Archive for September 10th, 2007
AFP rejects ex-Marine commandant’s appeal to free men
MANILA, Philippines — The military has rejected ex-Marine commandant Major General Renato Miranda’s appeal to release eight of his men co-accused with him for mutiny and leave him to stand trial alone.
“That is not possible because the criminal and administrative liability of one person cannot be absorbed by just one person,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public information officer Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro said on Monday.
“They are charged with conspiracy, for violating the Articles of War. They have to face this,” told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.
Miranda and his men, along with 19 Army Scout Ranger officers, are facing several charges, including mutiny, before a court martial for allegedly seeking to overthrow President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in February 2006.
In a statement released on Sunday, Miranda said the military leadership should consider the “common good” and release his men so that their “talents” could be used in the battlefield.
Bacarro acknowledged that the incarcerated Marines were “talented,” but he said: “The inventory of officers outside [detention] are [composed of] equally competent officers. There are more competent officers outside.”
The detained Marines include two recipients of the Medal of Valor, the military’s highest honor, Colonel Ariel Querubin and Lieutenant Colonel Custodio Parcon.
Querubin and his co-accused, ex-Scout Rangers chief Brigadier General Danilo Lim, allegedly planned to lead a mass withdrawal of support from Arroyo on February 24, 2006, to coincide with protest marches for the 20th anniversary of the 1986 People Power uprising.
Miranda allegedly knew of the plot. On February 26, 2006, his sudden relief as Marine commandant prompted Querubin to lead a nigh-long standoff at their Fort Bonifacio headquarters.
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
2 more Abu Sayyaf suspects nabbed in Palawan
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities arrested two more suspected Abu Sayyaf members in Palawan province Sunday and seized bomb-making devices from the house of a suspected supporter, the military said Monday.
The security alert status in Puerto Princesa City was immediately raised and tight security enforced in public offices, including the city hall, the provincial capitol, public market and major department stores.
Daizer Yusof alias Abu Daizer, and Jemar Alfa, who goes by the aliases Abu Jaafar and Abu Jemaar, were collared at around 11:50 a.m. Sunday by joint military and police operatives in Pulot Center village, Sofronio Española town, Lieutenant Colonel Bartolome Bacarro said.
Their arrest comes on the heels of the arrest of four others suspects last week, including an alleged former aide of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bomb expert Dulmatin,
The suspects, who have standing arrest warrants in Basilan for kidnapping, were scheduled to be airlifted to Puerto Princesa City in a UH-1H helicopter, Bacarro told reporters in a text message.
Bacarro said the suspects would be interrogated to determine what they were doing in Palawan, where luxury beach resorts and the Malampaya oil fields are located.
On Thursday, Wescom personnel, pursuing a tip-off, arrested Moadz Jala, alias Abu Moadz; Abdulla Abduraham, alias Abdullah; Omar Ibnu Jakarain alias Abu Mogera; and Najer Daud, alias Ben Saif Daud.
Abu Moguera is described as a former aide of Dulmatin, a suspect in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed over 200 people.
Dulmatin is reportedly seeking refuge with the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu along with fellow JI member and Bali bombing suspect Umar Patek.
Wescom spokesman Captain Ronald Casanova said those captured implicated a Muslim resident of Puerto Princesa City, Professor Zainodin Gumubat, who the military said also uses the alias Professor Abu Hani a certain Prof. Abu Hani.
Reportedly a former official of Al Farouk, a Muslim institute based in Puerto Princesa City, Hani is currently under tactical interrogation.
Confiscated following a raid in Hani’s residence were several pieces of blasting caps, explosive chemicals and electrical wiring, according to military sources.
WesCom officials, however, declined to provide more details on Hani’s arrest, saying they are still conducting follow up intelligence operations.
Asked if there were evidence that the Abu Sayyaf was planning to launch terror attacks on Palawan, Casanova said they have not ruled out the possibility.
Asked the same question, Bacarro said: “I don’t want to create an atmosphere that they will do it. Let’s wait for the [results of] the debriefing.”
He also said the arrests could be an indication that Abu Sayyaf fighters have been fleeing from the southern island provinces of Sulu and Basilan, where the military has intensified a campaign against the extremist group.
“Our efforts in Basilan and Sulu have been very effective. It is possible that some [extremists] had the opportunity to leave these areas,” the spokesman said.
Bacarro could not immediately say whether or not Yusof and Alfa are connected with Moguera.
Redempto Anda, Inquirer Southern Luzon; Originally posted at 1:30pm
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
New machinery for humanitarian campaign in south–military
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will use $1.2 million dollars worth of brand new engineering equipment from China for its “humanitarian offensive” in Basilan, Sulu, and the Zamboanga peninsula, the chief military engineer said Monday.
Senior Colonel Liu Zhongxiang, China’s defense and military attaché to the Philippines, led a ceremonial turnover of the six motorized graders and six bulldozers to Major General Cyriano Austria, AFP chief of engineers, at Camp Aguinaldo.
“This will be used in our humanitarian offensive in Mindanao, Basilan, Jolo, and the Zamboanga peninsula,” Austria told reporters.
The humanitarian offensive was launched simultaneously with the intensified offensive against the Abu Sayyaf, where fighting in Basilan and Sulu since July 10 have left 57 soldiers and over 80 bandits killed.
The newly-activated AFP National Development Office, headed by Major General Jaime Buenaflor, will have operational control over the deployment of the heavy machinery to the south, Austria said.
In his speech, Liu said the Chinese and Philippine militaries have entered a “new phase of cooperation and development.”
“I’m very glad to be here to witness the turnover of the military assistance which symbolizes the good relationship and mutual trust between our two countries and two armed forces,” he said.
Filipino and Chinese defense officials started dialogues in 2004, when then defense secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. visited Beijing.
Eight of the 12 vehicles from China will be brought to Mindanao as soon as the Navy cargo vessel or landing ship tank (LST), which ferried military engineers and their equipment to Basilan last week, returns to Manila, Austria said.
Two others will be given to the Philippine Air Force Engineering Wing while the remaining two will be given to the Philippine Navy Construction Brigade, he said.
Austria said the vehicles that were turned over on Monday were part of what China pledged in 2006, adding that in 2005, that country donated the same number of engineering equipment.
Last week, Chinese Defense Minister pledged 15 million renminbi in equipment to the AFP, following a closed-door meeting with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., AFP chief.
Austria welcomed the donations, saying similar equipment in the AFP inventory were donations from the United States as far back as the 1960s and the 1970s.
He added that the military has prioritized spending for fighting troops rather than on engineering equipment.
($1= P46.70)
View article as posted on INQUIRER.net
Deadline all the time 