Philippine Defense Today is Back

We are back!!!

Just a temporary furlow..

A bit of what happened in the past weeks since our last posting.

 - GRP-MILF nearing its goal but now in the most crucial stage of negotiations.
 - BIFF active again after announcements of GRP-MILF peace deal breakthroughs.
 - Communist rebels clash with soldiers in Davao del Sur and other parts of AOR of EASTMINCOM
 - and other stories..

Hope you continue to visit our blog..

Thanks

Philippine Defense Today

2013 a challenging year for the military—AFP chief

It was a tough year for soldiers and it is time of the year that they get recognized.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Emmanuel Bautista described 2013 as a “challenging” year for the military.

The year 2013 saw many big challenges in the armed forces—from the Sabah crisis, kidnapping of Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights, disaster response during calamities and the Zamboanga crisis.

“We have gone through a lot,” Bautista told reporters on Thursday.

It was a year that the military battled for three weeks in an urban setting. It was also the year where the strongest storm to hit land, super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), battered the country.

A huge number of soldiers were recognized this year and awarding ceremonies were held in various military camps. About 2,000 soldiers were deployed to battle forces of the Moro National Liberation Front in Zamboanga City last September.

A bigger awarding ceremony was held on Thursday at the AFP Thanksgiving Day at Camp Aguinaldo where 140 military personnel were awarded—most were from the Zamboanga crisis.

A second batch of the awarding ceremony with President Benigno Aquino III expected to attend will be held on Friday at the AFP’s 78th anniversary. Talks at Camp Aguinaldo say that the prestigious Medal of Valor, the highest award for combat, will be awarded to one military personnel.

“Soldiery is one of the noblest and honorable professions. For, indeed, the test of nobility and honor can be best measured by one’s willingness to offer the supreme sacrifice of his life for his country and people,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said on his speech at the AFP Thanksgiving Day.

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AFP warns business firms of NPA attacks

MANILA, Philippines - The military yesterday warned business firms of possible atrocities by the New People’s Army (NPA), citing the attack on an Army patrol base in Agusan del Norte last Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Victor Felix, chief of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said they are coordinating with the police and concerned government agencies to secure the investors.

“We have warned our detachments. We have also talked to the economic targets to strengthen their security posture,” Felix said.

“We should be prepared for any of their (NPA) offensive moves. They have already made a statement and I think we should take it seriously,” he added.

Felix said the rebels earlier said that they would attack some mining firms.

 “We are talking to the management (of the mining firms). In fact, some of the firms have asked us to establish SCAA (Special Civilian Armed Auxilliary) units,” he said.

Another possible target of rebels are agricultural firms, Felix said.

A soldier was killed and two others were injured when suspected rebels swooped down on the patrol base of the 23rd Infantry Battalion more than three hours after the 18-day ceasefire was lifted.

On Sunday, communist rebels also threatened to stage more attacks to dispel the military’s claim that 23 provinces have been liberated from insurgency.

“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) has been known to make such claims, only to be slapped in the face after a few days by NPA offensives,” the Communist Party of the Philippines said in a statement.

“In the next few weeks and months, the AFP will again be eating its own words as the NPA continues to launch more and more tactical offensives across the archipelago,” it added.

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By Alexis Romero The Philippine Star Updated January 05, 2012 12:00 AM

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AFP: We liberated 23 provinces from NPA

In a somewhat startling declaration Thursday, the Armed Forces claimed to have “liberated” 23 provinces from the four-decades-old communist insurgency, which it said lost more than 300 guerrillas in 2011.

The military said its Internal Peace  and Security Plan (IPSP), referred to as the “Bayanihan,” had freed the provinces from the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), and political arm, the National Democratic Front (NDF).

“The AFP through the IPSP Bayanihan liberated 23 provinces from the CPP-NPA-NDF influence, with their internal security operations turned over to their respective local government units,” the military said.

The provinces are Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Biliran, Cebu, Bohol, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, La Union, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Cavite, Marinduque, Romblon, Guimaras, Siquijor and Leyte and Southern Leyte.

Insignificant presence

AFP public affairs chief  Colonel Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said the presence of NPA guerrillas in these provinces had become so insignificant that the military had turned over the job of maintaining security in these areas to the local government  units.

“These are indicators that there is now unhampered progress in these provinces without major incidents of violence and extortion by the NPA rebels,” he said in a phone interview.

“We can’t say there’s zero presence but we can say that it is no longer significant,” Burgos said.

He said the AFP, through the IPSP, had made great strides in its campaign against the communists as well as significant headway in the alleviation of “poverty-induced insurgency.”

“The AFP’s intensified military presence, civil military operations and social reintegration resulted [in] the CPP-NPA-NDF losing 341 of its members, 235 of [whom] have surrendered and opted for a peaceful life with their families,” the AFP said in a press release.

“The rest who still resorted to armed engagement against government troops have either been apprehended or killed in  encounters,” it added.

According to Burgos, there are still some 25 provinces with varying degrees of NPA influence, including Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, Davao and Agusan del Sur, among others.

NPA turns ‘criminal’

Only “less than 5,000” NPA rebels remain in the countryside waging their decadeslong revolution, he said.

The AFP said the NPA, which has been trying to supplant democracy with the communist ideology, has largely transformed itself into a criminal group involved in extortion as its primary source of income.

It said the NPA has also been associated with various criminal activities, from murder and kidnapping to robbery, bombing and arson. The NPA allegedly exploded 21 improvised explosive devices, killing 28 persons, five of them AFP personnel, it added.

The military also denounced what it described as the communists’ lack of sincerity in pursuing peace talks with the government. Negotiations stalled recently after the NDF demanded the release of several jailed members as a condition to restart the talks.

‘Pattern of insincerity’

“Over the years, the (CPP-NPA-NDF) have shown a pattern of insincerity in the ongoing peace talks, where they have not shown any intention but to intensify propaganda and gain concessions from the government, as well as to push for the release of ‘protected’ people under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig),” it said.

In the statement, AFP Chief Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa said the military would not cease in its efforts to stamp out the root causes of the insurgency, using a propeople and propoor approach.

“Through people-centered and multisector engagements, we will not stop until the root causes of insurgency are alleviated,” he said.

“Our pro-people programs will continue in support of the government’s peace negotiation efforts. Our soldiers will continue to safeguard our people from threats posed by an irrelevant armed struggle,” Dellosa said.

On-and-off peace talks

The armed struggle of the CPP dates back to its establishment on Dec. 26, 1968, when it broke away from the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas during a restive period in the country’s history that would culminate in the declaration of martial law in 1972.

Since its founding, the NPA has become a thorn on the side of government, launching attacks in the countryside and collecting revolutionary taxes from politicians and business establishments.

The government and the rebels have been holding peace talks on and off since the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino, the mother of President Benigno Aquino III. The talks have been suspended several times by either party.

In 2004, negotiations were scuttled after the NDF accused the Arroyo administration of “sabotaging” the talks by pressing for the rebels’ surrender upon the signing of a final peace agreement.

Last year, the Aquino administration declared its intention to revive the negotiations but the communists’ insistence that the government release its “consultants” have caused the talks to stall.

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By DJ Yap
Philippine Daily Inquirer

1:14 am | Friday, December 30th, 2011

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Military sends 500 caskets for 'Sendong' fatalities

MANILA, Philippines – The military will be sending 500 caskets for the fatalities of tropical storm “Sendong” in Visayas and Mindanao.

AFP public affairs office head Arnulfo Burgos said the caskets will be very useful for mass burials of the dead victims.

Burgos said there are volunteers and civic-minded individual partners of the AFP who are ready to help solve the problem of flying caskets and other logistics to the affected areas.

He said AFP chief Jesse Dellosa has ordered the Philippine Navy (PN) landing ship vessel (LSV) 551 BRP Dagupan to proceed to Mindanao on Tuesday for relief operations.

LSV 551 is departing Sangley Point on Tuesday morning with relief goods for survivors and coffins for the dead.

“The vessel will transport one battalion and can accommodate a few m-35 trucks. The trip will take two days to Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental,” Burgos said.

He also said the Philippine Air Force (PAF) F-27 Fokker Plane will also be sent for relief operations and bringing some coffins.

Burgos also said two medical teams from the AFP Medical Center (AFPMC) will also be sent over there.

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 December 19, 2011 04:38 PM

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AFP mobilizes to bring relief supplies to ‘Sendong’ affected areas

MANILA, Philippines- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have begun mobilizing to bring much needed relief supplies to victims of tropical storm “Sendong” (international name: WASHI) in Mindanao, an AFP spokesperson said Monday.

The Navy and the Air Force are set to transport relief goods and coffins to the storm ravaged areas in the southern Philippines, AFP Spokesperson Colonel Arnulfo Burgos said.

One Landing Ship Vessel, the BRP Dagupan, capable of carrying an entire battalion of troops, is already on standby in Cavite City. The BRP Dagupan will bring relief goods and coffins to the southern Philippines. It will take approximately two days to get to Mindanao.

Two Philippine Air Force Fokker Planes were scheduled to transport relief goods and coffins to Mindanao as well. They would bring around 20 coffins and relief goods, Burgos said.

Around 400 to 500 coffins were donated by a group of Pampanga Mayors. Burgos cited reports from the field that coffins were the most needed right now and that funeral parlors were running out.

A disaster response unit that was set to participate in the upcoming AFP Foundation day parade on December 21 has been mobilized instead to the calamity-struck areas of Mindanao.

Two medical teams from the V. Luna General Hospital are only waiting for the medical supplies they will be bringing to Mindanao before they are dispatched.

An estimated 20,000 troops from the Eastern Mindanao Command, Western Mindanao Command and Central Mindanao Command have shifted to disaster relief and rescue efforts, Burgos said.

The soldiers and staff of the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Camp Aguinaldo and the Field Naval Forces Southern Luzon have answered a call by AFP chief of staff, Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa, to donate one day of their meal subsistence allowance for the victims of Sendong, Burgos said.

One day of meal subsistence allowance corresponds to about P90 per soldier. Dellosa also called for the troops to donate relief goods, dry rations and whatever else they can give that will help the victims of the calamity.

The AFP Ball, a traditional dinner party on the AFP Foundation day where AFP officials can meet the Commander-in-chief President Benigno Aquino, has been cancelled in light of the calamity.

The AFP Foundation day celebration, set on December 21, has been toned down. The fireworks display will no longer push through, the resources for which will be allocated instead to help the disaster-relief operations, Burgos said.

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By Matikas Santos
INQUIRER.net

5:30 pm | Monday, December 19th, 2011

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AFP cuts down party expenses for `Sendong’ victims

MANILA, Philippines–In sympathy with the victims of tropical storm Sendong, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has scaled down its AFP Day celebration on Dec. 21,
Wednesday.

The use of fireworks and the display of military disaster response units for the parade have been canceled.

The AFP leadership has also canceled the traditional formal dinner of all military commanders with President Aquino that night, as part of the celebration.

As a result, the AFP will save about P3 million which will be rechanneled to the ongoing rescue and relief operations, a military spokesman said.

“With what has happened in Mindanao, we are finding ways how to rechannel resources to help in the rescue and relief efforts. The disaster component
units that will join the parade have been taken out and diverted to Mindanao,” Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said.

But the fly-by exercise of military planes for the AFP anniversary celebration at the general headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo was retained.

Burgos said these planes are not used in disaster response operations. He said other military assets have been tapped to transport relief goods.

Two Air Forces Fokker planes will leave Tuesday morning each carrying 20 donated coffins.

The BRP Dagupan (LSV 551) will also leave on Tuesday morning to bring in relief goods and 400 to 500 coffins donated by Pampanga mayors.

During the flag raising ceremony on Monday, AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa thanked the thousands of soldiers leading the task of retrieving victims and assisting in relief operations.

He called for voluntary donation from soldiers for the victims.

Most soldiers and civilian employees based in Camp Aguinaldo gave up one day’s worth of their subsistence allowance amounting to P90 to donate to the disaster operations.

The Naval Forces South assigned in the Bicol region also immediately followed suit and gave up their subsistence allowance for one day.

About 20,000 soldiers from the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command, Western Mindanao Command and Central Command are in the thick of rescue, retrieval and relief operations.

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By Dona Z. Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

4:39 pm | Monday, December 19th, 2011

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PHL wants to acquire F-16 fighter jets from US: sources

THE Philippines has reportedly asked the US for a squadron of used F-16 “Fighting Falcon” fighter jets to boost the country’s external defense.

While the request calls for the F-16s to be given to the country for free, the Philippine government is willing to pay for any upgrades or modifications that may be needed for the aircraft, sources said.

The proposed deal reportedly involves the transfer of used F-16s from the US’s excess equipment now stored at the US Air Forces’ “aircraft boneyard” in Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.

The F-16 “Fighting Falcon” is one of the most versatile multi-role fighter planes in the US Air Force. It has been used since 1974.

The recent saber-rattling by China over the Spratly Islands and some other areas on the West Philippine Sea has prompted the country to seek an air superior fighter plane, sources said.

The Philippines has always relied on the US for its external defense because of the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty, thus the country has seen no need to boost its external defense in the past.

The recent events in the Spratlys, however, prompted the need to have an air superior fighter to discourage the Chinese air force from intruding into Philippine air space.

About five years ago, the Air Force mothballed its eight remaining 1960-vintage F-5 “Freedom Fighters” that were acquired from South Korean and Taiwan because they are no match for the more modern fighters now used by practically all civilized countries and are expensive to maintain.

Thus, the Air Force had to rely on trainer planes to support the government’s campaign against Moro separatists and communist rebels.

Before the Arroyo administration stepped down, it purchased 18 Italian-made SF-260 trainers that are also being used as light ground attack aircraft.

In addition, the Air Force has S-211 trainer jets that are also used as maritime patrol aircraft and ground attack planes.

As maritime patrol aircraft, however, the S-211s are not that efficient since they lack electronic equipment to “see” what they are patrolling. Thus, what the aircraft can “see” are all that the two pilot can spot with their eyes.

The Air Force has five S-211 jets.

The F-16 “Fighting Falcon” is a multi-role jet fighter aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Corp.

It is meant to be and air superiority fighter.

Indonesia recently acquired 24 F-16 fighters. It is also used by the air forces of Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore.

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SATURDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2011 18:42 NONNIE PELAYO / NEWS EDITOR

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Army deploys Scout Rangers to go after NPA ambushers

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Army dispatched yesterday its elite Scout Ranger force to track down New People’s Army (NPA) rebels who attacked and killed five soldiers on a peace and development mission in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur the other day.

The rebel-initiated attack in Barangay Mabuhay also left two soldiers wounded. It came a day after the government’s declaration of a unilateral 18-day suspension of military operations against rebels nationwide.

“Our elite Scout Ranger troops are now tracking down NPA rebels under the Guerilla Fronts 16 and 30 of the Northern Mindanao Regional Committee to support ongoing operations by the Philippine National Police,” said Maj. Eugenio Julio Eugene Osias IV, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division in Cagayan de Oro City.

The operations were being undertaken despite heavy rains brought about by typhoon “Sendong” in the province.

“We consider rebel attackers as criminals, and in support to our police counterparts – rain or shine – we will pursue them,” Osias said.

The five slain soldiers, all from the Bravo Company of the 36th Infantry Battalion, were in Barangay Mabuhay when rebels aboard an Isuzu Elf truck attacked them.

Outnumbered, the soldiers fought back but were overwhelmed by the rebel force.

The rebels fled with one K3 squad automatic weapon, an M203 grenade launcher, four M16 rifles, five M14 rifles, a Harris hand-held radio and a Harris man-packed radio taken from killed and wounded soldiers.

Aside from the Scout Rangers, 4th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Victor Felix also deployed troops in the area to pin down the rebels.
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By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) Updated December 18, 2011 12:00 AM
Link (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=759656&publicationSubCategoryId=63)

Philippines launches warship amid territorial row

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippines relaunched an old U.S. Coast Guard cutter Wednesday as its biggest and most modern warship to guard potentially oil-rich waters that are at the center of a dispute with China.

President Benigno Aquino III witnessed the commissioning of the 3,390-ton Philippine navy frigate BRP Gregorio del Pilar in an austere Manila pier ceremony that he said symbolized his country's struggle to modernize its underfunded military despite many obstacles.

"As an archipelago with 36,000 nautical miles of coastline, it's important for us to have an adequate and formidable defense to guard our islands," Aquino said. He added that such a security shield could no longer be mounted "with dilapidated vessels and old and faulty equipment."

As a navy brass band played, Roman Catholic priests sprinkled holy water on the deck of the newly repainted warship, equipped with anti-aircraft guns and a newly refurbished surveillance helicopter on the flight deck. Three navy planes flew over and officials broke a bottle of sugarcane wine on the bow as the ship went into commission.

Officials also unveiled a smaller troop- and tank-carrying ship named BRP Tagbanua, the first of its kind to be assembled in the Philippines.

Already spread thin while fighting decades-long Muslim and communist insurgencies, the 125,000-strong military has begun to focus on territorial defense amid renewed tension over long-simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The Philippines, a U.S. defense treaty partner, has relied on Washington to acquire better surveillance and patrol ships and aircraft for its military, one of Asia's weakest. Aquino said the Philippines would acquire another U.S. Coast Guard cutter soon. He also plans to seek used fighter jets from Washington when he visits there next year.

"We've been left behind for a long while," Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said. "We can't monitor our surroundings, we can't monitor intrusions."

"We're taking steps to catch up with our neighbors," he said.

In March, two Chinese vessels tried to drive away a Philippine oil exploration ship from the Reed Bank, an area west of the western Philippine province of Palawan. Two Philippine air force planes were deployed, but the Chinese vessels had disappeared by the time they reached the submerged bank.

The Philippines protested the incident, which it said was one of several intrusions by China into its territorial waters in the first half of the year. Vietnam has also accused Chinese vessels of trying to sabotage oil exploration in its territorial waters this year, sparking rare anti-China protests in Vietnam.

China denied there were any intrusions, saying it has sovereignty over those waters. China claims nearly all the South China Sea on historical grounds.

The Philippine navy said it would deploy the new warship to waters west of Palawan, especially around an area called Malampaya, site of the country's largest natural gas field.

In July, China protested after the Philippine government invited foreign companies to bid for the right to explore oil and gas in two areas near the Malampaya gas field. One of the two areas was less than 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Palawan province, the closest territory to the Philippines to be claimed by Beijing, Energy Undersecretary Jose Layug Jr. said.

The Philippines asserted that the areas were well within Philippine territorial waters, Layug said, adding that the country would proceed to invite investors to explore for oil and gas in those areas.

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By JIM GOMEZ | AP

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New AFP chief declares ‘all-out war against graft and corruption’

MANILA, Philippines – Newly appointed Armed Forces Chief Jessie D. Dellosa has declared an “all-out war against graft and corruption” during the formal change of command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo Monday.

“An all-out war against graft and corruption and against few organizational misfits will free us from the seemingly never-ending corruption issue in the military,” Dellosa said in his response speech after assuming the AFP chief of staff post vacated by retiring General Eduardo Oban.

“This issue continuously ignores and mocks the fruitful efforts at reform the AFP has been carrying out for many years now,” Dellosa said.

“In [declaring all-out war on graft and corruption], we shall have the moral ascendancy worthy to be called soldiers of our people,” Dellosa added.

The declaration was part of his vision for the AFP on ongoing organizational reforms, which consists of the Philippine defense reform, fiscal and disbursement reforms and force restructuring.

Dellosa’s vision for the AFP was focused on four themes: territorial defense, the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) or “Bayanihan”, disaster preparedness, and organizational reforms.

“The complexity of our national security today, requires your AFP [to have] greater preparedness and effective multi-disciplinary approaches to genuinely reach our goals,” Dellosa said.

He thanked President Benigno Aquino III and Congress for the full support they have shown in upgrading the capabilities of the AFP. Among the highlights of the capability upgrade was the purchase of the BRP Greogiro del Pilar for the Philippine Navy to assist in territorial defense.

“Due to the recent developments in the West Philippine Sea, it compels us to look into our maritime security deeply. Development of navy and air force bases and facilities to efficiently respond to untoward incidents is something we can no longer ignore,” Dellosa said.

About the IPSP, Dellosa said that it has been focused on addressing the root causes of insurgency and conflict. “Let us be reminded that in the arena where both Filipinos are in armed conflict with each other, nobody wins; we have everything to lose.”

“Conflict in Mindanao has been going on for over four decades, inflicting suffering and damaging the people living in combat zones. I think it’s time to give peace a genuine chance,” Dellosa said.

The IPSP “Bayanihan” is the AFP’s campaign, in cooperation with local government units and other government agencies, to bring basic services to the people in conflict areas so that they can become productive citizens instead of becoming insurgents.

Also part of the campaign is the peace talks with a number of armed groups in order to entice them to go back to peace.

In line with the thrust for peace, Dellosa said that the AFP “would still deploy and maintain a credible deterrent force in the area [in order to] demonstrate the institution’s readiness and willingness to use legitimate force against any actions of rouge or lawless elements that may inflame hostilities and disrupts [the] peace process.”

Regarding disaster preparedness, Dellosa was looking to review the AFP’s strategic reserve force program “to make our reservists the backbone of AFP first responders in the event of calamities and natural disasters.”

He recognized that the Philippines was prone to natural disasters and vulnerable to climate change and geo-hazards.

Dellosa said that soldiers risked their lives during the typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” in order to rescue people. “Our mandate is not only to protect the people from the lawless elements but also to help our LGU’s [Local Government Units] in protecting the lives and properties [of the people] in times of calamities and disasters,” he said.

Dellosa also called on the citizenry to give their “vigorous support and enthusiastic cooperation.”

“Stand by your soldiers, share some of the risk of standing firm against those who seek to destroy our democratic way of life, especially those who use armed violence,” Dellosa said.

“Peace and security is shared, not just among security forces and government institutions, but also with civil society and the communities. You, as ordinary citizens, are active contributors to the internal peace and security,” Dellosa said.

In his message to the soldiers, Dellosa said that they should always keep in mind that their fight for peace is a personal one because “most of our soldiers are sons and daughters of farmers, fishermen and workers,” and “they are the ones who are most affected by these conflicts,” Dellosa said.

“Failing our mission is not an option, and falling short of the public’s expectation is never acceptable,” Dellosa said. “The Filipino people expect much more from us,” he said.

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By Matikas Santos
INQUIRER.net

Monday, December 12th, 2011

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