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Southeast Asian air force chiefs to snub Myanmar meeting
Several Southeast Asian air force commanders will shun an upcoming meeting chaired by Myanmar's military rulers, officials told AFP, deepening the junta's regional isolation as it struggles to crush resistance. The annual ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference gathers top air force leaders from the 10-nation bloc to discuss cooperation in defense, combating extremism, and disaster relief. Current chair Myanmar is set to host the meeting next week but at least three Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries told AFP they will not send their top officials. The junta has been accused of war crimes over air strikes carried out by its jets -- mostly Chinese and Russian-built -- in support of ground troops battling opponents of its 2021 coup. Its air force chief Htun Aung, who will chair the conference, has been sanctioned by the United States and Britain. The air force chiefs of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia will not attend the meeting, officials told AFP. Malaysia's air force chief will not attend, a spokesperson said, while the Philippine commander will send a video message to his counterpart rather than go in person. Indonesia's air force chief "will not be attending and won't be sending anyone to represent him either," air force spokesperson Agung Sasongkojati told AFP without giving a reason. At a summit this week, ASEAN accused the junta of targeting civilians in the grinding conflict sparked by its coup, and of ignoring a peace plan agreed with the bloc to end violence. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said there had been "no significant progress" in the five-point plan agreed with the junta more than two years ago. ASEAN has barred junta officials from high-level meetings over their refusal to engage with the plan and their opponents. Cambodian air force commander Soeng Samnang declined to comment on whether he would attend, and the defence ministry could not be reached for comment. The air forces of Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam did not respond to requests for comment. But Thailand's air force chief will make the trip to neighboring Myanmar, a defense ministry official told AFP. While ASEAN has halted high-level meetings with Myanmar's generals, Thailand has held its own bilateral talks with the junta and deposed democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in recent months, further dividing the bloc. War crime claims Amnesty International said last year the junta was likely using air strikes as "collective punishment" against civilians supporting anti-coup fighters, and in March the United Nations said the military had carried out more than 300 air strikes in the past year. Also in March, the junta held a parade to mark Armed Forces Day, with flyovers by Russian-made Yak and Sukoi Su-30 jets. The military bombed a gathering in northern Sagaing region in April that media and locals said killed about 170 people, sparking renewed global condemnation of the isolated junta. Human Rights Watch said it had evidence the military had used a thermobaric "vacuum bomb" in the attack, saying it likely amounted to a war crime. Air strikes on a concert held by a major ethnic rebel group in northern Kachin state killed around 50 people last October. The junta has said reports civilians were among the dead were "rumors". AFP has contacted a Myanmar junta spokesman for comment. The post Southeast Asian air force chiefs to snub Myanmar meeting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 Maute members surrender
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Two members of the Daulah Islamiyah-Maute Group surrendered to government security forces in Lanao del Norte, saying they no longer believed in the group’s ideologies. The two men, identified as Abu Talha and Abu Anas, gave themselves up to soldiers of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade. They also surrendered one Cal. 45 pistol and one Cal. 9mm pistol. Bangsamoro Transition Authority Commissioner Al-Haj Abdullah Macapaar, alias Commander Bravo, and the representative of Munai, Lanao del Norte Mayor Racma Andamama accompanied the two men in their surrender. The two men said they decided to surrender after realizing that the group’s ideologies were not worth fighting for. They also said they were convinced by the government’s programs for former outlaws and the continuous dwindling of their group. Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido welcomed the surrender of the two men and reiterated his call to the remaining members of the Daulah Islamiyah to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law. Galido also commended the soldiers for their efforts to intensify intelligence, combat, and civil-military operations in the area. The post 2 Maute members surrender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
900 people back home in Patikul
JOLO, Sulu Province — The 11th Infantry “Alakdan” Division and the Municipal Task Force Ending Local Armed Conflict facilitated the Balik-Sitio Program of 176 families Barangay Buhanginan in Patikul, Sulu after the military has attested to the improved security landscape of Sulu. Joint Task Force-Sulu commander Maj. Gen. Ignatius N. Patrimonio on Thursday said that about 900 individuals were allowed by the 11th ID and the Patikul MTF-ELAC to return to Sitio Lumbaan, Barangay Buhanginan on Saturday. “Sitio Lumbaan was known to be one of the strongholds of Abu Sayyaf Group Leader Radulan Sahiron,” said Patrimonio. “The families residing in Sitio Lumbaan, Barangay Buhanginan in Patikul were displaced for over 20 years due to ASG terrorism and now they finally return to their home and live without fear of harassment from the ASG,” he added. For his part, Patikul Mayor and chair of the local MTF-ELAC Kabir E. Hayudini expressed gratitude to the military for their support. “We sincerely thank you, the security forces in Sulu for your tireless support and assistance to make this town again a peaceful and better place to live in,” Hayudini said. Among the highlights of the program were the inauguration and ribbon-cutting of 3 kilometers concreted road of Sitio Lumbaan; construction of water system level II; and comfort rooms; distribution of goods and gift-giving by the Ministry of Social Services and Development and free medical checkups and giving of medicines conducted by the Sulu Integrated Provincial Hospital Office. Meanwhile, Governor Abdusakur Tan expressed his gratitude and commended the efforts of every agency which contributed to the success of the Balik-Sitio Program. Tan, who also chairs the Sulu PTF-ELAC, said that the Balik-Sitio is part of the Balik-Barangay Program of the Sulu PTF-ELAC which was started in 2019. Tan also emphasized that a total of 14 barangays in Sulu province with a total of 7,600 families or about 45,600 individuals were able to return to their communities after a long period of displacement. The post 900 people back home in Patikul appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Troops on high alert vs DI-Maute group
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Authorities reported on Wednesday that police and military units in Lanao del Sur continue to remain on high alert level status after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-inspired Dawlah-Islamiya-Maute Group threatened to launch a “Marawi-like siege” in Marogong and nearby municipalities in the province. Police Regional Office for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao director P/Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza assured that the police and military security forces are doubling their efforts to prevent an attack from the ISIS-Inspired DI-Maute Group. Nobleza said the DI-Maute Group threatened on Thursday a “Marawi-like siege” in Marogong, Lanao del Sur, that led to the mass evacuation of residents of the municipality to a more safe town in the province. He added that the PRO-BAR has deployed a combat-ready platoon of policemen from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion and two teams from the Lanao del Sur Provincial Mobile Force Company. The military, on the other hand, deployed soldiers from the 32nd Infantry Battalion to complement the deployment of PNP personnel in Marogong town. All adjacent municipal police stations of Marogong town were also placed on high alert and the reactionary standby forces from the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company are ready as reinforcement forces for any eventuality, Nobleza added. On Sunday, Nobleza visited Marogong and had a meeting with Marogong Mayor Nasif Maruhom, Vice Mayor Haroun Maruhom, the commander of Bravo Company of the 32nd IB, and the 24 barangay chairmen of Marogong. Local government officials and barangay officials raised serious concerns about the present security situation in their locality and cited in particular the Poblacion proper, the center of business and convergence area as the primary target of the DI-Maute Group Nobleza also reported that residents of the town who evacuated to nearby municipalities for fear of possible attack have slowly returned to their homes after the PRO-BAR, AFP, local officials and leaders undertake joint peace and security measures in the town. The PRO-BAR director reiterated that the PNP’s primary interest is to ensure the security and safety of the people of Marogong, adding that they are concerned about the security and safety of the people of the town and have deployed additional troops to oversee the peace and order in the area. The post Troops on high alert vs DI-Maute group appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Deadly fighting between army, paramilitaries in Sudan kills 27
Fighting in the Sudanese capital raged into the early hours of Sunday after a day of deadly battles between paramilitaries and the regular army that left at least 27 people dead and 170 wounded. Explosions and gunfire rang out on the deserted streets of Khartoum, according to witnesses, after the paramilitaries said they were in control of the presidential place, Khartoum airport and other vital facilities. The army denied the claims, and in a statement late Saturday, the Sudanese air force urged people to stay indoors as it continued air strikes against bases of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fighter jets were earlier seen flying overhead. Windows rattled and apartment buildings shook in many parts of Khartoum during the clashes, according to AFP correspondents, with explosions heard early Sunday. The doctors' union said at least 27 people were killed including two at Khartoum airport and the rest in others parts of Sudan. Around 170 others were wounded in the clashes, it added in a statement early Sunday. Saudi Arabia's flag carrier Saudia said one of its planes, with passengers and crew aboard waiting for departure, was "exposed to gunfire damage". Bakry, 24, who works in marketing, said Khartoum residents had "never seen anything like" this unrest, which left dark smoke hanging over the capital. "People were terrified and running back home. The streets emptied very quickly", said Bakry, who gave only a first name. Violence erupted after weeks of deepening tensions between military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, over the planned integration of Daglo's RSF into the regular army. The integration was a key element of talks to finalize a deal that would return the country to civilian rule and end the political-economic crisis sparked by the military's 2021 coup. Created in 2013, the RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that then-president Omar al-Bashir unleashed against non-Arab ethnic minorities in the western Darfur region a decade earlier, drawing accusations of war crimes. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities" and discussed ways to de-escalate with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki. He also spoke with Burhan and Daglo urging them "to return to dialogue." The Arab League, following a request by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, is scheduled to hold an urgent meeting Sunday to discuss the situation in Sudan. In a joint call, the Saudi and United Arab Emirates foreign ministers, along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, emphasized "the importance of stopping the military escalation", the Saudi ministry said. Similar appeals came from the African and Arab regional blocs, the European Union, France, Italy, Russia and Iran. But in an interview with UAE-based Sky News Arabia, Daglo, who is also known as Hemeti, said, "Burhan the criminal must surrender." He denied that RSF had started the fight, after Burhan in an earlier statement said he "was surprised by Rapid Support Forces attacking his home at 9:00 am". The army, on its Facebook page, declared Daglo a "wanted criminal" and the RSF a "rebel militia", saying there "will be no negotiations or talks until the dissolution" of the group. The military said it carried out air strikes and destroyed two RSF bases in Khartoum. It said the airport and other bases remain under its "full control", and published a photograph of black smoke billowing from what it said was the RSF headquarters. The latest deaths, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, came after more than 120 civilians had already been killed in a crackdown on regular pro-democracy demonstrations since the coup. RSF published on Twitter a video showing uniformed men which it claimed were "Egyptian soldiers who surrendered with Sudanese military" in Meroe, northern Sudan. Egypt's army confirmed "the presence of Egyptian forces" in Sudan for exercises, and said it was following the situation. Daglo told Sky News Arabia the Egyptians would not be harmed and would be returned home. Haggling between Daglo and Burhan has twice delayed the signing of an agreement with civilian factions setting out a roadmap for restoring the democratic transition disrupted by the 2021 coup. On Saturday, witnesses reported clashes around the state media building in Khartoum's sister city Omdurman. Others described clashes in the Darfur region and elsewhere. Chad, which borders Darfur, said it was closing its frontier, "faced with this troubling situation." The military's civilian interlocutors and ex-prime minister Abdalla Hamdok appealed for a ceasefire, a plea echoed by US ambassador John Godfrey who tweeted that he "woke up to the deeply disturbing sounds of gunfire and fighting". Daglo has said the coup was a mistake that failed to bring about change and reinvigorated remnants of Bashir's regime ousted by the army in 2019 following mass protests. Burhan, who rose through the ranks under Bashir's three-decade rule, maintained the coup was necessary to bring more groups into the political process. The post Deadly fighting between army, paramilitaries in Sudan kills 27 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 patay sa giyera sa MNLF, MILF
2 patay sa giyera sa MNLF, MILF.....»»
Davao Media-Citizen Council elects officers
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 24 March) – The Davao Media-Citizen Council (DMCC) on Saturday elected its officers from representatives of various fields — media, business, law and academe. MindaNews’ Special Reports Editor Carolyn O. Arguillas was elected chair while Antonio Peralta representing the business sector was elected vice chair. Peralta chairs the Southern Mindanao Business […].....»»
Army troops kill BIFF training officer in Maguindanao clash
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 25 March) – Philippine Army troops killed an alleged ranking member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) during an encounter in Maguindanao del Sur last Friday. Brig. General Jose Vlademir Cagara, commander of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat team, said troops killed Abu Halil, a training officer of the […].....»»
NEWS BRIEFS | 25 March 2024
Senate eyes probe of resorts within the slopes of Mt. Apo Following the controversy involving the establishment of a resort reportedly within the famed Chocolate Hills in Bohol province, Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committees on Energy and Migrant Workers, is setting his sights on the resorts located on the slopes of Mt. […].....»»
Speaking up for survivors of human trafficking: Victoria Nyanjura s story
The UN Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking (UNVTF) provides humanitarian, legal and financial aid to victims of trafficking in persons through the awarding of grants to civil society organizations. Victoria Nyanjura was recently elected as Chair of the UNVTF and is the first-ever survivor of human traffi.....»»
Dovish Powell lifts markets to historic highs
Last week, US equities reached new all-time highs, thereby lifting global stock markets. This came on the back of Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell’s dovish policy statement. In that speech, Powell touted considerable progress in bringing down inflation, notwithstanding the bumps in the road toward the two percent target......»»
SamPan: Making her mark
Samantha Panlilio, eldest daughter of Jose Marcel “Jocel” Panlilio, is embarking on an ambitious career path to revitalize and expand the family’s real estate investments as chief operations officer of both the family’s publicly listed Boulevard Holdings Inc. and Puerto Azul Land Inc., even as she sets a parallel course to build her own beauty line, photography studio, and a furniture business under the brand “House of Marrakesh.”.....»»
Cha-cha plebiscite and midterm polls in one event: A test of Comelec s independence
BOTH LEGISLATIVE chambers are now leading charter change discussions. Legislators have repeatedly said that amendments will be limited to economic measures in the 1987 Constitution.Meanwhile, the conduct of the plebiscite had Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Garcia describe the logistical preparations required for it. He argued that it should be held as a separate event from the 2025 midterm electi.....»»
‘Chasing Tuna in the Ocean’ ekis sa mga lokal na sinehan, bakit kaya?
PAGKATAPOS ng pelikulang “Barbie,” naging kontrobersyal naman ngayon ang bagong pelikula na “Chasing Tuna in the Ocean” dahil sa pagpapakita ng “nine-dash line.” Kung matatandaan, unang ipinagbawal ang “Barbie” dito sa Pilipinas at sa Vietnam dahil nahagip sa pelikula ang mapa ng South China Sea kasama ang nine-dash line. Ngunit nanindigan ang Movie and Television.....»»
US Officials Warn of New Axis of Evil With China at the Fore
WASHINGTON - U.S. military and defense officials are increasingly concerned that as China and Russia forge ever stronger ties, they might attempt to challenge Western unity and eventually alter the balance of power on the world stage.The commander of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee that the evolving relationship between Beijing and Moscow is a "big portion" of.....»»
Duterte: No penalty for teacher in viral scolding video
Duterte simply advised the teacher to take a moment to calm down when feeling frustrated. .....»»
SK chair, others to face road-related law violation charges
SEVERAL youths, including a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman in Malita, Davao Occidental, who were seen in a viral video over road-related law violations and reckless driving incident along the Coastal Road in Bago Aplaya, earlier this month will be put under custody in Davao City’s police offices for different charges......»»
Vice Ganda, Lala Sotto nagkita sa isang event
SA unang pagkakataon ay nagkrus na ang landas nina Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Lala Sotto at ng Unkabogable Star na si Vice Ganda. Sa isang fashion event ng kilalang designer na si Paul Cabral naganap ang personal na pagkikita ng dalawa. Parehas kasing imbitado sina Vice at Lala sa UNA.....»»
‘Business as usual’ for FDCP after Tirso Cruz III resigns as chair
It’s “business as usual” for the Film Development Council of the Philippines amid the surprise resignation of Tirso Cruz III, who served as chair of the government agency for film for less than two years......»»
El Niño impact: 30M liters of water lost due to dry spell, says MCWD
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The hot season brought by the El Niño has significantly impacted the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) water facility. It was evident in the production of MCWD’s surface water facilities in Barangay Jaclupan in Talisay City and Barangay Lusaran in Cebu City, said MCWD Chair, Lawyer Jose Daluz III, in a.....»»