cin the town of Sumisip,30 Abu Sayyaf guerillas ambushed a jeepney (ubiqitous form of Philippine public transportation,fashioned from WWII Era American military jeeps that have had their axles lengthened to about 10 meters,thus resembling lowriding school busses) that was plying the road between Isabela City and Sumisip.
The Jeepney had just picked up a load of passengers for the return trip to Isabela City when it was flagged down by well armed Abu Sayyaf guerillas. Stopping, all passengers jumped out the rear,3 passengers,all males were singled out and taken away by the gunmen.
Claudio Mananita, an employee of Manggal Agrarian Reform Beneficiary and Development Cooperative, a rubber plantation land distribution concern was the 1st to be ransomed off,for P2 Million (roughly 40,000 Euros).His family,unable to pay anything at all later found that he had been executed.
His two fellow passengers, a gay couple,were executed just 2 hours after being led into the bush,apparently because of their sexual orientation since no ransom demands were even floated (despite widely circulated media reports that the kidnappers had sent SMS messages to victim's grandmother demanding a P1 Million (roughly 20,000 Euros) payment. Also just as inaccurate are the reports that the 2 gay men had been executed at around the same time that Mr.Mananita was,24 hours prior to discovery).The 2,Rolando Francisco Jr. and Dariel Quintela were heading into Isabela City so that Francisco could earn money by styling hair as he tried to save enough to enter college.
The bodies of all 3 men were found on Saturday,June 4th in Barangay Sukaten in the town of Sumisip,after a fire fight at 8am the day before.As the AFP pursued the withdrawing ASG guerillas into their stronghold in Barangay Baiwas they came across the decomposing remains.That fire fight on Friday also wounded 2 AFP soldiers.It is worth noting that all 3 had been shot at close range and not decapitated as has also been reported by the media.
June 11,2010,Saturday,3PM outside of the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,3 men were illegaly logging in the bush, towing logs with caraboa (water buffalo) when they had the extremely bad luck to come across a retreating group of ASG. All 3 were found decapitated in Sitio Pali in Barangay Abong-Abong in that same town,Maluso.
On Wednesday, June 26th, 2010 at about 2PM in Sitio Stardust, in Barangay Tubig,also in the town of Maluso in Basilan Province,a jeepney en route to Sumisip's Barangay Calcaban from Isabela City became the 2nd to be waylaid by Abu Sayyaf in the last four weeks,killing four and critically wounding wounding,including a 10 year old boy.The older wounded passenger was hacked nearly to death by bolo (machete) but despite media reports was not decapitated. The dead were the driver, 35 year old Rodel Weng Circulado and passengers Salsijan Ampuan Sali aged 22,Rahma Anjalun aged 35 and 17 year old Solis Aspalun.
Abu Sayyaf snipers atop a hill strafed the side of the jeepney, killing its driver and causing it to roll to a stop. At that point all passengers jumped out the rear and made a run for it with four being shot as they did so. As mentioned, one unlucky man,though managing to outrun his attacker was still badly mutilated by his pursuer's bolo.
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