Saturday, December 31, 2011



H A P P Y  N E W  Y E A R 
2012

Troopers eyeing purchase of emergency equipment


THE Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division is planning to purchase several pieces of emergency equipment in 2012 for immediate response to calamities following Tropical Storm Sendong that hit Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities on December 17.
Brigade General Ricardo Rainer Cruz III, assistant division commander of the 10th Infantry Division, said their first plan for 2012 is to purchase rubber boats, first aid resources, hand-cracked torch with LED lights, jumper cables, and other disaster equipment that will be used in rescue operations.
"Most of the time our troops are already in the area of the incident, but our problem is we don't have the equipment to use, so ang mangyari hihintayin pa namin ‘yung rescue operations for the materials," Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon V. Paniza, spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division, said.
Cruz said they will request such equipment from their higher headquarters so in case of some calamities, they have the materials for the rescue and relief operation. He added they will also establish a search and rescue team for emergency purposes.
The military’s lack of equipment, however, has not prevented them from assisting victims of calamities, Major Ma. Christina Rosa Manuel, executive officer of the Civil Military Operation Battalion (CMOBN) of the 10th Infantry Division, said.
For “Sendong” survivors alone, the 10th Infantry Division gathered around 75 tons of foodstuff, drinking water, medicines, clothing, and footwear from those who responded to their Bayanihan Call. The relief assistance was delivered last December 23.
Another Pagtinabangay Caravan with eleven M35 trucks and two Forward cargo vans were sent to Iligan City on December 26. They also delivered relief supplies for their soldiers who were affected in flash floods.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that around 6,200 families with 29,730 individuals are currently staying at evacuation centers in those two cities alone.
The 10th Infantry Division also provided support to the flood victims in Davao del Norte. After two days of heavy rains, three rivers triggered flooding in eight barangays in Kapalong town, while the Bingcungan River flooded on barangay in Carmen and two barangays in Tagum City. (Ivy C. Tejano)
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Friday, December 30, 2011

Army receives arrest order vs Palparan


COLONEL Oscar Lactao, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade in Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, confirmed to have received a copy of the arrest warrant issued against retired Major General Jovito Palparan.
Palparan was ordered arrested by the Regional Trial Court in Bulacan for his alleged involvement in the abduction and disappearance of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen EmpeƱo, both students of the University of the Philippines (UP).
The two activists were allegedly abducted on July 26, 2006 in Hagonoy, Bulacan.
Lactao said they received the arrest warrant against Palparan last week.
He said although they have not received any information on the possible presence of Palparan in Negros, they will closely monitor the area of any possibility of his presence in the province.
Progressive groups have branded Palparan “The Butcher” for his alleged involvement in the extra-judicial killings when the military was implementing the counterinsurgency campaigns Oplans Bantay Laya 1 and 2.
Police Chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome announced earlier that the government has offered a P500,000 reward to anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest of Palparan. (TED)
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Friday, December 30, 2011


COA reminds military of need to bid out projects


MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Audit has advised the Philippine Army to strictly follow the public bidding requirement for its projects, after finding that it had resorted to negotiated procurement to implement a program to build roads, classrooms and water facilities in conflict-ridden areas.
The COA noted in its 2010 Philippine Army report that in undertaking the P258.5 million Kalayaan Barangay Program, the 51st Engineering Brigade resorted to negotiations in order to ensure the completion of all related projects by the end of 2009.
It also paid for bulk of construction materials through cash advances.
The COA said that in doing these, the military did not follow the procurement law and a COA circular.
The Army, however, explained its move and said it was allowed to take steps to ensure the quick delivery of materials.
It told the COA that under a department order, its engineering brigade could augment the processing capacity of the contracting offices for the speedy delivery of materials for Kalayaan Barangay projects. It could also use the special disbursing officers system as a stop-gap measure to prevent delays in implementing projects, it added.
The Kalayaan Barangay Program was aimed at building basic infrastructure in various areas in the country, with the goal of transforming conflict-affected communities into peace and development areas.
A total of P258.5 million was released for the implementation of the program in 2008 and 2009.
The funds were used to build 36 school buildings, 40 water systems, 20 electrification, 33 health centers and 55 farm to market roads, the COA noted.
“However, it was noted that the procurement of construction materials for the aforesaid projects was not made through public bidding but instead through negotiated procurement in violation of RA 9184 (thegovernment procurement law),” the COA said.
The law states that all procurement should be done through competitive bidding, except in certain instances enumerated under the law.
The audit agency also noted that payments for construction materials and labor totaling P177.956 million were made through cash advances. The remaining amount was paid for using the procurement service of the 51st engineering brigade.
It said this was contrary to a COA circular that states that all payments must be made by check, and that only payments in small amounts could be made through petty cash fund.
It recommended that the Philippine Army strictly implement the procurement law and stop the granting of cash advances for infrastructure projects in order not to violate COA rules.
It further said the use of the special disbursing officer system was only a stop-gap measure, and could not be invoked to pay for all Kalayaan Barangay projects through cash advances.
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2:51 pm | Saturday, December 31st, 2011

PNP: SAF arrest ASG member wanted for 2007 Marines beheading

An Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) member wanted for the beheading of 11 Marines in 2007 was arrested in Barangay Kumaralang, Isabela City by police Special Action Force (SAF) personnel in Basilan.
 
The suspect, whom Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. identified the suspect as Boy Abdulphata aka "Boy Pahta" who is also wanted for the Dos Palmas kidnapping.
 
Abdulphata was taken into custody on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by Basilan Judge Leo Jay Prinsipe of the Isabela City regional trial court.
 
The PNP SAF and Regional Office in Western Mindanao have the suspect detained at a location Cruz did not specifiy in his text message. — ELR, GMA News
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GMA News Online
Link

Friday, December 30, 2011

Rebels dared: Extend ceasefire to entire 2012


THE Army's 10th Infantry Division dared Thursday the National Democratic Front/Communist Party of the Philippines/New People's Army (NDF/CPP/NPA) to declare ceasefire for the entire 2012.
Brigade General Ricardo Rainer Cruz III, assistant division commander of the 10th Infantry Division, said it could be better if the communist rebels will extend their ceasefire in 2012, instead of the 13-day ceasefire for Christmas and the victims of Tropical Storm "Sendong", which hit Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities.
"It is time for the communist rebels to take a break and return to their families. Let's declare 2012 ceasefire so for the community to develop their living, and not only because there is a disaster. This is great kasi magkakaroon tayo ng katahimikan starting next year," Cruz said in a press conference Thursday.
Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon Paniza, 10th Infantry Division spokesperson, expressed his gratitude as Christmas celebration has been peaceful in Davao Region, except for the disasters in some areas.
Paniza said the 10th Infantry Division also welcomes the declaration of ceasefire of the communist rebels so they can conduct search and rescue and relief operations for the victims of flash floods in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities and other areas in Davao Region.
"We are happy to note that so far, there were no atrocities the past few days. And we hope for the NDF/CPP/NPA since kaya naman nila, gawin natin tahimik at mapayapa ang 2012 and let's focus for the development of our community," Paniza said.
The 10th Infantry Division challenged the NDF/CPP/NPA to join them in strengthening the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) instead of exchanging unnecessary statements and fighting each other.
In earlier report, the communist rebels in Northern Mindanao declared a regional ceasefire from December 21 to January 3, in deference to the victims of Sendong and other affected areas due to heavy rains and flash floods.
The CPP central leadership also declared a two-schedule Yuletide truce from December 24-26 and the other from December 31 to January 2, as they urged all NPA units, especially in the most affected areas of flash floods, to temporarily cease offensive military operations and help mobilizing the people to carry out rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
Recently, the communist rebels donated around P1.3 million for the victims of Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City as directed from their leader to raise resources for relief and rehabilitation efforts for the affected families of the disaster.
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Thursday, December 29, 2011


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

COA questions use of Balikatan funds by Army


The Commission on Audit (COA) has raised concerns about the Philippine Army’s use of funds for the Balikatan exercises, noting that they were spent on nonrelated activities.
But the Philippine Army defended its expenditures and insisted that the money was spent properly.
In its 2010 report, the COA found that the Army’s Balikatan exercise funds were used to build mess halls, buy rubber boats and repair water lines and training facilities.
The COA said the money was intended for the joint military and combat training exercises with the US, and combined planning and interoperability, which were meant to enhance security relations.
“Based on the purpose and intent of the fund, the nature of the expenses financed by the Balikatan exercise fund are deemed not in line with the purpose and intent of the fund,” the COA said.
As of Dec. 31, 2010, the Philippine Army had received P18.298 million from General Headquarters, and of the amount, P14.719 million had been spent.
The Army said its use of the Balikatan funds was in line with the program of expenditures issued by General Headquarters.
It also said its use of the funds would ultimately benefit the participants of the joint military exercises.
“Further, these repairs and procurement were undertaken with the ultimate objective of improving the facilities used in going through with the Balikatan exercise,” it told the COA.
The Army said it was important to provide adequate supplies and facilities for the joint activities.
The COA also found that UN peacekeeping funds totaling P3.353 million were used to buy medical supplies for the Fort Bonifacio General Hospital and the reimbursement of medical supplies and expenses incurred for the dental examination of applicants. Leila B. Salaverria
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2:19 am | Friday, December 30th, 2011

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