http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV2004081416267.html

COTABATO CITY – Two military bombers pounded yesterday a suspected lair of a kidnap-for-ransom group at the boundary of Salipada K. Pendatun (SKP) in Maguindanao and Lambayong in Sultan Kudarat.

Eid Kabalu, spokesman for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said at least 10 bombs from OB-10 attack planes had been dropped since 6 a.m. yesterday, causing the mass evacuation of thousands of residents from barangay Midpandakan in SKP and Pembalayan in Lambayong.

The bombings, Lambayong Mayor Ramon Abalos said, could be heard even in the poblacion of Lambayong.

“Talagang malakas ang mga bagsak ng bomba,” he said.

In an interview, Abalos said the bombardment was military’s act of reprisal against a group of lawless elements who attacked Wednesday night a military detachment in barangay Log Pond, Sultan sa Barongis, a town in Maguindanao.

But Kabalu said the government troops were running after the kidnappers of Zoila Cansi, a businesswoman of Lambayong who was abducted last March.

“The MILF and the government had already agreed to work together to crush the group of kidnappers in the area. That is part of the agreement, thus it is not intended to attack our troops,” said Kabalu.

While the MILF agreed with the military’s plan to pursue the members of the Pentagon kidnap gang, it does not agree with the use of OB-10 attack planes “just to drive away the lawless elements.”
“Even civilians or those residing near the suspected kidnapping lair might be hit by bombings,” Kabalu said.

The area under attack is part of the area of the 105th Infantry Brigade of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Armed Forces led by a certain “Commander Jack.”

ooops Manila Bulletin got it wrong - OB-10 for OV-10 ;)

:tomcat: saw that OV 10 use rockets on those bastards :gotya:

military is claiming pentagon leader alonto was among of those killed but no body was found and still they insists he is dead :wow: remember the case of sabaya? no body was also found...

Maybe Alonto was hit by a full rocket salvo from a gunship. ;)

You just might be right Rallion Tiger if this account is true...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?...ional&OID=57395

:demon: SHOW ME!!!!!!!!!!! :dancedevil:

Ya right --- just like the Americans do in Iraq in their press briefings. :dancedevil:

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2004/n...041121met1.html

Sunday November 21, 2004


Military air strike on Abu Sayyaf
bandits in Maguindanao kills 10


THE military has killed at least 10 people in an air raid on a suspected meeting between the Abu Sayyaf kidnap gang and Jemaah Islamiyah extremists in Maguindanao, a senior military official said Saturday.

But the allegation was denied by a spokesman for the country’s main Muslim separatist group who said that the attack had hit members of his organization in violation of a cease-fire in place with the government.

Four MG-520 helicopters and two OV-10 planes blasted two houses in the marshlands of Maguindanao on Friday, where about 50 Abu Sayyaf members were believed meeting with two Indonesian Jemaah Islamiyah members, said Major General Raul Relano, regional military chief.

About 10 bodies were seen floating in the marsh waters after the attack, but it could not be confirmed if they were Abu Sayyaf or Jemaah Islamiyah members, Relano said.

Two Huey helicopters tried to land troops in the area but could not touch down due to the deep water, he said, and this had forced the military to resort to air strikes owing to the difficulty of entering the marsh by foot.

One Huey helicopter was slightly damaged by return fire, Relano said.

He said the attack in the central part of the main southern island of Mindanao did not violate a ceasefire in place between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the main Muslim separatist group in the country.

Neither Jemaah Islamiyah or Abu Sayyaf are covered by the cease-fire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front sealed two years ago as part of a process towards forging an eventual peace accord.

However, Eid Kabalu, a spokesman for the front, said that the attacks hit a gathering of MILF fighters and that no Abu Sayyaf or Jemaah Islamiyah members were at the site during the air strike.

One MILF fighter was wounded in the attack, forcing the rebels to fire back, he added.

Kabalu said the incident had been reported to a joint cease fire monitoring committee and that an international monitoring team, made up of Malaysian and Brunei security personnel, would be asked to investigate the incident.

Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Bienvenido Pascual said the air strike was prompted by reliable military intelligence reports that Abu Sayyaf chieftains Khadaffy Janjalani and Isnilon Hapilon were meeting in the area with suspected Jemaah Islamiyah members led by Mike Usman.

The Abu Sayyaf, known for kidnapping and bombing attacks against Christians and foreigners in Mindanao, has been linked by both Washington and Manila to the al-Qaeda network of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.

But Abu Sayyaf has not previously been closely tied to Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for terror attacks in Southeast Asia such as the Bali bombings in October 2002, which killed 202 people.

The Abu Sayyaf had largely been based in the southern islands of Jolo and Basilan but a government crackdown by US-trained Filipino troops caused Janjalani and other top leaders to seek refuge in Sultan Kudarat, adjacent to Maguindanao.

Jemaah Islamiyah is considered the regional chapter of al-Qaeda. The government has said that at least four Indonesian Jemaah Islamiyah members are hiding in the southern Philippines.

Although some defense officials have accused rebel commanders of sheltering Jemaah Islamiyah members in violation of the cease-fire, the MILF has consistently denied this.
-- AFP

The AFP has no capability to enter the deepwater marshes of Maguindanao to verify identity of those killed?

How come the ASG and JI elements were able to do so and had their little meeting?

Just wondering a little..... :dunno:

from Khaleej Times Online

Troops bombard suspected terrorist lairs in Philippines
(DPA)

27 January 2005


ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Philippine troops on Thursday launched air strikes on suspected lairs of Al Qaeda-linked Muslim rebels and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militants in a southern province, a regional military official said.

OV-10 bomber planes and MG-520 attack helicopters took turns in pounding the suspected terrorist lair in Butilan marshland in Datu Piang town, Maguindanao province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, said Colonel Domingo Tutaan.

Tutaan said the military received reports that Abu Sayyaf rebel leaders, about six JI operatives and renegade members of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have been holed up in the area since two weeks ago.

“So far, we have not received reports of any casualties,” he said. ”Ground troops have been dispatched to the area to start clearing operations.”

Tutaan said the bombing operation was coordinated with a government and MILF joint committee implementing a ceasefire between the two sides to avoid allegations of violations.

Military sources said that among the terrorists in the Butilan area were two suspects in the October 2002 bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, which killed more than 200 people.

The military said at least 33 JI operatives have remained in the jungles of the southern region of Mindanao and were training rogue MILF rebels and Abu Sayyaf guerrillas in bomb-making and bombings in preparation for terror attacks in the country.

Still no reports on body counts, though. :armysad:

This is the second attempt to eliminate Janjalani and the JI already.

Something is not making us happy here. :dunno:

The public needs to hear something better than that! :exactly:

Will are our long-range shooters come in handy and our Spec Ops?

Military airstrike kills 40 Al-Qaeda linked rebels in south

Posted 03:01pm (Mla time) Jan 28, 2005
By Joel Francis Guinto
INQ7.net


FORTY al-Qaeda-linked rebels, including two suspected members of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), were killed in a military airstrike over their alleged hideout on a marshland in Datu Piang town, Maguindanao province, officials said Friday.
Lieutenant General Alberto Braganza, military Southern Command (SouthCom) chief, told Camp Aguinaldo reporters that the death toll was based on radio signals from the rebels, intercepted by military intelligence.

Major General Raul Relano, chief of the Army's 6th Infantry Division, said in a separate interview that three rebels were injured based on initial reports.

Braganza and Relano said they could not determine the affiliations of the other casualties. One government soldier, flying a helicopter gunship, was slightly wounded, Relano said.

Some 300 MILF rebels, led by renegade commander Wahid Kalil Tondok, were in Butilan marsh allegedly coddling some 40 Abu Sayyaf bandits and several JI members, Relano said.

"They have scattered in the area. It is useless bombing them now," Relano said in a telephone interview.

Relano said checkpoints were set up around the marsh area to prevent the bandits from escaping.

Tondok's group was allegedly behind an attack on an Army detachment in Linantangan town earlier this month, which left seven soldiers and 15 rebels killed.

Tondok has refused to surrender to the government and the MILF.

The MILF, while insisting that they did not sanction the assault, refused to surrender the Muslim rebel leader.

=====================================================


Their intel guy said that Janjalani and Tondok was there.

So when can we hear their names as among the casualties? :exactly:

is this reliable, what if the rebels just state a figure any figure over the airwaves knowing the military is monitoring but actually the casualties are lower than what they are broadcasting. :dunno:

New kind of BDA huh? Bullshit Damage Assesment

The AFP should stop doing this!

This is DOWNRIGHT RIDICULOUS! :exactly:

What if the MILF or whoever these propagandists are will tell the media later on that they were just fooling the military's intel networks by feeding the airwaves with hilarious false figures?

:dunno:

That will be a big shame for the AFP! :exactly:

The AFP should instead count on their own assets for damage assessment. :thumb:

THEY'VE DONE THIS (BOMBING) FOR THE SECOND TIME....

.... AND STILL...

.... NONE OF SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT THE NEWS HAVE EVER BEEN ACHEIVED YET.

:dunno:

I wonder why the rebels managed to escape again?

Bombers, artillery, choppers, ground troops, were used here.

What's wrong with their offensive plans?

remember the kidnapper that they also bombed to "death" then later was reported to have survived?

That sucks!

IT EVEN GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE AFP HAS BECOME DESPERATE IN GIVING US SOMETHING THAT THE AFP CAN BOAST OF.

This is sickening.

The AFP should stop this.

With this, the AFP is losing its credibility in giving press releases. :exactly:

from a local newspaper's editorial:



The clarification of sorts that from up in the air over Datu Piang the bomb droppers were able to separate the MILF from non-MILF forces was made by Braganza after they, according to him, killed at least 40 "terrorists" in air strikes over Maguindanao province last week.

The military commander then proceeded to conclude that the casualties were, indeed, terrorists but not belonging to the MILF.

He did it by guesswork, saying they had been told that 40 "terrorists" were slain, but by whom exactly, he sounded evasive.

The military has not produced the body of any of the supposedly dead "terrorists," giving the unbelievable tale that the other "terrorists" had quickly buried their dead as, probably, bombs were raining on them.

The survivors must have also interred the firearms of their unlucky comrades, or Braganza should have also announced that at least 40 guns had been recovered, or at least the proverbial subversive documents carried by all self-respecting insurgents.

Even if members of the MILF may have been killed in the air strikes, the Armed Forces would not go out on a limb to tell the world so, because officially, in the eyes of Malacañang and the State Department, the MILF is not a terrorist organization, a label it had tacked on the communist New People's Army and another Moslem insurgent group - the now kidnap-for-ransom ring Abu Sayyaf.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/


>can only shake my head...in disbelief...
:devilwink:

Let's hope the AFP will learn from this.

Let's wish that they wont lose their eagerness and dedication in doing their job of running down these terrorists because of this criticism.

We arent against their actions in eradicating lawless elements.

We just want them to keep a good level of sincerity and credibility in making press releases so that we wont feel that we are being fooled.

:exactly:

In fairness to our soldiers, ...

... it is best that you keep the terrorists running for their lives until you finally get them...

... dead or dying...

... whichever fits better.

:werock:

out to hunt MNLF rbels

:rocketfire: Happy hunting guys :patrioticpinoy: Come back safe!

I just hope the politicians would stay away from this and let the military finish their jobs. I hope the Terrorists don't get away with a slap on the wrist like the last time. I am just tired and sick of these folks rampaging in the countryside when they don't get what they want.

rocket pod seems to be empty...not needed?

:demon: no time to load the rockets

Wished,these are Cobra Gunships they could hunt these rebels day or night ,Cobra Gunships are the perfect gunships against these insurgents since they like to move at night these gunships have night fighting capabilities. :werock:

:agree:

PGMA should accept the fact that our AFP needs more firepower to get the job done much easier and faster.

This will definitely save more lives as well.

The pilots can wear night vision googles in their little birds.

Let's not forget the acquisition of a squadron of a much deadlier Strike aircraft.

Naphalms and smart bombs should be it!

Let's replenish or augment our OV10s with better strike aircrafts. The F16, F18 or the Gripen, that is.

:armycheers:

HOW I WISH WE WILL SEE OUR COBRAS OR EVEN HUEYS UNLEASH THEIR GATLING'S BARRAGE OF BULLETS ON THOSE ADVANCING REBELS.

For the Marines, i believe it is about time we purchase HOVERCRAFTS.

Do you notice how often the rebels hold their meetings in that marshy hideout somewher in Agusan?

Those hovercrafts can help our troops a lot in bringing in raiding teams or reinforcements.

the flyboys are busy :demon:

MANILA, April 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Two suspected members of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group were killed as Philippine security forces pounded a known rebel territory in a marshy area in southern Philippines, the military said Friday.

Armed Forces Southern Command spokesperson Col. Domingo Tutaan Jr. said that the clash erupted earlier this morning when a Philippine Air Force plane dropped four bombs at the southwest portion of the Butilan marsh in Maguindanao province.

Operating troops, however, could not retrieve the bodies of the slain rebels as they were being subjected to sniper fire, Tutaan said.

Tutaan said the Abu Sayyaf rebels hiding in the marshy area were led by chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and Commanders Isnilon Hapilon and Abu Solaiman.

"They were positively sighted in the clash site," Tutaan said.

Butilan marsh has been a frequent site of heavy government offensive against local terrorists aided by operatives of the southeast Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

In last November, government forces pounded the area and shortly after, pronounced that Janjalani was believed killed in the operation.

However, a captured JI bomb instructor, an Indonesian national identified as Rohmay alias Zaki, later told reporters that Janjalani survived the air strike that time.

In February this year, another air strike was conducted in the region with military authorities claiming to have killed two JI operatives involved in the October 2002 Bali bombing. Enditem

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/...ent_2835056.htm

:armyeek:

how were they able to count the casualties if they were unable to go near?

Military launches air strikes on Abu Sayyaf base in Sulu

By Joel Francis Guinto
INQ7.net

THE MILITARY has launched air strikes on a mountain base of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf in Sulu province, officials said Friday.

At around 8 a.m. Thursday, OV-10 bomber planes and MG-520 assault helicopters attacked the Tumatani complex, which straddles the boundaries of Parang, Maimbung, and Indanan towns, officials said.

Some 200 Abu Sayyaf bandits, including two commanders, Doc Abu and Albader Parad, were believed to be inside the Tumatani complex at the time of the attack, said Brigadier General Alexander Aleo, commander of the anti-terror Task Force Comet.

Aleo said the bandits suffered casualties but could not say how many. There were no immediate reports of casualties on the security forces' side.

"The Abu Sayyaf has been entrenched in the Tumatani complex since we overran the Karawan complex earlier this year. We believe Doc Abu and Parad are hiding there," Aleo said in a phone interview.

A ground assault by troops from the 104th Brigade accompanied the air raid, he added.

"The enemy is strong and well-entrenched so we have to use available firepower at our disposal to dislodge the enemy from their heavily fortified bunkers," Armed Forces Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Samuel Bagasin told a news conference in Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters.

The air strikes also displaced some civilians but Bagasin could not ascertain how many. He said battalion commanders in the area were overseeing evacuation operations.

Fresh fighting between the military and the Abu Sayyaf broke out in Indanan town last November 11. Four soldiers have been killed and 22 others injured since then.

http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?in...&story_id=57738

if the Army already suffered losses when the Communist b@stards used landmines, wait until you see one of the Air Force's OV-10s, MG520s, SF-260TPs and UH-1Hs being shut down by the rebels' man-portable surface to air missiles.

there are persistent rumors that the MILF, some "pasaway" MNLF groups and even the Abu Sayyaf having themselves armed with smuggled Igla MANPADs. :demon:

maybe all ur ov-10 must have smart boombs like the us i think the smart boombs are not that expensive well i don't know so what do u think guys? do u think ur gov't can afford? :dunno:

Well, a little research will answer that LT. on what are needed in order to deploy such smart bombs. :drunk:

Smart Bombs? will for me its a very expensive but effective. But taking all the facotrs into consideration i think our government cannot afford at this moment for this missiles. Many equipments are needed to get the smart bombs into work. Dumb Bombs only is what we can afforrd at this moment. our government shows no further interest in new missile technology.

Air force rescues lost priest, three others from mountain

04/24 9:49:24 AM

MANILA (AP) - Air force helicopters rescued a Roman Catholic priest and three of his companions after they got lost while climbing a mountain in the northern Philippines, the air force said Sunday.

The Rev. Ernie Pesimo and his friends had been wandering in the wilderness for days, weakened by a lack of food and water, when they were rescued Saturday by air force helicopters in a mountainous region in Nueva Ecija province, the air force said in a statement.

Pesimo and his companions started their climb from Nueva Ecija's Lupao town on Monday, but got lost on their way back. One of Pesimo's companions managed to send a cell phone text message to a friend asking for help on Thursday, the statement said.

One helicopter spotted the four before nightfall on Friday but was unable to land because of thick forest cover and the gathering darkness. Two air force helicopters returned and found them Saturday near a mountain river in the company of four farmers, who were among several volunteers searching for the missing climbers, the air force said.

Nueva Ecija is a mountainous, rice-producing region 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Manila.

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS_FLAS...420067135_5.htm

NPA territory in Leyte raided

Cebu Daily News
Last updated 12:55pm (Mla time) 01/18/2007


TWO attack helicopters from Cebu conducted air strikes yesterday noon against alleged New People's Army (NPA) positions in sitio Soob, barangay Poblacion, Albuera, Leyte.

Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy, commanding officer of the 19th Infantry Battallion based in Kananga, Leyte, said two MG 520 attack helicopters from the Philippine Air Force in Mactan, Cebu conducted the air strike between 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The air strike was conducted to support troops pursuing the estimated 50 NPA rebels, most of them reportedly leaders of the NPA Northern Leyte Front, who were holed up at a hilly area in sitio Soob.

The NPA front there was reportedly headed by a Kumander from Cebu.

As of press time, Dagoy said the military could not confirm yet any casualties or fatalities in the operation because the ground troops were still conducting clearing and hot pursuit operations.

Senior Insp. Celso Cartalla, Albuera police chief, told dyLA Cebu City that as of 3 p.m., sporadic gunfire could be heard in the area, which is around 5 km from the center of barangay Poblacion.

Cartalla, who spoke with the mayor earlier, confirmed families evacuating to neighboring areas, although he could not give a figure of how many left the barangay.

Dagoy said about 100 soldiers including the backup teams from other units conducted the operation after receiving information that the officials of the Northern Leyte Front were having a meeting in the area.

Kumander Pingkoy, who is reportedly from Cebu, is the new leader of the Northern Leyte Command.

The former leader of the command, Viviano Rentellosa, who was from Carcar town, Cebu, was killed in a Sept. 11, 2006 encounter in Leyte.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudaily...rticle_id=44172

Wow, the military is learning. :salute:

What do you mean Mr F?

Usually they attack the enemies without considering the need for combat air support.

Kaya madalas NAKAKATAKAS ANG KALABAN. (often the targets escaped)