Islamist militants kill 19 in Marawi — Army

Islamist militants locked in street-to-street battles with security forces in a southern Philippine city have killed 19 civilians, the military said Sunday, bringing the official death toll from nearly a week of fighting to at least 85.

The violence prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law on Tuesday across the southern third of the Philippines to quell what he said was a fast-growing threat of militants linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.

Authorities said the militants had killed 19 civilians in Marawi, a mostly Muslim-populated city of 200,000 people. These included three women and a child who were found dead near a university.

“These are civilians, women. These terrorists are anti-people. We found their bodies while conducting rescue operations (on Saturday),” regional military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jo-ar Herrera told AFP.

An AFP photographer saw another eight bodies by a road in the outskirts of Marawi on Sunday, with local residents identifying them as employees of a rice mill and a medical college. However, a woman said they were employees at her bakery.

Herrera said the military had yet to investigate the reported deaths.

The violence began when dozens of gunmen went on a rampage throughout Marawi after security forces attempted to arrest Isnilon Hapilon, a veteran Filipino militant regarded as the local leader of ISIS.

The gunmen planted black IS flags, took a priest and up to 14 other people hostage from a church, and set fire to buildings.

Thirteen soldiers, two policemen and 51 militants have died in the fighting, according to authorities. This brings the combined official death toll to at least 85.

Most of the city’s residents have fled because of the fighting, which has seen the military heavily bomb residential areas where the militants were believed to be hiding.

The military announced on Saturday, the start of the holy month of Ramadan, that it would intensify the bombing campaign.

“In as much as we would like to avoid collateral damage, these rebels are forcing the hand of government by hiding and holding out inside private homes, government buildings and other facilities,” military spokesman Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla said.

“Their refusal to surrender is holding the city captive. Hence, it is now increasingly becoming necessary to use more surgical airstrikes to clear the city and to bring this rebellion to a quicker end.”

Duterte and military chiefs have said most of the militants belong to the local Maute group, which they estimate has about 260 armed followers and has declared allegiance to IS.

But Duterte has said local criminals are backing the Maute in Marawi. CBB/rga

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Agence France-Presse May 28, 2017

PHOTO: Smoke rises following airstrikes by Philippine Air Force to retake control of Marawi city, southern Philippines Saturday, May 27, 2017. Philippine military jets fired rockets at militant positions Saturday as soldiers fought to wrest control of a southern city from gunmen linked to the Islamic State group, witnesses said. Civilians waved flags from their windows to show they are not combatants. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

MANILA – (UPDATED) Foreign terrorists were among those killed in the ongoing siege in Marawi City, an official said.

Padilla said at least 31 from the terrorist group have been killed so far, and some of those slain were Malaysians, Singaporeans, and Indonesians, Armed Forces spokesperson Restituto Padilla said.

PHOTO: Government troops are seen during an assault on insurgents from the so-called Maute group, who have taken over large parts of Marawi City, Thursday. Romeo Ranoco, Reuters

The government deployed attack helicopters and special forces to drive gunmen out of the besieged southern city.

“Up to this moment operations are ongoing. There are still firefights between our forces and those of the terrorists and the objective of armed forces is to clear the city,” Padilla added.

Padilla said efforts to rescue stranded residents remain, as he assured locals that military was only conducting “surgical air strikes” to avoid civilian deaths and damage to property.

MINDANAO AS ‘CALIPHATE’

Indonesians and Malaysians were among foreign Jihadists fighting the Philippine army in Mindanao island, the solicitor-general claimed, in a rare admission that outsiders were collaborating with domestic Islamist groups.

“Before it was just a local terrorist group. But now they have subscribed to the ideology of ISIS (Islamic State),” Solicitor General Jose Calida told a news conference.

“They want to make Mindanao part of the caliphate,” he claimed.

Calida said the Maute group and Islamic State wanted to create an “ISIS province” in Mindanao and the government was not the only target of their aggression.

“People they consider as infidels, whether Christians or Muslims, are also targets of opportunity,” he said.

“What it worrisome is that the ISIS has radicalized a number of Filipino Muslim youth.”

On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte placed all of Mindanao under martial law after government troops clashed with terrorist group Maute.

Troops were pursuing bandits from Maute group while on a mission to arrest Isnilon Hapilon, the suspected leader of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, when the terror group took hostages.

US offers $5 million for any information that will lead to Hapilon’s arrest.

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

Share Share Share – Breaking News: Like Like Like —–>>>>> @Duterte https://www.facebook.com/MetroManilaKilusangPagbabago/  ***** 44 na po ang naitatalang NAMATAY sa bakbakan ng pamahalaan at ang naghahasik ng lagim sa Marawi. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas. Point and Click to Link or Photo to READ FULL STORY. https://balitangbalita.com/2017/05/26/44-afp-pnp-and-extremists-killed-in-marawi-clashes/ #Duterte #SupportMarawi #Marawi

Civil society groups and vendors in Cagayan de Oro City and in Manila on Wednesday staged a rally to show their support for Marawi City residents.

Martial law was declared by President Rodrigo Duterte after the Maute terrorist group led a siege of Marawi City that resulted to several reported killings and burned buildings.

The groups, including Kadamay, Piston, Bayan, Kabataan, and Vendors’ Association gathered at the Cogon market in Cagayan de Oro to light candles and opposed the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

A similar activity was held in front of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila.

The participants also condemned the terrorist group Maute for killing civilians and burning an Aglipayan school and the Marawi City jail. — BAP, GMA News

Nagkabistuhan na kung bakit si Janet Lim Napoles ay sumuko kay Dating Presidente Noynoy Aquino at kung saan binigyan pa ang Pork Barrel Queen ng red carpet treatment. Hindi lang yon, hinatid pa ng nakaupong Pangulo ang nasasakdal sa Kampo Crame sa Palasyo. Sobrang special treatment naman yon. Yun pala may utang na loob si P-Noy kay Janet dahil sa naitulong na malaking halaga (PHP 90 Million lang naman) para sa 2010 Presidential campaign.

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Council of Philippine Affairs secretary-general Pastor Boy Saycon on Friday alleged that former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III received up to P90 million in campaign funds from Janet Lim-Napoles.

In an interview with Radyo Inquirer, he said Aquino received the P90 million from Napoles, the accused mastermind of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam, when he ran for the presidency in 2010.

Saycon on Wednesday turned over to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II evidence of corruption involving what he called “very high” officials from the “past administration.”

Saycon said that there was nothing wrong with accepting campaign contributions, but he pointed out that Aquino did not declare the funds in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditure (Soce) submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Hindi nila dineclare (Soce)… that is against the law,” he said.

Saycon said that Aquino and Napoles knew each other long before he ran for President since the latter was an important contributor.

“Kaya nga sinundo siya (Napoles) sa Heritage Park, pagkatapos naglunch pa sila sa Malacañang, pagkatapos hinatid pa siya sa Crame ng Presidente… pwede naman ‘yung guwardiya niya… bakit siya, personal, di ba?” he said.

He added that there are 11 lawmakers who also received campaign contributions from Napoles, based on the documents he gathered from 2010 to 2016.

Saycon said he had long been in possession of the documents but decided not to give them to Senator Leila de Lima when she was still the justice secretary, because it would just have landed on the tables of Aquino and his party mates, allegedly among the beneficiaries of corruption.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, whom Duterte administration allies accuse of being a part of a destabilization plot against President Rodrigo Duterte, is among those who received contributions but did not declare them in his Soce, Saycon said.

Saycon refused to give more details, saying Aguirre already has the documents, and that the justice secretary was studying them. RAM

By: Ed Margareth Barahan – @inquirerdotnet

Sa mundo ngayon ng social media, marami ang naghahangad sumikat. Sa isang mapangahas na larawan o matalim na pananalita, VIRAL na kaagad ang isang tao o pangyayari. Nuong Kampanya 2016, naipanalo si Presidente Duterte, na kulang sa pera, sa pamamagitan ng Facebook. Dati puro lang sa BIASED MAINSTREAM MEDIA napupunta ang bilyonbilyong pisong badyet ng mga kandidatong naghahangad ng tagumpay. Sa kasalukuyan, madalas ang bangayan ng mga panig kakampi at kalaban ng kasalukuyang pamahalaan. Isa sa matinding tagapagtanggol ni Tatay Digong ay si Mocha Uson na may 5 milyong Likes sa FB. Natural lamang na umaani siya ng tonetoneladang batikos mula sa pwersa ng DILAWAN na gustong patumbahin ang ating Presidente.

Si Mocha ay naitalaga bilang Assistant Sectretary (Asec) ng Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). Wala namang duda na may tama siyang academic requirements. Graduate siya sa kursong Medical Technology at nakapasok sa College of Medicine (ngunit hindi nakapagtapos). Binanatan si Mocha ng anak ni Christopher De Leon at Sandy Andanar na pangalan ay Mariel. Dati ay malaki ang problema ni Mariel sa larangan ng kagandahan at sa tulong ng mga makabagong pamamaraan ng agham, nakuha niya ang kaniyang panaginip na maging Miss Philippines. Dahil sa masasakit niyang pananalita (tweets) laban kay Mocha si Mariel naman ang binabato ng putik sa social media. Pinagpipiyestahan tuloy si Mariel sa paghahambing ng mga lumang larawan niya at ang kasalukuyan niyang pagmumukha. Marami ang nagsasabi na mala Liza Soberano na si Mariel. Si Liza ay kabilang sa mga pinakamagandang Filipina sa ating bansa. Anyway, may karapatan naman bumanat si Mariel hanggang gusto niya sa kabila naman ng karapatan din ng mga DDS lumaban, umatake at bumawi sa pangalan ni Pangulong Duterte at Mocha Uson. Batid ng marami na may kakayanan ang mga pro Duterte na maglunsad ng mataggalang social media war, hindi nalang natin alam kung tatagal sa patutsadahan si Mariel at ang kanyang mga kakampi. Sumikat na rin si Mariel at gusto din naman natin siyang manalo sa kanyang laban sa Miss Universe contest. Si Mocha naman ay nagagampanan na niya ang bagong papel niya bilang tagapagpakalat ng magandang balita tungkol kay Tatay Digong at sa bansang Pilipinas.

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Hango sa Facebook itong istoryang ito.

Share Share Share – Breaking News: Like Like Like —–>>>>> Duterte***** Letter to a Mocha HATER named Mariel who bashes the Mocha appointment as PCOO Asec. From – United DDS UAE Defender Official
May 11
Itong Bb.Pilipinas Bastarda International 2017 na ito kung manglait sa MOCHA USON BLOG namin Akala mo Mataas pa sa pagkatao nya! Hoy babae! Anak ka ng Kerida ni Boyet De Leon na dating adik ang AMA mo. Kabit ang nanay mo na si sAndy Andolong na dating Hubadera bold star din…Inanakan sya ni christopher De Leon na asawa ni Nora Aunor! ikaw Yung anak,so…Isa kang Bastarda…Kaya tumigil tigil ka Miss Tapyas Panga Bastarda 2017…Puro retoke katawan at pinatapyas mukha mo Kaya ka nagmukhang tao. madumi ang pamilya at pagkatao nyo ng nanay nyo. Si Mocha anak ng Doctor at Judge na pinatay dahil Hindi nagpasuhol kagaya nyong mga dilawan…#mochauson #mochausonblog MOCHA USON BLOG

MANILA, Philippines – Janet Lim-Napoles is set to identify all the government officials involved in the pork barrel fund scam, her lawyer revealed yesterday.

Stephen David said Napoles is willing to cooperate in the reinvestigation of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) anomaly.

“Of course, there will be more officials,” David told reporters after a closed-door meeting with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

David said Napoles might come up with another list of politicians who benefitted from the pork barrel, which he claimed would be longer than the list she earlier submitted to the DOJ.

He hinted the list would also include an official in the previous administration “higher than lawmakers.”

“If she will become state witness, she should tell everything she knows… whoever is involved should really be exposed. Whatever the truth is, it should come out. Because the truth will set you free,” he said.

David, however, refused to name the high official, saying it might preempt the statement to be submitted by Napoles.

David said he had a meeting with Aguirre to discuss the possibility of Napoles becoming a state witness as well as her inclusion in the witness protection program.

David stressed the safety of his client was under threat.

“We are requesting, on our part, that she should be given a proper security should this proposition push through,” he said.

David added there were instances last February when Napoles’ personal belongings were ransacked.

“There were instances whien her belongings were scattered inside her cell as if looking for something and almost every night she started feeling uneasy for she felt someone is intently watching her,” David said.

David said Napoles is also receiving written threats from unknown individuals.

He said the threats against Napoles turned serious when the government declared the possibility of taking her as state witness in the PDAF scam.

Though he has no direct proof, David believes the threats came from “former and current high-ranking public officials who have the capability and capacity to consummate the threats.”

“These are the public officials who want Mrs. Napoles to keep silent and not expose her knowledge on the issues,” he said.

Blackmail

Aguirre, on the other hand, said he supports the bid of Napoles to transfer custody.

“I’m talking to NBI officials on the possibility if Napoles could still be accommodated in the NBI, in view of the continued threats against her,” Aguirre told a press conference later in the afternoon.

Aguirre said he agrees with the position of Napoles’ camp that she should no longer stay at the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) following her recent acquittal in the serious illegal detention case by the Court of Appeals.

“Now that she’s no longer a convict, she should no longer stay in a Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) facility. The facility for her should be for detention prisoners only,” he said.

Aguirre revealed the BuCor has filed a manifestation before the Sandiganbayan, where Napoles is facing non-bailable plunder and graft cases over the pork barrel scam, seeking clarification on her detention in the CIW.

In the same press conference, Aguirre said he received information that Napoles is receiving threats and has been “blackmailed” by a certain group that is holding her brother Reynald “Jojo” Lim.

“That brother of hers is being held so that Janet will not speak,” he said.

Asked which group he was referring to, Aguirre replied: “You all know which group it is.”

Aguirre said it appeared that Lim was used to “blackmail” his sister in the PDAF cases during the previous administration.

Lim was a co-accused of Napoles in the serious illegal detention case filed by whistle-blower Benhur Luy.

Lim, however, remained in hiding and authorities have yet to determine his whereabouts.

Aguirre earlier revealed the reinvestigation would look into the mystery behind the surrender of Napoles to then president Benigno Aquino III in August 2013.

When Napoles was tagged as the brains behind the scam, she surrendered to Malacañang accompanied by then Interior secretary Manuel Roxas II before she was brought to the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame.

David filed a motion before the Sandiganbayan seeking her transfer from the CIW to the NBI or the PNP custodial center.

Napoles is currently detained on non-bailable offenses of plunder and graft before the Sandiganbayan, though she was recently acquitted by the Court of Appeals on the serious illegal detention case.

David recalled the possibility of Napoles becoming state witness was already raised before the Office of the Ombudsman during the previous administration.

It was only after her acquittal in the serious illegal detention case when the government took interest in the pork barrel case, he said.

“We already had talks before, but it did not push through because there were allies of the previous administration,” David said.

David explained Napoles could qualify as state witness in the plunder cases.

“The case of plunder is a crime committed by a public officer. It just so happened that there are private individuals involved in the conspiracy. In that case, they cannot be considered as most guilty,” he argued.

This supported the earlier statement of Aguirre that in cases of plunder or corruption involving a government official and a private individual, the former is considered the most guilty per ruling of the Supreme Court.  – With Elizabeth Marcelo

Edu Punay (The Philippine Star) 12, 2017

NOTE: On national radio, in an interview, the Napoles lawyer named former Budget Secretary Butch Abad as among the high officials involved in the PHP 10 Bilion Pork Barrel Fund Scam. Napoles previously testified that it was Abad who “TAUGHT” her how to navigate the Pork Barrel system through the setting up of CONDUIT cooperatives, companies and corporations.

Anyare? Bong Bong Marcos, Loren Legarda, Tito Sotto at Gringo Honsan NAKALIMUTAN NA (kasi Administration allies sila)

FUND DISBURSEMENT BREAKDOWN: SSS -Seven Senator Snakes (mga hayop sa damo) channeled hundreds of millions of pesos to Napoles NGOs for Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Quezon and Bulacan. bong revilla “pogi”, enrile “tanda”, jinggoy estrada “kuya/sexy”, bong bong marcos, gringo honasan, loren legarda and tito sotto – JAIL awaits you. Mga kagalanggalang na sa serbisyong publiko, pera pala ng bayan, ipinagbubulsa nyo. Mahiya naman kayo. Magbigti nalang kayo.

Flashback (long before Napoles): Happy times, Juan Ponce Enrile and Gigi Reyes (now both charged with PLUNDER) HTTP://BALITANGBALITA.COM/ #NAPOLES #PINAS #PHILIPPINES #BALITA #PORKBARREL #PDAF #PILIPINAS #BENHURLUY #JANETNAPOLES #MILLIONPEOPLEMARCH‪ #‎SCRAPPORK‬‪ ‪#‎ABOLISHPORK #scrapthepork