Philippines - Christians threatened in Jolo by Abou Sayyaf.

Philippines - Christians threatened in Jolo by Abou Sayyaf. (Fides).

One Christian was killed and others are threatened by radical Islamic groups in Jolo, a small island in the southern Philippines.

This is what the missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra said to Agenzia Fides, who lives in Zamboanga, on Mindanao island, not far from Jolo, urging "all good Muslim leaders on the island to find appropriate solutions and to isolate those who commit crimes in the name of Islam".

"Many are now living in fear in Jolo, are afraid to talk, afraid even to go to church, even if the military are in front of the cathedral in the city center", says the missionary.

"Many Chinese Christians have left their homes and other Christians are planning to leave the island after these events: bad news for a society like that of Jolo which in the past lived in Islamic-Christian harmony".

The missionary launches an appeal to all those who have attended the "Silsilah" center for dialogue founded by him "so that all of us take care of Jolo: help build a future of peace in Jolo, where everyone is respected and free to pray following their religion. Let us not allow the destruction of Islam's goodness and Muslim and Christian friendship", he continues.

Fr. D'Ambra denounces that some radical elements have also killed Muslims, calling them "infidels" because proponents of dialogue and coexistence, and calls to start from the concept of mercy, central for Christians and Muslims. "I am convinced that if we start from here, the situation will improve and Jolo can again become a nice place where everyone can experience harmony", he concludes.

Second Canadian hostage, Robert Hall, Executed by Islamic terrorists as ransom deadline passed

Second Canadian hostage, Robert Hall, Executed by Islamic terrorists as ransom deadline passed. (NaPo).

Abu Sayyaf has apparently made good on its promise to murder Canadian Robert Hall.

As the Islamist terrorist group had vowed to do if its $8 million ransom demand was not paid by June 13, the Calgarian was beheaded Monday in the southern Philippines, according to unofficial sources.
Hall, 58, was believed to have been executed in the same mountainous jungle hideout on Jolo Island as fellow Calgarian, John Ridsdel, who was decapitated in late April.


“Intelligence sources tell us Canadian Robert Hall was murdered on Jolo Island this afternoon,” said Mark Singer, director of business intelligence for the Manila office of Pacific Strategies and Assessments Inc., which closely tracks Abu Sayyaf.

 “These sources were accurate about John Ridsdel’s death, but we still await government confirmation before knowing for sure about this.”

Claims about Hall’s fate emerged in the Philippines after what Singer said was a frantic weekend during which “there were reports that money was down there and that Hall would be released. There was talk that the Hall family was involved. But so many fingers get involved in these pies it is hard to know what actually happens when there is a dirty nexus of blood money.Read the full story here.

Video - Philippines: Embedded with Islamic guerrillas.

China to build up atoll in contested South China Sea, source says.

China to build up atoll in contested South China Sea, source says. (Scmp).

China will start reclamation at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea later this year and may add an airstrip to extend its air force’s reach over the contested waters, a military source and mainland maritime experts say.

A source close to the PLA Navy said Beijing would ramp up work to establish a new outpost 230km off the coast of the Philippines as the US and Manila drew their militaries closer together.

An upcoming ruling on territorial claims by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, widely expected to go against China, would also accelerate the plan, the source said.

Manila wants the court to ­declare that Beijing’s claims must comply with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the decision could come next month or in June.

“Beijing will take action to carry out land reclamation at Huangyan Island within this year,” said the source, who ­requested anonymity, referring to the shoal.

“China should regain the initiative to do so because Washington is trying to contain Beijing by establishing a permanent military presence in the ­region.” Read the full story here.

Philippines - AbuSayyaf Islamic terrorists warn that a hostage will be beheaded on April 25 if ransom is not paid.

Philippines - AbuSayyaf Islamic terrorists warn that a hostage will be beheaded on April 25 if ransom is not paid. (AA).

Islamist militants in the Philippines on Friday (April 15) announced a new deadline of April 25 for the execution of three foreign captives and a Filipino, but scaled back their ransom demand in a video posted on social media.

The captives - two Canadian men, a Norwegian man and a Filipino woman - were kidnapped from a beach resort on a southern island last September.

They are believed to be held in the jungle on Jolo Island, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group, which is known for bombs, beheadings and kidnappings.

THE Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a notorious radical terror group in Southern Philippines, had “officially” pledged allegiance to the caliph of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

In the video, the captives, with machetes held to their necks, asked their families and governments to pay a ransom of 300 million pesos ($6.51 million) each, down from the figure of a billion pesos each that the militants demanded last year.

"This is already an ultimatum," the masked militant leader said. "We will certainly behead one of these four," he added, setting the execution for 3 p.m. on April 25.

There was no explanation why the ransom was reduced or a new deadline set. A spokesman for the Philippine military declined to comment, saying he had not seen the video. In the nearly two-minute clip posted on Youtube, the foreigners appealed for the militants' demands to be met, Reuters reports.

"I am told to tell you that my ransom is 300 million," said one man, who identified himself as Robert Hall. "My specific appeal is to the Canadian government, who, I know, have the capacity to get us out of here. I'm wondering what they're waiting for."

The other Canadian and the Norwegian also made appeals, but the Filipino woman was not allowed to speak.

The video was the fourth such appeal released by the ISIS afilliated militants. In their third clip last month, they set an April 8 deadline but no ransom was specified. Hmmmm...........Trudeau gov reaction? Crickets.....unless you're an Egyptian Muslim don't count on us. 

MLNF: 'NO negotiations for the IS western (Canadian) hostages in the Philippines in Five months'

MLNF confirms NO negotiations for the IS western (Canadian) hostages in the Philippines. (MB).

Amid the election fever, a senior leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has raised concern over the welfare of at least five foreigners and some Filipinos still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)  in Sulu.

“I don’t really know for sure, but it seems the government has forgotten the foreign and local hostages,” the MNLF leader, who asked not to be named, asserted.

He said the case of the hostages still being held by the ASG may have been lost in “the ongoing election campaign and the military offensive in Sulu.”

The foreign hostages he was referring to include three foreigners – Canadians John Ridsel and Robert Hall, and Canadian Kjartan Sekkingtad – and a Filipina, Maritess Flor.

A Dutch bird watcher, Ewold Horn, is also among the foreign hostages after he and Filipino colleague, Lorenzo Vinciguerra were abducted in Tawi-Tawi four years ago. Vinciguerra has since been able to escape from their captors.

There, too, is Italian Rolando del Torchio, a former priest who now owns a pizza parlor in Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte. He was kidnapped in October last year.

The MNLF leader said he believed that the foreign captives were all with various ASG sub-groups scattered in Sulu and are being dragged around in the jungles as the bandits try to elude relentless military offensives.

ASG sub-leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, whose group is holding the four Samal Island captives, had earlier demanded a P3-billion ransom for the three foreigners, which he later reduced to P900 million.

He said he spoke with them and asked if there was any ongoing negotiation or effort to secure the hostages’ freedom.“My friends told me that, at present, there was no negotiation,” the MNLF leader in Sulu said. Hmmm......It seems saving Canadian hostages is not on Trudeau's priority list. Read the full story here.

Related: 

Militants in Philippines demand huge ransom for kidnapped Canadians

HT And Source:

#MLNF confirms NO negotiations 4 the #AbuSayyaf/ #IslamicState western hostages #Philippines https://t.co/swd6ZjXOOE pic.twitter.com/9R5Ct5fK6w

— TRACterrorism.org (@TRACterrorism) February 26, 2016

China lands 1st civilian plane on disputed Spratly Islands.

China lands 1st civilian plane on disputed Spratly Islands. (RT).

A test flight by a civilian plane landed on an island in the South China Sea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. It’s the first time China has done so in the disputed Spratly Islands. Tensions are now high with neighboring Vietnam and the Philippines.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at the weekend the test flight of a non-military aircraft was intended to check if the runway meets civilian aviation standards and fell “completely within China's sovereignty,” according to Reuters.

The runway is at the Chinese-administered Fiery Cross Reef, where Beijing has built an artificial island in the middle of the South China Sea. However, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines also lay claim to the area. The runway is 3,000 meters (about 10,000 feet) long and is thought to be capable of serving long-range planes, including transport craft, bombers and fighter jets.

Both Vietnam and the Philippines have delivered formal diplomatic protests condemning China’s actions, Reuters reports.

"That's the fear, that China will be able take control of the South China Sea and it will affect freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight," the Philippines’ Foreign Ministry spokesman Charles Jose told reporters on Monday.Read the full story here.

Video - Canadian, Norwegian Hostages Held by the Abu Sayyaf Group in the Philippines Plead for their Lives.

Read the full story here.

The Philipines: No leads yet on targeted kidnapping of Filipina, two Canadians and one Norwegian in Davao.

The Philipines: No leads yet on kidnappers of Filipina, two Canadians and one Norwegian in Davao. (GlobalNewsInquirer).

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Tuesday they still have not identified the armed men who captured three foreigners and a Filipino woman in a luxury resort on Samal Island in Davao del Norte.

“No group responsible [for the kidnapping] has been identified” Armed Forces spokespeson Col. Restituto Padilla told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday.

Based on CCTV records of the Holiday Oceanview Resort, Padilla said that 11 men with small firearms took the captives before midnight on Monday.

The foreigners were identified as John Ridsdel and Robert Hall from Canada and Kjartan Sekkingstad of Norway. The Filipino woman was not identified.

Two Japanese nationals tried to prevent the abduction of the other nationals, Padilla said.

The captives were taken away by riding a motorboat but the direction was not known.

Padilla said the abductors could speak fluent English and Filipino.

“For the moment we can assure the public that the joint forces of government led by the police along with the air assets of the air force, the naval assets, are all working hand in hand together with our land forces,” he said.

When asked whether Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group blamed behind kidnappings and series of bombings in Western Mindanao, was behind the kidnapping, Padilla said they don’t have yet enough information about the abductors.

In 2001, the Abu Sayyaf tried but failed to kidnap foreigners in a resort on Samal Island.

In Sulu, the terrorist group is currently holding nine hostages– four foreigners and five locals.

The Davao region has been relatively peaceful for more than a decade. In 2014, a peace agreement with the largest Muslim rebel group in the south ended 45 years of conflict that had killed about 120,000 people and displaced 2 million.

"Four people were taken but we do not know what group was behind the attack," Caber told reporters. He said there were about 30 foreign tourists at the resort at the time of the raid.

"It appeared the foreigners were the targets, they were not taken at random," he said..

Reports said at least 20 armed men wearing bonnets and black shirts swooped down on the resort and initially took five people. However, a Canadian named Steven and his Japanese wife, Kazuka, were able to flee from their captors.More here.

#Phillipines alleged Daesh supporters posted pictures... pic.twitter.com/5fueP2kQjD

— J. Faraday (@CTstudies) September 22, 2015

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threatens the Philippines through the Black Flag Movement in Mindanao.

This file photo shows Al Qaeda's black flag that was seized in a BIFF (Source)

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threatens the Philippines through the Black Flag Movement in Mindanao. (Philstar).

KUALA LUMPUR – Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario bared yesterday before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reports of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threat to the Philippines through the Black Flag Movement in Mindanao.

Speaking before ASEAN foreign ministers, Del Rosario said the ISIS threat to Philippine security is real rather than imagined because of the Black Flag Movement’s pledge of allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

“We will contribute in the fight against extremism, terrorism and crimes against humanity by engaging or cooperating with other countries in the areas of information sharing, joint investigations, educational campaigns, humanitarian assistance to victims, restricting flow of funds intended to finance terrorism, supporting resolutions aimed at curbing terrorism and enhancing local legislation to address terrorism,” he said.

ISIS has followers among the Abu Sayyaf, Rajah Solaiman Islamic Movement, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Khilafa Islamiyah Mindanao or the Black Flag Movement, according to the presentation of Rommel Banlaoi, Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR) chairman of the board, and director of the Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies (CINSS).

The ASEAN is expected to come up with a Declaration on Global Movement of Moderates to curb extremism and terrorism in the region.

Del Rosario said he would like to stress that the Philippines remains steadfast in cooperating with ASEAN, the United Nations and all other countries in confronting extremism and radical violence. Read the full story here.

HT And Source:

#IslamicState threatens #Mindanao, southern #Philippines province http://t.co/A0UqktpKwS @MaxAbrahms @michaelh992 @DR_SHAHID @offshore_race
— маяковский (@moscow_ghost) April 27, 2015

Saudi Arabia - 'Employer pours boiling water' on 23- year old Filipino woman.

Saudi Arabia - 'Employer pours boiling water' on 23- year old Filipino woman.(TheIndependent).

The 23-year-old household service worker, from Pikit, North Cotabato, suffered burns to her back and legs after being doused with the scorching liquid in the incident in Riyadh on 4 May, ABS-CBN News reported.

Photos of Fatma, which is not her real name, were posted by her cousin on Facebook on Saturday in an appeal for help.

According to ABS-CBN News, the mother of Fatma’s employer became angry after Fatma was slow to bring her coffee and then poured boiling water on her.

Fatma was not taken to hospital for several hours, but when there she was able to contact relatives in the area by giving a phone number to one of the nurses.

She was saved by her cousin during a further trip to the hospital.

According to a study by the Committee on Filipinos Overseas, 70 per cent of Filipino domestic workers in Saudi Arabia have reported physical and psychological abuse.

Fatma has now been taken under the wing of the Philippine Embassy.Hmmmm....Saudi Arabia has a long history of Servant abuses. Read the full story here.

China to US: Stop meddling in region.

China to US: Stop meddling in region.(Chinadaily).

China will not initiate trouble, but it will never compromise on territory, Hagel is told.

Beijing warned Washington on Tuesday to "stay vigilant" about Japan and not to be "permissive or supportive" of Tokyo's provocations as Chinese and US defense chiefs vowed wider cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

In a "candid, constructive and productive" discussion, Defense Minister Chang Wanquan told visiting US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that the US should respect China's core interests as Washington is implementing a pivot strategy to the region.

Chang asked the United States to keep Japan "within bounds" and criticized the government of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"It is Japan who is being provocative toward China," Chang said at a news conference after talks with Hagel.

"If you come to the conclusion that China is going to resort to force against Japan, that is wrong."

Hagel, meanwhile, struck a belligerent tone at the news briefing by claiming that China did not have the right to establish an Air Defense Identification Zone in the airspace over China's Diaoyu Islands without consulting other countries.

He also said that the US will protect Japan under treaty obligations.

Chang said that China "will not take the initiative to stir up trouble" with Japan, but it would use military force, if necessary, to defend its territory.

"We will not compromise, nor concede, nor trade on territory and sovereignty. We will not tolerate these being infringed upon, even the least bit," he said.

He said that remarks and provocation from the Abe administration have caused severe difficulties for China-Japan relations.

He also said that the Philippines has illegally occupied parts of China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea and "disguised itself as a victim".

China and the US will conduct a joint military medical exercise after the Pacific Rim military exercise led by the US later this year.

Observers said growing cooperation mixed with harsh criticism reflects the current condition of China and US military ties.

Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the center on China-US defense relations at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said Washington is stuck in a security dilemma in the Asia-Pacific region since it is pursuing balance between China and Japan.from page 1

"For example, the US perceives the security alliance with Japan and other Asian countries as the cornerstone of its rebalancing strategy, but China sees it as a barrier for development," Zhao said.

"As the two countries seek to build a new type of military relations focusing on common interests, the strategic suspicion and the latent contradictions will become more acute," he said.

Hagel said China-US relations are essential to peace and prosperity in this century and his focus is on how to develop the new model of military-to-military relations.

"My tour to the aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, yesterday was a good beginning because it represented an effort that we are both striving to do more on, which is the openness and transparency," he said.

On Monday, Hagel became the first foreign visitor to board the aircraft carrier in Qingdao, Shandong province. He is also scheduled to visit a non-commissioned officers school in a Beijing suburb on Wednesday.

"Our vision is a future where our militaries can work closely together on a range of challenges, such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. However, to reach this objective, we must be candid about issues where we disagree," Hagel said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, criticized Hagel's remarks as "tough, and with a clear attitude".

"I can tell you, frankly, ... the Chinese people, including myself, are dissatisfied with such remarks," Fan told Hagel at the presence of the press.Read the full story here.

Nobody mentions that Israel was among the first to send aid to the Philippines .

Nobody mentions that Israel was among the first to send aid to the Philippines.(Israel21c).

In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan’s devastation, IsraAID, the Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid, has sent an aid team to the Philippines to provide critical health interventions in the hardest-hit areas. The Israeli team will help local NGOs and UN agencies in treating hundreds of thousands of people affected by one of the worst storms on record.

Typhoon Haiyan’s violent winds barreled through several central islands, knocking out power, tumbling buildings and burying people under tons of debris. Reports say some 10,000 people are believed to have died in Friday’s devastation.

“We have a team that is leaving today,” Shachar Zahavi, head of IsraAID tells ISRAEL21c on Sunday morning in Israel. “About five or six people are leaving tonight. They are flying tonight and landing in Manila and from there they will go straight to the field. Note that it’s an IsraAID-FIRST mission.

“The team will be made up of paramedics and the minute they land there we will start working to get a better understanding of how things will look. From there we will add more professionals and people specializing in child safety and trauma experts.”

The Israeli government also offered medical help to Philippines authorities — which was graciously accepted — and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is presently making arrangements for a transfer to the affected areas, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson tells ISRAEL21c.

A team of six first responders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IDF are also headed out Sunday night from Jerusalem to Manila. The two government officials and four Home Front Command officers “will meet with Philippine authorities and see what they need and how to get it there logistically,” a spokesperson tells ISRAEL21c. “This will help us understand what we need to send over, when to send it, and how to send it.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a letter to Philippine President Benigno Aquino: “On behalf of the government and people of Israel, I extend heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives as a result of the horrific typhoon, and I send best wishes for a speedy recovery to those who were injured.

“I hope that Israel’s assistance will help alleviate the suffering of those affected by this terrible disaster. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the Filipino people at this difficult time.”

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Menashe Bar On extended sympathies to residents of the area and said Israel is one with Filipinos “in these trying times.”Hmmm.....Still waiting for the first Islamic aid team.

Video - Miss World Philippines Megan Young in tears after floor collapses of orphanage while she's visiting.

Video - Miss World Philippines Megan Young in tears after floor collapses of orphanage while she's visiting.Read the full story here E24/7.

Filipinos belonging to Christian organizations rally for Israel.

Filipinos belonging to Christian organizations rally for Israel.(AA).More than 300 Filipinos held festive peace rally in Manila on Friday to express their solidarity with Israel despite their government being among the 138 countries recognizing Palestine as a non-member state in the United Nations. Hebrew songs and shofar echoed through loudspeaker as pro-Israel Filipinos marched in a busy Manila business district followed by a convoy of over 50 cars in a rally that was organized by a handful of Christian organizations, Israel-based Ynet News reported Sunday. The marchers waved Israeli flags, while others held banners in support of Israel that read “standing with Israel, now and then,” in reference to 1947 when the Philippines was the first Asian country to vote in support of the formation of the Jewish nation. The march’s final destination, the national park, which is located some 10 kilometers from the starting point, saw more Israeli supporters joining. All sung a rendition of “Hatikva” (Israel’s national anthem) and blew the shofars to conclude the rally. Christian organizations in the Philippines support Israel throughout the year by performing weekly mass prayer sessions for the Jewish state as well as fundraising and making similar marches on an annual basis, according to Ynet News. There are other Christians in the world who also support Israel and for religious purposes. In the United States, pastors and priests have dedicated their Sunday services to teaching worshipers on the importance of Christians supporting Israel. However, Filipino Muslims showed pro-Palestine sentiments when they marched toward the Israeli Embassy in Manila to denounce the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza in November. Read the full story here.

Chinese newspaper warns of ‘small-scale war’ with Philippines.

Chinese newspaper warns of ‘small-scale war’ with Philippines.(GI).One of China’s most popular newspapers has warned of a potential “small-scale war” between Beijing and Manila as a result of their standoff at Panatag Shoal, or Scarborough Shoal as the area is known internationally. The Global Times, in an editorial published in its Chinese and English editions, said over the weekend that “China should be prepared to engage in a small-scale war at sea with the Philippines.” “Once the war erupts, China must take resolute action to deliver a clear message to the outside world that it does not want a war, but definitely has no fear of it,” the tabloid said. Malacañang and Philippine military officials were unfazed by the toughly worded editorial.
In a speech at Xavier School in Greenhills, San Juan City, President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday said his administration was raising international awareness on the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China to show the global community how Beijing was treating Manila. Mr. Aquino said the Philippines wanted to take the issue to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea but China’s cooperation was needed to resolve it. “Our weapon really here is for the world to know what we are doing,” the President said. “These nations could start thinking if this is how we are being treated—whether they are as big or as small as us—maybe there will come a time that they will get the same treatment [from China],” he said.
He maintained it was not his intention to escalate the problem with China. “We own the shoal,” Mr. Aquino said, referring to Panatag, which lies about 200 kilometers west of Zambales province. “For so long a time we own it and [we are] recognized by international law, especially under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). That’s the only thing that we’re asking.” Asked for comment on the Chinese paper’s editorial, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Raul Hernandez said that “such irresponsible comments do not merit a response from us.” The Global Times is owned by the Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece, The People’s Daily. It has a reputation for publishing nationalistic editorials that are often highly critical of foreign governments and even Chinese officials.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario urged Beijing to concur with Manila’s proposal to resolve the territorial disputes between the two countries in accordance with the Unclos. In a press briefing, Alcantara said at least seven Chinese vessels remained in the vicinity of Panatag, including two small fishing boats anchored on the lagoon and three other fishing vessels off a sandbar. Alcantara said two Chinese maritime ships—the gunboat FLEC 310 and the surveillance ship CMS 71—had been sighted in the Panatag waters as of 8 p.m. Monday. Two more surveillance ships, the CMS 84 and 75, are believed to be replenishing provisions and refueling somewhere in the Chinese mainland, he added.Read the full story here.

Video - Persecution & Murder of Christian Pastors by Islamic Terror Groups(Philippines)

 Via CBN, HT : Shoebat.