Plot to bomb Cotabato lodging houses foiled

By John Unson

The Philippine Star, Friday, April 29, 2011

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Members of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 7 (MBLT-7) and the local police foiled on Wednesday night a plot by suspected extremists to bomb lodging houses in this city.

Lt. Col. Dorotheo Jose Jalandoni, commanding officer of MBLT-7, said policemen and Marines, acting on information from barangay officials, found the improvised explosives after an extensive search using bomb-sniffing dogs in one of the rooms of the N.D. Avenue Lodging House.

Authorities said the bombs were apparently hidden there as part of a bigger plot to bomb two lodging houses in the city’s main commercial district.

Jalandoni said the improvised explosives, fashioned from an 81-mm and two 60-mm mortar projectiles rigged with trip wire, were immediately detonated outside the lodging house.

Jalandoni said two handguns were also found in a bag in the same room at N.D. Avenue Lodging House.

Police intelligence sources said they have been receiving persistent but unverified reports that the group behind the bombing plot is composed of newly trained followers of foreign-trained bomber Basit Usman.

Usman was tagged as the mastermind in more than a dozen bombings in public places and buses in Central Mindanao from 2003 to 2009.

Usman, an ethnic Maguindanaon, was said to have undergone training in handling and fabrication of explosives in Kandahar, Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistan in the 1990s. – With Roel Pareño, Jaime Laude

Philstar.com

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PN commissions 2 vessels into service

Manila Bulletin, Wednesday, April 27,2011

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has commissioned two vessels into active service during its recent 73rd anniversary celebration held at Sangley Point in Cavite City.

Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, director of the Naval Public Affairs Office, said the two newly-commissioned vessels – BRP Emilio Liwanag (PG118) and BRP Manobo (AT297) – were repaired using deadlocked parts which were sourced from the systems and machinery of vessels.

PG118 is one of the seven Patrol Killer Medium (PKM) gunboats acquired from South Korea but had to undergo repairs when she was turned over to the Philippine Navy.

On the other hand, BRP Manobo is a combat and logistics support vessel used to transport personnel and cargo. Formerly categorized as a boat unit of the Philippine Navy, BRP Manobo was commissioned to increase logistics support capability of the navy.

The commissioning ceremony was presided by the Flag Officer-In-Command Vice Admiral Alexander Pama.

The Navy also inaugurated the Fleet Command Center (FCC) equipped with information systems designed to show real time dispositions of its troops, vessels, manpower and aerial assets nationwide, through a computerized network of information and database systems.

It is expected that the new technological innovations will enable the Philippine Fleet to promptly assess situations at sea, address security concerns and respond efficiently during emergencies.

Rear Admiral Jose Luis Alano, Commander of the Philippine Fleet, said that the new technological innovation is designed to improve its operational capabilities as part of its modernization program. (EHL)

MB.com.ph

Photography's Role in Military Operations

Manila Bulletin, Monday, April 25, 2011

The Philippine Navy's Naval Communications Electronics Information Systems Center (NCEISC) recently celebrated its 14th anniversary at the Naval Base Heracleo Alano Base, Sangley Point in Cavite City. For the first time, they had incorporated basic photography lecture in one of their seminars.

According to Lt.Salvador M. Sambalilo PN, operations officer, "Photography plays a very crucial role in the military organization even during the world war period because it has documented or captured military operations and activities. A typical example for this is the controversial picture taken in the takeover ofthe Iwo Jima island. Today, photographers are still part of the military organization."

The NCEISC has 11 stations located around the Philippine archipelago. Through Lt.jg. Liezl Vidallon PN of the Navy Public Affairs Office(NPAO), she has recommended RoyVan Morales to conduct the photography lecture for NCEISC.

Roy Van Morales has conducted several photography lectures for the Philippine Navy and Marines. He has done several basic, photojournalism, and war photography in the past for NPAO under Lt.Col. Edgard A.Arevalo PN (M). He is also the co-founder ofSubic Bay Photography Society (SBPS) and is a part of Canon's AdvocacyTeam.

"Photography can be part of people's lives especially in the military since a daily activity can be part oftheir publications," soodMorales. "Not all has a military photographer in their department and if, for some reasons, the assigned photographer can't perform his duty, someone else can do it if all the personnel have the knowledge in operating a camera," he added.

NCEISC is headed by Lcdr. Marcos Y. Imperio PN. He has been the commander for the past four years. "I never thought that photography can be very significant in our unit until I took the seminar myself. It is important that at least one in any organization knows how to take a great

photo for documentation not only in military operation but also in our daily routines, community service or receiving dignitaries or guests," shared Lcdr. Imperio.

NCEISC is a unit of the Philippine Navy that handles the information and communications technology requirements of all the naval bases or units in cooperation with the other branch of service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

More than 70 participants including NCEISC officers coming from 11 remote stations around the Philippines, together with civilian employeesand enlisted officers based in Sangley Point in Cavite City were present during the two-day seminar.

Sailing Duo Rescued By Philippine Navy

The Philippine Navy was able to rescue American national Ruben Staver and his Singaporean friend Foo Hay Chim, off Scott Point, Sofronio Espanola, Palawan. Photo courtesy PHILIPPINE NAVY, Naval Public Affairs Office

by Lois CalderonSunday, April 24, 2011

Singapore - A Singaporean and an American on a boating trip in the South China Sea were rescued by the Philippine Navy after their yacht was damaged by strong waves.

In a statement on its website, the Philippine Navy said that the Singaporean has been identified as Mr Foo Hay Chim and the American is Mr Ruben Staver. It did not provide any further details about the duo.

The navy said that they were rescued at about 5.30am on Friday.

The navy said it acted on a call for assistance at about 11pm on Thursday from the Palawan Coast Guard that a yacht was in distress and was in danger of sinking. After a six-hour search, the yacht was spotted off Arreceffi Island in Palawan. The rescued Singaporean and American were taken to the Coast Guard Detachment of Narra.

The navy said the yacht, Fly Ruben Fly, was sailing from Kudat in Borneo to the western Philippine island of Palawan.

When found, the yacht had run aground and was half submerged, the navy statement said.

Philippine Navy Lieutenant-Commander Algier Ricafrente told MediaCorp that the pair was found in "good physical condition".

"Based on the medical check-up conducted after they were rescued, aside from the sunburn they incurred during their voyage, they were in good physical condition," added Commander Ricafrente, who is also the Philippine navy spokesman.

Navy officials said they have arranged for the two to be flown to Manila to report to the Bureau of Immigration.

The two, however, "opted to proceed to Manila independently with the assurance to coordinate with our office in Palawan after presenting themselves to the Bureau of Immigration to arrange for the recovery of their yacht," Mr Ricafrente said in a text message to MediaCorp.

The Singapore Government has yet to be informed of the incident, he said.

Courtesy of Today