Thread: Philippines President Duterte declares martial law on Mindanao island

^It's the Moro National Liberation Front.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

What "visiting forces"? You've seen this? Funny it's totally unreported anywhere.

Serious covert action usually is "unreported". Just because you don't know about it (despite your past "connections"), doesn't mean there's no current "activity". Knowing the Malay nature of the P.I. as I do, coupled with the dual-schizoid personality of Mr. Duterte, absolutely anything is probable, in the P.I. these days, eh?

^OK, Ben. I have no intent of discussing this with you, given that you obviously know very little about the country.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^It's the Moro National Liberation Front.

Ok, thanks for the corrective update. Cheers!

Originally Posted by GracelessFawn

One example of said camp

.....etc. Ditto!

P-a-l-o-w-a-n, eh? ^That figures true enough. FYI ~^Those, who are truly "in the know" would not bother to refute, or debate anything (true or otherwise) posted to these forums, from anyone. Capisce? Away, thanks again for the MNLF corrective update. Cheers!

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^My wife's entire extended family lives in Palawan, and knows nothing of any American presence there.

There are NO secrets in the Philippines. There are NO covert operations. EVERYTHING is played out in the press and on social media. Despite every move made in the Philippines by ANY American serviceman being put under close watch by anti-VFA forces who would love to be able to publicize something like what you allege, there are NO reports...ANYWHERE.

I spoke just now to two AFP officers I have known for years. They both said "Bullshit".

Finally, to what end? What would American troops add to "basic combat training" that the AFP couldn't do better itself.

Sorry, Grace. I don't believe a word of it. Last time you had it as terrorist recruiting teams recruiting in remote Palawan villages. Nobody I know in Palawan's remote villages has ever heard of that either.

Still can't figure it out, Grace. I thought you might be confused with Balikatan 2017 which recently ended, but I checked and none of it was in Palawan.

MNLF, MILF, BIFF, and NPA

MORO NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT (MNLF)
The MNLF Ideology is Egalitarian (public law must be founded upon RESPECT to all people regardless of differences in religion). They arepro-Democracy. MNLF members are 30% Muslims and 70% nonMuslims. Their Leader Nur Misuari is a UN Peace Prize Awardee and NOBEL Peace Prize Nominee. MNLF are Loyal to Republic of the Philippines. They believe that the Moros/Muslims are Filipinos. MNLFs believe that Mindanao is part of the territorial sovereignty of Philippines. MNLFs will recover Sabah for the Republic of the Philippines.
MNLF and Govt have Final Peace Agreement in 1996 and there is no armed conflict between MNLF and the govt. MNLF is a gun-free organization. The organization has no assets, no guns. The firearms of MNLF members are are personally purchased and privately-owned, just like any ordinary private gun-owner. MNLF encourages firearm registration and licensing into the PNP. They don't kill Philippine troops.
MNLF is egalitarian in ideology and mixed membership, hence organization-wise, the MNLF does not subscribe to Jihad. Nevertheless, there are Muslim MNLFs who practice Jihad as a principle of self-defence and they practice it in their personal capacity as Muslims. MNLFs are self-funded at the individual level. Political direction: Requesting popular support for Nur Misuari to win one seat in PHSenate and for the OneMNLF Advocacy Group to win three seats in Congress as PartyList. An alternative is two seats in Senate.
- Attitude on the Will of the People in Election: Full submission.

MORE NOTES ABOUT MNLF
STATUS OF MNLF's MINDANAO INDEPENDENCE ADVOCACY. The MNLF advocacy for Mindanao Independence or Secession started in 1969 and freezed in Nov 2014. Since November 2014, MNLF, already freezed our advocacy for Mindanao Independence because we confirmed recently that the idea of Mindanao Independence originated from the Malaysians in 1969. We confirmed that Malaysia injected it in the mind of MNLF so that MNLF will fight against the PH Govt.

MORO ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT (MILF)
- Ideology is Muslim Supremacy and Islamic State (similar to ISIS).
- MILF members are 100% Muslims.
- MILF Leader is a terrorist Murad and Iqbal, uses endless scare tactics to pressure government.
- MILF Loyal to Malaysia.
- MILF says they are Bangsamoro NOT Filipinos.
- MILFs believe that Philippines is a colonizer of Mindanao, and that Mindanao belongs to Muslims.
- MILF wants Sabah and Mindanao to become part of Malaysia.
- MILF have peace agreement with PH Govt in three signing ceremonies in Malacanang (2012 FAB, 2013 CAB, 2014 BBL) but still continues to threaten peace in order to get more political concession for the formation of Islamic State in Mindanao to be carved out from Philippines in favor of the Malaysian Federation.
- MILF firearms are illegally manufactured within their organization and discourages submission into the PNP licensing system.
- MILFs brag after killing Philippine troops.
- MILF fund comes from stealing, such as from the Malaysian Manuel Amalilio Aman Futures Group that swindled (via Pyramiding scam) P12Billion from 15,000 ordinary people (teachers, retirees, pensioners, market vendors, OFWs, single moms) in Mindanao.
- Political direction: establish an Islamic Region and rule the general public using Shariah Law.

MORE NOTES ABOUT MILF
MILF IS ALLERGIC TO BARONG TAGALOG. The MILF mindset of MOROS-NOT-FILIPINOS is not an ignorable anomaly in managing the peace process. A lot of people in the Philippines, even the PH Government negotiators, are unaware, that for MILF's, wearing BARONG TAGALOG (this is literal, not just a figure of speech) is dishonor, abomination, and coward.


BANGSAMORO ISLAMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS (BIFF)
Two groups use the "BIFF" group name, (1) KATO group and (2) MAMA group. The Kato Group has been neutralized and became members of MNLF recently, so peaceful, but they are hiding in the mountains because they are being hunted by the MILF and Pnoy Soldiers. The MAMA group of BIFF is a front of MILF that they use for terrorism purposes and to pressure the BBL.

KATO GROUP = good BIFF
MAMA GROUP = bad BIFF

In 2008, the GPH disapproved the MOA-AD proposal of the MILF, as a result MILF ordered two MILF Base Commands, one led by Commander Umbra Kato and the second led by Commander Bravo to siege Kauswagan. Many civilians died. In 2012, the MILF had peace talks with the PNOY Administration. The Pniy administration requested for the surrender of tje members who participated in the Kauswagan violence so they would be taken-out of the terrorist list. The MILF leader ordered for the arrest/execution of Umbra Kato to show sincerity to the PH Govt that they will clean-up their ranks of terrorists. The MILF keadetship left out Umbra kato in the peace talks. So Kato escaped to Magundanao with all of his men and hid in tje mountains of Cotabato, that was still 2012. Kato named his new group BIFF and this is the original BIFF.

MILF and BIFF are fighting each other, Muslim vs Muslim. So upon invitation of kato, Nur Misuari intervened and Misuari told MILF to stop attacking BIFF. BIFF of Kato then returned to MNLF because he like the principles of MNLF and the direction for Mindanao Secession. After Kato returned to MNLF, he is controlled and peaceful.

The Malaysia-Aquino-MILF TRIAD formed a counterfeit BIFF in 2014 with Mama as the leader. Every time the MILF commit crimes they blame it on BIFF and blame the Kato group. They also made an ISIS- like (Black Flag) Website and pisted Kato BIFF pictures to deceive the people.
Ang tanong, Bad ba si UMBRA KATO or Good? To answer this, balik tayo sa first paragraph. In 2008, the GPH disapproved the MOA-AD proposal of the MILF, as a result MILF ordered two MILF Base Commands, one group was led by Commander Umbra Kato and the second group was led by Commander Bravo to siege Kauswagan. Many civilians died in Kauswagan. The MILF group that killed Christian civilians ISIS-style was the group led by Commander Bravo.

COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE PHILIPPINES - NEW PEOPLES ARMY (CPP-NPA)
CPP-NPA was established in 28 March 1968, the evening after Ninoy delivered the Jabidah Massacre speech in the senate. The establishment of CPP NPA was masterminded by Ninoy, funded by Malaysia, and operated by Joma. It may seem a cause-oriented group at the lower level, but the higher-up decision makers are serving only Malaysian interest of sustaining trouble in PH, make PH waste its resources, make PH weak to the point that we can no longer reclaim Sabah that Malaysia stole from us. Both the Muslim and Communist insurgencies in PH are Malaysian operated. These Malaysian sabotage in Philippine politics, police, military, religion, media, peace process, economics, history, and even in education are all rooted in their insecurity of Sabah -- they make us weak because they are afraid we will recover Sabah when we become a strong and developed nation.

I don't know what's going on too Davis. Its all I know for now. Your friends in Palawan can check the areas I mentioned..... Then tell me if I was lying.

I live far away from Puerto Princesa City and I mostly travel the mountain areas..... And it's what I see/saw.

On another issue,
Did your friends in Palawan heard about the fishing vessel that was recovered in the Rizal area, thought to be used by the ISIS? Palawan is on red- alert.

Its not in the news also. There is no media frenzy. And I wouldn't be surprised. Palawan is a major tourist destination.

As for the recruitments in villages that I mentioned before, try contacting the Quezon, Palawan PNP. They've been investigating it for some time.

As I said, I don't know what's really going on. Just tidbits here and there..... But that American camp in Maasin... I saw it personally yesterday.....

Originally Posted by GracelessFawn

American camp in Maasin... I saw it personally yesterday.....

Not calling you a liar, Grace, but the US military doesn't move without a huge support apparatus. Quite strange to have a force slip into the country unnoticed, slip into Palawan unnoticed, and live in the jungle doing something the AFP could do better unnoticed.

You actually saw American military yourself?

Yes... I passed by that camp yesterday. I only saw like a dozen Americans...... Not exactly sure how many are there and what their objectives are, but villagers are saying that they have been recruiting and training local villagers.

^Recruiting and training them to do WHAT? What Filipino entity are they working with? AFP? PNP? SAF? I know they aren't there on their own.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^Recruiting and training them to do WHAT? What Filipino entity are they working with? AFP? PNP? SAF? I know they aren't there on their own.

I don't know yet. Will have to get back on that one if/when I find answers.....

^Duterte doesn't want any US military presence here. Currently, there is a small US military contingent in Mindanao...well known, embedded with Filipino military, and greatly restricted in their movements and activities.

That is the only US military in the Philippines other than a few in the Embassy.

The joint US/Filipino annual Balikatan exercise this year was, at Duterte's command, greatly reduced in size and duration, and focused on disaster relief.

It is simply inconceivable that Duterte would allow US military to run around Palawan. And impossible they could be there without his knowledge.

I wonder if the presence of US soldiers in Palawan is EDCA related......

^doubt it. EDCA discussed some new naval bases - none of which have been built. Subic was Navy; Clark was Air Force. There's been no significant Army or Marine presence here since WW2.

Philippines Forces Hit IS-Linked Militants as Civilians Flee, Wave Flags

MARAWI, PHILIPPINES —
Philippine military jets fired rockets at militant positions Saturday as soldiers fought to wrest control of a southern city from gunmen linked to the Islamic State group, witnesses said. Civilians waved flags from their windows to show they are not combatants.

The city of Marawi, home to about 200,000 people, has been under siege by IS-linked militants since a failed raid Tuesday night on a suspected hideout of Isnilon Hapilon, who is on Washington’s list of most-wanted terrorists. Isnilon got away, and fighters loyal to him took over parts of the city, burning buildings and seizing about a dozen hostages, including a priest. Their condition is unknown.


Civilians caught in conflict

The violence prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the country’s south, where a Muslim rebellion has raged for decades.

“I saw two jets swoop down and fire at rebel positions repeatedly,” Alexander Mangundatu, a security guard, told The Associated Press in Marawi as a plume of black smoke billowed in the distance. “I pity the civilians and the women who were near the targeted area. They’re getting caught in the conflict and I hope this ends soon.”

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said government forces are working to “clear the city of all remnants of this group.”

On Friday, Duterte ordered his troops to crush the militants, warning that the country is at a grave risk from the Islamic State group.


Death toll: at least 44

At least 44 people have died in the fighting, including 31 militants and 11 soldiers, officials say. It was not immediately clear whether civilians were among the dead. The violence has forced thousands of people to flee and raised fears of growing extremism.

Duterte gave his troops a free hand to wrest control of Marawi.

“You can arrest any person, search any house without warrant,” said Duterte, who has been criticized for the deaths of thousands of people in a crackdown on illegal drugs.

Hapilon is still hiding out in the city under the protection of gunmen who are desperately trying to find a way to extricate him, the country’s military chief said.

“Right now, he is still inside (the city),” Gen. Eduardo Ano told the AP. “We cannot just pinpoint the particular spot.”

He said Hapilon suffered a stroke after a government airstrike wounded him in January.


Long-standing militancy

In a sign that the long-standing problem of militancy in the south could be expanding, Solicitor General Jose Calida said foreigners were fighting alongside the gunmen in Marawi, including Indonesians and Malaysians.

Hapilon, an Islamic preacher, is a commander of the Abu Sayyaf militant group who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2014. He also heads an alliance of at least 10 smaller militant groups, including the Maute, which have a heavy presence in Marawi and were instrumental in fighting off government forces in this week’s battles.

All of the groups are inspired by the Islamic State group, but so far there is no sign of significant, material ties.

Philippines Forces Hit IS-Linked Militants as Civilians Flee, Wave Flags

Philippine president urges IS-linked rebels to halt siege, start talks

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to Islamist militants on Friday to abandon hostilities and start dialogue in an effort to end their bloody occupation of a southern city that experts called a major blow to regional security.

Duterte said the presence of foreign fighters in street battles that have raged since Tuesday in Marawi City was proof that Islamic State had gained a foothold on the restive island of Mindanao, but there was still a chance for peace.

“You can say that the ISIS is here already,” Duterte told soldiers in nearby Iligan City, referring to Islamic State.

“My message mainly to the terrorists on the other side is we can still solve this through dialogue. And if you cannot be convinced to stop fighting, so be it. Let’s just fight.”

Special forces commandoes were deployed to drive out the remaining 20 to 30 Maute group rebels holed-up in Marawi but encountered heavy resistance on Friday. The army said 11 soldiers and 31 militants have been killed.

Fighting erupted on Tuesday after a bungled raid by security forces on a Maute hideout, which spiralled into chaos, with gunmen seizing bridges, roads and buildings and taking Christians hostage. Duterte responded by declaring martial law throughout his home island of Mindanao.

Rohan Gunaratna, a Singapore-based security expert, said the siege was a wake-up call for the Philippines.

“Islamic State capturing a major city in the Philippines is a very significant blow to the security and stability of this region,” he said.

“The Filipinos need to get their act together … They must understand the truth that IS ideology took hold in their country. The local groups have transformed.”

Malaysians, Indonesians and other foreigners were among the guerrillas killed on Thursday, which the government said demonstrated how the Philippines could become a haven for overseas militants.

The White House on Thursday said it backed the Philippine fight against “cowardly terrorists”.

Duterte has warned of “contamination” by Islamic State, exploiting the poverty, lawlessness and porous borders of predominantly Muslim areas of Mindanao island to establish a base for radicals from Southeast Asia and beyond.

He has pleaded with political and Islamic leaders to keep foreign and local militants at bay. Months of air and ground offensives in Mindanao have not dented their resolve.

Foreign invasion

“What’s happening in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion of Filipino citizens,” Solicitor General Jose Calida told reporters in explaining why martial law was imposed.

“It has transmogrified into invasion by foreign terrorists, who heeded the call of the ISIS to go to the Philippines if they find difficulty in going to Iraq and Syria.”

Most of Marawi’s 200,000 inhabitants fled after the gunmen ran amok on Tuesday, seizing and torching buildings, freeing militants from jails and taking a priest and churchgoers hostage at the city’s cathedral.

Duterte has dealt with separatist unrest during his 22 years as a mayor in Mindanao, but the Maute’s rise and signs that it has ties to another group, the Abu Sayyaf, present one of the biggest challenges of a presidency won on promises to fight drugs and lawlessness.

Philippine intelligence indicates the two groups from different parts of Mindanao are connected, through Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of a radical faction of Abu Sayyaf.

Abu Sayyaf has a track record of banditry, piracy and violence, while the lesser-known Maute group has proven itself a fierce battlefield opponent for the military, able to sustain air and artillery bombardments and regroup after heavy losses.

Hapilon was the target of Tuesday’s botched raid and Duterte said Islamic State in the Middle East had anointed him as its man in the Philippines, and Hapilon was revered as its leader.

Military chief General Eduardo Ano said the fierce resistance by the Maute in Marawi was to protect Hapilon, who was in poor condition after being wounded in a January air strike.

“If we capture him, all the better. But if he fights back we have to do what is necessary,” he told reporters.

Convoys of vehicles packed with evacuees and protected by soldiers streamed into Iligan. Mark Angelou Siega, a Christian, described how students fled their campus.

“We were so scared and so were our Muslim brothers and sisters. We were sure they would get to us,” he said. “These terrorists are not real Muslims.”

Calida said the Maute group and Islamic State were radicalising young Muslims and the government was not the only target of their aggression.

“People they consider as infidels, whether Christians or Muslims, are also targets,” he said.

Philippine president urges IS-linked rebels to halt siege, start talks | Asia Times

Originally Posted by GracelessFawn

I wonder if the presence of US soldiers in Palawan is EDCA related......

They certainly seem a lot more organised and better armed than Thailand's hit and run merchants down south.

Philippines Pounds Militants As Civilians Found Shot Dead



MARAWI, PHILIPPINES —
Philippine forces found the bodies of what appeared to be eight executed civilians as authorities launched fresh airstrikes Sunday to drive militants linked to the Islamic State group out of a besieged southern city. The death toll from six days of fighting neared 100.

The crisis in Marawi, home to some 200,000 people, has grown increasingly dire as the militants show unexpected tenacity, fending off a military that has unleashed attack helicopters, armored vehicles and scores of soldiers.

The violence prompted President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday to declare 60 days of martial law in the southern Philippines, where a Muslim separatist rebellion has raged for decades. But the recent bloodshed in Marawi has raised fears that extremism is growing as smaller militant groups unify and align themselves with the Islamic State group.

Much of the city is a no-go zone, but as the military advances and more civilians escape, the scope of the battle is becoming clear.

Thousands of civilians have streamed out of Marawi and more than 2,000 were still trapped inside the city. Many sent desperate text messages begging to be rescued and reporting that their homes had been destroyed, said Zia Alonto Adiong, an official in Lanao del Sur, one of the country's poorest provinces.

"Have mercy on us, we don't have any more water to drink,'' read one of the messages, sent to a hotline set up for trapped residents.

The Associated Press was shown the messages by relief workers at a provincial government complex in Marawi. Another message asked authorities to retrieve three bodies that were rotting near a resident's home.

Speaking at the evacuation center on Sunday, Saddat Liong said his house was hit by mortar fire and burned to the ground. Liong, his wife and eight children lost everything, he said - even their cooking pots.

"I feel that we've lost our city,'' he said.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said that combat operations were still going on, but that the militants were weakening.

"We believe they're now low on ammunition and food,'' he said, speaking by phone from Manila, the capital. "Compared to the initial days, there has been increasingly less resistance from the militants within Marawi.''

Padilla said the bodies of four men, three women and a child were found near a road close to Mindanao State University in Marawi.

Eight other men were found gunned down and thrown into a shallow ravine early Sunday in Marawi's Emi village, said police officer Jamail Mangadang. A paper sign attached to one of the men indicated that the victims had "betrayed their faith,'' he said, identifying the men as civilians.

Marawi is a mostly Muslim city.

Mangadang said the eight men were bakers and carpenters who were evacuating to Iligan, a city near Marawi, but were intercepted by the militants. When they couldn't recite verses of the Quran because they were Christians, they were brought to the top of a ravine and shot to death, Mangadang said, citing the chief of a village where the victims lived.

In addition to the civilian deaths, Padilla said 61 militants, 11 soldiers and four police were among the dead.

The violence erupted Tuesday night when the government launched a raid to capture Isnilon Hapilon, who is on Washington's list of most-wanted terrorists. But the operation went awry and militants rampaged through the city, torching buildings and battling government forces in the streets.

A priest and several worshippers were taken hostage. There was no word on their condition.

Hapilon, an Islamic preacher, is a commander of the Abu Sayyaf militant group who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2014. He also heads an alliance of at least 10 smaller militant groups, including the Maute, which has a heavy presence in Marawi and has been instrumental in fighting off government forces in the current battles.

All of the groups are inspired by the Islamic State group. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that Hapilon has received funds from the Islamic State group.

Washington has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Hapilon's capture.

Philippines Pounds Militants As Civilians Found Shot Dead