AFP-CentCom sets nil record on human rights violations for past 9 mos.
by Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY October 19 (PIA) -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines - Central Command (AFP- CentCom) scored zero in cases of human rights abuses since January up to September, this year and credited this to prioritizing the continuing peace dialogues rather than combat operations as well as fostering the spirit of “Bayanihan.”
AFP-CentCom Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Christopher C. Tampus bared this during the recent AGIO Forum that tackled on the insurgency updates in the region.
“We always stress and remind our men on the field to always be careful and not to violate the human rights of the people including suspected communist rebels,” Tampus said.
Tampus said the priority of the Aquino Administration to achieve long-lasting peace is to continue peace negotiations with the communist groups and to promote unity among fellow Filipinos.
“Because we now focus more on peace talks and not combat operations and nurture the Bayanihan spirit that promotes unity among fellow Filipinos as well as advocate the significance of respecting human rights, these have yielded to zero human rights violation by any of our personnel,” Tampus said.
Tampus added that “in the conduct of military operations, we make it a point not to sacrifice the civilian people and to always value the rights and dignity of these people even if they are the targets of such operations.”
According to Tampus, for the past years they have scored a number of victories on combat operations against communist insurgents but now, Pres. Aquino strongly emphasized the need for peace talks and to value the spirit of Bayanihan to include leftist groups in order to attain lasting peace. (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)
CEBU CITY, Oct. 19 (PIA) -- An information session on “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (FTAs) - The Market Approach” will be conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Cebunext week, October 26 as part of the agency’s national awareness campaign to improve access of Philippine products and services to international markets.
DTI-Cebu is inviting interested participants to learn more about the procedures in doing business in FTAs and increase availment of trade benefits from the gradual removal or reduction of barriers to trade and investments – thus, creating a freer flow of goods, services and people within FTAs.
Exporters, importers, distributors, traders, customs brokers, freight forwarders, business support groups, members of the academe, media, and other government agencies are invited to learn the economic advantages and incentives in investment-related undertakings within the areas of free trading.
The information session on Oct. 26 will cover discussions on market opportunities with focus on products with zero or reduced tariffs under existing free trade agreements as well as the procedures on how to access or apply for these benefits.
Businesses that import are also advised to attend this Info Session and consider the possible benefits of FTAs as reduced tariffs under an FTA can result in better margins on inputs for manufacturers or those importing for the retail market.
The activity likewise will discuss salient parts of the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA), ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and a number of ASEAN Regional FTAs namely ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-Korea and ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTAs, which have already entered into force and are now being implemented.
These FTAs bring a number of trade benefits, such as the elimination or reduction of tariffs and non-tariff barriers on goods & services, the protection and promotion of investments, the harmonization of regulations and standards, and promoting ease of travel for business people. (PIA-Cebu)
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DTI-Cebu to hold info session next week on
“Doing Business in Free Trade Areas”
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Oct. 19 (PIA) -- An information session on “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (FTAs) - The Market Approach” will be conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Cebunext week, October 26 as part of the agency’s national awareness campaign to improve access of Philippine products and services to international markets.
DTI-Cebu is inviting interested participants to learn more about the procedures in doing business in FTAs and increase availment of trade benefits from the gradual removal or reduction of barriers to trade and investments – thus, creating a freer flow of goods, services and people within FTAs.
Exporters, importers, distributors, traders, customs brokers, freight forwarders, business support groups, members of the academe, media, and other government agencies are invited to learn the economic advantages and incentives in investment-related undertakings within the areas of free trading.
The information session on Oct. 26 will cover discussions on market opportunities with focus on products with zero or reduced tariffs under existing free trade agreements as well as the procedures on how to access or apply for these benefits.
Businesses that import are also advised to attend this Info Session and consider the possible benefits of FTAs as reduced tariffs under an FTA can result in better margins on inputs for manufacturers or those importing for the retail market.
The activity likewise will discuss salient parts of the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA), ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and a number of ASEAN Regional FTAs namely ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-Korea and ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTAs, which have already entered into force and are now being implemented.
These FTAs bring a number of trade benefits, such as the elimination or reduction of tariffs and non-tariff barriers on goods & services, the protection and promotion of investments, the harmonization of regulations and standards, and promoting ease of travel for business people. (PIA-Cebu)
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Cebu mining firms safe from possible rebel attacks, AFP-CentCom says
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Oct. 19 (PIA) -- Cebu-based mining companies are safe from any possible rebel attacks as the military and police are beefing up security personnel to strengthen the protection of vital installations in the province which include mining operations amid the recent attacks by suspected communist rebels of three mining companies in Surigao del Norte early this month.
A company of 150-men of the 78th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines – Central Command (AFP-CentCom) assigned in the towns of Barlli covering the south and Sogod in the northern part have been tasked to secure vital installations like power supply, seaports, communication satellites, tourism-related infra and even mining operations, according to AFP-CentCom Spokesperson Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus.
“Even before the incident in Surigao happened, the CentCom together with the police here have already formed the Joint Security and Peace Coordinating Center (JSPPC) last year which mainly involves an exchange and enhancement of intelligence information and networking,” according to Tampus.
Tampus also said support of personnel is also a vital component in the JSPPC wherein augmentation of security forces is provided when necessary by either the police or military and vice versa.
“We also conduct regular meetings and give updates on security concerns to respond to peace and order related issues,” Tampus declared.
Tampus gave the assurance amid the concern voiced by Rep. Pastor Alcover Jr. of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy that the CPP-NPA raids in Surigao del Norte is a show of force and that there is no reason why they would not stage the same action in Cebu.
The large mining companies in Central Visayas are mostly Cebu-based which includes Carmen Copper Corp. in Toledo City, Philippine Mining Service Corp.-Alcoy Dolomite Mine/Dolomite Mining Corp. in Alcoy, Apo Cement Corp./Apo Land & Quarry Corp., Quarry Ventures Philippines Inc. and JLR Construction & Aggregates Inc. in Naga City and Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc./Solid Earth Development Corp. in San Fernando.
The CentCom spokesperson said they intend to maintain the declaration of Cebu as an insurgency-free province along with Bohol and would make certain that the NPAs would no longer be able to penetrate Cebu again.
Tampus also said the all-out war declared by Gov. Gwen Garcia against insurgency has made a difference in maintaining Cebu as rebel-free. (PIA-Cebu)
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NPA strength in C. Visayas declines, AFP-CentCom reports
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Oct. 18 (PIA) – In Central Visayas, only the province of Negros Oriental is plagued by armed rebels but their days are numbered as the New People’s Army (NPA) in the area is slowly crumbling into pieces with the Armed Forces of the Philippines - Central Command (AFP-CentCom) expecting more rebels to surrender to the government.
Central Command Spokesperson Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus bared that last month alone, 17 armed rebels surrendered back to the folds of the government while the military captured three rebels and recovered seven high-powered firearms.
“Our assessment is that the Komiteng Rehiyon Sentral Bisaya (KR-SB) under Roy Erecre based in Negros Oriental is slowly crumbling because of the lack of strong leadership and dwindling sympathy from the masses which resulted to rebels deciding to surrender to the government. Also, our political leadership in Negros Oriental is strongly taking action on the war against insurgency,” Tampus disclosed.
Tampus added that what used to be 65 percent in strength before of the NPA in the province has weakened to 30 percent today as the military officer credited it to “extreme pressure, combat and non-combat operations which include development projects together with the local government units and the rebel returnees.”
“There are only five barangays left that are categorized as red infiltrated areas,” Tampus disclosed. These barangays however, were not named.
Tampus said because of the declining strength of the NPA in the province has prompted the KR-SB to look for possible areas to transfer. “We are checking into reports of unarmed sightings in Bohol and Leyte and we are strengthening our intelligence operations against these unverified reports.”
In Bohol, there are still issues on land ownership which could be exploited by the NPA to recruit locals in the area, according to Tampus. He added however, that NPAs cannot penetrate Bohol once again because they no longer have the sympathy of the people and the strong political leadership in also a huge factor.
The CentCom spokesperson meanwhile, said they are looking into the possibility that the NPA is behind the torching of a heavy equipment in a project site of the Department of Works and Highways in Manjuyod town, Negros Oriental last week.
“Details surrounding the incident is still under investigation and we are not ruling out that the NPA has a hand on this” according to Tampus.
Tampus said they are working hand in hand with the police and the local government units in the province to meet the timeline of early quarter of 2012 to make Negros Oriental insurgency-free.
In support to Pres. Aquino’s policy to place on top of the list continuing dialogues with the CPP-NPA to achieve long-lasting peace, Tampus said the military remains open to the armed rebels to end internal conflict and surrender as government is willing to help them start all over again and lead normal lives. (PIA-Cebu)
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AFP-CentCom assures Cebu still remains insurgency-free
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Oct. 18 (PIA) -- Cebu remains insurgency-free and totally safe from the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, and that the reported armed sightings in two southwestern towns are merely “false alarm.”
Central Command Spokesperson Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus said the 78th Infantry Battalion has checked into the reports about armed rebels supposedly landing in the towns of Pinamungahan and Aloguinsan early this month as voiced by Rep. Pastor Alcover Jr. of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (Anad). Alcover has urged the police and military to beef up their intelligence work against the NPA for possible penetration back in Cebu.
“According to the report of the 78th IB under Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Nolasco Mempin, they have checked, monitored and verified the report and they have concluded that there are no armed sightings. And that based on their regular monitoring and intelligence networking, the people seen in the area, not local folks, are going around the place to sell “habol” (blanket) and other items,” Tampus bared.
“These are merely false reports,” Tampus stressed.
Tampus said tourists, both foreign and local, as well as investors and most of all, the residents here can breathe easily and live peacefully because we will not allow the rebels to camp back here again.
The CentCom spokesperson added the possibility that NPAs will again haunt Cebu is very remote because “the political leadership in the province led by Gov. Garcia is very strong and she has the total support and commitment of the local government units here on the total declaration of war against the NPAs.”
Cebu and Bohol which used to be rebel-infested have been declared insurgency-free and that in Central Visayas, only the province of Negros Oriental remains plagued by armed rebels.
“We are targeting a timeline of first quarter next year to make Negros Oriental insurgency-free,” declared Tampus. (PIA-Cebu)