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On serving and dying for one’s country

Last Saturday, April 7, over two dozen surviving Filipino World War II veterans and the next of kin of those who had passed away gathered at the Golden Gate Club in the grounds of the historic Presidio in San Francisco to be given recognition and conferred honors that had been denied to them for over seven decades.
Each surviving veteran and close kin received a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award within the power of the United States government to give its most illustrious citizens and those non-citizens who had rendered outstanding service to America.
My wife, Gigi, and her sister, Lourdes Uy, received the replica on behalf of their father, the late Jose Sambajon Nobleza, who had fought as a guerrilla captain in Albay during the Japanese occupation.
They were the second batch of honorees to receive the replicas, the first batch having been honored in solemn ceremonies in October last year in Washington DC.
The original gold medal will be on permanent display at the Smithsonian in Washington DC.
The conferment was the result of intensive lobbying with the US Congress by aging veterans, veterans advocates, and the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetsREP), a volunteer group led by US Army Major Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret.) specifically organized for the purpose of gaining the coveted recognition.
The fact of giving the old soldiers, personally or posthumously, an honor long overdue was heart-warming enough, but what made my hair stand on end was when the military band played the service song, a medley of songs of the Marines, the Navy, the Air Force and the Army, and the sight of the uniformed military personnel present at the event who stood at attention.
And when the program was concluded with a bugler playing Taps, the final salute for fallen men-at-arms, I actually felt a tear falling down my cheek.
Most of the veterans were too old and too weak to stand at attention, although they did sit up straight, chests out, in their seats and wheelchairs. I rose to my feet and stood at attention, too, although I knew that I was just an onlooker and a beneficiary of the heroism of the old soldiers and the prospective sacrifices of the uniformed men and women in the room.
It is during rare moments like that when one is confronted by the stark and brutal realization that the young uniformed men and women standing at attention were listening to a bugle call that would be played for some or for all of them over their graves; the humbling realization that the old soldiers who had hobbled or were wheeled into the ceremonial hall were survivors from Hell, an inferno that many of us have been spared and may already be taking for granted.
In a message sent by US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, he pointed out that the first recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal was George Washington. It was conferred on him in 1776 by the Second Continental Congress.
“Since then,” Gen. Milley continued, “only 160 individuals, groups and organizations have been deemed worthy enough of this prestigious award by Congress. The Congressional Gold Medal, enacted into law and signed by president Obama in December 2016 has been awarded to the more than 260,000 Filipino soldiers who fought under the red, white and blue of the United States flag during World War II. This medal is a symbol of the unwavering loyalty and dedication to the defense of a nation in the face of daunting odds.”
In fact, this Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino soldiers is also a symbol of the unwavering quest for honor and recognition — indeed, a quest for justice — denied them after the war with the passage of the Rescission Act of 1946. That ignominious act of the US Congress discriminated against the Filipino fighting men and rendered meaningless their wartime services.
It is also a symbol of the continuing efforts of veterans advocates, among them FilVetsREP, the Bataan Legacy Historical Society, the Veterans Equity Center, and many other selfless volunteers, working for no pay and no recognition, to honor those who were willing to offer their lives in defense of the country.
Among their current objectives is the inclusion of the role played by the Filipino soldiers in World War II in the US school curriculum. This is about to succeed in California. But the ultimate goal is to include this story of courage and heroism in the curriculum of every state in America
I once described as The Second Death March the uphill struggle to gain “veterans equity” — meaning, veterans benefits — for Filipino War II veterans.
Last Saturday, as I witnessed the modest ceremony of handing over medal replicas, I realized that the Second Death March is still being endured — but the injustice is being perpetrated, not just by the government of the United States (which has, at least, allocated cash benefits for veterans and approved the Congressional Gold Medal) but by many of us who have benefited from the sacrifices of the old soldiers but have not expressed our gratitude.
It is an injustice of omission rather than commission.
Toward the conclusion of the awarding ceremony, envelopes were passed around and an appeal was made by the organizers of the event for financial support for the efforts of the Bataan Legacy Historical Society and FilVetsREP to pursue their self-imposed mission.
The initial funding for the first batch of bronze medal replicas is about to be exhausted. Thousands more veterans and their next of kin need to be given their medal replicas, with each one costs $52. The US Congress only allocated funds for the minting of the original gold medal. The replicas have to be paid for from private community contributions.
Additionally, expenses need to be defrayed for creating the lesson plans that would include the story of Filipino soldiers in the school curriculum.
Raising the money has not been easy. It really takes being in a room where Taps, the final bugle call, is being played and uniformed men and women are standing at attention for one to realize the a contribution of $52 isn’t much compared to the sacrifice that our soldiers have made and must make for the country.
One line in the epic poem, “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” comes to mind: “Ours is not to reason why. Ours is but to do and die.”
And to those to whom I am directing this appeal, allow me to add: “Ours is not to do and die. But ours is to, at least, appreciate the sacrifices of those who do.”
 
Greg B. Macabenta is an advertising and communications man shuttling between San Francisco and Manila and providing unique insights on issues from both perspectives.
gregmacabenta@hotmail.com

SC hears oral arguments on Sereno

THE SUPREME COURT began hearing arguments on Tuesday on a government bid to invalidate the appointment of the court’s top judge, whom President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday called an “enemy” who needs to be removed.
Chief Justice on leave Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno’s fellow high court judges will decide on the merits of arguments for and against a petition, referred to as a “quo warranto,” by the government’s chief lawyer, Jose C. Calida, for alleged violations in the appointment process.
In their respective opening arguments, both Ms. Sereno and the government tackled the timeliness of the quo warranto petition and the validity of this remedy, among other contentions.
“The Solicitor General argues also the Supreme Court can take cognizance of the quo warranto petition against… the (V)ice-(P)resident. Then it should follow that the Supreme Court should also take cognizance that quo warranto petition against the Chief Justice. But that is a plain non sequitur. The power of the Supreme Court to take cognizance of the quo warranto petition against the President, the Vice-President, rests on express provision under the Constitution, which makes the Supreme Court the sole judge of contest involving the elections qualifications… of the (P)resident and the (V)ice-(P)resident. There is no part of that provision in the Constitution that gives the Supreme Court the power to remove a… sitting justice of the Supreme Court,” the opening statement of Alex Poblador, lead counsel of Ms. Sereno, went in part.
“An impeachable officer like the Chief Justice cannot be removed except by impeachment, which means that she cannot be removed by any other method,” the statement also read, adding:
“The less-travelled road that the Solicitor General proposes to take does not exist. What he actually proposes to do is to build a new one, one that lies, however, on a very slippery slope because it will set a very dangerous precedent and destroy the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers.”
Mr. Calida argued in part that Ms. Sereno “was not a person of proven integrity at the time of her appointment” and “committed a misrepresentation in order to be shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council” on the matter of her unfiled Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
“Sereno cannot ignore this inflexible requirement and shroud herself with the doctrine of presumption of regularity. The presumption of regularity attaches only to official acts and not to all acts of officials,” Mr. Calida’s opening statement went in part.
Ms. Sereno, the country’s first woman chief justice, is facing challenges on several fronts. She has gone on leave to prepare for possible impeachment proceedings.
Mr. Duterte makes no secret of his dislike of Ms. Sereno, who has voted against several of Mr. Duterte’s controversial proposals, including extending martial law in Mindanao and allowing the remains of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos to be buried in the cemetery for national heroes. But Mr. Duterte has, until Monday, denied instigating attempts to remove her.
Ms. Sereno has until now refrained from blaming Mr. Duterte but directly questioned his intentions in a speech on Monday.
“Mr. President, if you have no hand in this, why did Solicitor-General Jose Calida, who reports to you, file the quo warranto?” she asked. “Surely, you must explain this unconstitutional act.”
Within a few hours a furious Mr. Duterte lashed out at Ms. Sereno and indicated he was ready to use his influence over Congress to remove her.
“I’m putting you on notice that I’m your enemy and you have to be out of the Supreme Court,” he told reporters before heading to an Asian leaders’ forum in China.
Congress returns from a recess next month and will convene for a plenary vote on the impeachment complaint accusing Ms. Sereno of failure to fully declare her earnings, among other charges.
If passed, an impeachment trial will be conducted in the Senate, with its 22 members sitting as judges. — main report by Reuters

At Boao forum, 10 Chinese firms express interest to invest in the Philippines

The Philippine government signed at least 10 business letters of intent (LoIs) from Chinese companies in Boao, Hainan Province, People’s Republic of China on Tuesday, April 10.

In a social media post, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Rowel S. Barba “signed the business letters of intent on behalf of the Philippines with the representatives of the following China companies – Shanghai GeoHarbour Group, Jovo Group Co. Ltd. Guangdong, Zhongfa Group, Haocheng Group, China Green Agriculture Group, East-Cloud Biz Travel Ltd., China National Heavy Machinery Corporation, Sinohydro Corporation Limited and Pan Pacific Renewable Power Phils. Corporation, Shanghai Shinehigh Biotechnology Ltd. Co. and Zheijiang Dongyang Jinxin Chemical Co. Ltd., and Sino BMG.”

The President, the PCOO also said, “witnessed the signing ceremony of the said LoIs after attending the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2018.”

In his speech, Mr. Duterte said he “acknowledge(s) the job opportunities that will be created by Chinese investments now and in the years to come and their role in promoting inclusive growth, of encouraging entrepreneurship among the Filipinos.”

He added: “I stress the Philippine government’s commitment in bringing good governance and maintaining order to ensure an enabling environment which will allow businesses and investments to thrive and prosper.”

“Allow me to mention again the efforts to improve the climate of doing business, to promote ease of doing business and to show the goodwill and sincerity of my country vis-a-vis with our new relationship with China.”

The President also emphasized the Philippines government’s commitment to address corruption, that corruption will not be tolerated under his watch. – – Arjay L. Balinbin

Couple in P900-M ‘bitcoin scam’ nabbed

By Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz
THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested a couple allegedly responsible for a multi-million scam involving bitcoin.
The suspects, Arnel and Leonady Ordonio, registered owners of NewG company, were apprehended in an entrapment operation on April 4 in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. They were charged with syndicated estafa before the Office of the Special Prosecutors for amassing P900 million from more than 50 victims in the said scam operated via social media.
The couple had allegedly promised victims of this scam from around the country 30% return of their investments after 16 days, with P90,000 to P160,000 as capital.
“Sa una ibibigay niya muna (earnings), first at saka second. After that, mawawala na siya. This is a simple case ng estafa at saka pyramiding kasi meron silang upline, may downline,” CIDG Police Director Roel B. Obusan said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
(Initially they will give the earnings, the first and the second. After that, they disappear. This is a simple case of estafa and pyramiding because it has upline and downline).
One of the victims, a resident of Malolos City in Bulacan, said she and her relatives invested P29 million after she was invited by a trusted friend. She and her husband invested P4 million in November last year, but began to have doubts about the scheme last December when her upline failed to give her earnings.
“We were able to talk to Arnel Ordonio through Facebook Messenger…and he promised P3 million every five days para lang mabalik yung kapital (to return the capital). So nung hindi na natupad ‘yon, humingi na kami ng tulong from (PSUPT. Heryl L.) Bruno of PNP Malolos para makarating na sa sitwasyon na ‘to,” Ms. Maglunot said. (When that did not happen, we sought the help of [PSUPT. Heryl L.] Bruno of PNP Malolos which led to this situation).
Another victim said she and others were threatened for being negligent about their upline. “Gusto lang po naming malaman kung may makukuha pa kami (We just wanted to know if we can still get anything back),” she said.
The suspected couple, as presented by the police, kept silent.
Mr. Obusan said the Ordonios do not have any connection with bitcoin but merely used that term to solicit from the victims.

Napoles’ bid for transfer of custody to DoJ denied

By Charmaine A. Tadalan
THE SANDIGANBAYAN denied Janet Lim-Napoles’ urgent motion for transfer of her custody to the Department of Justice (DoJ) Witness Protection Program (WPP).
The graft court’s first division, in its April 5 resolution, said the alleged pork-barrel queen’s motion was denied for “lack of merit.”
“Napoles’ disclosure of her provisional coverage does not appear to be with a written order of the DoJ or this Court, which is a serious breach of confidentiality of her coverage,” the resolution stated.
Ms. Napoles, currently within the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) moved to be transferred to a housing facility maintained by the WPP after claiming there are threats to her life and security.
The court, however, maintained Ms. Napoles is not a state witness and that privileges of the WPP can only be granted to witnesses whose acceptance in the program is considered regular.
“Accused Napoles’ acceptance under the WPP is merely provisional, which means that she has yet to comply with the additional requirements in order for her admission to become regular,” the resolution noted.
Ms. Napoles on February 27 was admitted in the WPP under provisional law protection, authorized by then justice secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II. The move was based on Ms. Napoles’ claim that she is “ready to tell all” regarding the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
Mr. Aguirre in an interview on Tuesday said: “I stood by my action in keeping Napoles in the WPP under the provisional law protection. I believe that it is correct that Napoles be allowed to testify, to tell everything, spill the beans and everybody. Para ‘yung guilty, may kinalaman, ‘yung involved would be brought before the DoJ (So, that those who are guilty and involved would be brought before the DoJ).”
His successor, Menardo I. Guevarra also said on Tuesday: “If only these things did not happen, these series of events that sort of raised eyebrows on the part of the public about the actuations of the Department of Justice, I believe that Sec Vic (Mr. Aguirre) would still be enjoying the trust of the President and would continue to be the Sec(retary) of Justice.” — with Arjay L. Balinbin

Palace: Duterte ‘did not purchase’ Facebook data

By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte “did not purchase” Facebook data from UK consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica for his presidential campaign in 2016, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“The President won the election fair and square with an overwhelming mandate of over 16 million votes and a margin of over six million. Support for the former Davao City mayor was from all sectors and not just from Facebook or online; thus, the Duterte campaign did not have to purchase information,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, according to Mr. Roque, “in his capacity as treasurer of the PRRD campaign, assures that he did not pay anything to Cambridge Analytica nor did he transact with them.”
The spokesman said Mr. Duterte’s “landslide victory, which was a result of the trust and confidence of the Filipino people, should be respected.”
“We should… not undermine it with unsubstantiated allegations,” Mr. Roque also said.
The National Privacy Commission said last week it has begun its inquiry on the possible misuse of data from the popular social media site, which has drawn controversy overseas over its data as accessed by the UK firm in connection with the US presidential election that led to Donald J. Trump’s victory also in 2016.
For his part, Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV on Tuesday said he plans to file a resolution seeking a Senate inquiry on the data breach affecting Filipino Facebook users, as also disclosed by Facebook.
“(We will look into) what Cambridge Analytica did to Filipinos, the electorate in particular, in order to influence the outcome of the elections so we could avoid this in the future,” Mr. Trillanes told reporters.
He said the Senate investigation would summon the President’s former campaign spokesperson and former National Irrigation Administration (NIA) chief Peter T. Laviña, who was photographed dining with now suspended Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix in 2015.
For her part, detained opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima in her statement called Mr. Duterte “a Cambridge Analytica-created action star.” — with Camille A. Aguinaldo

This is your public relations nightmare

By Tyler Cowen
IF YOU ARE LOOKING for examples of companies that do well at public relations, start with what determines personal trust. We often trust people we have met, interacted with and maybe done business with.
I think of community banks as enjoying relatively high levels of trust. Millions of Americans have walked through the doors of their local banks and dealt with the loan officers, tellers and account managers, giving the business a human face. A community bank cannot serve a region without sending out a fair number of foot soldiers. Banks tend to have longstanding roots in their communities, and a large stock of connections and accumulated social capital.
In turn, community banks have converted this personal trust into political clout. There are community banks in virtually every congressional district, and these banks have developed the art of speaking for many different segments of American society, not just a narrow coastal elite. When these banks mobilize on behalf of a political cause, they are powerful, as illustrated by the likelihood that they will get regulatory relief from the Dodd-Frank Act, probably with bipartisan support. They have such influence that one member of the Federal Reserve Board must be a community banker, even though few economists see much rationale for this provision.
Given their usefulness, it would be wrong to describe community bankers as a stagnant sector of our economy. Still, the same features that make them trusted and politically powerful also make them unlikely to be major sector disruptors.
Alternatively, let’s say you were designing a business that, whatever its other virtues might be, would not be very good at public relations.
First, you would make sure the business had come of age fairly recently. That would ensure the company didn’t have a long history of managing public relations, learning how the news media work, figuring out what it will or will not be blamed for, and rooting itself in local communities.
The next thing you might do is to concentrate the company’s broader business sector in one particular part of the country. That would ensure that the companies’ culture didn’t reflect the broadest possible swath of public opinion. Better yet, don’t choose a swing state such as Pennsylvania or Ohio, but rather opt for a region that is overwhelmingly of a single political orientation and viewed by many Americans as a bit crazy or out of touch. How about Northern California?
Then, make sure that most users, or for that matter vendors, never have a face-to-face interaction with the company. Let everyone deal with software, whether they are bidding for ads on Google or opening a Facebook account. Make it so easy for them that they never have to drive to a local branch to ask a human being a question or initiate a personal relationship.
If you wanted to go further yet, you might imagine that a disproportionate share of the staff and the executives would be immigrants, and on top of that make the corporate leaders relatively young.
Your design for this public relations disaster might also include a lot of companies being run by their founders. Founders are often brilliant and substance-obsessed, and they focus on rapidly scaling up the provision of quality products to their consumers. They are not always well-equipped at dealing with the most frustrating angles of their jobs. This is especially true for younger companies, where no process of evolution has weeded out those founders poor at public relations or who cannot master the imperatives of long-term survival. The innovative drive of founders may or may not have much correlation with the patience and social savvy required to handle public opinion, Congress, and the media.
For the final piece of the disastrous PR design, the most successful companies are not used to failing. Their basic systems and culture are set up to handle and reward rapid success, not to play defense. They are not built to understand why people might, rightly or not, object to a product given away at zero price.
You might think all of the talent and money of these companies, and their considerable public relations departments, will overcome those disadvantages. Yet for better or worse it is hard to override Americans’ natural inclinations. Polls consistently show that Americans trust small business much more than big business, even though large companies are more likely to treat you in a uniform, straightforward and nonfraudulent manner. The large companies have the skilled public relations talent, yet that doesn’t swing opinion in their favor.
One of the big news stories, and PR challenges, of this week will be Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s testifying before Congress. Soon, Washington may be taking a crack at regulating the major tech companies. Yet, the defenses of those companies aren’t nearly as strong as they might seem. And we have been building a political system that favors the time-honored company rather than the radical innovator.
 
BLOOMBERG

DENR chief commends mining firm in Masbate

ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Secretary Roy A. Cimatu lauded the Masbate Gold Project for its coral reef rehabilitation and mining operations during his visit to the Municipality of Aroroy last Monday, April 9.
In a statement released by Filminera Resources Corp. on Tuesday, Mr. Cimatu also commended the use of underground or hard rock mining for the project, which is in contrast to the more widely-used open pit mining in the Philippines.
“This is really the best mine I have visited. You can see that the mining operation is well-planned and well-engineered,” the Environment chief is quoted as saying.
“I believe that the way you mine shows how you are as a company,” he added.
The mining project is a joint operation of Filminera and Phil Gold Processing and Refining Corp.
Filiminera holds the Environmental Compliance Certificate, mining tenements, surface rights, and Mineral Production Sharing Agreement while B2Gold subsidiary Phil Gold holds the mineral processing permit and is in charge of the processing plant.
Mr. Cimatu had particularly taken notice of the project’s coral reef rehabilitation efforts in the Port of Barrera, where the reefs were damaged by illegal fishing methods.
The mining firms deployed 125 reefballs and propagated more than 1,200 corals in December last year.
An additional 600 reefballs and an estimated 10,000 corals are expected to be installed this year, maintaining over 80% survival rate for the reefs.
Mr. Cimatu said the use of reefballs can also be employed in the government’s rehabilitation efforts in Boracay.
Filiminera chairperson Gloria T. Climaco said that they will continue to maintain their safety standards, community development and environmental protection activities to maintain its standing as the “best mine site.”
“We are sincere in fulfilling our commitment to create a sustainable environment for the impact barangays that surround us, while bringing economic development to Aroroy,” she added.
Ms. Climaco said that they are vying to serve as a role model to other mines.
The mining industry has been in hot water with the closure of a number of mines during the short stint of ex-environment secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez, who has been an anti-mining advocate.
The Mining Industry Coordinating Council and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are set to release the delayed auditing reports this month. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

MinDA eyes Middle East investors for agri sector

DAVAO CITY — The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is eyeing the “full engagement” of investors from the Middle East for the development of the agricultural sector in the country’s southern islands.
“Investors from the Middle East, they want to relocate their families (in Mindanao) and what we wanted is not only make Mindanao as a parking area but a destination for investment and partnership with our people,” MinDA Chair Datu Abul Khayr D. Alonto told media during the April 6 launch of the Philippines Mindanao Jobs Report: A Strategy of Mindanao Regional Development in Davao.
Mr. Alonto said encouraging these investors would be one of the main points of discussions when he and Foreign Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano visit the Middle East in early May.
“We are talking here about the Middle Eastern businessmen and I said to them, just tell us what you need and we are talking about agriculture, and I told them just tell us what you want us to plant and we will plant them for you,” he said.
“Not only are (we) earning, but it will also provide jobs. It also depends on what kind of programs and the availability of these land areas for investments that we can provide that we will be presenting to them,” he added.
On security concerns, Mr. Alonto said these potential foreign investors understand that the government is fully committed to achieving peace.
“I think we have to wait for these issues to settle down. Europeans also wanted to come. There is no hesitancy because they know the political will is there to resolve the problem in Mindanao… it’s just a matter of time that the issue of security concern will be attended to.”
The MinDA chair also emphasized that a shift to a federal form of government would spell faster development in Mindanao.
“Look, we are left behind… if we say fast-track the development of Mindanao, we must change the system, and we also have to make it (business) environment-friendly for these people (investors) coming in,” he said. — Maya M. Padillo

Consumer group tells LTFRB: Hands off Uber-Grab review by PCC

CONSUMER GROUP Laban Konsyumer Inc. on Tuesday told the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to stop meddling in the Philippine Competition Commission’s (PCC) ongoing review on the Uber-Grab deal, and instead focus on fast-tracking the accreditation of prospective ride-hailing companies.
In a statement, Laban Konsyumer President Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba said the LTFRB should avoid a “turf war” with PCC by issuing statements that might affect the review by the anti-trust agency. “The Competition Act vests in the PCC the primary power to review and decide on the deal in accordance with the law.
Let the PCC complete the review of the deal,” Mr. Dimagiba said. “Any public statement supporting the shutdown of Uber by LTFRB could undermine the PCC review processes.” — Janina C. Lim

PHL, Indonesia launch 32nd joint sea patrol exercises

THE PHILIPPINES and Indonesia started Tuesday, April 10, their 32nd Coordinated Patrol (Corpat), an exercise to enhance coordination for border security. Ensign Aileen T. Jansor, Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao Public Affairs Office chief, said at a press conference in Davao City that the exercise, which will last until the end of April, “will try to improve coordination” between the navies of the two countries in curbing illegal activities using their seas.”
Among the activities, said Ms. Jansor, are “sea serials, shipboard exercises and coordinated patrol between the two navies at the border areas.” There will also be goodwill games, she added. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

3 NPAs killed, 5 arrested in clash with military

AMID the impending resumption of peace negotiations, three alleged members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) were killed and five others arrested in a clash against the 83rd Infantry Battalion in Bato, Camarines Sur on Tuesday morning. Three M16 rifles were recovered from the rebels.
Two of the five arrested were wounded and are reportedly being treated. Lieutenant General Danilo G. Pamonag, Southern Luzon commander, said he maintains support for the resumption of peace talks but the military troops operating in Southern Tagalog and Bicol “will still perform their mandate to protect the people.” — Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz

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