Philippines/Insurgency: Four NPA rebels killed in clashes with the security forces in Masbate

Media reported on Wednesday that four rebels had been killed during a gun battle between security forces and members of the Maoist New People’s Army (NPA) in the outskirts of Mobo town in the central Masbate province on Tuesday.

Reportedly, the soldiers were on patrol in the area when around 10 suspected NPA rebels launched an attack against them, triggering an exchange of fire.

It is worth mentioning that the soldiers were conducting the raid after authorities had received information from civilians that the rebels were planning to set up improvised bombs in the area.

Philippines/Terrorism: Three Abu Sayyaf terrorists killed in raid operation in Jolo Island

Media reported that commandos of the Philippine Special Action Force had attacked a cell of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf in the village of Lapa, Jolo Island, killing three of its members and injuring several others.

Based on reports of the intelligence services, the armed men were allegedly guarding Marwan, a Malaysian member of the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah, responsible with assisting the Philippine terrorists with perfecting their techniques in carrying bomb attacks.

Reportedly, among the three slain Abu Sayyaf members was also Gafur Jumdail, the brother of one of the group’s leaders, Umbra Abu Jumdail.

Philippines/Insurgency: Four persons killed in attack on bus in Lanao del Norte

Media reported on Thursday that two police officers and two civilians had been killed when unidentified gunmen attacked a passenger bus in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte province.

Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz stated that the gunmen stopped the bus, ordered passengers to go out and then shot dead two police officers serving as security marshals, the driver and his assistant. After the shooting, the attackers set the bus on fire and then fled.

According to witnesses, the gunmen were allegedly angry at the management of the bus.

It is worth mentioning that in the past, Maoist and Moro Islamic Liberation Front terrorists have attacked passengers buses in southern Philippines when their owners refused to pay protection money.

Philippines/Insurgency: Five soldiers killed in Maoist rebel attack in the south

Media reported on Tuesday that five soldiers had been killed and one other wounded when about 30 fighters of the Maoist New People’s Army (NPA) attacked an army post outside the Veruela Township in Agusan del Sur province.

Reportedly, troops from a nearby military camp reinforced the besieged outpost, but the armed men managed to flee the scene. Therefore, an operation is currently being carried in the area in order to capture the attackers.

It is worth mentioning that this attack came only three days after eight soldiers had been killed in a similar ambush outside Catarman Township in the central province of Northern Samar.

Philippines/Insurgency: Four killed in fighting among MILF rebels in Maguindanao

Philippine Military announced on Wednesday that four rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were killed ant other seven were injured in a clash between commanders of the rebel group in the barangay (district) New Liong of Datu Piang in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila late on Monday.

Senior Superintendent Marcelo Pintac, a provincial police commander, said the clashes erupted between Commander Adzmie and Commander Abunawas of the fronts 106th and 104th Base Command of the MILF.

Lt. Col. Benjamin Jao, spokesman of the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division, said nearly 3,500 families have been displaced by the clashes.

The spokesman said that the encounter between the two MILF groups stopped only after the military launched non-lethal smoke bombs and artillery fire.

Philippines/Insurgency: Rebel infighting displaces thousands

Rebel and Army Officials stated on Tuesday that thousands have fled a troubled Muslim town in southern Philippines after violence between separatists erupted days ahead of Islam's holy month of Ramadan.

According to sources, the army fired artillery rounds and rockets on Monday to separate rebel factions fighting for control over a river delta in the town of Datu Piang.

Mohagher Iqbal, the chief peace negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebuked the military for breaching a ceasefire. On the other hand, Major-General Anthony Alcantara, a senior army commander in central Mindanao region, dismissed speculation that the intention would have been to provoke fresh hostilities with the rebels and said that the army is not operating against them, but that it is only monitoring the developments and helping the displaced people.

The army said more than 5,000 people had fled their homes and farms since the violence first erupted on Saturday.

Philippines/Security: Five family members hacked to death in Palawan

Philippine Security Officials stated on Tuesday that a retired navy commander, his wife and three family members were hacked to death in in Palawan province.

Chief Inspector Janet Nieves said the victims were found dead Monday in their house in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan province, 600 kilometres west of Manila. The victims were identified as retired Navy Commander Ernesto Paiton, his wife Carmelita, daughter Erlita, niece Sharon Celino and nephew Renato Cabatuan.

According to Nieves, all the victims were found with knife-like wounds to the back of the neck. She said a relative found the bodies late Monday afternoon and immediately alerted the neighbours.

The motive behind the killings is yet to be ascertained. No group or any individual has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Philippines/Insurgency: Philippine governor says he was target of bomb

Military officials stated that Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan may have been the target of the improvised explosive device (IED) that exploded outside the arrival area of Zamboanga City International Airport late Thursday which left two people dead and injured dozen others.

Colonel Santiago Baluyot, commander of Task Force Zamboanga, said authorities are looking into the possibility of Tan being the target since there have been attempts on the life of the governor in the past.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. But a small terrorist group with ties to Al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiah is known to have detonated crude bombs in the past.

Philippines/Terrorism: Blast kills one person at southern airport

Philippine Authorities stated that one person was killed and at least 12 others, including Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, were wounded when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated outside the passenger arrival gate at the Zamboanga city airport on Thursday.

The Mayor of Zamboanga, Celso Lobregat, confirmed the death of at least one person and mentioned that the blast occurred just after a plane from Manila had landed and as passengers were leaving the terminal.

It is worth mentioning that Zamboanga is known as one of the strongholds of the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf, a group included on the US government's list of terrorist organisations.

Philippines/Terrorism: Seven people injured in grenade blast in Iligan

Philippine Police stated that seven people have been injured when a grenade exploded at a market in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte province, early on Friday.

Senior Superintendent Bernardo Reamon, the Police Chief in Iligan, stated that the hand grenade was lobbed around 3:45 a.m. (local time) near the Palao Market in the city and that the injured persons, who have yet to be identified, were immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment.

No information was released whether the attack was attributed to the members of the militant secessionist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front and no group has claimed responsibility for it so far.

Philippines/Insurgency: Two troops killed in clash with communist rebels

Philippine Military Officials stated that two government militiamen were killed and several others were wounded in a clash between government troops and communist rebels in New Corella town in Davao Del Norte province on Tuesday.

Army Division Spokesman said the troops went to the area after villagers complained that a group of about 30 guerrillas were extorting cash from them. According to him, the rebels detonated three bombs as they fled the area, killing the two militiamen.

Commander of the Army's 103rd Infantry Brigade said several soldiers were wounded in the gun battle with suspected New People’s Army rebels.

Philippines/Terrorism:  Bomb blast kills one, injures four in Maguindanao

Media reported that a seven-year-old boy was killed and four others wounded when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded in Datu Piang town (Maguindanao province), 930 kilometres south of Manila late on Monday.

According to the Provincial Police Chief Alex Lineses, the IED was placed inside a backpack left in front of a police outpost near the town hall.

The child, identified as Moktar Masdal was declared dead on arrival at Cotabato Regional and Medical Center.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack and the motive is still being investigated.

Philippines/Insurgency: Maoist guerrillas kill seven troops in Bontoc

Philippine Military Officials stated that seven soldiers including an officer of the 54th Infantry Batallion have been killed in a gunbattle with Maoist guerrillas in Bontoc town in Mountain Province of Philippines Friday morning.

Colonel Eliseo Posadas said the troops were leaving a poor community where they had met village leaders for a medical mission when they were ambushed by dozens of rebels.

Posadas said the guerrillas took the assault rifles of the dead soldiers before leaving the battle site. Meanwhile, authorities have launched pursuit operations against the attackers.

Philippines/Insurgency: Chinese captive rescued in Jolo Island

Philippine's Police Chief announced on Tuesday that the commandos have rescued a Chinese national held captive for about 18 months by a group of terrorists on a remote southern Island of Jolo on Monday.

Police Chief said that Chinese national Wu Xili, also known as Peter Go was rescued unharmed after a firefight between Security Forces and dozens of Abu Sayyaf terrorists on the Island.

According to him, troops recovered a cache of weapons, including a light machinegun and rocket-propelled grenades.

Reportedly, Wu was the last remaining foreign captive held by Abu Sayyaf, a small Muslim rebel group with links to Al-Qaeda and the Indonesian group Jemaah Islamiah.

Philippines/Insurgency: Two soldiers killed and one injured in rebel attack
 
Spokesman of the Philippines army reported that two soldiers were killed and another one injured by suspected New People’s Army rebels in the ambush occurred in the Sampaloc town of Quezon province, southeast of Manila, on Wednesday.

The ambush resulted into a brief gun battle and military officials have claimed that some of the guerrillas were injured.

Reportedly, the soldiers were on their way back to their base from a meeting with community leaders in the village of Mamala. The gunmen ambushed the troops, burned the military vehicle and seized two M26 rifles.

The country has been witnessing communist fighters and its rebellion since the late 1960s.

Philippines/Insurgency: Witness of massacre case shot dead

Media reported that Suwaib Upham, a key witness to the massacre of 57 people in the southern Philippines last year has been shot dead in Parang on June 14.

Asian Director of Human Rights Watch said that Upham has been requesting to be admitted to the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP) for over three months.

Upham had agreed to testify against members of the Ampatuan clan, who are among the nearly 200 people that have been charged with the murders on the southern island of Mindanao.

Presidential Spokesman stated that they have directed Security Forces to take all necessary measures to apprehend the perpetrators, utilising all the special powers available under the state of emergency that the president declared and continue to maintain in the province.

On November 23 last year, 57 people including 30 journalists were killed after they were stopped at a checkpoint in Maguindanao province. Among those who charged in the mass killing is Andal Ampatuan, the head of the powerful Ampatuan family, which controlled local politics and ran a private army in the province.

Philippines/Terrorism: gunmen kill four commuters in Basilan

Philippine Police reported that suspected Abu Sayyaf terrorists opened a fire on Wednesday on a public transport in Maluso, district of Basilan, killing four people and injuring two others.

Police Chief said that most of the victims were commuters in a passenger jeep going home from Basilan's capital of Isabela City. Among the injured there was also a 10-year old boy.

Military Forces have been dispatched to hunt down more than two dozen assailants who were behind the ambush in Maluso town. The attackers fled after the ambush.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Maluso town is a known lair of Abu Sayyaf and Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels blamed for past attacks on civilian and military targets.

Philippines/ United States/Insurgency: US urge Manila to prosecute killers of journalists

Media reported that after a third reporter was murdered at the weekend, the United States on Monday urged the Philippines to prosecute the killers of journalists and to bring those responsible to justice.

Philippine Police said on Sunday that unidentified gunmen shot and killed a 50-year-old newspaper reporter in Digos City of Davao del Sur province on Saturday evening.

Nestor Bedolido was the third journalist who was murdered over the past week in the Philippines.

Last week, two other journalists were shot dead in separate attacks. The Philippines is considered one of the less secured places for journalists in the world.

Philippines/Insurgency:  Four soldiers wounded in clash with communist guerrillas

Fighting between Philippine army soldiers and communist guerrillas in Negros Oriental province on Friday left four solders wounded, an army brigade commander said.

According to the source, the clash broke out when troops on patrol encountered the guerrillas in a remote village in Guihulngan town in Negros Oriental province, 570 kilometres south of Manila.

Earlier on Thursday police reported that one of the alleged kidnappers of elderly Filipino-Swiss national Charlie Rieth was killed in Zamboanga City late Wednesday. Reith was rescued by security forces on Tuesday.

Reith, 72, was abducted on April 4 by a group of bandits with ties to either Abu Sayyaf or Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels operating in the Zamboanga peninsula.

Philippines/Insurgency: Five rebels killed in encounter

Philippine Police Spokesman reported that police gunned down five communist rebels in an encounter in Cateel town of Davao Oriental province in the southern Philippines on Friday.

Police Chief stated that the gun battle erupted when about 50 rebels aboard two trucks raided a police outpost.

According to the statement, three policemen were wounded in the fighting.

In a separate incident, four soldiers were wounded in a clash with communist rebels in Guihulngan town in Negros Oriental province, 570 kilometres south of Manila.

The wounded soldiers have been admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment while more troops were dispatched to the area to pursue the rebels.