CPP says more guerrilla fronts, fighters needed

By Ryan Rosauro
Inquirer Mindanao
First Posted 00:59:00 12/26/2009

Filed Under: Armed conflict

OZAMIZ CITY, Philippines — The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said in a statement marking its 41st founding anniversary today that it needed to increase the number of its guerrilla fronts and combatants if it were to win its protracted war against the government.

The CPP said the guerrilla fronts of its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), should grow “from around 120 to 180 in order to cover the rural congressional districts and gain the ability to deploy armed city partisan units in the urban congressional districts.”

To achieve this, the party said it “must intensify the recruitment and the politico-military training of the Red fighters” and “win the steadfast support of the poor peasants, farm workers and lower middle peasants.”

The CPP’s mass base declined starting in the early 1980s following a nationwide purge of suspected government spies, sparking outrage among local supporters.

As in previous years, the CPP vowed to “intensify tactical offensives.”

“The weapons for arming new units of the NPA at the levels of the district, province and region must be obtained mainly from the enemy through ambuscades, raids and other operations,” the statement said.

Strategic stalemate

The CPP also said it foresaw a “strategic stalemate” between its forces and the government within the next five years, but “we can look forward to still greater revolutionary possibilities within the next 10 years.”

It also mocked anew the 2010 deadline set by President Macapagal-Arroyo to reduce the insurgency into insignificance.

The Arroyo administration has “utterly failed to realize its pipe dream of destroying or reducing the armed revolutionary movement of the people to inconsequentiality,” the party said.

It said it had “the sufficient strength and critical mass to carry out the tasks and plans for advancing from the strategic defensive to the strategic stalemate [in] the people’s war within the next five years.”

Holdouts start fleeing Mayon

LEGAZPI CITY , Philippines – More than 3,000 villagers remaining in a prohibited danger zone around the rumbling Mayon volcano yesterday began to leave after officials threatened to force them out.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned that powerful booming sounds emanating from the volcano indicated that a major eruption was imminent.

Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said seismic activity had “increased in number and size” in the past 24 hours and a total of 1,942 volcanic quakes were detected since Sunday, after the alert level was raised from 3 to 4, following a greater frequency of earthquakes and sulfur dioxide emissions.

Yesterday, sulfur dioxide emissions continued to be “very high” and the glow of crimson lava could be seen oozing from the volcano overnight.

In Guinobatan village, lying on a dirt road in the foothills of Mayon, district officials and police went house to house, urging residents to board a truck and take shelter outside the danger zone.

Nearly all the villagers boarded the hired truck, carrying their personal belongings in sacks and heading to evacuation centers set up by authorities outside an eight-kilometer zone.

But some of the men folk refused to budge and were left to fend for themselves.

“There are still one or two men who don’t want to go but their families have come down to the evacuation centers,” village councilor Mulad Bucad said.

“There are always a few who don’t want to go. They say they are used to eruptions and they never get hurt anyway,” he said.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said authorities are having trouble keeping people away from their homes and farms.

“There are people who have been evacuated three times and we sigh: ‘You again?’” Salceda said. “We’ve been playing cat and mouse with them.”

Salceda yesterday said authorities “will physically remove” those refusing to leave the danger zone after volcanologists raised the alert level to four on a five-point scale.

Level four means that an “explosive eruption is possible within hours or days,” according to Phivolcs.

There were still 729 families or more than 3,000 people staying put on the edges of the eight-kilometer danger zone that has been declared around Mayon, local disaster preparations chief Cedric Daep said.

Just over 9,200 families or nearly 44,400 people had already taken shelter in evacuation centers since Mayon started belching ash, steam and lava last week.

If the alert level is raised to five, meaning that an eruption is in progress, another 16,000 villagers living beyond the danger zone would also have to be evacuated as a precautionary measure, Salceda said.

Army troops and police added more patrols to enforce a five-mile (eight-kilometer) exclusion zone around the mountain, Salceda said.

Salceda said about 5,000 more villagers were being transported out of Mayon’s danger zone, where scientists said red hot lava flows had reached three miles (five kilometers) from the crater. A major eruption could trigger pyroclastic flows – superheated gas and volcanic debris that race down the slopes at very high speeds, vaporizing everything in its path. More extensive explosions of ash could drift toward nearby towns and cities.

Salceda said, however, military and police would refrain from using excessive force after the government’s Commission on Human Rights (CHR) warned against forcing people out at gunpoint or with batons.

In past Philippine evacuations, holdout residents have been carried onto military trucks by unarmed troops and police personnel.

In an effort to persuade people to leave, Salceda ordered the provincial veterinary office to bring all cows and water buffaloes to a government agricultural station so they would be safe.

In Mayon’s other eruptions in recent years, pyroclastic flows had reached up to four miles (six kilometers) from the crater, Salceda said.

“The probability of survival in an eruption is zero if you’re in the danger area. The solution is obviously distance,” he said.

Mayon last erupted in 2006, when about 30,000 people were moved.

Meanwhile, Phivolcs director Solidum said in a television interview “he cannot say exactly when the hazardous eruption is likely to occur.”

But he stressed: “The important thing is the distance from the volcano. That is why it is important that people not be inside the danger zone.”

3 episodes of lava fountaining

Three episodes of lava fountaining which reached about 200 meters above crater were recorded yesterday morning.

Solidum said that lava fountaining was observed at 8:07, 8:08 and 8:18 Monday morning.

Solidum also said that red hot lava continues to flow along the Bonga-Buyuan Miisi and Lidong gullies and the lava front has now reached about five kilometers down slope from the summit along the Bonga-Buyuan gullies.

“The lava fountaining might affect some lava to go toother sites like Sto. Domingo and possibly Anoling,” said Solidum.

Solidum warned that the amount of lava at the summit and on slopes could generate a pyroclastic flow equally dangerous to people even if the volcano does not explode.

He also warned of the threat of lahar when volcanic debris comes into contact with water and cascades down the slope of the volcano towards rivers and streams during heavy rains.

Defense department offers help

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales has ordered the deployment of more doctors and nurses at the Armed Forces hospital near Albay to help address the health concerns of the evacuees.

Gonzales also donated P1 million for the children at evacuation centers to celebrate the Christmas season.

“I want to give this P1 million to Governor Salceda so children at the evacuation center will enjoy Christmas,” said Gonzales, who also heads the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), during the full Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) meeting.

Gonzales also said that the NDCC will extend all the support needed by the provincial government of Albay which he considers a model among local government units for effective disaster management in the country.

Salceda, for his part, said the focus now of the disaster response operation is to address the health concerns as well as ensure that the evacuees will not go back to celebrate Christmas and New Year at their homes inside the high-risk danger zones.

“Zero casualty policy also includes mortality inside the evacuation centers,” said Salceda, adding that common problems inside the evacuation centers such as the lack of toilets, water and food are already being addressed.

He said some 57 comfort rooms have already been repaired and 24 portalets set up at the different evacuation centers.

The Local Water Utilities Administration has already deployed four water tank lorries with 1,000-liter capacity, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) fire trucks each as well as a water purifier with 30,000-liter capacity donated by the Spanish government at the designated evacuation sites.

Salceda also said that all hospitals in the province have been placed on code blue, meaning they can accept 50 to 100 evacuees if needed, while all evacuees have been given PhilHealth cards.

To prevent the displacement of classes at the evacuation centers, Salceda said he needs some 600 tents to be established at various evacuation centers. The UNICEF has already donated some 100 tents.

Salceda also said some 4,800 farmers have been affected by the imminent Mayon eruption, as well 2,000 cattle and carabaos.

Dept. of Health regional director Nestor Santiago told the governor that there was a need to decongest some evacuation sites and they would need P3 million for the construction of toilets inside the evacuation centers.

Some of the evacuees suffer from common ailments like cough and cold, fever, toothache and hypertension.

Salceda also said he would use everything at his disposal to make the evacuees merry and comfortable this Christmas.

“If I need to request our soldiers to wear mascots or to do a Santa Claus to spread cheer to our devastated evacuees, I will,” Salceda said. With Helen Flores, Cet Dematera, AP

AFTER MARTIAL LAW IN MAGUINDANAO, WHAT?

+Orlando B. Quevedo, O.M.I.
Archbishop of Cotabato
December 11, 2009

Martial Law in Maguindanao will accomplish some objectives: the arrest, detention, and prosecution of clan members suspected of perpetrating the horrendous massacre in Ampatuan town last November 23, 2009; the definite inevitability of justice for the victims; the successful search and confiscation of many legal and illegal weapons from police, CVOs, and some soldiers under the control of powerful clan members; the disempowerment of local authority and power in various municipalities that are subservient to the ruling clan. People feel a greater sense of relief and freedom while traveling on the national highway between the two cities of Cotabato and Tacurong. Gone are the many armed escorts and bodyguards protecting officials and clan members against similarly armed enemies.

Deeply rooted in Maguindanao is a culture of dominant clan power. A false reading of the situation results in a truncated view of Maguindanao political history. This view sees the phenomenon as the product of one government period, the decade of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Arguably a greater share of the blame could be laid at the door of the present government. But the culture of dominant and changing local power has been with us in the once “empire province of Cotabato,” which included the present Maguindanao, since at least the 1950s. To my knowledge, no government from the 1950s to the present did anything serious to root this out. In the past 60 years, all governments and many politicians from all parties wanting to get votes have cultivated this culture and ignored the periodic violence that erupted. It was a case of mutual political exploitation and expediency. We ourselves, ordinary citizens, have kept quiet in the past 60 years and learned the art of accommodation.

But of course criticism of Martial Law in Maguindanao is really based on total distrust of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Survey after survey is paraded to say that this is the pulse of the people, The stand of small protesting “militant” groups is given disproportionate media exposure. Political oppositionists and personalities from “militant” organizations are interviewed again and again to give their expected negative views on actions of government. In a very real sense the extraordinary amount of media exposure that is given to the opposition in Manila provides a distorted view of the country as a whole.

But given all the above it is now clear that the peoples’ hopes and expectations in Central and Central Mindanao regarding Martial Law will not all be realized. Some of these are: the disbanding of all private armies in Maguindanao; the identification and arrest of members of kidnapping and drug syndicates; the restructuring of legislative, judicial, and executive units so as to be more democratic, independent, trustworthy and pro-common good; and the assurance that elections would be honest, clean, and peaceful.

What might be the reason for the failure to meet expectations? Martial Law by its nature as a last resort should be of short duration. But precisely because of its brevity, the following will result: one clan will be significantly disarmed; the balance of political and armed power will shift to other clans; private armies will remain though possibly less visible and probably more sophisticated in behavior; the deep trauma resulting from the massacre will persist; rido is not going to be stopped; the legislative, justice, and executive – and electoral – mechanisms will still be in the hands of those related to or have debts of gratitude to various families; and if a member of the rival clan will somehow gain the top post of the province, do we in Maguindanao really believe that the provincial capitol will remain in Shariff Aguak? Even the peace process will be affected by the loyalties of local rebel commanders to their own clans. Hence, the fundamental dysfunctions in Maguindanao will remain after Martial Law.

What do I see as a possible solution? Even now sentiments are strong in Central and southern Mindanao that elections for local offices in Maguindanao should be deferred. Or at least the term of Martial Law should be extended till after the elections. The fundamental suggestion is for us to move forward from partisan political criticism to collective constructive thinking and effective action on this central issue of Maguindanao dysfunction. I respectfully address this to all concerned, particularly the Senate, House of Representatives, the judicial branch and the Arroyo administration, as well as to all of us Maguindanawons.

Martial law

by Fr. Ranhilio Callangan Aquino
Manila Standard – www.manilastandardtoday.com
Monday, December 14, 2009

Almost as soon as the Maguindanao massacre occurred, TV and radio commentators commenced their usual routine of shadow-boxing. They started mouthing phrases like “white-wash”, “cover-up” and “term extension” even before investigators could announce preliminary results. I think that much of the discussion is muddled by a priori imputations of malice, ill-will or ulterior motive on the part of the President. The legal presumption of regularity in the performance of official duties should be translated into civic culture and, in relation to the ongoing legislative debate on the presidential proclamation, legislative attitude. A lucid discussion of the important constitutional issues cannot proceed if we start with the very opposite of what is known in the theory of discourse as the benevolent a priori—the attribution of sincerity on the part of the other party.

I am not privy to the information that may have been available to the President when she declared martial law. Definitely she has access to information that the intelligence community makes available to her to which the general public has no access and to which it should have no access. It is information though that must be made available to Congress as it deliberates on either the revocation, continuance or extension of martial law, and to the courts, when an appropriate case is brought, raising the issue of the validity of the proclamation. It is therefore not for me to preempt Congress (that did not comply with the period the Constitution prescribes for it to convene after martial law is declared) and the Supreme Court before which, I understand, cases questioning the imposition of martial law are now pending.

Such positions as “Never more to martial law!” are to my mind unconstitutional. They are sentimental; they have the power to stir the uncritical to frenzied support and they are not difficult to memorize, but they really fall short of the measure of rationality. The power to declare martial law is a power expressly granted the Chief Executive by the Constitution of the Republic. To maintain such a position as “Never more to martial law!” is to deny the President the exercise of a power granted her, and, more importantly, to deprive State mechanism of a weapon it has in the face of rebellion or invasion.

Whatever may be our feelings about the late President Ferdinand Marcos, he was correct in his statement of political theory as well as constitutional law when he asserted that a constitutional democracy provides an in-built mechanism to the State by which to defend the institutions of democracy when these are threatened. One of these is martial law.

While Congress does indeed possess the power to revoke or to extend the proclamation of martial law, the exercise of such power should be with due deference to the role of the Executive in the constitutional structure and organization of our Republic. The power to revoke is a check against arbitrariness; it should not be used to negative the powers of the Executive in the face of a pressing national crisis, a task the Constitution assigns to the Executive.

In fact, there are now so many limitations on the President in respect to the declaration of martial law that it is difficult to determine exactly what powers she wields under martial law. Obviously there is jurisprudence, both local and foreign (the latter, more important to my mind) on the powers of the Executive. The very fact that the Constitution is silent as to the exact powers a President wields under a state of martial law indicates to my mind the juridical and constitutional tradition of allowing the President the latitude she needs to cope with the emergencies of rebellion or invasion.

As for the complaint of the military that detentions or arrests they make are neutralized by petitions for the issuance of the writ of amparo, although the Constitution is clear that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is not automatically suspended with the declaration of martial law—and therefore, neither the writ of amparo—it is also clear from the rule on the writ of amparo that its reliefs will not lie when there is a legal basis for the apprehension or detention of a person. It is my position that an arrest or a detention under the martial law powers of the President is one such legal basis.

It is not correct to limit martial law to “calling out the armed forces” to suppress lawless violence. The “calling out power” is a distinct power one of the grounds of which is “lawless violence”—that, in itself, is not a ground for the declaration of martial law. I have no doubt that the declaration of martial law, ipso facto, is an exercise of the calling out power but it should be more—and what this more is should be a matter of constitutional theory and tradition, political practice, as well as jurisprudence insofar as this is not incompatible with present constitutional provisions.

What constitutes a rebellion? There is, to be sure, a definition of rebellion provided by the Revised Penal Code but I am sure that no one will insist that the elements of rebellion as so defined must be proved beyond reasonable doubt to justify the declaration of martial law. There are some matters that must be left to the appreciation of the President as well as to her discretion. This is not a question of power, principally. It is a question of allowing government to operate within constitutional parameters. On several occasions, I have expressed the fear that the very fetters that the crafters of the 1987 Constitution have placed on an incumbent president who declares martial law constitute a singular threat to the continued existence of a constitutional regime. When a constitution makes it difficult for a political leader to hold on to the rudder of the ship of state amid turbulent waters, the temptation is great to dismantle the fetters that the constitutional safeguards constitute. And there is historical proof of this. Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia, for example, found that judicial review was the ready weapon of those who opposed his blueprint for the development of his country. He took the detour—and caused the powers of the judiciary to be re-defined to exclude judicial review. I am not commending his action. I am only pointing to the danger of confining executive action inordinately. And how often has Thailand re-written its constitution after each coup? Democracy survives when it makes available to those who tend it the means of its own survival.

Before we start yakking about cover-ups, white-washing (white-washes?) and term-extenders, let us have the reasons of the Palace first and, when the Court so orders, for the arguments of the Republic in support of the declaration of martial law.

Mayon big bang feared

LEGAZPI CITY—Two lava domes have formed at the crater of the Mayon Volcano, raising concerns among government volcanologists over the possible extensive damage should these collapse and a major eruption occur.

Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said the domes were “growing” and that an aerial survey must be conducted to determine the hazards these would pose to residents living within the danger zone.

Mayon was under Alert Level 3, but Phivolcs might recommend raising it to Level 4 if the volcano’s condition continued to worsen. Level 3 on the five-point scale means a hazardous eruption is likely in the very near future.

Solidum warned that the lava domes, which might collapse anytime, meant that the permanent and extended danger zones should be “no man’s land” at once because even a lava trickle could produce ashes and rockfalls.

Areas within a 6-kilometer radius from the crater have been declared “permanent” danger zone.

Lava poured down Mayon on Wednesday, reaching 700-800 meters downslope below the crater, Solidum said.

Two episodes of ash puffs recorded at about 8 a.m. indicated that magma was very close to the crater and on its way up for a possible eruption, he added.

This could mean that thousands of villagers will spend Christmas in crowded evacuation centers.

As of Wednesday noon, 30,761 people or 6,559 families from 20 villages had been moved to shelters, officials said.

‘Gates closed’

The “gates have been closed” to farmers who insist on tending their crops and trying to harvest in the danger zone, said Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.

Solidum said harvesting of crops should no longer be allowed because of the threats of deadly secondary pyroclastic flows, ash falls and rolling incandescent materials.

During the past 24 hours, lava quietly flowed and incandescent fragments rolled down 3-4 km along the Bonga gully at the southeastern slope.

The Phivolcs recorded 78 volcanic earthquakes and tremors and sulfur dioxide emission of 750 tons per day.

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, who has been overseeing evacuation efforts since Tuesday, said “farmers should not insist on returning to their farms while Mayon is restive.”

“Let the tomatoes rot there. Anyway, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda is prompt in attending to their needs and the national government will provide them assistance,” Gonzales said.

Zero-casualty target

Officials plan to evacuate 47,285 people, involving 9,946 families, in 45 villages as part of their zero-casualty target in case of an eruption.

A total of 72,858 more people or 16,232 families are also targeted to be moved in case of rain and bad weather because of the threat of lahar and mudflows from fresh deposits of ashes along Mayon’s gullies and river channels, Salceda said.

Seventy-seven farmers were killed when Mayon erupted in 1993. This, Salceda said, should remind people of the danger of pyroclastic flows, “which is beyond escape because it moves faster than cars and instantly burns all living things along its paths.”

Worst-case scenario

In a worst-case scenario, Solidum said, the number of evacuees could grow to 120,413.

Bernardo Alejandro, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, said 45 military and private vehicles were ready to move evacuees.

At the city’s Gogon Elementary School, more than 3,000 residents of Barangay Bonga arrived at classrooms spruced up with Christmas decorations by pupils late Tuesday afternoon. One classroom houses 25 families, or about a hundred people.

Barangay Bonga, one of the villages at the foot of Mayon and within the 7-km extended danger zone, is directly threatened by lava fragments rolling like a red-orange carpet down the Bonga Gully.

Christmasy welcome

“I did not remove the decorations anymore. Even if they are in the evacuation center, I want them to feel the Christmas spirit,” said Rose Alamo, 53, a teacher of the school.

Christmas lights, garlands and lanterns hang from the ceilings and windows of the classrooms. The doors bear “Merry Christmas” greeting and Santa Claus posters.

“I was hoping we could have a happy Christmas, but now that we are here, I don’t know what we are going to do,” Alicia Nuñez, 54, said. She had been excited to celebrate at her home with one of her sons coming from Manila.

“I just told my son to come home even if we are in the evacuation center so we could be together,” said Nuñez, who earns a living by selling bananas at the public market.

First night for evacuees

On their first night at the evacuation center on Tuesday, children were not able to sleep because babies kept on crying.

Becky Gunay, 62, a retired teacher, said the babies might be feeling uncomfortable. “But there is nothing we can do. We just have to be patient,” she said.

The only food assistance given to the evacuees were packs of pan de sal for breakfast.

In Manila, the US Embassy Wednesday strongly advised American citizens in the country to “avoid the area of the Mayon Volcano.”

In what it calls a “warden message,” the diplomatic mission warned the volcano was “now at a high level of unrest and may have more dangerous explosions.” With reports from Alcuin Papa and Jerry Esplanada in Manila, and Agence France-Presse

Synchronized ARMM and 2010 polls proposed

DEFENSE Secretary Norberto Gonzales yesterday proposed the advancing of the election for the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, synchronizing it with the national and local elections in 2010.

Gonzales said an early election for ARMM is needed to firm up the peace and order that Martial Law has started to establish not only in Maguindanao but also in the entire autonomous region.

The removal of the Ampatuans from their government posts will create a vacuum of civilian leadership in ARMM and this vacuum is better filled up by good Muslim leaders rather than the clan’s Constitutional successors who are most likely its allies, Gonzales said.

“It’s about time there is change of political leadership in Muslim Mindanao,” Gonzales said. He noted that the Ampatuans have ruled not only Maguindanao, but the entire ARMM with absolute power for many years.

Changing the political leadership in Muslim Mindanao will herald a new era of democracy in the region now that local warlords are being checked starting with the Ampatuans, Gonzales pointed out.

The defense chief said the move will also impact on the peace process in Mindanao as it will give Muslim rebels the opportunity to bring their advocacy in the electoral arena rather than remain in the battlefront.

“I would like to encourage the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to think ahead, consolidate its constituency and compete democratically,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales stressed that the government campaign to end warlordism in Muslim Mindanao will go beyond Maguindanao and the Ampatuans. He said that government security forces will continue efforts to retrieve loose firearms and dismantle private armed groups even after the lifting of Martial Law in Maguindanao.

Volcano Experts Fear Major Eruption Soon in Philippines

MANILA — The Philippines’ most active volcano spewed ash as high as 500 meters and burning rocks and mud a kilometer down its slopes on Wednesday and vulcanologists expect a major hazardous eruption soon.

More than 20,00 people have been evacuated from around Mayon’s danger zones, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales told reporters after meetings with local officials in Albay province. Vulcanologists recorded at least five minor explosions on Wednesday from Mayon volcano, famed for its near-perfect cone shape in a coconut-growing region of the central Philippines.

It spewed burning mud and rocks for a third day.

SLIDESHOW: Mayon Volcano Spews Ash, Lava

Nearly 80 high frequency quakes were recorded around the volcano in the last 24 hours. Officials raised Mayon’s alert to level 3 on Monday, meaning sudden hazardous explosions were likely.

“We’re keeping the alert level but we’re observing increased activity in the volcano,” Renato Solidum, head of the Philippine Institute for Volcanolgy and Seismology (Phivolcs), told Reuters after an aerial inspection around Mayon.

Solidum said lava had rolled down about 1 km from the summit while burning rocks have started detaching from the crater summit, generating ashfalls in two towns near Mayon’s slope. Solidum advised people in three cities and five towns near the base of the volcano to cover their noses and mouth with masks or wet cloths to prevent inhaling ash from the volcano.

“The danger is when residents inhale the fine ash and this weakens their lungs, especially those with lung ailments,” he later told a television network.

Gonzales, who also heads the government’s disaster agency, said about 50,000 masks would be distributed to residents and food and water stations were being set up for displaced families.

The Philippines lies on the “Ring of Fire,” a belt of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean that is also prone to earthquakes.

Mayon is the most active of 22 volcanoes in the country, having erupted more than 50 times in the last four centuries. The most destructive eruption came in February 1841 when lava flows buried a town and killed 1,200 people.

The last time Mayon erupted was in 2006.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2009/12/16/vulcanologists-fear-major-eruption-soon-philippines/

Maguindanao martial law lifted

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo recalled today Proclamation 1959, lifting the state of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Maguindanao province, saying that the objectives of her unprecedented move have been attained. The lift order took effect at 9 p.m. Dec. 12.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who announced the lifting of martial law during a press briefing at Malacanañg, said the objectives of Proclamation 1959 have been achieved, hence the President’s decision to approve the unanimous recommendation on the matter by the National Security Council (NSC), based on a review and assessment of the situation on the ground.

Meanwhile, the state of emergency in Maguindanao by virtue of Proclamation 1946 issued November 24, 2009 remains in effect.

The Maguindanao crisis evolved from the Nov. 23 abduction and eventual massacre of a convoy of 32 journalists and 25 relatives and supporters of Buluan Vice Mayor Ishmael Mangudadatu who were enroute to Shariff Aguak town to file his certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor.

President Arroyo immediately issued Proclamation 1946 declaring a state of emergency in the province, with the view of delivering swift justice to the victims.

However, armed groups identified with the family of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. deployed massive forces, hampering the investigations and subsequent prosecution of the suspects, notably Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. tagged as the leader of the perpetrators of the Nov. 23 murders.

Faced with an armed uprising and the difficulty of securing warrants for arrest and other pertinent court orders, the NSC recommended to the President the declaration of a state of martial law in Maguindanao.

Thus, Proclamation 1959 was meant to:

o Quell the rebellion in Maguindanao
o Arrest the suspects in the Nov. 23 massacre that left 57 people dead
o Secure the safety of witnesses in the carnage
o File appropriate charges against the suspects
o Disarm illegal armed groups
o Restore law and order and press freedom
o Restore civilian government

The NSC now believes that these objectives have already been adequately achieved, hence its recommendation to lift martial law in the province.

Ermita disclosed that a list of over of 600 suspects is being processed for arrest and filing of charges. This included 62 rebels and 128 members of civilian volunteer organizations

He said that under martial law, threats to governance in Maguindanao were eliminated, enabling the criminal justice system to function again, while local government functions were likewise restored following the designation of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Vice Gov. Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong as the new ARMM governor, replacing Zaldy Ampatuan who was among those apprehended.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera, for her part, reported that charges have been filed against 183 suspects in the massacre as more witnesses came out to give their testimonies to the investigators. The figure surpassed the original list of 161 respondents targeted under Proc. No. 1959.

According to Devanadera, 90 percent of the murder suspects were members of civilian volunteer organizations that functioned as paramilitaries but were also taking orders from the Ampatuans.

Andal Ampatuan Jr., the main suspect in the killings, has been formally charged with multiple murders before the court.

Under Proc. 1959, police operatives and military troopers on the ground conducted relentless operations meant to neutralize the unauthorized armed groups, resulting in a huge haul of illegal firearms including grenade launchers and numerous high powered weapons, as well as arrest of those suspected of involvement in the Nov. 23 killings.

Apart from Ermita and Devanadera, also present at the NSC meeting were Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza, Armed Forces chief Gen. Victor Ibrado, and Philippine National Police chief Jesus Versoza. (PND)

AFP, DND, COMELEC to work together for clean and orderly 2010 polls

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines will be at the “full disposal of the Commission on Elections to safeguard the sanctity of the 2010 elections.”

This was the agreement arrived at by the top officials of the Department of National Defense, together with the AFP, and of the poll body in their dialogue yesterday at the COMELEC building.

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, the AFP officers and COMELEC commissioners led by Chairman Jose Melo also agreed to work out the details of the cooperation, particularly the role that AFP would play in the forthcoming elections.

Gonzales said the military is needed to check armed groups and goons, which have tremendous negative impact on elections in the country. He pointed out that the Maguindanao tragedy has put this major problem of the country into perspective.

He said there are at least 132 private armed groups and around one million loose firearms in the country. “This will have a big impact on the 2010 elections if left unchecked. It will subvert the true will of our people.”

Of the one million loose firearms, no more than 200,000 are in the hands of all rebel groups in the country combined, Gonzales said.

Gonzales noted that there has been a pattern of daily political killings in the country even before the election season. “This is linked to the issue of loose firearms,” he said even as he added that the country’s intelligence sector is monitoring heavy purchase of weapons by local politicians.

Gonzales is concerned that the firearms acquisition is happening even in provinces previously not known for armed goons and warlords.

“We committed the full support of the AFP to the COMELEC and we are happy that the military’s offer was fully appreciated by the COMELEC. Chairman Melo said COMELEC needed an environment that would allow the agency to do its work, and we assured him the military was very willing to provide them that,” Gonzales said after the closed door dialogue.

Reminded by reporters that the military is seen by some sectors as an instrument for cheating during elections, Gonzales said “This is our chance to prove them wrong.”

“The role of the AFP in 2010 will be up to the COMELEC. We will show that the AFP is the true protector of the people and of our democracy, especially during elections. Our military will safeguard the sanctity of our electoral process,” Gonzales emphasized. He reiterated that one of his major thrusts as defense secretary is to change the image of the AFP. (30)

Missiles, rockets find stuns military

By Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer Inquirer Mindanao

Posted date: December 10, 2009

SHARIFF AGUAK, MAGUINDANAO—The continuing discovery of state-issued armaments hidden in purported estates of the Ampatuans has dumbfounded military officials.

On Tuesday night, missiles and ammunition with sufficient power to obliterate a small town were found by soldiers in a huge warehouse allegedly owned by Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.

The missiles, including “illuminating rockets,” were stashed between two concrete walls of a storage area just a few meters from the province’s main public market in Barangay San Sebastian.

“We were really stunned by this discovery,” Lt. Col. Michael Samson, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Maguindanao, Wednesday told the Inquirer.

“Only government forces are allowed to have these high explosives. The supply of some of these is limited,” Samson said, adding that the seized items could meet the needs of a battalion of soldiers fighting secessionist rebels.

Since state forces clamped down on private armies following the massacre of 57 people on Nov. 23, 458 firearms and one million rounds of ammunition have been dug up in land allegedly owned by the Ampatuans.

The family patriarch, Ampatuan Sr., his three sons and two grandsons have been arrested for purported involvement in the massacre.

Tip-off

According to Samson, a resident tipped off the military that Ampatuan’s men hid “high explosives” inside a double wall portion of the 2-hectare warehouse.

Using metal detectors, members of the Army’s Explosives Ordnance Disposal team scoured the area and found the missiles stuffed in a newly cemented wall at the back of the rice depot.

“There used to be a door leading to the area where the missiles were kept. The caretakers of the warehouse cemented the entire door entrance to hide them,” Samson said.

Among the seized items were 6,500 rounds for M14 assault rifles, 134 propeller missiles for 81-mm mortar, 131 propeller missiles for 60-mm mortar, six rockets for 90-mm recoilless rifles, three rocket warheads for an MG520 attack helicopter and 92 rockets for 57-mm recoilless rifles.

Soldiers guarding the area said it took them six hours to load the recovered explosives onto a six-wheel military truck.

A bulletproof Chevrolet Suburban (GOV 888), a Toyota Land Cruiser (GOV 88), nine tractors, six 10-wheel trucks, expensive wood furniture and thousands of sacks of palay (unhusked rice) were also found in the warehouse.

A local police official, who asked not to be named for the sake of security, said the sport utility vehicles were owned by Sajid Ampatuan, who took over the governorship after his father resigned as governor last year.

Samson said it was possible that the missiles were issued to the Ampatuans and their paramilitary forces when the government sought their help in repelling separatist rebels in the Liguasan Marsh.

“You can just imagine the damage it could cause if these rocket warheads are used by criminal elements to sow terror,” he said.

He said the AFP had started looking into the firearms and bullets that carried the markings “Government Arsenal DND (Department of National Defense).”

“I’m confident that we will eventually trace the source of these explosives,” Samson said.

“Needless to say, it’s important for us to find out how these powerful missiles ended up in the hands of private individuals when it should only be with government forces.”

Samson also told reporters that a number of militiamen sent “surrender feelers” a day after military attack aircraft conducted “persuasion flights” over Maguindanao.

He said concerned citizens also sent information by text message on the whereabouts of fleeing members of Civilian Volunteer Organizations (CVOs).

“Some of the text messages said CVO members were now ready to surrender because they were running out of food supplies,” he said. “But we still have to check and validate the reports.”

On Tuesday, two helicopters flew over three Maguindanao towns and dropped flyers urging militiamen to yield to authorities and turn in their firearms.

Two OV-10 bomber planes also hovered for 15 minutes in an apparent show of military force in the area.

Authorities had said paramilitary forces under the Ampatuans carried out the massacre of mostly women and media workers.

The military and police are working together but maintain a separate accounting of the firearms seized or found in Maguindanao and other places where the Ampatuans have properties, according to Maj. Randolph Cabangbang.

The military alone has seized and dug up more than 1,500 firearms since the search for armaments started, said Cabangbang, the spokesperson of the AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom).

Chief Supt. Felicisimo Khu, the head of the Central Mindanao police, said a report on the number of firearms recovered was still being consolidated because discoveries were being made every day.

Khu said that on Tuesday alone, policemen conducting a sanitation drive retrieved another arms cache from a newly dug septic tank in Cotabato City.

He said the firearms were found near the house of an employee of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, of which Zaldy Ampatuan is the governor.

Khu said the cache included 12 Armalite rifles, five M203 grenade launchers, four M14 rifles, one M60 machine gun, five boxes marked “DND” as well as magazines and rounds of ammunition.

He said the firearms and ammunition had been turned over to members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Biggest armed group

Cabangbang said the sheer number of firearms recovered also showed that the Ampatuans were a major force to contend with.

“Definitely, they are the biggest of the armed groups not only in Mindanao but in the entire country,” he said.

Cabangbang said the military had estimated that the clan’s armed force could easily number 2,000.

“It was a rough estimate but it was very possible because they control 15 towns. They can employ that large a number of armed followers,” he said.

He added that the Ampatuan army could dwarf those found in the northern province of Abra.

Cabangbang said militiamen and police auxiliary forces Wednesday surrendered 45 registered firearms at the town hall in Buluan, Maguindanao.

Maj. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, Eastmincom chief and Maguindanao martial law administrator, witnessed the ceremony.

“While we have been taking positive steps toward the complete disarming of Maguindanao by uncovering numerous arms caches in Shariff Aguak, what we are witnessing today is a giant leap to peace,” he said. With reports from Charlie Señase, Jeoffrey Maitem and Rosa May de Guzman, Inquirer Mindanao
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