On June 5th,2011 18 year old Renel Jeff Haganas,an NPA Irregular under Front 51,the Magtanggol Roque Command of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) and a resident of Makilala in North Cotabato paid the ultimate price for having guided the AFP,or Armed Forces of the Philippines,in its search for Front 51's camp last March.As the teenager was walking in Barangay Biangan his fellow NPA guerillas approached him and shot him in the face.Often times,NPA member or not,the AFP will"interrogate"individuals in an extreme manner after which,no matter your convictions,you aren't left with very much choice but to comply with the military's demands.Having co-operated though,young Mr.Haganas made the fatal mistake of assuming his betrayal would remain undiscovered.The camp in question,in Makilala's Barangay New Israel,wasn't that important.In fact,iit wasn't even in use when the AFP"captured"it,but the act of co-operation isn't taken lightly by the NPA and so the young man was made an example of.
On June 11th Front 51 launched an assault under the command of"Ka Enoy"on a temporary post of the 6DRC,or 6th Division Reconaissance Company,under 1Lt (First Lieutenant) Rito Petinglay in Makilala's Purok #6 in Barangay Batasan.The 30 minute firefight ended up killing PFC.(Private First Class) Arnie Agata but the NPA was unable to overrun the post and so withdrew into the jungle on the lower slopes of Mount Apo.
Two days later,on June 13th,in the municipality of Arakan,also in North Cotabato Province,Front 51 launched an assault on a CAFGU post in Barangay Anapolon but withdrew without success as the CAAs repulsed the assault without incurring,nor inflicting,any casualties.CAFGU,or Civilian Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit,is one of four entities that collectively form the CAA (Civilian Active Auxiliary) programme,which is itself the cornerstone of the AFP's counterinsurgency programme.Members,known as"CAAs,"are enlisted from within the community of deployment.Receiving a minimum of military training they are then issued uniforms and AFP weaponry,usually ancient M1s (Garands).They serve under an AFP NCO (Non-Commisioned Officer) who serves as a cadre but are often deployed rudderless into the field.
That same day,June 13th in the municipality of Magpet's Sito Kata Kulo in Barangay Basak,also in North Cotabato Province, the NPA's Front 51 launched an ambush against two 6 X 6 trucks full of soldiers from the 57IB (Infantry Battalion) as it patrolled that sector.Ten guerillas detonated an IED (Improvised Explosive Device,as in"bomb") that disabled the first of the two trucks and then launched a cross-fire barrage that precipitated a 10 minute firefight.Neither side suffered any casualties before the NPA withdrew into the bush.
The next day,June 14th,the 57IB launched an assault on a nine bunker NPA camp in the municipality of Makilala.After a 3 hour engagement that ended just after 9AM the soldiers were able to lay claim to some very minor IED components and not much else.Five of the bunkers were underground showing that it had been a substantial position but as usual the AFP allowed the NPA a clear route of withdrawal as opposed to actually trying to neutralise their enemy.
On June 15th the AFP launched a major push into Makilala.Deploying most of 3 IBs,the 39th,40th and the 57th,they softened the ground with airstrikes by OV-10 Broncos and MG520 helicopters before unleashing the ground assault on June 16th.On June 13th engagements had created 240 IDPs,or Internally Displaced Persons (i.em"Refugees") but by the 16th there were nearly 3000 who as of today,June 27th,remain in limbo.The AFP finished its operation on June 18th and claimed to have killed 4 NPA guerillas,two of whom they fully identified:
1) Alexander Selano
2) Miguel Oscio
The NPA though says that none of its guerillas were killed and that those two names belong to villagers who are neither dead nor NPA members.Moreover,the NPA claims to have killed 7 soldiers.
On June 25th the Mayor of Makilala,Rudy Goagdan,announced that the municipality was implementing a new programme designed to triage AFP casualties in the field.One would imagine that a huge military like the AFP would have trained combat medics but it does not.Those rare soldiers cross trained as medics are not even equipped to deal with snakebite and so those unlucky enough to be wounded critically in the field more often than not don't make it to the landing point for the long helicopter ride to AFP Hospitals which are only found in Division Headquarters and even then do a piss poor job of caring for their wounded.The programme,"OPlan Sagip Buhay,"or,"Operational Plan Lifesaver,"is also being offered to NPA casualties.It seems that Mayor Goagdan is taking a cue from Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City.
Some might remember how in another recent"NPA Armed Contacts,Second Quarter of 2011"entry I discussed the AFP's Scout Rangers overrunning a huge NPA camp in the municipality of Cateel in Davao Oriental Province in late May.Among the NPA casualties were 3 guerillas extremely critically wounded.Evacuated by the NPA to a friendly hospital in Surigao del Sur Province their commander was still deeply concerned,especially so because the lone female casualty,Vanessa"Ka Eching"Tropico de los Reyes of Davao City's Calinan District is his lover.Having a working relationship with Vice Mayor Duterte he called in a big favour.Duterte then used the city's helicopter and personally rode on the flight to retrieve the three casualties whom he then delivered to Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.Duterte's relationship with the NPA has unfortunately served as a model for other city mayors on Mindanao.
Back when Duterte was a City Prosecutor in the mid-1980s he began playing both sides of the fence.At the time Davao City was in open warfare with the NPA,the organisation then having a parallel government that controlled large portion's of the island'sargest city.In 1984 there was an upsurge in vigilantism inspired by NPA Surrenderees (NPA Defectors) who formed Right Wing paramilitaries.By 1986 the most powerful of the Right Wing groups,Alsa Masa,or Masses Arise,was enjoying an annual budget of US 9,000,a fortune even now in local standards,courtesy of the Davao City budget.Taking strategems learned from his father,a long serving governor of Davao Province (originally there was 1 province,long since sub-divided into four) and reached out to the NPA's powers that be.Consigning 4 of the city's outlying rural districts to the NPA,he received in exchange a commitment by the Maoist guerillas not to operate in any other part of the city.Having taken a terrible beating in other city districts the NPA cut its losses and agreed.
Duterte capitalised on the deal by riding it into cityhall in the mayoral elections.Not long after other local warlords cum mayors copied Duterte's gameplan and brokered deals of their own and so cities like Cagayan del Oro,Iligan,Butuan and Zamboanga avoided the bloodshed that has continued to soak the countryside.Another mayor who copied Duterte's deal with the devil was Francisco Rabat,a long serving mayor in the municipality of Mati,in Davao Oriental Province.Just as in Davao City Rabat kept the NPA out of the town proper by offering them carte blanche in rural,outlying portions of his municipality.In 2007 his daughter Michelle Rabat won the mayoral election and simply assumed that her father's agreement was transferrae to her administration.
On June 7th,2011 Ms.Rabat discovered,much to her suprise,that it wasn't.At 7PM that evening the town's newly installed CCTV system (Closed Circuit Television) zeroed in on the city's bus terminal.Located between that terminal and the adjoining public market was a small MPO (Municipal Police Office) post.Standing outside the post was PO3 Alfredo Salva,cradling his M16.The cameras watched as six men walked towards the post,four of them spreading out as sentinels.Two of the men continued walking towards the unsuspecting police officer and as one of them suddenly pointed a pistol at him,the other lunged for his M16.The quick thinking police officer instantly raised the barrel and shot both of them but as he did this one of the four sentinels ran over and shot the officer in the face with a 45 caliber pistol,instantly killing him.He then reached down and pried the M16 from his hands and disappeared into the evening with his three companions,leaving behind the other two guerillas,one of whom had already died.
Of the two NPA guerillas shot by Officer Salva,the fatality was identified as Ramil"Ka Bunso"Sallanes and the critically wounded guerilla was positively identified as Ariel"Ka Gary"Manuray,both of Front 18,the Wilfredo Zapanta Command,Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC).Manuray was transported to Davao City where he is being held at the same hospital as the aforementioned three wounded guerillas rescused by Vice Mayor Duterte,the Southern Philippines Medical Center.Guarded by AFP soldiers he also lies in critical condition.Mayor Michelle Rabat broke the virtual code of silence on June 25th and discussed the deal her father made.It is no secret to those dealing in the island's counterinsurgency mileu but the fact that the Mayor actually discussed it openly is a huge shock.That she did so hours before Makilala's Mayor Goagdan offered succor to wounded NPA guerillas does make the latter's offer much more understandable.As humane an offer as it is it is troubling that Government officials blur the lines in an already heavily intertwined dynamic.Battling the NPA is difficult enough without having officials cross the line from adversary to ally,all the while skippin disaffected bystander (as if any official on Mindanao could ever be one).
The Church-based sectoral front organisation"Exodus for Peace"is appealing to Major General Segovia of the 10ID (Infantry Division) to release those three NPA guerillas rescued by Vice Mayor Duterte of Davao City.The group reminded Segovia that the NPA always safely releases its AFP and PNP (Philippine National Police) POWs (Prisoners of War).The group says releasing the three would be a wonderful Goodwill Gesture to which Segovia responded that in fact the Government has accorded the NPA many Goodwill Gestures only to have the group repay the Government with bloody attacks.Besides Major General Segovia said,they were charged by the courts on June 5th with Frustrated Murder so it is now a judicial issue.
Showing posts with label Southern Mindanao Regional Command. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Southern Mindanao Regional Command. Show all posts
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, December 24, 2010
NPA,Last Quarter of 2011:The Xmas Ceasefire Struggles On and Two Cases of Poetic Justice
In my most recent NPA entry I discussed the acceleration of NPA Tactical Offencives that always takes place during the interim period between the announcement of their annual,unilaterally declared holiday season ceasefire and its commencement.I mentioned that the weeks during that short window are usually extra bloody.The bad news of course is that I was correct,people died and were otherwise maimed.The good news,if there can indeed be any good news when non-combatants lose their lives,is that none of it took place here on Mindanao.
The AFP has screamed to anyone willing to listen that the engagement in Las Navas,Northern Samar Province, Samar Island, on Tuesday, December 14,2010 was a blatant violation of that afore mentioned ceasefire,despite the ceasefire not beginning until Thursday,December 16.A 12 man detachment from the 63IB (Infantry Battalion) was en route to its garrison when ambushed by the NPA .Of the 12 men,10 died almost immediately from the IED (Improvised Explosive Device, i.e. "Bomb") which precipitated the by the books ambush while the 2 survivors were badly wounded. Perhaps the saddest part is that a 9 year old boy was also killed.The boy,Joven Cabe,died from shrapnel generated by the IED.The NPA captured 10 M16s,every weapon in that detachnent.
0n December 10,just 4 days before this ambush the NPA ambushed a pump boat (local type of small inter-island ferrying craft) with a detachment of 6 soldiers aboard from the 83rd CMOU (Civil-Military Operations Unit) who boarded in Barangay Poblacion and were en route to Barangay Poponton. After the craft had just crossed the border of Barangays Taylor and Victory along the Hinaga River it was ambushed by the NPA. 5 soldiers immediately dived into the river as civilian passengers aboard the small craft took the brunt of the attack.2 of those non-combatants were killed,1 of which,Edward Gugdad,was a 15 year old young man.
In July the AFP proudly announced that pacification of Northern Samar was rolling right along and recommemded that the provincial government launch a tourism campaign.Less than a month later,on August 21,2010,the NPA slaughtered an 8 man PNP (Philippine National Police) detachment.As a rule I only discuss Mindanao but the last attack on Samar,2 days prior to commencement of the ceasefire,became a major issue with regard to AFP Propaganda that accuses the NPA of"violating"a ceasefire that IT conceived and implemented.
Although nobody was killed on Mindanao during the interim,the NPA here was by no means dormant (and neither was the AFP). On the same day that those 10 soldiers in Northern Samar were killed,Tuesday,December 14,the NPA again dressed in AFP uniforms and by subterfuge,and without firing a shot,were able to capture 2 M16s, 2 pump shotguns and 2 45 pistols.Clad in their army fatigues the 30 guerillas made their way to Barangay San Ignacio in Manay,Davao Oriental Province.Approaching an IFM (Integrated Forest Management) office the disguised guerillas managed to wrangle a truck.Using the truck they made their way to Barangay Old Macopa in that same town and split into 2 smaller detachments and then approached the home of Barangay Captain Romeo Antoling.Upon their arrival at the Antoling home the guerillas announced that their detachment was on a Hot Pursuit Operation in search of an NPA detachment.Simultaneously,the 2nd NPA detachment did the very same thing at the home of the Barangay Captain's son,Romeo Antoling Jr.,who lost 1 40 caliber pistol and two 12 gauge shotguns.
Romeo Antoling Sr.is lucky not to have been executed given his personal history.On June 13, 2010 Antoling Sr.had invited local radio commentator Desidario "Jessie" Camangyan to emcee a barangay kareoke contest.At 11PM that evening as the finalists were giving it their all his live-in girlfriend (the Philippines does not recognise Common Law Marriage) was holding their baby and watched in horror as a man stepped out of the crowd,raised his 45 caliber pistol and shot Jess to death.
At a meeting about the death days later at the Manay town hall, his grieving lover looked up as the municipality's PNP (Philippine National Police) officers entered the room to update the gathering on the nascent investigation.All of a sudden a shriek pierced the room as she became hysterical.When she had sufficiently re-gained her composure she pointed to 1 of the PNP officers,PO1 Dennis"Jess"Esteban Lumikid and said that he was the killer she had personally witnessed.The deceased radio commentator had been critical of both illegal logging and illegal gambling and Antoling Sr.,who has his own small paramilitary to protect his illegal logging operation,decided to silence the 52 year old broadcaster.Knowing that the deceased was in dire straits since his station,"Sunshine FM,"in the neighbouring town of Mati placed him on hiatus,he offered him 3,000 Pesos for a nights works ($70,half a months pay for a labourer) along with a pump shotgun (aaaaaah, "guns and Mindanao," I think it would make a bloody good tourism slogan).
Officer Lumikid was formally charged on July 05,2010 by a dedicated (in the sense that they were especially empanelled to investigate only this case) task force but had been detained since June 23 when the investigatory panel,Task Force Camangyan,initially filed the charges with the Davao Oriental Provincial Prosecutor.Since June 23rd he had been kept in the custody of his superiors at PNP Provincial Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (where he had been transferred since June 24).Antoling was charged by the Task Force on that same day, June 23rd.On November 10, 2010,Lumikid was finally arraigned but Antoling had his charges dismissed for lack of evidence,at the end of August.
Ergo, having your weapons stolen instead of being shot to death for being the loser you are COULD be seen as a stroke of luck.Just depends on perspective I guess.
The love affair between Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City and Leonicio"Ka Parago"Pitao,CO (Commanding Officer) of the NPA's Merardo Arce Command continues this holiday season.As I had written in at least one recent NPA-themed entry, Duterte and his daughter,Mayor Sarah"Inday"Duterte Carpio have been whispering sweet nothings to Ka Parago as they practically beg the guerilla leader to come out of the mountains and enjoy Xmas in the city.Parago of course refused the kind offer and instead invited both father AND daughter up to his mountain lair.Sunday,December 26 will mark the 42nd Anniversary of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) and all NPA Regional Commands hold large gatherings.The 2 strongest Regional Commands,NEMR (North East Mindanao Region) and Parago's,SMR (Southern Mindanao Region) have the largest of these get-togethers.Indeed,on December 20th as Vice Mayor Duterte ordered Davao City PNP not to arrest Parago,et al the Vice Mayor announced he WOULD in fact be going to Parago's camp to be spending at least a part of the Xmas holiday.
Speaking of Ka Parago's Merardo Arce Command,on December 17,1 day after the ceasefire began,the NPA was forced to very quickly re-position itself when the 1003Bde (Brigade) began heavy troop movements as it Forward Deployed in Davao City's Paquibato District.The AFP is feigning innocence,claiming it was NOT a tactical deployment at all but rather a large logistical shift to ready the district for CMO/PDT actions (Civil-Military Operations such as medical outreaches and the cobstruction of school buildings,and of course the latest Hearts and Minds weapon,"Peace and Development Teams".PDTs as they are called in military shorthand are day-to-day CMO liasons and actors who spend weeks in a given barangay.On the other hand,CMO elements rarely spend a single week in 1 locale).
Parago is on everbody's mind these days...On Friday,December 17,2010,Sheriff Abe Andress told a Davao City Court that try as he might,he just could not find Parago's camp (riiiight, as if he even entered an NPA held district).Sheriff Andress had been"looking"to serve a subpoena to Ka Parago over a Writ of Amparo filed by local woman,Juanita Gomez.Juanita's husband,Jerry Gomez,had been selling ice cream for 4 years in an NPA controlled area when Merardo Arce Command's PBC1 (Pulang Bagani Command #1, the company sized element that Parago personally comands) abducted him in late August,2010.A Writ of Amparo is designed to offer families relief in cases of enforced disappearances.Primarily designed to be utilised by people having good cause to believe the GOVERNMENT has abducted a loved one,the Writ,if granted by a court,compels the entity so charged to produce the missing person post haste.It can also be utilised by the family to gain protection from retaliatory intimidation and/or violence.To my knowledge this is the first attempted utilisation of a Writ of Amparo against a non-governmental entity.Ms.Gomez says she received a phone call on December 01,from the NPA telling her not to worry,that her husband is OK and will be returning home shortly.
That same day,December 17,one day after the ceasefire began,a joint AFP/PNP checkpoint in Barangay Pili,Bayugan,Agusan del Sur Province,a car carrying 5 men was flagged for inspection and searched.Upon identifying the 5 men in the vehicle it was discovered that all 5 were NPA guerillas from NCMR (North Central Mindanao Region).1 of the 5 is a High Value Target, 67 year old Pedro"Ka Gonyong"Codaste.Codaste was en route to Butuan City in Agusan del Norte Province to spend Xmas with his family.Codaste was nabbed on a Warrant out of Regional Trial Court,Branch 8,in Malaybalay City,Bukidnon Province.The charges,Multiple Murder and Frustrated Multiple Murder,stem from tactical operations.The NPA,CPP and NDF (National Democratic Front) each condemned the arrests,especially Codaste's,as a violation of the ceasefire.The AFP maintains that since he had a Warrant it was an act of Law Enforcement.By the end of he week the NDF claimed Codaste was a member of the NDF negotiating team though they didn't specify as to when he joined that effort (seeing as how his name has never appeared on any NDF lists submitted to either GRP OR Norway,the Facilitating Nation.The claim of an arrestee being from either the NPA OR CPP belongs to the NDF Peace Process is extremely relevant since any person belonging is automatically imbued with immunity from arrest,detention and prosecution.
On December 18,2010 an ex-NPA guerilla who withdrew from the movement in 2006 was shot to death by a SPARU (Special Partisan Armed Revolutionary Unit,3 to 5 person assasination squads) for being an IS-AFP (AFP Intelligence) asset.Randy Acao Umpo,a farmer,was alone and listening to the radio at his home in Sitio Mamaon,Barangay Sibula,Toril District,Davao City when shot on the right side of his chest and died instantly.Ironically he had belonged to a SPARU Team himself.
The AFP has screamed to anyone willing to listen that the engagement in Las Navas,Northern Samar Province, Samar Island, on Tuesday, December 14,2010 was a blatant violation of that afore mentioned ceasefire,despite the ceasefire not beginning until Thursday,December 16.A 12 man detachment from the 63IB (Infantry Battalion) was en route to its garrison when ambushed by the NPA .Of the 12 men,10 died almost immediately from the IED (Improvised Explosive Device, i.e. "Bomb") which precipitated the by the books ambush while the 2 survivors were badly wounded. Perhaps the saddest part is that a 9 year old boy was also killed.The boy,Joven Cabe,died from shrapnel generated by the IED.The NPA captured 10 M16s,every weapon in that detachnent.
0n December 10,just 4 days before this ambush the NPA ambushed a pump boat (local type of small inter-island ferrying craft) with a detachment of 6 soldiers aboard from the 83rd CMOU (Civil-Military Operations Unit) who boarded in Barangay Poblacion and were en route to Barangay Poponton. After the craft had just crossed the border of Barangays Taylor and Victory along the Hinaga River it was ambushed by the NPA. 5 soldiers immediately dived into the river as civilian passengers aboard the small craft took the brunt of the attack.2 of those non-combatants were killed,1 of which,Edward Gugdad,was a 15 year old young man.
In July the AFP proudly announced that pacification of Northern Samar was rolling right along and recommemded that the provincial government launch a tourism campaign.Less than a month later,on August 21,2010,the NPA slaughtered an 8 man PNP (Philippine National Police) detachment.As a rule I only discuss Mindanao but the last attack on Samar,2 days prior to commencement of the ceasefire,became a major issue with regard to AFP Propaganda that accuses the NPA of"violating"a ceasefire that IT conceived and implemented.
Although nobody was killed on Mindanao during the interim,the NPA here was by no means dormant (and neither was the AFP). On the same day that those 10 soldiers in Northern Samar were killed,Tuesday,December 14,the NPA again dressed in AFP uniforms and by subterfuge,and without firing a shot,were able to capture 2 M16s, 2 pump shotguns and 2 45 pistols.Clad in their army fatigues the 30 guerillas made their way to Barangay San Ignacio in Manay,Davao Oriental Province.Approaching an IFM (Integrated Forest Management) office the disguised guerillas managed to wrangle a truck.Using the truck they made their way to Barangay Old Macopa in that same town and split into 2 smaller detachments and then approached the home of Barangay Captain Romeo Antoling.Upon their arrival at the Antoling home the guerillas announced that their detachment was on a Hot Pursuit Operation in search of an NPA detachment.Simultaneously,the 2nd NPA detachment did the very same thing at the home of the Barangay Captain's son,Romeo Antoling Jr.,who lost 1 40 caliber pistol and two 12 gauge shotguns.
Romeo Antoling Sr.is lucky not to have been executed given his personal history.On June 13, 2010 Antoling Sr.had invited local radio commentator Desidario "Jessie" Camangyan to emcee a barangay kareoke contest.At 11PM that evening as the finalists were giving it their all his live-in girlfriend (the Philippines does not recognise Common Law Marriage) was holding their baby and watched in horror as a man stepped out of the crowd,raised his 45 caliber pistol and shot Jess to death.
At a meeting about the death days later at the Manay town hall, his grieving lover looked up as the municipality's PNP (Philippine National Police) officers entered the room to update the gathering on the nascent investigation.All of a sudden a shriek pierced the room as she became hysterical.When she had sufficiently re-gained her composure she pointed to 1 of the PNP officers,PO1 Dennis"Jess"Esteban Lumikid and said that he was the killer she had personally witnessed.The deceased radio commentator had been critical of both illegal logging and illegal gambling and Antoling Sr.,who has his own small paramilitary to protect his illegal logging operation,decided to silence the 52 year old broadcaster.Knowing that the deceased was in dire straits since his station,"Sunshine FM,"in the neighbouring town of Mati placed him on hiatus,he offered him 3,000 Pesos for a nights works ($70,half a months pay for a labourer) along with a pump shotgun (aaaaaah, "guns and Mindanao," I think it would make a bloody good tourism slogan).
Officer Lumikid was formally charged on July 05,2010 by a dedicated (in the sense that they were especially empanelled to investigate only this case) task force but had been detained since June 23 when the investigatory panel,Task Force Camangyan,initially filed the charges with the Davao Oriental Provincial Prosecutor.Since June 23rd he had been kept in the custody of his superiors at PNP Provincial Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (where he had been transferred since June 24).Antoling was charged by the Task Force on that same day, June 23rd.On November 10, 2010,Lumikid was finally arraigned but Antoling had his charges dismissed for lack of evidence,at the end of August.
Ergo, having your weapons stolen instead of being shot to death for being the loser you are COULD be seen as a stroke of luck.Just depends on perspective I guess.
The love affair between Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City and Leonicio"Ka Parago"Pitao,CO (Commanding Officer) of the NPA's Merardo Arce Command continues this holiday season.As I had written in at least one recent NPA-themed entry, Duterte and his daughter,Mayor Sarah"Inday"Duterte Carpio have been whispering sweet nothings to Ka Parago as they practically beg the guerilla leader to come out of the mountains and enjoy Xmas in the city.Parago of course refused the kind offer and instead invited both father AND daughter up to his mountain lair.Sunday,December 26 will mark the 42nd Anniversary of the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) and all NPA Regional Commands hold large gatherings.The 2 strongest Regional Commands,NEMR (North East Mindanao Region) and Parago's,SMR (Southern Mindanao Region) have the largest of these get-togethers.Indeed,on December 20th as Vice Mayor Duterte ordered Davao City PNP not to arrest Parago,et al the Vice Mayor announced he WOULD in fact be going to Parago's camp to be spending at least a part of the Xmas holiday.
Speaking of Ka Parago's Merardo Arce Command,on December 17,1 day after the ceasefire began,the NPA was forced to very quickly re-position itself when the 1003Bde (Brigade) began heavy troop movements as it Forward Deployed in Davao City's Paquibato District.The AFP is feigning innocence,claiming it was NOT a tactical deployment at all but rather a large logistical shift to ready the district for CMO/PDT actions (Civil-Military Operations such as medical outreaches and the cobstruction of school buildings,and of course the latest Hearts and Minds weapon,"Peace and Development Teams".PDTs as they are called in military shorthand are day-to-day CMO liasons and actors who spend weeks in a given barangay.On the other hand,CMO elements rarely spend a single week in 1 locale).
Parago is on everbody's mind these days...On Friday,December 17,2010,Sheriff Abe Andress told a Davao City Court that try as he might,he just could not find Parago's camp (riiiight, as if he even entered an NPA held district).Sheriff Andress had been"looking"to serve a subpoena to Ka Parago over a Writ of Amparo filed by local woman,Juanita Gomez.Juanita's husband,Jerry Gomez,had been selling ice cream for 4 years in an NPA controlled area when Merardo Arce Command's PBC1 (Pulang Bagani Command #1, the company sized element that Parago personally comands) abducted him in late August,2010.A Writ of Amparo is designed to offer families relief in cases of enforced disappearances.Primarily designed to be utilised by people having good cause to believe the GOVERNMENT has abducted a loved one,the Writ,if granted by a court,compels the entity so charged to produce the missing person post haste.It can also be utilised by the family to gain protection from retaliatory intimidation and/or violence.To my knowledge this is the first attempted utilisation of a Writ of Amparo against a non-governmental entity.Ms.Gomez says she received a phone call on December 01,from the NPA telling her not to worry,that her husband is OK and will be returning home shortly.
That same day,December 17,one day after the ceasefire began,a joint AFP/PNP checkpoint in Barangay Pili,Bayugan,Agusan del Sur Province,a car carrying 5 men was flagged for inspection and searched.Upon identifying the 5 men in the vehicle it was discovered that all 5 were NPA guerillas from NCMR (North Central Mindanao Region).1 of the 5 is a High Value Target, 67 year old Pedro"Ka Gonyong"Codaste.Codaste was en route to Butuan City in Agusan del Norte Province to spend Xmas with his family.Codaste was nabbed on a Warrant out of Regional Trial Court,Branch 8,in Malaybalay City,Bukidnon Province.The charges,Multiple Murder and Frustrated Multiple Murder,stem from tactical operations.The NPA,CPP and NDF (National Democratic Front) each condemned the arrests,especially Codaste's,as a violation of the ceasefire.The AFP maintains that since he had a Warrant it was an act of Law Enforcement.By the end of he week the NDF claimed Codaste was a member of the NDF negotiating team though they didn't specify as to when he joined that effort (seeing as how his name has never appeared on any NDF lists submitted to either GRP OR Norway,the Facilitating Nation.The claim of an arrestee being from either the NPA OR CPP belongs to the NDF Peace Process is extremely relevant since any person belonging is automatically imbued with immunity from arrest,detention and prosecution.
On December 18,2010 an ex-NPA guerilla who withdrew from the movement in 2006 was shot to death by a SPARU (Special Partisan Armed Revolutionary Unit,3 to 5 person assasination squads) for being an IS-AFP (AFP Intelligence) asset.Randy Acao Umpo,a farmer,was alone and listening to the radio at his home in Sitio Mamaon,Barangay Sibula,Toril District,Davao City when shot on the right side of his chest and died instantly.Ironically he had belonged to a SPARU Team himself.
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