Philippines: Lumads to AFP, NPA: Leave us alone (tags)
MANILA, Philippines — A group claiming to represent 33 lumad (indigenous people) tribes in Mindanao on Friday urged the military and the rebel group New People's Army (NPA) to stop dragging them into their conflict and to respect their human rights and ancestral domain.
Philippines: Rebel Executions Violate International Law (tags)
(Manila) – The communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the Philippines executed the mayor of a small town and his son on October 19, 2015, in violation of international humanitarian law, Human Rights Watch said today. Throughout its four-decade insurgency, the rebel group has frequently executed people found “guilty” by its so-called people’s courts, which do not meet basic fair trial standards.
Philippines: Alarming incidents of political violence related to 2016 polls (tags)
Akbayan Party-List condemns in the strongest terms possible the recent spate of political violence In what seems to be a prelude to the coming May 2016 elections, involving elected officials and others running for public office.
Philippines: Communist Rebels Target Civilians (tags)
(New York,) ? The rebel New People?s Army (NPA) in the Philippines should immediately end unlawful killings and detention of civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has admitted to gunning down civilians and detaining others in recent months.
FIGHTING INTENSIFIES IN CARAGA REGION IN NORTHEAST MINDANAO (tags)
?the EPCC NEWS based in Los Angeles reported today that at least a dozen New People?s Army (NPA) rebels and an Army soldier were killed Sunday following fierce clashes between government forces and the rebels in Loreto, Agusan del Sur, a military official said Monday. But Colonel Rodrigo Diapana, commander of the Army?s 402nd Infantry Brigade based in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, admitted that out of the 12 rebels reported killed by soldiers, only four bodies had been recovered so far. Diapana said Sunday?s loss was a major setback for the NPA. On the other some analyst says the NPA also intensified its tactical offensives in response to intesfied AFP/PNP operations in Mindanao despite the NDF-GPH peace talks.
NDF-GPH CEASEFIRE ENDS, NDF COMMENDS NPA DISCIPLINE (tags)
The Pesante Buletin based in Los Angeles reported today that the NDFP in Mindanao salutes and congratulates all commands and units of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao and the rest of the country for its display of a high sense of political maturity, responsibility and military discipline during the mutually-declared seven-day ceasefire between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Philippines (GPH). Jorge Madlos, NDF-Mindanao spokesperson commended the NPA units in Southern Mindanao, in an act of goodwill and for humanitarian reasons, have released three prisoners-of-war (POWs) on separate occasions during the same period, further creating a more favourable atmosphere and bolster confidence for the peace negotiations and the entire peace process.
Ceasefire violations by AFP/PNP cited in NDFP letter to GRP Panel (tags)
In a letter to GRP Negotiating Panel Chairperson Alexander Padilla dated 5 January 2011, Luis Jalandoni, NDFP Negotiating Panel Chairperson declared that his panel "has received reports and complaints of numerous ceasefire violations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police" during the unilateral, concurrent and reciprocal ceasefire from December 16, 2010 to January 3, 2011.
Human Rights Violations under the US-Aquino III Regime Spikes Up (tags)
The Alliance-Philippies (AJlPP) vehemently denounces the crescendo of human rights violations perpetrated by the US-Aquino III regime’s armed forces and police units since they extended the Oplan Bantay-Laya II last June 2010. The Alliance said “"The attacks against civilians violate the Geneva Conventions and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL), which give primacy to the protection of the rights and welfare of unarmed civilians in the course of the war"
NDF-MINDANAO CALLS ON ALL REVOLUTIONARY FORCES TO FRUSTRATE OBL COMPLETELY (tags)
The PESANTE BULETIN gathered today that NDF -Mindanao spokeman Jorge madlos said that "the extension of the Arroyo regime’s brutal nine-year anti-insurgency campaign Oplan Bantay Laya exposes Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s real “peace” plan. Aquino's plan the NDF says is to step up military offensives against the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) - daydreaming of inducing revolutionary forces to capitulate and to impose its demands on the peace talks consistent with the US Counter Insurgency (COIN) strategy." The NDF also said that He (Aquino III) appears to be in a hurry to please his US imperialist masters, especially in laying the ground for the entry and the increase in profitability of mining companies and foreign-owned plantations such as Xtrata in South Cotabato and Dole Phils. in Surigao del Sur and Compostela Valley, and a host of other foreign monopoly capitalist investments. The NDF Mindanao also said that AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David Jr., in his declaration of a new counter-insurgency plan by Jan 1, 2011, bragged that the new strategy would focus on the respect for human rights, admitting in effect that nine years of OBL were replete with human rights violations.
RED SALUTE TO THE NPA FOR ITS 41st YEAR (tags)
The Los Angeles PESANTE NEWS learned today from media sources in the Philippines that Jorge Madlos, NDF Spokesperson for Mindanao said: " We give the highest salute to the New People's Army on its 41st anniversary of its foundation on March 29, 1969 in the second district of Tarlac. In 1972, the NPA also established guerilla fronts in Mindanao and spread swiftly throughout the archipelago. The red fighters of the NPA and the revolutionary masses who have offered their very lives in the service of the people deserve no less than our highest regard and praise.
BAD OMEN FOR THE ELECTIONS, Pimentel: Garci boys intact, promoted (tags)
PESANTE NEWS learned today through media sources in Manila that the “Garci” boys were never kicked out. They even got promoted. Garci Boys are the officials of the COMELEC involved in widespread cheating during elections in the Philippines. Elections Chair Jose Melo should fulfill his promise to “ground” officials implicated in rigging the 2004 and 2007 polls, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said Wednesday.
Arroyo's Plan to Consolidate Power (tags)
We condemn the US-Arroyo regime's devious declaration to dismantle "private armies" in the country when in truth this only aims to strengthen loyal private armies which it can benefit from and to dismantle those of the opposition's, thus consolidating its hold on power and giving itself greater leverage in the coming national elections. The most notorious of private armies in Mindanao are those which delivered, through terrorism, the much needed votes in the last two national elections, which won Arroyo a six-year term. The biggest of which is that of the Ampatuan warlord.
The hostage taking in Agusan Del Sur exposed the bankrupcy of the OBL (tags)
We condemn the hostage taking of civilians by the armed group of Undo Perez as it is unjustifiable to use innocent victims as shield for any political or personal objective. On the other hand, we denounce the OBL policy launched by the AFP and the US-Arroyo regime which created the conditions that culminated in the desperate hostage taking by the Undo Perez group. We particularly denounce the formation of different armed groups among the lumad people for the greedy interest of few leaders and the military, to destroy the unity of the lumad people and wipe out the revolutionary movement.
Significant NPA victories in 2007, more and bigger victories eyed in 2008 (tags)
The revolutionary movement i n thePhilippines today said the New People's Army (NPA) "achieved significant military victories the past year, portending more and bigger successes in response to the Party's anniversary call to accelerate advances in 2008." "Based on our summary of still very partial reports received from the field, clearly the revolutionary forces have gained significant victories in waging guerrilla warfare. Foremost is the defeat of the military campaigns launched by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) this year to date," said CPP spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal.
AFP attack planes mobilized; 12 killed in NPA-military clashes (tags)
The area command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has mobilized attack planes and gunship helicopters to extend air support to the combat battalions currently pursuing communist insurgents in Compostela Valley province and Davao Oriental. Clashes between government troops and members of the New People’s Army (NPA) left four soldiers and eight rebels dead, military officials yesterday said. Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Obaniana, AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command area chief, ordered Maj. Gen. Ernesto Boac, 10th Infantry Division (ID) commander, to use all available combat personnel and military bulldozers to “pin down” the communist rebels.
Political Fiefdoms Dig In (tags)
A look at the election outcome in some of the political turfs would show whether the geopolitical balance of power has changed without necessarily shaking the infrastructures of political dynasties in those areas. The clan of Macapagal-Arroyo has been in power for 58 years, broken only by the Marcos dictatorship. Even if the clan has spun out its political presence in Camarines Sur and Negros, it has a lot of damage control coming up what with the province of Pampanga - considered Mrs. Arroyo's bailiwick and father Diosdado's birthplace - going to a new governor,
Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao, lalong Lumulubha (tags)
Mariing konondena ngayon ng Alyansa Pilipinas (AJLPP) ang patuloy at papatinding paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao sa Pilipinas noong bago at matapos ang eleksyong Mayo 14. Ayon sa mga nakalap na ulat ng AJLPP, tatlong myembro ng mga progresibong partido ang pinaslang kaugnay ng nakaraang eleksyon sa Camarines Norte at Iloilo. Apat naman mga myembro ng militanteng grupong magsasaka an pinatay sa Agusan del Sur at Negros Occidental Pinaslang din ng mga sundalo at sinalaula ang mg bangkay ng isang mag-ina sa Agusan del Sur.
NPA GUERILLAS STRIKE AGAIN IN MINDANAO (tags)
Undetermined number of heavily armed New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas attacked an Army detachment in Barangay Camanza, Asuncion, Davao del Norte, sketchy reports reaching the area command and operation center of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMincom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Sunday.
Bukidnon villagers flee as attacks vs NPAs continues (tags)
Pesante-USA reprints the latest news from the Phil.Star. dated June 27 about the incrased AFP counter-insurgency operations in Central Mindanao. As of the latest news. eight villagaes have been evacuated due to the heavy militarization in the area as the AFP launched ground and air attacks against the NPA in Bukidnon. the central highland area of Northern Mindanao.