13 Philippine marines killed in fighting with militants

[tao]

ILIGAN, Philippines (AP) — Thirteen Philippine marines were killed in fierce fighting with Muslim militants who have laid siege to a southern city for nearly three weeks in the biggest single-day loss for government forces, the military said Saturday.

 

A U.S. Navy aircraft provided surveillance for the local troops as the battle raged in Marawi on Friday, confirming the involvement of the U.S. military in helping quell the urban insurrection at the request of the Philippine government, Philippine military officials said.

 

An Associated Press journalist and photographer saw a U.S. Navy P3 Orion plane hovering in cloudy skies above Marawi on Friday. The aircraft flew above rocket-firing Philippine helicopters that struck militant positions, causing plumes of smoke to billow skyward.

 

"We don't have adequate surveillance equipment, so we asked the U.S. military for assistance. It's noncombat assistance," military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said by phone, citing a Philippine government policy that bars foreign troops from local combat.

 

The U.S. Embassy in Manila said without elaborating that U.S. special operations forces were providing help to Filipino troops battling the Maute and Abu Sayyaf militants in Marawi.

 

"The United States is a proud ally of the Philippines, and we will continue to work with the Philippines to address shared threats to the peace and security of our countries, including on counterterrorism issues," the embassy said in a statement.

 

Philippine marines were conducting a house-to-house search for militants allied with the Islamic State group who are still occupying parts of Marawi when the battle erupted Friday, said Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, spokesman for the Philippine army's 1st Infantry Division.

 

About 30-40 militants used civilians as human shields, making it hard for troops to operate, and also positioned themselves in the city's many mosques.

 

Forty other marines were wounded, Herrera said.

 

Philippine military officials say the violence has left at least 138 militants and 58 government troops dead. At least 21 civilians have been killed, including a boy who was hit by suspected militant gunfire inside a Marawi mosque where his family had taken refuge, Padilla said.

 

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the city, parts of which were reduced to rubble by fighting and government airstrikes in an attempt to dislodge the rebels.

 

"This temporary setback has not diminished our resolve a bit," said military spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo. "It instead primed up our determination to continue our prudent advances to neutralize the enemy, save the innocent lives trapped in the fight, and set the conditions for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Marawi."

 

Filipino forces, meanwhile, captured on Friday the mother of two top militant leaders leading the siege. Ominta Romato Maute, who is also known as Farhana, was arrested with two wounded men and several woman allegedly with assault rifles and other weapons in Masiu town in Lanao del Sur province.

 

Maute's husband, Cayamora, was arrested at a police checkpoint in the southern city of Davao on Tuesday. The two were detained on suspicion of providing financial and other support to their children who are involved in the fighting in Marawi, officials said.

 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law in the Mindanao region, the southern third of the Philippines and home to a decades-long Muslim separatist rebellion.

 

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the designated administrator of martial law, has ordered the arrest of nearly 200 militants, politicians and other suspected civilian backers of the unprecedented uprising in Marawi, the mosque-studded heartland of Islamic faith in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

 

The Marawi siege followed a May 23 army raid that failed to capture a top terror suspect, Isnilon Hapilon, who has been designated by the Islamic State group as its leader in Southeast Asia. The raid, however pre-empted a plot by hundreds of militants waving Islamic State group-style black flags to capture Marawi and kill Christians, military officials say.

 

< Here >

 

[ThisPC666]

marawi city the only islamic city in philippines. most of its citizens even some local government officials are sympathizers and supporters of the jihadists group. what a surprise! and when their houses gets blown up to kingdom come they go whining and condemning the government and pulling the victim card as always. they are always the victims. they are the sole perpetual victims of history. they are the most oppressed. they always like to portray themselves as such even though history tells us, its quite the opposite.  ~~~ Kaboom! 

[tao]

Reminder (Guideline for Humans):

 

Sa'adi:

 

 

     Human beings are members of a whole,
     In creation of one essence and soul.
     If one member is afflicted with pain,
     Other members uneasy will remain.
     If you've no sympathy for human pain,
     The name of human you cannot retain!

 

     (Translation by  Aryanpoor)  

 

[pc71520]

Jihadists need to be eliminated. This is not religion. This is madness.

[tao]

32 minutes ago, pc71520 said:

[...] need to be eliminated. This is not religion. This is madness.

A Parable of Peace by Khalil Gibran  

 

 

Three dogs were basking in the sun and conversing. The first dog said dreamily, “It is indeed wondrous to be living in this day of dogdom. Consider the ease with which we travel under the sea, upon the earth and even in the sky. And meditate for a moment upon the inventions brought forth for the comfort of dogs, even for our eyes and ears and noses.”

 

And the second dog spoke and he said, “We are more heedful of the arts. We bark at the moon more rhythmically than did our forefathers. And when we gaze at ourselves in the water we see that our features are clearer than the features of yesterday.”

 

Then the third dog spoke and said, “But what interests me most and beguiles my mind is the tranquil understanding existing between dogdoms.”

 

At that very moment they looked, and lo, the dog-catcher was approaching.

 

The three dogs sprang up and scampered down the street; and as they ran the third dog said, “For God’s sake, run for your lives. Civilization is after us.   

 

< Here >

 

[Phantomboxe]

Why this idiot requesting assistance from the US without asking permission by the President?

now there's a 13 dead soldiers and yet this stupid yellowtards liberals won't stop complaining about the martial law?

Its a sabotage!. these Oligarch are little snake in the grass betraying are own people. Funny how ISIS in the Philippines

are using high-powered firearms like M4 while our government using M16 M1 Garand.

 

[tao]

22 hours ago, Phantomboxe said:

Why this idiot requesting assistance from the US without asking permission by the President? ...

Philippines' Duterte says didn't seek U.S. support in city siege

 

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday he did not seek support from Washington to end the siege of a southern Philippines town by Islamist militants, a day after the United States said it was providing assistance at the request of the government.

 

Duterte told a news conference in Cagayan de Oro City, about 100 km (62 miles) from the besieged town of Marawi, that he had "never approached America" for help.

 

When asked about U.S. support to fight the pro-Islamic State militants in Marawi City on the island of Mindanao, Duterte said he was "not aware of that until they arrived."

 

The cooperation between the longtime allies in the battle is significant because Duterte, who came to power a year ago, has taken a hostile stance towards Washington and has vowed to eject U.S. military trainers and advisers from his country.

 

It is unclear whether the pro-American military went over Duterte's head in seeking U.S. help.

 

The Philippines military said on Saturday U.S. forces were providing technical assistance but had no "boots on the ground", confirming a statement from the U.S. embassy in Manila which said the support had been requested by the government.

 

The seizure of Marawi on May 23 by hundreds of local and foreign fighters has alarmed Southeast Asian nations, which fear the ultra-radical group Islamic State is trying to establish a stronghold on Mindanao that could threaten their region.

 

The Pentagon, which has no permanent presence in the Philippines but for years has kept 50 to 100 special forces troops in the south of the country on rotational exercises, confirmed it was helping the Philippine military in Marawi.

 

It said in a statement on Saturday it was providing Philippine forces with security assistance and training in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. It said it had an additional 300 to 500 troops in the country to support regular training and activities, without giving further details.

 

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said support included aerial surveillance and targeting, electronic eavesdropping, communications assistance and training. A U.S. P-3 Orion surveillance plane was seen over the town on Friday.

 

"OUR SOLDIERS ARE PRO-AMERICAN"

 

Duterte, who declared martial law on Mindanao - an island the size of South Korea - after the Islamist fighters overran Marawi, said that under martial law he has authority over the defense department.

 

He did not say the armed forces had gone over his head but noted that, because of years of training from the United States, "our soldiers are pro-American, that I cannot deny."

 

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement U.S. forces were participating directly in combat operations, which is prohibited by Philippines law.

 

"The fight against terrorism, however, is not only the concern of the Philippines or the United States but it is a concern of many nations around the world," he said. "The Philippines is open to assistance from other countries if they offer it."

 

As of Saturday the number of security forces killed in the battle for Marawi stood at 58. The death toll for civilians was 20 and more than 100 had been killed overall.

 

At least 200 militants are holed up in a corner of the town. An estimated 500 to 1,000 civilians are trapped there, some being held as human shields, while others are hiding in their homes with no access to running water, electricity or food.

 

One of the main Islamist factions dug in around the heart of the city is the Maute group, a relative newcomer amid the throng of insurgents, separatists and bandits on Mindanao.

 

Maute joined forces with Isnilon Hapilon, who was last year proclaimed by Islamic State as its Southeast Asia "emir".

 

Military officials believe Hapilon is still in the town.

 

The military has said it is aiming to end the siege by Monday, the Philippines' independence day.

 

< Here >

 

 

 

 

[Phantomboxe]

2 minutes ago, adi said:

Philippines' Duterte says didn't seek U.S. support in city siege

The US has absolutely no business of being in the sovereign nation of the Philippines.

the US pops up and becomes good again?, as soon as the US arrived were taking heavy losses.

As long as the US will stick their nose in our country, The Philippines will be the next stronghold of ISIS.

Thanks to Obama

[debebee]

Someone tell this IDIOT Donald Trump is the current president of the USA?

 

 

 

[ThisPC666]

Just now, teodz1984 said:

Doesn't this idiot know Donald Trump is the president of the USA?

 

 

 

Duterte is friends with Trump

[debebee]

Who is the commander in chief of the Armed forces of the USA? The current POTUS, not the former POTUS

 

 

 

[Phantomboxe]

49 minutes ago, teodz1984 said:

Who is the command in chief of the Armed forces of the USA? The current POTUS, not the former POTUS

Yes..but Obama is still a parasite. Trump and Duterte have very common issue they are enemy of CIA/Deep State.

The Libtards wants to rule again.

[ThisPC666]

4 minutes ago, teodz1984 said:

Who is the command in chief of the Armed forces of the USA? The current POTUS, not the former POTUS

 

 

 

 

US Troops are there... they have a secret camp in marawi. 

[Phantomboxe]

4 minutes ago, ThisPC666 said:

US Troops are there... they have a secret camp in marawi.

The reason why because they want to take out duterte as soon as possible.

The Philippines has recently shown interest in closer relation with Russia/China.

on the other hand the US does not like this, they want dominance over the region

South China Sea. They want us to fight them.

[Phantomboxe]

47 minutes ago, teodz1984 said:

Someone tell this IDIOT Donald Trump is the current president of the USA?

Obama and Aquino are both cancer you should be aware of that cholo.

[debebee]

Aquino and Obama are not in charge, idiot.

 

refer to the Philippine Constitution Article VII Section 18.

[Phantomboxe]

2 minutes ago, teodz1984 said:

Aquino and Obama are not in charge, idiot.

 

ah really? so may excuses. who are those who demonize duterte?

is it Bam Aquino who looks like a midget. or the cunt trillanes? hahah

 

[debebee]

King of Fake news just like your Idiot idol Vitaliano Aguirre 

 

 

 

[Phantomboxe]

7 minutes ago, teodz1984 said:

King of Fake news just like your Idiot idol Vitaliano Aguirre

Their days are numbered. everytime they move they're getting exposed.

to those who are sympathizer of maute group should be hang on public along with Aquino.

 

[debebee]

Senate to summon Aguirre over 'fake news'
ABS-CBN News

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II shows the media his purported proof that opposition figures met in Marawi City days before clashes between government troops and terror groups began. The photo turned out to be a 2015 image taken at the Iloilo airport. 

MANILA - The Senate is set to summon Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to investigate his false claims that several opposition lawmakers were involved in the Maute terrorist group's rampage in Marawi City.
Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Information, bared this to ABS-CBN News on Friday, noting that Aguirre, being a justice chief, should first verify information he releases to the public.

"Siyempre tatanungin natin si Secretary, 'Saan niyo ba nakukuha ang mga balita niyo? Magkano ba ang budget ng DOJ? Siguro meron naman kayong mga imbestigador,'" Senator Grace Poe, chair, told ABS-CBN News.
The justice chief earlier alleged that Senators Antonio Trillanes and Bam Aquino, as well as Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano, and Ronald Llamas, political adviser of former president Benigno Aquino III, met with the Alonto and Lucman clans of Marawi City on May 2, three weeks before clashes between terror groups and government troops erupted.
Aguirre later recanted his allegations after it was revealed that the photograph he cited as evidence of the supposed meeting in Maraw City, which he showed to journalists in a press conference on Wednesday, was an image taken in 2015 at the Iloilo Airport.
Still, he ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the possible involvement of opposition leaders in a purported destabilization plot against the Duterte administration. 
PENALIZE FAKE NEWS
Poe did not hide her dismay over Aguirre's blunder and said government officials should be held accountable for the information they provide the public, especially if it deals with national concerns.
"Nakakainsulto lalung-lalo na kapag ikaw ay pinagkakatiwalaan ng hustisya, Department of Justice pa naman, na ikaw mismo ay di gumagawa ng iyong trabaho o homework na iberipika muna ang isang bagay bago ilabas. Ano ba naman yung pag-aralan mo muna bago ka magsasalita?," Poe said.
"Ang gobyerno dapat ang sandalan ng impormasyon ng ating mga kababayan. Kung ang mismong mga sangay ng gobyerno ang nagpapalabas ng mga hindi totoong balita ay sino ang paniniwalaan natin?" she added.
Sen. Joel Villanueva is meanwhile planning to file a bill penalizing individuals who intentionally create fake news and spread false allegations.
"We intend to file a bill that would penalize any person who maliciously creates or intentionally spreads fake news in print, broadcast media or on the internet including social media websites," Villanueva said in a statement.
"Those who author lies and fake news should not be tolerated... We want to strike a balance between democracy and duty to promote a high standard of ethics especially in public service," Villanueva said.
Poe said the communication department, which recently committed a series of blunders recently, may also face budget cuts or reorganization should congressional hearings prove that the agency was in disarray.
OTHER BLUNDERS
The supposed destabilization plot of opposition lawmakers in Marawi City was not Aguirre's first gaffe.
In February, Aguirre drew flak for saying that "criminals are not humans" during a Senate hearing. He later on retracted his statement and shrugged it of as another misquote or grammatical error.
Weeks after, Aguirre committed another blunder by claiming that a so-called "Korean mafia" may be behind the abduction and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo. 
The South Korean Embassy in Manila denied his claims, while both the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the police neither denied nor confirmed Aguirre's allegation.
Police officers, not alleged Korean mafia members, have been charged for Jee's slay.
The Justice secretary also said that the wife of a "high-value" inmate at the national penitentiary was ambushed along Polaris Street, Barangay Poblacion, Makati City in February.
The Makati City Police however denied Aguirre's claims, saying they did not receive any reports of an ambush within the city. -- with a report from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News.

 

[Phantomboxe]

3 minutes ago, teodz1984 said:

 

Abs-Cbn

Inquirer News

CNN

nEW York Times

Rappler

ARE SCUM!

[debebee]

Maute Group suspects slain in ambush on PNP convoy eyed as witnesses vs ‘queen’ of terror network

By Dindo Flora and Ghem Avanceña, News5 | InterAksyon

 

 
Published: June 11, 2017, 11:56 PM

 

 

 

Photos of suspected members of the Maute group with (left to right) Cayamora and Okinta, and their sons, alleged founders Abdullah and Omarkhayam on the top row. On the bottom row, from left to right, are Mohammadkhayam Maute, Abdulrahman Maute, Abdul Azis Maute, and Hamza Maute. (Photos released by the Cebu City Police Office)

MARAWI CITY/CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Authorities released the names of four suspected Maute Group members killed in an ambush on a government convoy Saturday night, adding that they could have been silenced by certain forces to prevent them from testifying against Okinta Romato Maute alias Farhana, mother of the Maute brothers leading the siege of Marawi.

The Joint Task Group of the Philippine National Police under Task Force Marawi identified the alleged members as:
1. Zulkifli Risales Maute
2. one Alias Gar Hadji Suluman
3. Salah Gasim Abbas
4. Allan Capal Sulaiman

They had been arrested at 2 pm Friday in Masiu, Lanao del Sur with Okinta alias Farhana, dubbed the “queen” – because she was allegedly helping raise funds and recruit members of the Maute Group set up by her sons Omar and Abdullah Maute.

Three days earlier, the Mautes’ patriarch, Cayamora Maute, was arrested at a check point in Davao City and flown to Metro Manila.

Also arrested with Farhana were several wounded men and seven women.

Authorities seized from their group high-caliber firearms and some explosives.
The PNP said Farhana’s group was on board a gray Toyota Revo when apprehended by police in Barangay Kormato in Masiu town.

The PNP learned he group had earlier sought refuge in Brgy. Dayawan, also in Masiu, where they bought several vehicles and arms that they had meant to use as they exited Lanao del Sur.

‘Queen’ was financier, recruiter

Farhana was tagged the “queen” and financier of the Maute Group, and together with her husband Cayamora had recruited members for the terrorist group that linked up with Abu Sayyaf Group leader Isnilon Hapilon in the mission to set up an ISIS “wilayat” or province in Mindanao.

Before the arrest of Farhana, several suspected Maute Group members had been spotted in Marawi’s neighboring towns, prompting a warning from ARMM governor Mujiv Hataman that anyone supporting the terrorist group will be made to answer, especially if they are elements of the local government units.

“Kung meron sumusuporta.. . definitely may pananagutan sila kahit LGU, local government,” said Hataman.

Dead on arrival

The four captured Maute Group members who were ambushed Saturday night as they were being transported separately from Farhana were rushed to the Dr. Uy Hospital in Iligan City, but three died on arrival. The fourth succumbed to injuries later.

A police officer on the convoy was also injured after unknown elements fired at them as the convoy reached Barangay Kalanganan in Pantar, Lanao del Sur enroute to Cagayan de Oro, where charges would have been filed against the terror suspects.

Senior Supt. Rolly Anduyan, commander of the PNP Joint Task Group, explained that they had to airlift sensitive personalities” could not do so for the rest, because there were simply too many of them and “we have to take them by land.”

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año confirmed the slain men were with Farhana’s group. “May wounded na isang PNP personnel. The four [suspected members of] Maute were killed during the ambush.” He could not give further details on the ambush, adding, “we shall wait for the report of the PNP.”

Año raised the possibility that fellow Maute members were behind the ambush, to prevent the men from testifying against Farhana or giving information to authorities.

JTG commander Anduyan noted that, “actually matataas yung hinahawakan nilang hierarchy ng Maute.” He said that apprehension was crucial in the bid to crush the terrorists because Farhana was deemed the “queen,” adding that the men were “within the network of the queen, kumbaga parang anay –nandun sila sa network ng queen [like termites, they are within the queen’s network].”

What ambush?

Meanwhile, some residents of Barangay Kalalangan in Pantar, however, appeared unconvinced the men were killed in an ambush.

One village leader said, “may dumaan na trak ng PNP sa Lanao del Sur; pagdating dito biglang may pumutok at wala namang kontra. Dapat kung may kalaban maraming putukan [a PNP truck passed by, and gunshots were heard. There was no counterfire. If there was an enemy, there would have been much gunfire].”
Residents did not see any force that ambushed the PNP convoy, added the village official.

[debebee]

Hapilon, Mautes had orders to set up ISIS base in Mindanao: Duterte, AFP chief

By 

Ghem Avanceña, News 5 | InterAksyon

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte and Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año said separately that the head of the Islamic State in the Middle East, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had instructed Isnilon Hapilon to set up a base for ISIS in the Philippines.

Duterte said this in remarks while visiting soldiers wounded in the fighting in Marawi City, where the Maute Group with which Hapilon had closed ranks laid siege to starting May 23 – putting up a tough, urban guerrila style warfare against government forces despite punishing attacks from the ground and air.

Duterte visited the Camp Evangelista Station Hospital at the weekend and pinned medals on the wounded soldiers and gave out cash assistance.

In the ensuing press conference, Duterte said the Philippine government had confirmed information that al-Baghdadi had given the orders to the Maute brothers and Hapilon to sow chaos in Mindanao, which the President placed under martial law through Proclamation 216 which he signed on the evening of May 23.

The information they got was that ISIS wanted Lanao de Sur to be their base in Asia, and then expanding to nearby areas like Iligan City, where most of Marawi’s 200,000 population have fled.

“Lumabas na si Bagdadi mismo, the leader of ISIS, has physically ordered terroristic activities in the Philippines,” said Duterte.

The bigger, long-term plan of the terrorist group was detailed by AFP chief of staff Año. The government got further information with the capture last week of the Maute brothers’ father, Cayamora Maute – who has since been flown to Metro Manila – and subsequently their mother Okinta Romato Maute alias Farhana.

The latter was arrested with several men Friday, but four of the suspected members who were being transported separately to Cagayan de Oro died when the government convoy bearing them was ambushed Saturday.

The instructions received by the Mautes and Hapilon, according to Año, was that “once they occupied Marawi, they will go to Iligan and kill as many as they can, non-Muslims. To show to the world that there is an existing ISIS in the Philippines, that they have a base in Asia and they chose Mindanao, Lanao Sur.”

US help confirmed

The military confirmed at the weekend that the United States was providing “technical assistance” to government in fighting the extremists in Marawi, but insisted that all operational matters were being handled by Philippine defense and military.

Duterte said in Cagayan de Oro he was not aware of this, but acknowledged that the Philippine military was still handicapped in terms of technical expertise.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, Jr explained the situation: “[The US] contribution is more on training and technical assistance. Kasi yung ginagamit nating equipment ay similar sa kanila. But basically lahat ng operational matters, sa amin lahat yun. Walang Amerikanong involved [The equipment we’re using is similar tp theirs, so they’re helping out on technical matters. But there are no Americans involved in operational matters. All of that is ours].”

MDT standing protocols

In Malacañang, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella explained to reporters: “The United States is assisting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in its operations in Marawi but this is limited to technical assistance.

“We have standing protocols which are already in place under the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board with the US under the purview of the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951. It does not involve any boots on the ground nor is there any direct participation in combat operations, a matter prohibited by law.”

Apparently referring to concerns about US intervention in Mindanao, Abello pointed out that “the fight against terrorism, however, is not only the concern of the Philippines or the United States but it is a concern of many nations around the world. The Philippines is open to assistance from other countries if they offer it.”

Duterte acknowledged that the Philippine military still lacked technical expertise. “I am not aware of it. And since martial law, I gave powers to the defense department. [There is a war] …We are not that powerful. We do not have technical expertise, that is why most of the officers of the Philippine Army had their schooling in America,” Duterte said, adding, “ang sentimyento nito pro-American. That I cannot deny.”

He appealed to the people of Marawi to hold on: “I do not want to fight. I simply cannot wage a war against my own people. I pray that there will be a short war, I expect it to be over soon.”

The government, Duterte added, would extend all necessary assistance to the people of Marawi, whose once-bustling city – deemed one of the most progressive Muslim-dominated places in Mindanao – has suffered extensive damage from the 3-week-old siege.

 

Previous article

[debebee]

Islamic State eyed PH after failing to gain foothold in Indonesia – security expert

By 

Priam F. Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency

 

 
Published: June 10, 2017, 11:13 AM

MANILA, Philippines — The Islamic State eyed the Philippines as a base for operations after failing to gain a foothold in Indonesia, a Singaporean security affairs analyst said.

The terror group’s expansion began in 2014 when it decided to go expand beyond the Middle East, setting its sights on Africa, the Caucasus and Asia, Dr. Rohan Gunaratna said in a Skype interview during PTV-4’s Countering Violent Extremism Forum Friday.

“The Philippines was selected because they could not establish a caliphate in Indonesia,” Gunaratna said, adding that Islamic State also found local terrorist groups willing to support its extremist cause.

Among these  were Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon’s group in Basilan, Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan’s band in Sulu, the Ansar Khalifa Philippines in the Soccsksargen region, the Maute group in Lanao del Sur, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

With these new alliances, Gunaratna said, the terror network saw an opportunity to create a new threat landscape in the southern Philippines.

When asked why the Maute group, now locked in battle with government forces in Marawi City, decided to follow Wahhabism, the Singaporean security analyst said this is because its founders, Omar and Abdullah, both studied in the Middle East and brought home the ideology.

Wahhabism is an ultra-conservative form of Islam that justifies punishments for those who do not follow its teachings.

To counter this, Gunaratna said the Philippines should maintain its local tradition of Islam, one that espouses tolerance and peace and has existed in the country for centuries.

 

End martial law, abuses, or face more Moro resistance –

Communist Party of the Philippines

By 

InterAksyon

 

 
Published: June 10, 2017, 12:32 PM

The Communist Party of the Philippines urged resistance to martial law in Mindanao, saying it would “fail to resolve the emergence of various armed Moro groups” and instead “will succeed in pushing more Moro people to take up arms and engage in war.”

In the editorial of the June 7 issue of its official publication “Ang Bayan,” the CPP dismissed as “unacceptable” President Rodrigo Duterte’s justification for issuing Proclamation No. 216, the “rebellion and terrorism of the so-called Maute group.

The editorial made no mention of an earlier offer by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which represents communist rebels in peace talks with government, of cooperation to fight local extremist groups. Duterte earlier welcomed the offer but has since rejected it.

It said martial law “must be denounced because it gives the AFP and PNP (Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police) unrestrained freedom to abuse their powers against the people,” adding that Duterte himself “has even openly encouraged the soldiers to carry out abuses when he said he will answer for them.”

The CPP said martial law had worsened the human rights abuses it said were being committed “under the Duterte-Lorenzana all-our war” against the rebels by making the military “more ruthless in waging brutal operations against people suspected of supporting the armed revolution.”

It cited alleged aerial bombardments and incidents of strafing in Davao del Sur, Bukidnon, Cotabato and Compostela Valley provinces, “which are quite a distance from the said rebellion of the Mautes.”

And even as Duterte “is giving more powers to the military,” the CPP said he has also “given more weight to his threats against the courts and other government agencies” even as Congress has “become a mere ornament,” citing its refusal to convene in joint session to tackle the martial law declaration.

It also warned that the continuing fighting between government forces and the extremists “is now rousing anger among Moro leaders because of the relentless destruction of the lives of Marawi’s people.”

“If the complete destruction of Marawi continues, the war launched to ‘suppress terrorism’ will be regarded by the Moro people as a war against them,” it added.

“If the Duterte regime will not rein in the AFP’s bombardment, instead of suppressing the armed bandit groups, the ruthless and brutal war of the AFP will succeed in pushing more Moro people to take up arms and engage in war,” the CPP warned.

[debebee]

On 6/10/2017 at 11:47 PM, Phantomboxe said:

 

Funny how ISIS in the Philippines are using high-powered firearms like M4 while our government using M16 M1 Garand.

Spoiler

The Philippine military has said its aim is to end the siege in Marawi by Monday [Reuters]

www.aljazeera.com

Where is the M1 Garand in the picture above?