Philippine Daily Inquirer, Saturday, 22 August 2009
By: Jocelyn Uy
THE MILITARY YESTERDAY SENT ABOUT A
hundred Marines to Matangule Island, Balabac to
keep the peace following the killing of 10 members
of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in a
clash with government soldiers there.
Lt.Col Edgard Arevalo, Navy spokesperson, said the roughly 1,500 residents that fled their homes have already returned to their communities following the clash between government soldiers and MNLF members on the island.
At least 30 MNLF members, led by Guru Abdullah Abdurajak, seized the island over the weekend and took several residents hostage to extort money, according to military officials.
Government soldiers launched an attack on the group when it failed to surrender by sundown Tuesday.
Soldiers from the 38th Marine Company yesterday established their presence to ensure the safety of the islet, Arevalo said in a text message yesterday.
People's Support
"We feel elated by the people's display of gratitude even as we continue to be haunted by accusation as to how the operations were conducted in support of the local police," he said.
"But the Navy will remain steadfast in its commitment to be our people's partner in peace, progress and prosperity," he added.
Nur Misuari, chair of a faction of the MNLF, was outraged at the military assault, describing it as "Corregidor Island massacre".
Ten MNLF members fell in gunfights with government troops on Wednesday that lasted for about a day. Of the fatalities, three bodies got lost in the sea as the armed men shot it out with Navy Seals and Marines while trying to escape from the island in a pump boat.
The Armed Forces urged Misuari to help instead in the arrest warrants.
Looting
The military's Western Command said the gunmen looted homes and small establishements prior to fleeing.
Western Command Deputy Commander Bernard Ferrer said the military received complaints from returning residents about the looting.
Ferrer said police are preparing to file charges against the MNLF men.
"They...took advantage of the situation after the inhabitants fled," said Ferrer.
Authorities said they were still interviewing the residents to estimate the property damage caused by the assault on the islet by the group of MNLF leader Guru Abdullah Abdurajak.
Militia role
Western Command Chief Hernani Perez visited Matangule island on Friday with various commanders of the region's armed services.
Perez ordered the continued deployment of Marines to help at least 20 policemen who were deployed to Matangule to train a group of Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) that authorities said will maintain peace and order on the island.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
RP, US join Zambo sea exercises
Manila Bulletin, Saturday, 22 August 2009
By: Elena Aben
The Exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation
Against Terrorism (SEACAT)
2009 concluded on Thursday in General
Santos City after participating assets
from the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao
(NFEM) have completed the series
of activities that began last Monday
in the waters off Zamboanga.
Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard
Arevalo said Naval Forces Western
Mindanao (NFWM) and NFEM dispatched
patrol gunboats, patrol ships,
and Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) teams to engage the United
States Navy Ship (USNS) Safeguard
in scenarios such as the Maritime
Interdiction Operation (MIO)and Visit
Board Search and Seizure (VBSS).
"These activities focused on information
exchange, coordinated surveillance
operations, locating, tracking,
and intercepting of enemies that allow
the participating naval forces to employ
appropriate measures in dealing with
pirates and other lawless elements at
sea during real-life situations," Arevalo
said.
Also dispatched was the Philippine
Navy Islander aircraft that conducted
maritime air patrol/reconnaissance in
support of the floating assets, Arevalo
added.
Coast Watch Station-Zamboanga
was also utilized during the exercise
in monitoring the movement of USNS
Safeguard - the designated target vessel
during the MIO and VBSS.
The USNS Safeguard sets sail to
Singapore for the closing ceremonies
the other day.
"By undertaking the exercise, participating
naval forces are exposed to
techniques useful to combat maritime
threats and fight lawless elements
operating in the high seas. The exercise
also enhances the naval forces'
cooperation." Arevalo said.
By: Elena Aben
The Exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation
Against Terrorism (SEACAT)
2009 concluded on Thursday in General
Santos City after participating assets
from the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao
(NFEM) have completed the series
of activities that began last Monday
in the waters off Zamboanga.
Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard
Arevalo said Naval Forces Western
Mindanao (NFWM) and NFEM dispatched
patrol gunboats, patrol ships,
and Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) teams to engage the United
States Navy Ship (USNS) Safeguard
in scenarios such as the Maritime
Interdiction Operation (MIO)and Visit
Board Search and Seizure (VBSS).
"These activities focused on information
exchange, coordinated surveillance
operations, locating, tracking,
and intercepting of enemies that allow
the participating naval forces to employ
appropriate measures in dealing with
pirates and other lawless elements at
sea during real-life situations," Arevalo
said.
Also dispatched was the Philippine
Navy Islander aircraft that conducted
maritime air patrol/reconnaissance in
support of the floating assets, Arevalo
added.
Coast Watch Station-Zamboanga
was also utilized during the exercise
in monitoring the movement of USNS
Safeguard - the designated target vessel
during the MIO and VBSS.
The USNS Safeguard sets sail to
Singapore for the closing ceremonies
the other day.
"By undertaking the exercise, participating
naval forces are exposed to
techniques useful to combat maritime
threats and fight lawless elements
operating in the high seas. The exercise
also enhances the naval forces'
cooperation." Arevalo said.
US warship stopped off Mindanao
Philippine Star, Saturday, 22 August 2009
By: Jaime Laude
Philippine Navy gunboats stopped a
US warship off the coast of Mindanao
and Navy commandos went on board as
part of regional war games with the US
Navy.
Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard
Arevalo said commandos from Naval
Forces Eastern Mindanao and Naval
Force Western Mindanao boarded the
USNS Safeguard during a drill concluding
the weeklong regional naval anti-terror
exercise dubbed SEACAT (Southeast
Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism).
SEACAT involved a series of activities
that started Monday in waters off the
Zamboanga Peninsula.
The militalry exercise called for the deployment
of Navy gunboats, patrol ships,
and Naval Special Operations commandos to engage the Safeguard as part of
Maritime Interdiction Operation and Visit
Board Search and Seizure.
"These activities focused on information
exchange, coordinated surveillance
operations, locating, tracking, and intercepting
of enemies that allow the participating navies to employ appropriate
measures in dealing with pirates and other
lawless elements at sea during real-life
situations," Arevalo said.
A Philippine Navy reconnaissance
plane monitored the Safeguard's movement
in Mindanao waters.
Following the conclusion of the exercise
in General Santos City the other day,
the Safeguard sailed to Singapore for the
closing ceremony of the regional sea drill.
"By undertaking the exercise, participating navies exposed to techniques
useful to combat maritime threats and
fight lawless elements operating in the
high seas," Arevalo said.
By: Jaime Laude
Philippine Navy gunboats stopped a
US warship off the coast of Mindanao
and Navy commandos went on board as
part of regional war games with the US
Navy.
Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard
Arevalo said commandos from Naval
Forces Eastern Mindanao and Naval
Force Western Mindanao boarded the
USNS Safeguard during a drill concluding
the weeklong regional naval anti-terror
exercise dubbed SEACAT (Southeast
Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism).
SEACAT involved a series of activities
that started Monday in waters off the
Zamboanga Peninsula.
The militalry exercise called for the deployment
of Navy gunboats, patrol ships,
and Naval Special Operations commandos to engage the Safeguard as part of
Maritime Interdiction Operation and Visit
Board Search and Seizure.
"These activities focused on information
exchange, coordinated surveillance
operations, locating, tracking, and intercepting
of enemies that allow the participating navies to employ appropriate
measures in dealing with pirates and other
lawless elements at sea during real-life
situations," Arevalo said.
A Philippine Navy reconnaissance
plane monitored the Safeguard's movement
in Mindanao waters.
Following the conclusion of the exercise
in General Santos City the other day,
the Safeguard sailed to Singapore for the
closing ceremony of the regional sea drill.
"By undertaking the exercise, participating navies exposed to techniques
useful to combat maritime threats and
fight lawless elements operating in the
high seas," Arevalo said.
300 unemployed college graduates join Marines
Manila Bulletin Saturday, 22 August 2009
By: Tony Rimando & Vic Arevalo
ZAMBOANGA CITY - Failure to
find employment for the past several
years prompted some 300 local college
graduates from the Zamboanga
Peninsula and Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to join
the Philippine Marines, completely
ignoring the high risk in the life of
soldiers who suffered 23 casualties
during a recent armed clashes with
members of the Abu Sayyaf Group in
nearby Basilan.
Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commanding
general of the Philippine
Marines (PM), said the 300 local
recruits were among the 1,200 soldiers
the Marines intends to recruit
nationwide this year, where close to
850 of them or 70 percent have been
enlisted as of the end of July after
passing the necessary physical and
neuro examinations.
The new local recruits - 23 of
them females - took their oath early
this week before Sabban at the Naval Forces Headquarters at the Western
Mindanao Command (Westmincom)
here.
They are scheduled to report to
Ternate, Cavite to undergo a six month
rigorous training.
According to Sabban, this year's
biggest number of qualified applicants
came from the Western Mindanao
provinces ofZamboanga del Sur;
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga
Sibugay and Zamboanga City,and the
ARMM provinces of Basilan, Tawi-
Tawi and Sulu.
Sabban said a part of the new recruits'
six-month training period will
be conducted right here in Western
Mindanao where, he said, most of
them will later be deployed.
The newly recruited soldiers said
they enlisted in the Marines not only
to help the government pursue its
peace and order drive but also because
of financial difficulty owing to
their failure to find jobs after finishing
their college education, many of them
graduates of Bachelor of Science in
Criminology, several years ago.
By: Tony Rimando & Vic Arevalo
ZAMBOANGA CITY - Failure to
find employment for the past several
years prompted some 300 local college
graduates from the Zamboanga
Peninsula and Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to join
the Philippine Marines, completely
ignoring the high risk in the life of
soldiers who suffered 23 casualties
during a recent armed clashes with
members of the Abu Sayyaf Group in
nearby Basilan.
Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commanding
general of the Philippine
Marines (PM), said the 300 local
recruits were among the 1,200 soldiers
the Marines intends to recruit
nationwide this year, where close to
850 of them or 70 percent have been
enlisted as of the end of July after
passing the necessary physical and
neuro examinations.
The new local recruits - 23 of
them females - took their oath early
this week before Sabban at the Naval Forces Headquarters at the Western
Mindanao Command (Westmincom)
here.
They are scheduled to report to
Ternate, Cavite to undergo a six month
rigorous training.
According to Sabban, this year's
biggest number of qualified applicants
came from the Western Mindanao
provinces ofZamboanga del Sur;
Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga
Sibugay and Zamboanga City,and the
ARMM provinces of Basilan, Tawi-
Tawi and Sulu.
Sabban said a part of the new recruits'
six-month training period will
be conducted right here in Western
Mindanao where, he said, most of
them will later be deployed.
The newly recruited soldiers said
they enlisted in the Marines not only
to help the government pursue its
peace and order drive but also because
of financial difficulty owing to
their failure to find jobs after finishing
their college education, many of them
graduates of Bachelor of Science in
Criminology, several years ago.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)