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Philippines
Mine Action
Contamination and Impact
The Philippines is affected by explosive remnants of war (ERW), especially UXO, as a result of long-running, low-level insurgencies by the New People’s Army (NPA) and other non-state armed groups, mainly in Mindanao. The extent to which it is also affected by mines is unclear.
Mines
The Philippines has consistently denied in its Article 7 reports that it has any mined areas containing antipersonnel mines and says that whenever mines or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are found they are immediately removed. However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) claims that the NPA and Moro rebels continued to use antipersonnel mines in 2009 and 2010.[1] Most incidents attributed to the NPA involved IEDs, but one soldier was reported killed and three injured in Baganga, Davao Oriental, when they “stepped on a claymore mine” in June 2009,[2] and the army also reported in June that mines were laid in an NPA harbor site in Pantukan, Compostela Valley.[3]
The NPA denies using landmines, but acknowledges that it continues to use command-detonated IEDs in attacks on government security forces.[4] The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) also states that it does not use victim-activated antipersonnel mines.[5] An AFP report attributes to the MILF one IED blast in Maguindanao. A Geneva Call verification mission in November 2009 found that victim-activated IEDs had been used in two series of incidents in Mindanao in 2008–2009 and determined that there were “substantial grounds for concluding that there may have been” involvement by the MILF. The MILF had signed Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment, and the verification mission said it found no evidence that MILF leaders knew of, or condoned, potential antipersonnel mine use.[6]
Explosive remnants of war
Mindanao is affected mainly by UXO resulting from conflict between the government and Muslim rebels dating back more than 30 years. The AFP says that 30% of total ordnance in Mindanao is UXO, and a similar percentage of MILF ordnance may remain as UXO in the area.[7] Mindanao also has some ERW remaining from World War II, such as a bomb found in the Rio Grande de Mindanao in Cotabato in January 2010.[8]
Mine Action Program
The Philippines has no formal program for dealing with mines, IEDs, or ERW. Clearance to date has been conducted by a range of government actors, including the AFP and the police.
For example, the AFP’s Office of Civil Defense reported in August 2008 that it conducted mine clearance operations in Aleosan, North Cotabato, and Mindanao before allowing people displaced by war to return home.[9]
Government negotiators and the MILF agreed in May 2010 to implement guidelines that provide for clearance of landmines and UXO in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao by the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD).[10] The agreement provides a basis for developing a proposal for clearance and approaching donors.[11]
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported in 2007 it had deployed five explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians in each of Mindanao’s 11 provinces to deal with bomb attacks.[12] In addition, the army, navy, air force, and the PNP each deployed EOD units in areas of armed conflict, such as Jolo and Cotabato, to dispose of IEDs and UXO after armed hostilities occur.[13]
Other Risk Reduction Measures
In November and December 2009, FSD and the Philippines Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL) held the first mine/ERW risk education (RE) Train-the-Trainer course for NGO workers in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao, intended as the first phase of an integrated mine action strategy. RE providers are to deliver safety messages and give advice and assistance to internally displaced persons and other communities affected by UXO.[14] The training was made possible by government and MILF acceptance in 2007 of a joint FSD/PCBL proposal to conduct survey, marking, and destruction of mines and UXO in MILF territory.[15]
Further progress on the strategy is dependent on agreeing terms of reference with the government’s Peace Panels and the MILF.[16] A resumption of hostilities in August 2008 held up final agreement on the proposals.[17] The MILF has expressed support for RE and clearance in Mindanao within the context of the peace process between the MILF and the Philippine government.[18] In May 2010, the MILF agreed to terms of reference for protection of civilians in areas of conflict, which provided a basis for further discussion on implementing the FSD/PCBL proposal.[19]
[1] “AFP battalion commander condemns NPA continuous landmine use,” Balita.ph, 8 December 2009, balita.ph; “Military condemns NPA for landmines use,” Sun Star Zamboanga, 21 August 2009; “Military, residents condemn NPAs for bomb explosion in Monkayo main thoroughfare,” Balita.ph, 7 October 2009; and “Recapitulation of Recovered/Neutralized Terrorist/Insurgent Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in 2009” and AFP, “Landmining Incidents for 2009,” received from Capt. Renan Suarez, Executive Officer, Office of the AFP Deputy Chief of Staff, 4 March 2010.
[2] “2 army officers killed in rebel attacks in Mindanao,” Mindanao Examiner, 15 June 2009, mindanaoexaminer.com.
[3] “Troops kill rebel in Mindanao fighting,” Mindanao Examiner, 11 June 2009, mindanaoexaminer.com.
[4] Francis Allan L. Angelo, “NPA: Illegal drugs yarn is black propaganda,” Maayong Balita (The Good News), 28 September 2009, scrimgeour.wordpress.com.
[5] “MILF Grace Geneva Call Con Conference in Switzerland,” luwaran.com, 22 June 2009, www.luwaran.com.
[6] Geneva Call, “Geneva Call Verification Mission in the Philippines finds evidence of AP mine use, but MILF responsibility not established,” Press release, 26 March 2010, Geneva, www.genevacall.org.
[7] Edwin O. Fernandez, “Bombs left by war between MILF, Army wounding villagers,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, 17 March 2007, p. A15.
[8] Edwin O. Fernandez, “Fisherman finds ‘live’ vintage bomb in river,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 26, 2010, newsinfo.inquirer.net.
[9] Department of National Defense, Office of Civil Defense, “NDCC Update: Sitrep No. 9: Complex Emergency in Mindanao,” Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, 17 August 2008.
[10] Cynthia Balana, “RP, MILF negotiators sign accord on mine clearing, refugees,” Inquirer.net, Manila, 6 May 2010, newsinfo.inquirer.net; and see also Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process, “AHJAG chair: Clearing and disposing of landmines, unexploded ordnance a herculean job,” Office of the President, opapp.gov.ph.
[11] Telephone interview with Valeria Fabbroni, Deputy Director of Operations, FSD,17 May 2010.
[12] Telephone interview with Warlito Tubon, Police Senior Superintendent, EOD Logistics Support Services, PNP, 2 April 2008.
[13] Interview with Maj. Jesus Jeffrey Grapa, AFP, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, 10 May 2007.
[14] FSD and PCBL, “Landmine action groups hold first mine risk education course in the Philippines,” Press release, 21 November 2009, Manila; and Teng Lauban Datu, “Two batches MRE providers get diplomas,” Gold Star Daily, 19–20 December 2009, p. 2.
[15] PCBL-FSD Joint Communiqué, 13 September 2007. See also Ryan Rosauro, “RP gov’t, MILF agree to jointly remove landmines,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2 December 2007, archive.inquirer.net.
[16] Email from Tony Fish, Regional Coordinator, FSD,15 March 2010.
[17] Interview with Valeria Fabbroni, FSD, Geneva, 19 March 2009.
[18] “MILF Grace Geneva Call Con Conference in Switzerland,” luwaran.com, 22 June 2009, www.luwaran.com.
[19] Telephone interview with Valeria Fabbroni, FSD, 17 May 2010.
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