RP Military, US Embassy Say No American Soldiers In Marine Convoy Attacked By Sayyaf In Sulu Island

US and Philippine soldiers pass a village in the southern Philippine island of Sulu in this photo taken in April 27, 2008. Philippine troops, aided by US military intelligence, are pursuing suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen who ambushed a marine convoy on Saturday, August 31, 2008 in Sulu's Patikul town killing four soldiers and wounding ten more. The Guam Army National Guard says one of its servicemen, from the 294th Infantry Regiment, who was with the convoy, is unhurt in the attack. The Philippine military and US Embassy insisted no US soldiers were in the attacked convoy. American troops are active in humanitarian missions and training and assisting local soldiers in defeating terrorism in the southern Philippines on the request of the Philippine government. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 1, 2008) – The Philippine military on Monday denied that a US soldier was with a marine convoy attacked by suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen in the southern island of Sulu.

Four Filipino marines were killed and ten more wounded in the weekend attack near a military base in the village of Bonbon in Patikul town.

The Guam Army National Guard released a brief statement Saturday, confirming that a local serviceman was unharmed following an attack on his unit on the island.

The US soldier was not identified, but the Guam Army National Guard said the serviceman is attached to a platoon with the 294th Infantry Regiment deployed in May in Sulu to aide in the ongoing conflict there. The report was also in the Guam media.

The Philippine military and the US Embassy in Manila insisted no US soldiers were in the attacked convoy.

Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commander of the Filipino Joint Task Force Comet in Sulu Island, said no US soldiers were in the convoy, but some of them aided the local troops wounded in the ambush.

“He was inside the camp. Maybe he got so excited that he thought that he was part of the ambush. The only elements ambushed were the first two vehicles.

Yes, they were there because we are partners in humanitarian assistance project and they just turned over a school a few hundred meters away from the ambush site,” Sabban said in a television interview, referring to US troops.

“The Americans have been helping us in doing all these humanitarian assistance. They were there in our battalion headquarters,” he said.

Sabban said US troops were active in humanitarian missions in Sulu and are not allowed to join combat operations.

Rebecca Thompson, a US embassy spokesperson, also denied that American soldiers were near the ambush site, but admitted they helped evacuate wounded Filipino troops to safety.

American troops are training and assisting local soldiers in defeating terrorism in the troubled South on the request of the Philippine government. (Mindanao Examiner)

US Officials Visit Wounded Troops In South RP, Ban Media Coverage

US soldiers guard outside a Philippine military hospital in Zamboanga City where US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and senior US military officials visit Monday July 16, 2007 nine soldiers who are wounded in clashes with Abu Sayyaf militants and Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Basilan island, where a kidnapped Italian Catholic priest Giancarlo Bossi is believed being held by rogue MILF members. US officials have banned Filipino journalists and news photographers from covering Kenney's visit for a still unknown reason. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) 14, assigned to the "Swift Intruders" of Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, comes ashore Wednesday July 11, 2007 to pick up Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 and Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1 at the completion of their mission in the Philippines. Members of NMCB-7 and ACB-1, with medical support from the Third Medical Battalion, worked together with Filipino Seabees from the First Construction Battalion in support of Pacific Partnership 2007. The mission, a four-month humanitarian assistance mission to Southeast Asia and Oceania includes specialized medical care and various construction and engineering projects.(US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Paul D. Williams)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 16 Jul) – US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and senior American military officials on Monday visited nine Filipino soldiers wounded in clashes with Abu Sayyaf and Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in Zamboanga City.

Kenney arrived onboard a bullet-proof van at a military hospital inside Western Mindanao Command headquarters where the soldiers are recuperating from bullet wounds in clashes that occurred July 10 in Basilan’s Al-Barka town.

Fourteen soldiers were also killed in the fighting, ten of them beheaded and mutilated.
Kenney did not give any statement and journalists and photographers were banned in the hospital on orders from US officials for a still unknown reason.

The US is helping the Philippines defeat terrorism and have deployed hundreds of American troops in the volatile region, where local military is battling Abu Sayyaf militants tied to al-Qaeda terror network and members of the Jemaah Islamiya.

Army Lt. Gen. Eugenio Cedo, Western Mindanao Command chief, was quoted Monday by The Australian as saying that his group is close to capturing Jemaah Islamiya explosives expert Dulmatin after an informant contacted the military offering to surrender the 2002 Bali bombing mastermind.

Aside from Dulmatin, troops are also tracking down another Bali bomber Umar Patek, who is being coddled by the Abu Sayyaf group.

Cedo said he received a message last week from a member of the former rebel group, Moro National Liberation Front, who promised he could lead government soldiers to Dulmatin’s hideout in Jolo island, about 950 km south of Manila. "I think we have a good prospect of finding him," Cedo said. "I received this message saying Dulmatin would be surrendered to us."

He said the informant had even pinpointed the precise location of Dulmatin’s lair in Jolo island.
The US has offered a $10 million bounty for Dulmatin’s capture and $1 million for Patek’s head. The Bali bombings killed 202 people, mostly foreigners, including 88 Australian holiday-makers.
The Philippine military, backed by US intelligence, mounted new offensive against the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya terrorists began on Jolo island.

In many instances, villagers reported seeing heavily armed US soldiers in armored vehicles, with Filipino troops.

The offensive, codenamed Oplan: Ultimatum 2, is aimed at capturing - dead or alive - leaders of the Abu Sayyaf and the two Jemaah Islamiya bombers. Indonesian authorities also tagged the Jemaah Islamiya as behind the 2003 JW Marriott hotel car bombing that killed a dozen people and wounded over 150 others.

Hundreds of US troops are also deployed in Jolo to help the local military fight the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiya.

The US military provides technical intelligence to local troops because they are not allowed to participate in combat operation against the Abu Sayyaf or Jemaah Islamiya, both included in the US terror list.

Last month, the US Pacific commander, Adm. Timothy Keating, in a surprised visit in Jolo island, inspected a captured Abu Sayyaf mountain base in Tugas village in Patikul town. (Mindanao Examiner)

Photo: US Ambassador Kristie Kenney Visits Restive Southern Philippine Province

Malaysian Maj. Gen. Dato Mohammad Ismael Bin Ahmad Khan, left, head of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) looks as US Ambassador Kristie Kenney shakes hands with IMT truce observers in Cotabato City during a visit in Maguindanao province from July 9-10, 2007. Kenney, together with security and Muslim autonomous government officials and Mindanao Examiner Bureau Chief Mark Navales also visited US sailors aboard the USS Peleliu in Maguindanao province in southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service/Mark Navales)

PIA Bares Visit Of US Ambassador Ahead Of Mindanao Trip

COTABATO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 05 Jul) - The security of U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney may be in jeopardy after the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) released Thursday details of her next week's visit to the volatile region of Mindanao, where local troops are battling terrorism and insurgency.

The PIA said Kenney will visit Cotabato City in Maguindanao province on July 9 and 10. She will meet with senior Filipino military commanders and members of the Malaysia-led International Monitoring Team and then inaugurate several U.S. funded projects in the province, one of five under the Muslim autonomous region.

It said Kenney will attend the formal launching of the guidebook “Al Khalifa”. She will also be at the turnover ceremony for a USAID/GEM (United States Agency for International Development/Growth with Equity in Mindanao) built road from Shariff Aguak town to Mamasapano town, all in Maguindanao.

The PIA said Kenney will also visit the headquarters of the Army's 6th Infantry Division and the International Monitoring Team. And she will also have a dinner with the Bangsamoro Development Agency and speak at the Women’s Forum in Cotabato City and visit a Catholic radio station in Cotabato City.

Kenney will also inspect the Awang Airport in the province, previously bombed by terrorists. It was unknown of the PIA had permission from the U.S. Embassy to publish Kenney's itinerary, but her past visits to Mindanao were usually unannounced for security reasons.

The al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group and the Maoist New People's Army rebels which are fighting the government have previously threatened to attack U.S. targets. (Mindanao Examiner)

President Bush Rededicates Islamic Center Of Washington

US President George W. Bush (Photo contributed by the United States Embassy, Manila)

American appreciation for Islam was the theme of President Bush’s speech at the Islamic Center of Washington on the mosque’s 50th anniversary June 27.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower dedicated the Center in 1957, and President Bush's message of friendship and respect for the Muslim World echoed the same message that President Eisenhower delivered 50 years ago.

The president also announced he will appoint a U.S. envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to “listen and learn” and share U.S. views with delegates from Muslim nations.

The appointment is intended “to demonstrate to Muslim communities our interest in respectful dialogue and continued friendship,” he said. It will be the first time an American president has appointed an envoy to the OIC.

Calling the mosque’s anniversary a “celebration of America’s diversity of faith and our unity as free people,” Bush quoted the poet Rumi: “The lamps are different, but the light is the same.”

Following is the full text of the President's remarks at the ceremony: Imam, thank you very much. Thank you for inviting me. I bring my personal respect to you, sir. And I appreciate your friendship. I do want to thank the governors of the Islamic Center. I welcome the Ambassadors. Thank you all for coming. I appreciate other distinguished guests who are here. It is an honor to join you at this rededication ceremony. As the Imam mentioned, half a century has passed since one of our great leaders welcomed the Islamic Center into our nation's family of faith.

Dedicating this site, President Dwight D. Eisenhower offered America's hand in friendship to Muslims around the world. He asked that together we commit ourselves "to peaceful progress of all men under one God."

Today we gather, with friendship and respect, to reaffirm that pledge -- and to renew our determination to stand together in the pursuit of freedom and peace. We come to express our appreciation for a faith that has enriched civilization for centuries. We come in celebration of America's diversity of faith and our unity as free people. And we hold in our hearts the ancient wisdom of the great Muslim poet, Rumi: "The lamps are different, but the light is the same."

Moments like this dedication help clarify who Americans are as a people, and what we wish for the world. We live in a time when there are questions about America and her intentions. For those who seek a true understanding of our country, they need to look no farther than here.

This Muslim center sits quietly down the road from a synagogue, a Lutheran church, a Catholic parish, a Greek Orthodox chapel, a Buddhist temple -- each with faithful followers who practice their deeply held beliefs and live side by side in peace.

This is what freedom offers: societies where people can live and worship as they choose without intimidation, without suspicion, without a knock on the door from the secret police. The freedom of religion is the very first protection offered in America's Bill of Rights. It is a precious freedom.

It is a basic compact under which people of faith agree not to impose their spiritual vision on others, and in return to practice their own beliefs as they see fit. This is the promise of our Constitution, and the calling of our conscience, and a source of our strength. The freedom to worship is so central to America's character that we tend to take it personally when that freedom is denied to others.

Our country was a leading voice on behalf of the Jewish refusniks in the Soviet Union. Americans joined in common cause with Catholics and Protestants who prayed in secret behind an Iron Curtain. America has stood with Muslims seeking to freely practice their beliefs in places such as Burma and China. To underscore America's respect for the Muslim faith here at home, I came to this Center six days after the 9/11 attacks to denounce incidents of prejudice against Muslim Americans.

Today I am announcing a new initiative that will improve mutual understanding and cooperation between America and people in predominately Muslim countries. I will appoint a special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. This is the first time a President has made such an appointment to the OIC. Our special envoy will listen to and learn from representatives from Muslim states and will share with them America's views and values.

This is an opportunity for Americans to demonstrate to Muslim communities our interest in respectful dialogue and continued friendship. We have seen that friendship reflected in the outpouring of support Americans have extended to Muslim communities across the globe during times of war and natural disaster. Americans came to the aid of the victims of devastating earthquakes in Pakistan and Iran, and responded with urgency and compassion to the wreckage of the tsunami in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Our country defended Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo after the breakup of Yugoslavia. Today we are rallying the world to confront genocide in Sudan. Americans of all beliefs have undertaken these efforts out of compassion, conviction, and conscience. The greatest challenge facing people of conscience is to help the forces of moderation win the great struggle against extremism that is now playing out across the broader Middle East.

We've seen the expansion of the concept of religious freedom and individual rights in every region of the world -- except one. In the Middle East, we have seen instead the rise of a group of extremists who seek to use religion as a path to power and a means of domination. These self-appointed vanguard -- this self-appointed vanguard presumes to speak for Muslims. They do not.

They call all Muslims who do not believe in their harsh and hateful ideology "infidels" and "betrayers" of the true Muslim faith. This enemy falsely claims that America is at war with Muslims and the Muslim faith, when in fact it is these radicals who are Islam's true enemy.

They have staged spectacular attacks on Muslim holy sites to divide Muslims and make them fight one another. The majority of the victims of their acts of terror are Muslims. In Afghanistan, they have targeted teachers for beatings and murder. In Iraq, they killed a young boy, and then booby-trapped his body so it would explode when his family came to retrieve him. They put children in the backseat of a car so they could pass a security checkpoint, and then blew up the car with the children still inside.

These enemies bombed a wedding reception in Amman, Jordan, a housing complex in Saudi Arabia, a hotel in Jakarta. They claim to undertake these acts of butchery and mayhem in the name of Allah. Yet this enemy is not the true face of Islam, this enemy is the face of hatred. Men and women of conscience have a duty to speak out and condemn this murderous movement before it finds its path to power.

We must help millions of Muslims as they rescue a proud and historic religion from murderers and beheaders who seek to soil the name of Islam. And in this effort, moderate Muslim leaders have the most powerful and influential voice. We admire and thank those Muslims who have denounced what the Secretary General of the OIC called "radical fringe elements who pretend that they act in the name of Islam."

We must encourage more Muslim leaders to add their voices, to speak out against radical extremists who infiltrate mosques, to denounce organizations that use the veneer of Islamic belief to support and fund acts of violence, and to reach out to young Muslims -- even in our country and elsewhere in the free world -- who believe suicide bombing may some day be justified. We need to rally the voices of Muslims who can speak most directly to millions in the Arab world left behind in the global movement toward prosperity and freedom.

For decades the free world abandoned Muslims in the Middle East to tyrants, and terrorists, and hopelessness. This was done in the interests of stability and peace, but instead the approach brought neither. The Middle East became an incubator for terrorism and despair, and the result was an increase in Muslims' hostility to the West.

I have invested the heart of my presidency in helping Muslims fight terrorism, and claim their liberty, and find their own unique paths to prosperity and peace. The efforts underway in Afghanistan and Iraq are central in this struggle, but that struggle is not going to end the threats; it's not going to end there.

We believe the ultimate success of Afghans and Iraqis will inspire others who want to live in freedom, as well. We will work toward a day when a democratic Palestine lives side by side with Israel in peace. We have already seen stirrings of a democratic future in other parts of the Middle East, though it will take time for liberty to flower. A democratic future is not a plan imposed by Western nations, it is a future that the people of the region will seize for themselves.

A future of freedom is the dream and the desire of every loving heart. We know this because of the 8 million people who braved threats and intimidation to vote in Afghanistan. We know this because of the nearly 12 million people who cast ballots in free elections in Iraq.

And we know this because the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon raised the banner of the Cedar Revolution, drove out their Syrian occupiers, and chose new leaders under free elections. Even now the hope for freedom is felt in some dark corners in the Middle East -- whispering in living rooms, and coffee houses, and in classrooms. Millions seek a path to the future where they can say what they think, travel where they wish, and worship as they choose.

They plead in silence for their liberty -- and they hope someone, somewhere will answer. So today, in this place of free worship, in the heart of a free nation, we say to those who yearn for freedom from Damascus to Tehran: You are not bound forever by your misery. You plead in silence no longer.

The free world hears you. You are not alone. America offers you its hand in friendship. We work for the day when we can welcome you into the family of free nations. We pray that you and your children may one day know freedom in all things, including the freedom to love and to worship the Almighty God.

May God bless you.

Top U.S. Officials Visit Jolo Island In Southern Philippines

Aerial view of Jolo island in the Sulu Archipelago in southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo/Ely Dumaboc)

JOLO ISLAND (Mindanao Examiner / 27 Mar) – U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney visited the strife-torn island of Jolo in southern Philippines and inaugurated a cooperative store previously bombed by the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group.

Kenney, accompanied by senior US and Philippine military officials, also handed various office equipment and livelihood programs to the locals, said Major Eugene Batara, a spokesman for the Philippine military’s Western Mindanao Command.

“The visit of U.S. Ambassador Kenney is successful and there are so many people who welcomed and greeted her. They are happy about the visit. She handed various office equipment and unveiled a livelihood programs for the locals,” Batara told the Mindanao Examiner.

Major General Eugenio Cedo, Western Mindanao Command chief, also accompanied Kenney and her group, which included the Italian philanthropist Armando de Rossi, of the 3P Foundation.

"We have donated some P2.5 million for the building materials and the Philippine Marines and the Seabees helped us renovate the cooperative store building. We are happy to help the Filipino people," said De Rossi.

De Rossi and Kenney are actively involved in many humanitarian programs in Jolo island, where troops, backed by U.S. intelligence, are battling the Abu Sayyaf.

The militant group has been blamed for the bombing last year of the Sulu cooperative store that killed and wounded dozens of mostly Muslims.

Last week, troops also clashed with Abu Sayyaf militants in Jolo’s Mount Mabigtang, but there were no reports of casualties from both sides.

Washington tagged the Abu Sayyaf as a foreign terrorist organization and offered as much as five million dollars for its known leaders.

U.S. troops are deployed in Jolo and helping the Filipino soldiers defeat the Abu Sayyaf, which is coddling as many as two dozen Jemaah Islamiya militants, including Dulmatin and Umar Patek.

Both Dulmatin and Patek have been blamed in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 mostly foreign holiday-makers, including 88 Australians. (With a report from Ely Dumaboc)

Party Lists Denounce Militarization, Anti-Terror Law; U.S. Praises Arroyo

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 06 Mar) - The party list group Kabataan on Tuesday criticized the Philippine military for its so-called counter-insurgency programs in school, saying, it threatened the freedom of expression of students who are vocal in their advocacy.

It said soldiers held recently a forum at the Philippine Normal University where they talked about so-called evils of communism and “campus infiltration” by the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing the New People’s Army and National Democratic Front.

Authorities have tagged militant groups and student organizations as CPP fronts.

The party list group is wary that the communist-tagging of youth organizations affiliated to Kabataan unnecessarily endangers lives of members.

“This is a clear malicious threat to the members of legitimate student organizations inside the campus and in the participation of our party list in the coming elections whom the military continue to brand as communist-fronts,” Karla Hyasmind Apat said.

“We condemn the military’s terrorist acts against the youth and students organizations. We condemn the government’s propagation of the culture of impunity which robs the youth of their freedom of expression” Apat said.

Militant groups have earlier denounced deployment of armed soldiers in cities and provinces who are allegedly campaigning against party lists with links to the CPP and its affiliates.

Philippine military chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon denied soldiers were involved in partisan politics and said the deployment is part of security operation to help police ensure peace.

“Esperon is engaging in doublespeak. What he has been telling the public is totally contradictory with what is happening in the areas where soldiers are deployed,” said Editha Duterte, spokesperson of the Anakpawis party list in Southern Mindanao.

She said troops from the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion prevented citizens from attending party list activities and farmers’ fora in Davao del Sur province. She said soldiers have been showing the military documentary entitled ‘Knowing the Enemy,’ which brazenly maligns progressive party-lists, organizations and the media and religious sectors, among others, by tagging them as NPA and CPP fronts.

“No matter how Esperon, the AFP and even Malacañang deny that they are campaigning against us and our allied groups, they can never fool the majority of the population,” Duterte said.

Even the militant party list group called Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) warned of an increase in human rights violations as soldiers pour into urban areas.

“The deployment of soldiers in Metro Manila and other urban areas will worsen the already deplorable rights situation in the country. The counter-insurgency terror being spread in countryside will be replicated in the urban areas. Expect zonings illegal search and seizure, arrest without warrants and more extra-judicial killings,” said Elmer Labog, KMU national chairman.

Labog said that with military deployment, labor disputes can turn intobloody confrontations like what happened in November 2004 at Hacienda Luisita sugar plantation in La Paz town in Tarlac where some 1,000 soldiers and policemen stormed a barricade and opened fire on farmers protesting low pay.

Twelve picketers and two children were killed and hundreds of protesting farmers injured in the attack.

“They accused the Hacienda workers of having been infiltrated by the New People’s Army rebels to justify the murder. What is stopping the AFP to use the same justification to break labor disputes,” asked Labog.

“We are going back to the dark days of Martial Law. But the difference with Marcos is that Arroyo is using gradual constriction against the remaining democracy in the country.”

“Our rights are under the vise of a political anaconda which entangles it target, then slowly squeezes the life from its prey, waits for the last breath to expire then swallows everything. If we allow the militarization to continue, will wake up one day with all our rights swallowed up and taken away from us,” he said.

Militant groups were also worried over the approval of President Gloria Arroyo of the anti-terrorism bill, saying, it could be used to abuse human rights and stifle press freedom.

The Senate approved the bill and the United States welcomed the signing the Human Security Act of 2007 by President Arroyo, saying, it is a positive step forward in countering and preventing terrorism in the Philippines.

This new law will help provide Philippine law enforcement and judicial authorities with the legal tools they need to confront the threats posed by international terrorism, while ensuring protection of civil liberties and human rights.

“The United States will continue to work with the Philippines as a partner and ally in the war on terrorism, providing technical assistance, training and sharing information with Philippine counterparts,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement it sent Tuesday to the Mindanao Examiner.

President Arroyo said the anti-terror law is a landmark in the battle against evil. She said Filipinos have nothing to fear in this law for it is a weapon that shall be wielded against bombers and not protesters.

“It upgrades our preemptive capability to check the conspiracies of harm and mass murder, and contain the movement of arms and funds to sow mayhem. This brings to a higher level our successful campaign against the Abu Sayyaf, JI and Al Qaeda cells now being carried out in a broader front of national and regional vigilance.”

“We will keep bombers at bay as we drive up confidence in the Philippines, grow jobs, increase incomes and lift the people from poverty. Our message to the world is to have no safe haven for terror in our country, and to have a strong democratic society driven by freedom under the rule of law. Let us all unite behind a renewed campaign against terror and drive out this scourge to a modern Philippines,” the President said Tuesday. (Mindanao Examiner)

U.S. Jazz Quartet Performs In Manila

A U.S. jazz ensemble is giving two free concerts in Manila during a visit sponsored by the U.S. Embassy.

Adam Klipple and Drive-by Leslie, an instrumental jazz quartet headed by organist Adam Klipple, is touring East Asia as part of the U.S. Department of State’s American Music Abroad Program, which brings American musicians to perform overseas, a U.S. Embassy said.

Ensemble members Adam Klipple (organ), David Phelps (guitar), David Ambrosio (bass), and Willard Dyson (drums) will perform two free public concerts on Sunday, March 11 from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at The Music Hall, SM Mall of Asia and Tuesday, March 13 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at The Block, SM City North Edsa.



During their tour of the Philippines, the quartet will conduct Master Classes for students from Filipino music conservatories.

Adam Klipple and Drive-by Leslie have developed a chemistry that transcends genres. As evidenced in their second recording, titled “From Memphis to Bishkek,” the group skillfully fuses funk, world music allusions, dissonant harmonies, and jazzy improvisations in a way that is both expansive and accessible. Drive-By Leslie explores many styles of electric jazz, from the organ trio to the present.

In addition to leading and performing with two quartets, Adam Klipple is involved in stage and recording projects with well-known composers and musical artists. Also a composer and arranger, Mr. Klipple recently arranged two pieces for the Black Rock Coalition's tribute to Ray Charles.

He was awarded touring and composing grants in 2004 to travel to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to collaborate with local folk musicians. His quartet toured as a Jazz Ambassador in 2003, and was sponsored by the Kennedy Center and the U.S. Department of State on a six-week tour of concerts and master classes in Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

The members of Drive-By Leslie have performed at several international jazz festivals and with renowned musicians such as Groove Collective, Smokey Robinson, Public Enemy, Buddy DeFranco, Ravi Coltrane, Charlie Hunter, Cassandra Wilson, Joe Locke, Grady Tate, Jimmy Scott, and The New York Voices.

Photo: Chiang, Patel and Yerby, Inc. Donates Books To Philippines' Water Environment Association

Chiang, Patel and Yerby, Inc., an international consulting engineering firm with headquarters in Dallas, Texas, recently donated books on water and wastewater treatment plants to the Water Environment Association of the Philippines (WEAP).

Commercial Attaché Thomas Brennan of the U.S. Embassy’s Commercial Service (2nd from left) turned over the books to WEAP President Adonis Marinay (3rd from left).

The books, which were co-authored by Chiang, Patel and Yerby executive staff, present step-by-step procedures for the planning, design, and operation of municipal water treatment facilities and medium-sized wastewater treatment plants.

Bebe Montesines of the U.S. Embassy’s Commercial Service and WEAP Board of Directors members Atty. Lyn Volante and Art Baylosis witnessed the turnover of the book donation.

Chiang, Patel and Yerby offers environmental, transportation, transit, aviation and specialty engineering services to municipalities and industries.

U.S. Tennis Ambassadors Bring their Love of Sport to Filipino Children

U.S. Ambassador to Manila Kristie A. Kenney, P.J. Tierro, and young tennis enthusiasts from Ateneo de Manila University.

MANILA - Three American tennis professionals from the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) visited the Philippines recently to conduct tennis clinics for Filipino children and teenagers.

They held a Manila clinic at Ateneo de Manila University; other clinics were in Naga City, Butuan, Gingoog, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Cebu.

The USTA Goodwill Tennis Ambassadors, which were supported by the U.S. Embassy, also held instructor training workshops for local pros.

Students attending the youth tennis clinic at Ateneo de Manila on February 23 were treated to an exhibition match featuring P.J. Tierro, the top-ranked amateur tennis player in the Philippines, paired with U.S. Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney.

The pair challenged two of the USTA professionals to a rousing match cheered on by Ateneo de Manila students.

The USTA Goodwill Tennis program was developed to enhance the skills of local tennis trainers, coaches, and professionals using the newest techniques in coaching, motivating, and high-impact drills.

The USTA professionals take time off from their jobs to teach for free at local tennis clubs.

The Goodwill Tennis Tour first visited the Philippines in 1999. This year’s sponsors were the U.S. Embassy, Chris Sports, Head Philippines, Philta Northern Mindanao Region, and Fiesta Brands, Inc.

Manila Gets U.S. Chemical Weapons Emergency Equipment

U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Paul Jones speaks with unidentified Filipino officials during the hand-over of chemical weapons emergency equipment in Manila.

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 22 Feb) – Washington donated chemical weapons emergency equipment worth some $150,000 to the Philippines’ Bureau of Fire, the U.S. Embassy said Thursday.

It said U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Paul Jones donated the equipment to the BFP’s Special Rescue Unit to help them resolve incidents involving chemical, biological, and radiological agents or weapons.

The ceremony was held Tuesday at the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC).

"The equipment, which came from the U.S. Department of State’s Anti-terrorism Assistance Program, included a rapid response trailer, chemical detection equipment, air compressors, decontamination clothing and kits, evidence collection equipment, hazardous material safety gear, and various types of medical and triage tools," it said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

The BFP’s Special Rescue Unit was part of a group of Philippine law enforcement, public safety, and health officials who were trained on the use of the equipment during a three-week course in January provided by the U.S. Department of State’s Anti-terrorism Assistance Program. (Mindanao Examiner)

US Seeks Help Of Philippine Muslim Rebels To Help Capture Jemaah, Al-Qaeda Terrorists

U.S. soldiers are to begin a joint military drill with Philippines troops in Jolo and Mindanao islands in Southern Philippines. The country's largest Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front, on Friday 16 Feb 2007 says Washington is seeking its help to help capture Jemaah Islamiya bombers Dumatin and Umar Patek and Filipino terrorists with links to al-Qaeda. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MAGUINDANAO (Mindanao Examiner / 16 Feb) – A group of senior U.S. officials held a secret meeting with the Philippines’ largest Muslim rebel group and sought help to capture Indonesian and Filipino militants with links to al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiya terror network, a rebel spokesman said Friday.

The meeting took place inside a rebel base of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Shariff Kabunsuan on Mindanao island, a hot bed of insurgency in the southern Philippines.

A rebel spokesman, Eid Kabalu, said the meeting on Thursday was centered on the hunt for Jemaah Islamiya militants Dulmatin and Umar Patek, tagged as behind the 2002 Bali bombings that killed more than 200 people, including 88 Australian holiday-makers.

And for the capture of Filipino militant Abdulbasit Usman, blamed for the spate of bombings in Mindanao and linked by Philippine authorities to the Jemaah Islamiya and al-Qaeda. Usman has a 50,000 dollar bounty on his head for his arrest.

Kabalu said U.S. Chargé d' affaires Paul Jones and U.S. Army Col. David Maxwell, commander of the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, led the group in meeting MILF deputy chief, Ghazali Jaafar. The meeting was long, he said.

“They came to us and sought our help to capture the terrorists. The MILF signed an accord with the Philippine government and rebel forces are helping authorities hunt down these criminals through the ad-hoc joint action group.”

“As a matter of fact, the MILF, through the ad-hoc joint action group, provided vital intelligence about terrorists. The MILF is fighting these criminals because we are also affected by their activities,” Kabalu told the Mindanao Examiner.

He did not identify other U.S. officials who accompanied Jones.

But other rebel sources said aside from Jones and Maxwell, Jon Lindborg, mission director of the U.S. Agency for International Development and Col. Bruce West, U.S. Embassy Defense Attaché' and Paul Kennedy, a regional security officer, were also in the meeting.

Philippine security officials said Abu Sayyaf militants tied to al-Qaeda were coddling Dulmatin and Patek in Jolo island in the Sulu Archipelago, about 950 km south of Manila.

And Usman is hiding in Maguindanao province, a stronghold of the MILF on Mindanao island.
The Adnkronos International on Friday also reported about how the U.S. officials secretly met with the MILF and asked for help in the hunt for Dulmatin and Patek.

It quoted Jaafar as saying: "They want us to help by providing vital information that will lead to the arrest of the two terrorists. I said we could help them because we are also against the two. We are always affected by their activities."

"They asked also about the whereabouts of Abdul Basit Usman. We told them that he never became a member of our organization ever since," Jaafar added.

Washington offered as much as $10 million bounty for the capture of Dulmatin and $1 million for Patek's head. The MILF renounced any link with terrorist organizations in 2003 when its late leader, Salamat Hashim, asked Washington to get involved in the peace talks with Manila.

Regarding the peace talks, Jaafar said Washington reiterated its concern for the current problems encountered.

Manila began peace negotiations with the MILF in 2001, but no major accord has been signed by both sides, except for a cease-fire agreement. And many rebels are slowly losing their patience on the five-year old peace talks.

Peace talks ended in September last year in Malaysia with both sides failing to sign any agreement on the most contentious issue -- ancestral domain -- which refers to the MILF demand for territory that will constitute a Muslim homeland.

It is the single most important issue in the peace negotiations before the rebel group can reach a political settlement.

Malaysia, an influential member of the Organization of Islamic Conference, is brokering the peace talks.

"They are concerned with peace process. They want to help and strengthen their peace initiatives in Mindanao," Jaafar said.

A day before Jone's visit to the MILF camp, a six-man delegation from European Union led by Alistar MacDonald, Ambassador of the European Community to the Philippines, also met rebel leaders in the same venue.

"They reiterated their commitment to help and resolve the problem in Mindanao through the negotiations. We welcomed their concern because you know we really want an end to the problem," Jaafar said.

MILF chieftain Murad Ebrahim previously warned that Manila should be blamed if the peace talks fail. He said the talks are now passing “a turbulent area” and that the Filipino government must take responsibility for the breakdown of the negotiations.

“This signals that we are now on the danger zone of the peace talks,” Ebrahim said.

The MILF has rejected Manila's offer for a limited autonomy in the mineral-rich, but restive Mindanao island, home to about 4 million Muslims who want a separate Islamic state. (Mindanao Examiner)

US Navy's "Blue Cruiser" Sails To Philippines For Goodwill Visit

USS Blue Ridge

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 01 Feb) – A U.S. Navy ship, the USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), is expected to arrive in the Philippines for a goodwill mission, the U.S. Embassy announced Thursday.

The 19,600 ton ship, nicknamed “Blue Cruiser”, will deliver donated goods, such as clothes, toys, food, and medical supplies. The crew will also provide free health clinics for citizens in poor or remote communities and conduct engineering projects to construct and improve schools and public buildings.

U.S. officials declined to say the exact date USS Blue Ridge, the third Navy ship named after the Blue Ridge Mountains, a series of ranges in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, would arrive for security reason.

But U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney the ship’s crew is eager to visit the country and work with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in assisting people in need of humanitarian outreach. The ship will visit select locations in the Philippines.

"The American people are committed to working with our friends and partners in the Philippines. I am proud that the USS Blue Ridge is visiting the Philippines, and I know that the dedicated men and women on board are excited to visit this beautiful country and to partner with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to assist the Filipino people,” Kenney said.

The ship has a crew of 52 officers and 790 enlisted personnel. Aside from them, the Blue Ridge also has a Command Staff with 268 officers and 1173 enlisted men.

In addition to medical personnel, USS Blue Ridge will also deploy with a small team of engineers composed of “Seabee” Sailors from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion THREE and Marines from the First Marine Air Wing in Okinawa to perform repair and minor construction projects ashore.

They will be joined by a group of Philippine military engineers who will embark onboard the ship. The U.S. 7th Fleet Band is also deployed aboard the ship and will be performing in select locations during its visit to the Philippines.

Since October 1979, the USS Blue Ridge has been forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan as the flagship for Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet.

The 194-meter ship participates routinely in U.S. and allied training exercise each year with countries throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean and frequently makes port calls in countries like South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia. (Mindanao Examiner)

Photo: Abdul Basit Usman

The United States Embassy in Manila releases Tuesday 30 Jan 2007 a poster of Abdul Basit Usman, it says is behind the spate of bombings in Mindanao island in the southern Philippines. The U.S. also offered up to $50,000 bounty for Usman's capture. (Mindanao Examiner)

U.S. Offers Bounty For Capture Of Filipino Terrorist Linked To Mindanao Bombings

Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters, armed with machine gun and B40 anti-tank rockets, guard a village in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 30 Jan) – The United States on Tuesday offered up to $50,000 bounty for the capture of a Filipino terrorist implicated in the spate of bombings in the southern Philippines.

The bounty on the head of Abdul Basit Usman is part of the U.S. Government Rewards Program. Usman was linked to deadly bomb attacks in Mindanao in recent months.

Usman has been linked to the Jemaah Islamiyah and believed responsible for bombings in Mindanao in October 2006 that killed eight civilians and left 30 others wounded.

He was also implicated in a series of bomb attacks in January in the Mindanao cities of General Santos, Kidapawan and Cotabato that killed seven people and wounded 37 more.

Philippine authorities previously linked Usman to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the country’s largest Muslim separatist rebel group currently negotiating peace with Manila.

But the MILF has repeatedly denied the allegation and ordered rebel forces to hunt down Usman and bring him to justice.

A rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said rebels were ordered to track down Usman and capture him dead or alive.

“Abdul Basit Usman is not a member of the MILF. Rebel forces were ordered to help Philippine authorities to hunt down and capture Abdul Basit Usman,” Kabalu said.

Kabalu said the bounty offered by Washington only proves that Usman is a dangerous man.

“This really proves that Usman is a very dangerous man. The bounty offered by the United States will add more credibility in its anti-terrorism campaign in the Philippines and Southeast Asia,” he said.

He said the MILF would continue to help Philippine authorities track down terrorists even without financial reward. “Money is not all important to us, but to bring peace and stability to Mindanao,” he said.

Police charged 10 MILF members, including Usman and a rebel leader Wahid Tundok for the January 5 and January 10 bombings in Cotabato City that killed one Muslim man.

“Usman and Tundok are both included in the charge sheet, along with eight other suspected bombers,” Cotabato City police spokesman Insp. Waves Kasuyo said.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila said the identity of any individuals providing information about Usman will remain strictly confidential.

“It is time to bring this despicable terrorist to justice. Anyone with information on Abdul Basit Usman, or any other terrorist, is encouraged to contact the Anti- Terrorist Task Force by calling 117, (02) 528-9832, (02) 928-5778, or contact the U.S. Embassy in Manila at (02) 526-9832/9833/9834 or send a text message to 0918-948-6412,” it said.

The MILF also denied that Tundok was involved in the bombings in the southern Philippines. “Our doors are open for any investigation. We have no links with any terrorist groups and are sincere with the peace talks,” Kabalu said.

The MILF is fighting for an independent Islamic state in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)

Photo: Soldier Looks At Wanted Poster Of Jemaah Islamiya, Sayyaf Militants; Karen Hughes In Jolo Island

A Filipino soldier in Jolo island in the southern Philippines looks at photos of wanted Jemaah Islamiya bombers Dulmatin and Umar Patek and Abu Sayyaf militants coddling the duo tagged as behind the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 2002 people, including 88 Australians. And Karen Hughes, Under Secretary for Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the U.S. State Department, center, poses with young Muslim well-wishers during her visit Thursday 25 Jan 2007 in Jolo. (Mindanao Examiner Photos exclusive for The Australian)

Abu Sayyaf Chieftain Death Important In Anti-Terror Campaign, Says U.S.

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 2o Jan) – The United States on Saturday said the death of a top Abu Sayyaf leader in the southern Philippines was an important and positive step forward in the ultimate goal of eliminating the terror group and destroying its links with international terrorists.

Filipino and American forensic experts have identified the remains of Khadaffy Janjalani, leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, who was killed in fighting in the southern Philippine island of Jolo in September.

Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro said DNA tests confirmed that the body dug up last month by soldiers belonged to Janjalani. The remains were exhumed late December after two former Abu Sayyaf militants who surrendered to the military led troops to a shallow grave in the jungle village of Kabuntakas in Patikul town.

“The DNA tests are done and it confirmed that the body was that of Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani,” Bacarro told the Mindanao Examiner by phone from Manila.

The military previously said the Filipino and U.S. forensic experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were conducting DNA testing on tissue samples of Janjalani and his jailed brother Hector Janjalani.

"The death of Khaddafy Janjalani is an important and positive step forward in the ultimate goal of eliminating the ruthless and dangerous Abu Sayyaf Group, and in destroying its links with international terrorist groups such as the Jemaah Islamiya."

"The U.S. will continue to work with partners in the Philippines' military, law enforcement, and national and local governments to bring terrorists to justice and to build peace and prosperity in Mindanao and throughout the Philippines," said a U.S. Embassy statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner on Saturday.

"The United States congratulates the Government of the Philippines on confirmation that the leader of the terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf Group, Khaddafy Janjalani, has been killed," it said.

"Remains found on the island of Jolo in Sulu province in December 2006 have been proven by forensic and DNA tests conducted in the Philippines and the United States to be those of the terrorist leader. This is a major step forward in the fight against terrorism in the Philippines and in the global war on terror."

Washington offered rewards up to $5 million for information leading to the capture or killing of Janjalani, who was implicated in the kidnappings and killings of two U.S. citizens in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)

U.S. Military Gets Back Custody Of Convicted Marine In Philippines

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 30 Dec) – The U.S. Embassy in Manila said convicted American soldier Lance Corporal Daniel Smith has been transferred from the Makati City Jail back to U.S. military custody.

It said the transfer of Smith to U.S. authority is consistent with the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), an international bilateral agreement that is binding on both the United States and the Republic of the Philippines.

A local court ordered the U.S. Marine locked up in Makati City jail after he was found guilty December 4 of raping a Filipino woman last year at the Subic. Bay Freeport in Olongapo City.

Judge Benjamin Pozon, of the Makati Regional Trial Court, previously denied a petition by Smith’s lawyers to transfer him to the U.S. Embassy while they are still appealing the case.

Smith, 21, was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

U.S. officials said Article V, Paragraph 6 of the Visiting Forces Agreement specifies: “That custody of any United States personnel over whom the Philippines is to exercise jurisdiction shall immediately reside with the United States military authorities, if they so request, from the commission of the offense until completion of all judicial proceedings.”

They said that Smith is not a private citizen, and therefore the handling of his case is subject to the terms of the VFA.

“Lance Corporal Smith will now return to U.S. military custody in the same facility at the U.S. Embassy which he was previously held for the duration of the trial,” a U.S. Embassy statement said.

“The U.S. Government has complied throughout this case with the provisions of the VFA, which provides the framework for U.S.-Philippines cooperation on legal cases involving U.S. service members. We will continue to adhere to the provisions of the VFA in coordination with the relevant Philippine authorities,” it said.

Filipino government officials took away Smith from the Makati City jail late Friday and handed over to the U.S. Embassy. The woman raped by Smith and militant and women’s groups supporting her were angered by the move and vowed to launch street protests and file charges in court against the Philippine officials.

The U.S. military earlier suspended all joint military exercises scheduled for next year because of the court’s refusal to hand over Smith to the Embassy. (Mindanao Examiner)

Kenney Leads U.S. Troops In Gift-Giving In RP's Poor

Brig. Gen. Medina (2nd from left) and Ambassador Kenney (center) pose with U.S. Marines and children at Our Lady of Peace Mission in Paranaque City.

MANILA - Ambassador Kristie Kenney led U.S. Marines in distributing gifts to poor Filipino children at the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission in Paranaque City.

U.S. Marines have been distributing more than 22,000 pounds of food, clothing, health care items, sporting goods and toys, as well as more than 400,000 pesos, to communities and organizations in Northern Luzon, Manila, and Palawan during the first part of "Operation Goodwill Delivery".

Members of the Japan-based 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and their families provided all donated funds and items for hundreds of Filipino children in need and the institutions that care for them, an embassy statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner said.

The soldiers have visited the Philippines for joint military training and exercises.

The Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission provides support for nearly 600 children, most of whom live on the streets or in shelters around Metro Manila.

At today’s event, U.S. Marines served a holiday meal to the malnourished children the foundation assists while U.S. and Filipino Marines played Christmas music and soldiers dressed as Santa Claus handed out candies.

Kenney distributed toys and gifts and visited children in the hospital. Brigadier General Joseph Medina, commander of the U.S. Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, also attended and helped serve the luncheon meal.

The U.S. Marines created “Operation Goodwill” in 2003 to show appreciation to the children and families of the Philippines for welcoming them during annual bilateral exercises. Each year, the U.S. Marines volunteer with their families to gather donations from colleagues in Okinawa and then deliver the toys and supplies to Filipino children over the holiday season.

This month, the soldiers have visited different areas in the Philippines and donated to Philippine charitable organizations and communities. In Puerto Princessa City in Palawan island, U.S. Marines gave toys and supplies to military and community families living near Antonio Bautista Air Base.

In Angeles City in Pampanga province, U.S. Marines also donated both money and goodwill items to Duyan Ni Maria (Mary’s Cradle Orphanage). They also delivered toys and supplies to the Aeta Resettlement and Rehabilitation Center and in Basco island in northern Philippines, the U.S. Marines delivered 2,200 pounds of food, healthcare items, clothes, sporting goods and toys. In Manila, they donated P157,000 to the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc., to assist in charitable works.

The Marines will return in mid-January for the second part of the operation, during which they will deliver goodwill items to communities and organizations in Zamboanga, Negros, and Leyte.

RP Court Junks Appeal Of Convicted U.S. Marine

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 13 Dec) – A Filipino court on Wednesday denied a petition of convicted U.S. Marine Daniel Smith to be in custody of U.S. authorities.

Smith was found guilty December 4 of raping a Filipina last year at the Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City. Judge Benjamin Pozon, of the Makati Regional Trial Court, denied the petition, saying, it lack merit.

Smith, who was sentenced to 40 years in prison, remains at the Makati City Jail. The U.S. Embassy said the decision of the court reflects a misunderstanding of the nature of Philippine obligations under the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) during judicial proceedings.

The Visiting Forces Agreement is an international bilateral agreement that is binding on both the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. An appeal is being filed in the appropriate court seeking to return Smith to U.S. military custody at the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. Embassy, in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner, quoted Article V, Paragraph 6 of the Visiting Forces Agreement that specifies: ”The custody of any United States personnel over whom the Philippines is to exercise jurisdiction shall immediately reside with United States military authorities, if they so request, from the commission of the offense until completion of all judicial proceedings.”

It said Smith is not a private citizen, and therefore the handling of his case is subject to the terms of the VFA. “Continued U.S.-Philippines military cooperation relies upon adherence to the VFA, which provides a clear framework for the legal status of visiting U.S. service members,” the statement read.

The Departments of Justice and the Foreign Affairs said the U.S. should retain custody of Smith until the end of judicial proceedings. “The U.S. is committed to upholding the VFA, and we will continue to work with the Philippine government to help bring it into compliance with its obligations under that agreement,” the embassy said. (Mindanao Examiner)