Key developments since May 2004: National implementation legislation
was filed in the House in August 2004 and the Senate in November 2004. The
rebel New People’s Army continued to use command-detonated mines and
improvised explosive devices; it denied using victim-activated mines. There
were also reports of continued antipersonnel mine use by the Abu Sayyaf Group.
Following a resumption of fighting for the first time since 1996, a commander
with the Moro National Liberation Front-Misuari group acknowledged using
antipersonnel and antivehicle mines. In 2004 a significant increase in the
number of new mine casualties was reported.
Mine Ban Policy
The Republic of the Philippines signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December
1997, ratified on 15 February 2000, and the treaty entered into force for the
country on 1 August 2000.
Despite several initiatives, no domestic legislation has been passed to
implement the treaty.[1 ]Most
recently, in November 2004, Senator Juan M. Flavier filed a landmine ban bill in
the 13th Congress. Senate Bill 1861, entitled the Philippine Comprehensive Law
on Landmines, is based on draft legislation provided by the Philippine Campaign
to Ban Landmines (PCBL). It aims to encompass the Philippines’ compliance
with both the Mine Ban Treaty and Amended Protocol II of the Convention on
Conventional Weapons (CCW). The bill passed its first reading on 24 November
2004 and was referred to the Senate committees on national defense and finance.
Senate Bill 1861 is the same as House Bill 2675, which the Akbayan party filed
on 31 August 2004.[2 ]The House bill
passed its first reading on 9 September 2004 and was referred to the Committee
on Public Order and Security. As of September 2005, neither the Senate nor the
House bill had been called for a public hearing, the next step in the approval
process.
At the First Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty in Nairobi in
November-December 2004, the Philippine representative provided details of the
proposed legislation, noting it calls for establishment of a Philippine
Coordinating Committee on Landmines to coordinate and monitor compliance and
implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty and Amended Protocol
II.[3 ]The Philippines also
acknowledged the importance of the work of the ICBL Non-State Actors Working
Group co-chaired by the PCBL.[4 ]
The Philippines submitted its sixth Article 7 transparency report on 9 May
2005, covering the period from 15 February 2004 to 15 February
2005.[5]
The Philippines has not participated in any of the Mine Ban Treaty
intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva since May 2003, missing
sessions in February and June 2004 and in June 2005. The Philippines has not
engaged in the extensive discussions that States Parties have had on matters of
interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2 and 3. Thus, the
Philippines has not made known its views on issues related to joint military
operations with non-States Parties, foreign stockpiling and transit of
antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling
devices, and the permissible number of mines retained for training.
The Philippines is party to the CCW and its Amended Protocol II on landmines.
It attended the Sixth Annual Meeting of States Parties to the protocol and
submitted an Article 13 national report on 8 October 2004.
The Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL) has been actively monitoring
the government’s implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, as well as
engaging non-state armed groups active within the Philippines in a landmine ban.
PCBL served as co-chair of the ICBL Non-State Actors Working Group until
December 2004, and was instrumental in organizing a workshop on non-state actors
during the First Review Conference.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) set up an exhibit on the
Mine Ban Treaty at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Camp Aguinaldo
during August 2005, as part of activities celebrating International Humanitarian
Law Month.
Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Use
The Philippines may have been a minor producer of antipersonnel mines in the
past.[6 ]It has never exported mines.
It imported Claymore-type directional fragmentation mines from the United
States. The Philippines declared that it disposed of its entire inventory of
antipersonnel mines (2,460 Claymore mines) in July 1998, and that since then
there has been no procurement or manufacturing of landmines by the
AFP.[7 ]There have been some reports
and allegations in the past that some soldiers, and former soldiers, still hold
Claymore mines.[8 ]Claymore mines are
prohibited under the Mine Ban Treaty when used with a tripwire (victim-activated
mode), but are permissible when used in command-detonated mode.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines states that it has never used
antipersonnel mines in its fight against the country’s communist and Moro
insurgent groups. On 13 February 2005, the Communist Party of the Philippines
(CPP) alleged that the 502nd AFP Brigade had planted
“self-detonating” mines in forested areas of Barrio Dicamay Uno
(Jones municipality, Isabela province) in and around the scene of an ambush by
the New People’s Army (NPA) on 24 January 2005. The CPP described
“self-detonating” as meaning a mine that could be “triggered
by any person or animal that steps” on
it.[9 ]This allegation was refuted
by the AFP, which stated that it is the CPP-NPA which uses landmines, based on
army reports listing explosive materials recovered from the rebel
group.[10 ]As of September 2005,
the CPP/National Democratic Front had not replied to PCBL’s request for
additional information and evidence about AFP mines in Isabela province.
The CPP has also alleged that US forces in the Philippines are giving
Claymore mines to the AFP for use against armed opposition
groups.[11]
Production, Stockpiling and Use by Non-State Armed Groups
New People’s Army (NPA): The armed wing of the Communist Party
of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front (NDF), the New
People’s Army represents the largest and most active non-state armed group
in the Philippines. The NPA has continued to use mines and improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) in 2004 and 2005. Most of the reported incidents and seizures
appeared to involve improvised rather than factory-made mines. In its 36th
anniversary statement, the CPP declared that IEDs can be used by “the
people and the people’s army” against aggressor troops, in
accordance with its effort to “develop the ability to make and use weapons
that the Iraqi resistance is now
using.”[12 ]
The NPA states that it only uses “command-detonated landmines directed
at legitimate military targets” and claims that it detonates the devices
upon sight of the enemy vehicle or military target, thereby ensuring that
civilians and other non-military targets are not
harmed.[13 ]Command-detonated mines
are not prohibited by the Mine Ban Treaty. The NPA admits to deploying
command-detonated landmines around its camps, for defensive purposes
only.[14 ]In February 2005, a CPP
spokesman claimed the New People’s Army is strictly prohibited from using
self-detonating (victim-activated)
mines.[15 ]The CPP has also said
that “landmines can be described as either self-detonating or
command-detonated only upon deployment in either way and not while they are
still in stock or in the
armory.”[16 ]
AFP officials in Northern Luzon stated that an NPA explosives expert named
Emmanuel Lorenzo Ruiz admitted that rebels were manufacturing landmines and
revealed the location of the rebel camp in Isabela where weapons were being
manufactured. According to the AFP, the rebel camp, code named Fortunato Camus
Regional Operational Command, was located at the Bigao Complex on the boundary
of San Mariano and Ilagan in Isabela
province.[17]
There have been a number of landmine incidents in this reporting period where
the NPA has been directly accused of being responsible for using antipersonnel
and antivehicle mines. Some would appear to involve victim-activated mines.
There have been a larger number of seizures of landmines and IEDs that likely
belonged to the NPA. In February 2005, two AFP soldiers were injured when they
stumbled upon an improvised landmine planted near an NPA base during an attack
in Sitio Lamgawel (Bgy. Datal Blao, Columbio municipality, Sultan Kudarat
province). Government troops recovered another landmine at the
site.[18 ]Native Bilaan residents
and former NPA soldiers later reported to the Army that landmines were planted
around an NPA base camp.[19 ]In
March 2005, two AFP soldiers were injured, apparently by an antipersonnel mine,
in a battle at the NPA camp in Sultan
Kudarat.[20 ]In April 2005, an Army
spokesman accused NPA rebels of planting improvised antipersonnel and
antivehicle mines in Surigao del
Sur.[21 ]There were antivehicle mine
incidents, most of which caused casualties, attributed to the NPA in July and
August 2004, and March, April and May
2005.[22 ]
According to AFP records provided to Landmine Monitor, the AFP recovered
approximately 46 mines and IEDs in 19 seizures between March and December
2004.[23 ]In all these cases, the
mines were not attributed to a specific rebel group, but the NPA is known to
operate in areas. Eleven seizures took place in Mindanao, the country’s
southern island grouping, while six occurred in the northern region of Luzon,
one in the central island region of Visayas, and one location was unknown. The
devices recovered are listed variously as mine (3), AP mine (5), homemade AP
mine (21), homemade landmine (1), improvised mine (3), IED (2), IED with
landmines attached (3), improvised AV mine (1), Claymore (5), and homemade
Claymore (2). In addition, 65 pieces of improvised explosives were recovered in
Luzon on 20 October 2004.
In the first four months of 2005, the AFP recovered approximately 61 mines
and IEDs in 19 seizures. Eleven seizures took place in Mindanao, six occurred
in Luzon and two in Visayas. Included in the list are landmines (12), AP mine
(1), improvised AP mines (12), improvised landmines (6), IED (1), CD mine (1),
Claymores (18), improvised Claymores (2) and AV mines
(8).[24 ]It is not clear how many,
if any, of these devices recovered in 2004 and 2005 were victim-activated and
not command-detonated.
As detailed in Landmine Monitor Report 2004, from May 2003 to May 2004, there
were reports of six landmine-related incidents attributed to the NPA, which
resulted in at least 35
casualties.[25]
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF): The Moro National Liberation
Front led an armed struggle from the early 1970s until 1996, when a peace
agreement was reached with the government. In February 2005, the MNLF attacked
the AFP in Sulu in reprisal for an alleged AFP massacre of a local Muslim
family. Due to this and other concerns, the MNLF (Misuari group) has again
declared a “state of war” with the Philippine government and resumed
armed conflict in Sulu and in other parts of the southern Mindanao island
group.[26 ]The AFP has stated that
the MNLF-Misuari group is using landmines to protect itself from pursuing
troops.[27 ]Based on reported
incidents, it appears that MNLF-Misuari is primarily using antivehicle
mines.
The commander of MNLF operations in eastern Sulu, Ustadz Habier Malik, has
admitted that his forces have employed improvised antipersonnel and antivehicle
landmines that detonate on impact or pressure in places where enemy forces and
not civilians are expected to pass. Malik said that after an antivehicle mine
almost destroyed a civilian vehicle, he ordered the removal of all planted
landmines, but stated the weapons could be used again in case of
war.[28]
MNLF sources have reported the following incidents. On 7 April 2005, a
government tank struck a mine in Lanao Dakulah, Indanan, Sulu, killing four AFP
soldiers and injuring another five.[29 ]On the same day, an armored personnel carrier was partially damaged after
hitting a mine.[30 ]Also in April
2005, a mine explosion killed eight AFP soldiers, injured another 10 and
destroyed their truck.[31 ]A month
later five soldiers died when their AFP vehicle was destroyed by a mine with 18
kilograms of explosives in Lanao Dakulah, Indanan,
Sulu.[32]
The commander of MNLF operations in western Sulu, Khaid O. Ajibon, has
categorically denied that his forces have used mines, noting that the MNLF
abandoned use of the weapon in 1976 and that he views mines as detrimental to
local people. He further claimed the MNLF lacks the capacity to purchase
manufactured landmines. Ajibon suggested that the Abu Sayyaf Group was probably
responsible for the reported mine
use.[33 ]
Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG): The AFP has accused the Abu Sayyaf Group, a
radical Islamic armed group, of laying landmines and victim-activated IEDs in
Mindanao and other parts of the
country.[34 ]In September 2004, one
AFP soldier was killed and seven injured when their vehicle hit a landmine
reportedly laid by ASG in southern Jolo island in
Sulu.[35 ]In January 2005, two
landmines believed to be laid by the ASG prematurely exploded on a road at
Talipao in Sulu, injuring a member of the Civilian Volunteer Organization; three
more unexploded landmines were found during a subsequent investigation of the
incident.[36 ]On 25 April 2005, two
AFP soldiers were killed and another eight injured when their truck struck a
mine during an ambush by ASG rebels in Maimbong town on Jolo. Four more
soldiers were injured in another mine incident in the same
province.[37 ]
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF): There were no landmine
incidents attributed to the MILF in this reporting period (since May 2004). In
2000 and 2002, the MILF became one of the first rebel groups to sign the Geneva
Call Deed of Commitment, which requires a group to forego use or possession of
antipersonnel mines.[38 ]However,
at that time the MILF reportedly continued to use landmines and improvised
explosive devices, deploying them around their camps or using them against AFP
soldiers during pursuit operations. Ten mine incidents were attributed to the
MILF in 2000 and early 2001. There were two other landmine incidents reportedly
involving the MILF in 2003. The AFP attributed two landmine incidents in
Central Mindanao to the MILF during the period from April 2003 to March
2004.[39 ]The MILF denied
involvement in both incidents.
Other Groups: The Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng
Pilipinas (Revolutionary Workers Party of the Philippines/Revolutionary
Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, RPMP/RPA-ABB), a breakaway faction of
the New People’s Army, forged a cease-fire and a peace agreement with the
Philippine government in November 2000. On 21 July 2002, it signed the revised
and expanded Geneva Call Deed of Commitment in Metro
Manila.[40 ]The Rebolusyonaryong
Partido ng Manggagawa ng Mindanao (Revolutionary Workers Party of
Mindanao/Revolutionary People’s Army, RPMM/RPA) signed the Geneva Call
Deed of Commitment on 11 September
2003.[41 ]There have not been any
reports of mine use by either of these groups.
Landmine Problem and Mine Action
The Philippine government has indicated for several years that it does not
consider any area of the country to be mine-affected. This view has been made
known via all six of the Philippines’ Article 7 reports, which either omit
Form C, “Location of mined areas”, or include it, stating
“none” in “Areas that contain mines” (Table 1) and
“Areas suspected to contain mines” (Table 2). In its Amended
Protocol II Article 13 reports, the Philippines states that all mines and other
explosive devices used by insurgent groups are immediately cleared by the AFP
and police explosive ordnance disposal (EOD)
teams.[42 ]
Mine risk in the Philippines is restricted to areas of ongoing conflict,
where sporadic use of antipersonnel and antivehicle mines and IEDs by rebel
groups occurs. There may also be some mines and other devices, which remain in
a few localities, from previous armed conflict between non-state armed groups
and government forces.
In February 2005, the Philippine Red Cross reportedly faced difficulties in
reaching evacuees in eastern Sulu, because of landmines reportedly planted by
rebels. According to the Red Cross provincial administrator, explosives
were discovered along the roads leading to affected villages in Luuk, Panamao,
and Panlima Estino, Sulu, and this prevented the Red Cross from providing
medical assistance to those who needed
it.[43]
The Philippines has reported that it conducts 250 courses on an annual basis
“in explosive ordnance disposal training and bomb threat prevention
seminars to military and civilians alike from the threat of improvised explosive
devices and
landmines.”[44]
Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, the Philippines must destroy all
antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as
possible, and by 1 August 2010 at the latest.
Beginning in 2001, the Philippines Campaign to Ban Landmines put forward
proposals to both the government and MILF for a joint demining operation in the
areas of Mindanao, especially Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao. The government and
MILF replied positively to PCBL’s proposal. In May 2004, the chair of the
panel for the government side said that it would consider its integration into
any ongoing peace process and suggested the PCBL play a role in the Joint
Government-MILF Coordination Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) to
pursue mine information dissemination and campaigning, and to locally anchor
reporting systems on mine
information.[45 ]The CCCH is the
means by which the government and MILF work out the implementation and
monitoring of a cease-fire agreement, in which the deployment of landmines is
specifically listed as an act of aggression (cease-fire
violation).[46 ]At the 28-29 June
2005 meeting of the CCCH in General Santos City, CCCH Chairman Brigadier General
Ramon Santos stated that in the preceding period there had been no cease-fire
violations.[47 ]The PCBL proposal
was discussed at both the 8th meeting between the MILF and GRP under Malaysian
auspices in Kuala Lampur in June 2005, and at the 28th meeting of the CCCH in
General Santos City, but consensus on how to proceed was not
achieved.[48]
The Philippines has not made any financial contributions to international
mine action programs in this reporting period.
Landmine Casualties
There is no comprehensive data collection on landmine incidents in the
Philippines and it is difficult to determine the exact number of mine
casualties; however, data from various sources provides an indication of the
scope of the problem. In 2004, there were at least 47 new landmine casualties,
including 20 people killed and 27 injured; five survivors were
civilians.[49 ]This represents a
significant increase from the 21 new landmine casualties reported in 2003,
including 10 people killed and 11
injured.[50 ]
Casualties continued to be reported in 2005, with at least 22 people killed
and 32 injured in landmine incidents to
May.[51 ]In one incident on 27
April, a 37-year-old farmer stepped on a landmine on Pata Island and severely
injured his leg; his daughter and another companion were killed in the incident.
In May 2005, the US military airlifted the farmer to Zamboanga hospital after he
suffered from a gangrene infection in his leg because of the unavailability of
transportation to adequate medical care. The International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) had informed the US military of the
situation.[52 ]
The total number of mine/UXO casualties in the Philippines is not known.
Between 2000 and 2003, at least 41 people were killed and 87 injured in mine/UXO
incidents, and at least 19 killed and 50 injured between 1991 and
1995.[53]
In 2004, there was also a report of an incident involving UXO, which killed a
farmer and seriously injured his brother while they were plowing a
field.[54]
Survivor Assistance and Disability Policy and Practice
AFP personnel and civilian casualties are taken to the nearest military or
government hospital for immediate
treatment.[55 ]The Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has no specific programs for landmine
survivors, but provides services to individuals and groups in crisis who seek
assistance.[56 ]The DSWD has
transferred its social welfare services to local government units, including
rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities, whatever the cause of
disability. The Department of Health supports prosthetics and physiotherapy
services. The social welfare sector provides services, including psychosocial
support to persons with disabilities, to assist with learning to cope with a
disability and to live a normal and productive
life.[57]
Although medical care is available, many civilians cannot afford it. ICRC
provides both medical supplies and financial support to health facilities and
civilians in Mindanao. In 2004, ICRC supported surgical treatment for 152
people, and distributed 29 prostheses, 19 sticks and crutches, two braces and
seven wheelchairs.[58]
In 2004, Handicap International (HI) established an orthopedic workshop at
Notre Dame Hospital in Cotabato City, central Mindanao, with support from the
Japanese Embassy. Services at the center include counseling, physical therapy,
and the provision of prosthetics, braces and wheelchairs to survivors of the
internal conflict. Since opening, the center has supported 1,200 people and
produced 80 prostheses, 50 orthoses and 60 wheelchairs. There is a waiting list
of people in need of services.[59 ]In July 2004, HI volunteers visited one coastal village in Mindanao, where
more than 30 people with disabilities were identified, including many
war-injured. In early 2005, HI launched the Hilwai project, a specially
equipped orthopedic boat that travels between islands in the Visayas to make
customized artificial limbs and provide rehabilitation. Since the beginning of
the project, 500 people received rehabilitation services, 48 prostheses and 12
orthoses were produced, and 20 wheelchairs
distributed.[60 ]
The 1992 Magna Carta for Disabled Persons protects the rights of persons with
disabilities in the area of rehabilitation, education, employment and
integration in society, and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability;
however, implementing regulations are reportedly weak, and there is a lack of
funding for programs.[61]
[1 ]Landmine ban bills were tabled
in 2000 (House Bill 222), 2001 (House Bill 346), and 2003 (House Bill 6043), but
were not acted upon as they were considered low priority.
[2 ]House Bill 2675 is entitled:
“An Act Providing for a Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Landmines, for other
Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Landmines, Booby-Traps and other
Devices, for Creation of a Philippine Coordinating Committee on Landmines, and
for Related Purposes.”
[3 ]Statement by Amb. Rosalinda
Valenton-Tirona, Representative of the Philippines to Kenya, Nairobi Summit on a
Mine-Free World (First Review Conference), Nairobi, 2 December 2004.
[4 ]Statement by Amb. Rosalinda
Valenton-Tirona, First Review Conference, Nairobi, 2 December 2004.
[5]Previous reports were submitted
on 12 September 2000, 12 September 2001, 5 April 2002, 14 May 2003 and 15
February 2004. Some reports were incomplete.
[6 ]See Landmine Monitor Report
1999, p. 421.
[7 ]See Landmine Monitor Report
2003, p. 397.
[8 ]See Landmine Monitor Report
2004, p. 671.
[9 ]“CPP condemns
Philippine Army for planting landmines in Isabela,” Press Release by the
CPP Information Bureau, 13 February 2005, www.philippinerevolution.org. A
CPP spokesman deplored the danger posed to people by landmines “purposely
planted” along trails used by farmers and said the AFP was
“depriving the barriofolk of the right to make a living.”
[10 ]Written response to PCBL
from Maj. Gen. Pedro Cesar C. Ramboanga Jr., Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff
for Operations, J3, Armed Forces of the Philippines, 4 June 2005. The PCBL
letter of inquiry signed by Soliman M. Santos Jr., PCBL Co-Coordinator, was
dated 28 May 2005.
[11]“Letter to Geneva Call
Re: Deceitful Reports on the Use of Landmines,” from Fidel V. Agcaoili,
Chairperson, Human Rights Committee, NDFP, 14 May 2005, http://home.wanadoo.nl/ndf.
[12 ]“Avail of the
Worsening Crisis and Intensify the Guerilla Offensives to Advance the New
Democratic Revolution,” statement by the CPP Central Committee, 26
December 2004, p. 14
[13 ]“NDFP Answers False
Claims Against The Revolutionary Movement,” article by Ruth de Leon,
Executive Director, International Information Office, NDFP, 21 January 2005, http://home.wanadoo.nl/ndf.
[14 ]“Letter to Geneva Call
Re: Deceitful Reports on the Use of Landmines,” from Fidel V. Agcaoili,
Chairperson, Human Rights Committee, NDFP, 14 May 2005, http://home.wanadoo.nl/ndf.
[15 ]“CPP condemns
Philippine Army for planting landmines in Isabela,” Press Release by the
CPP Information Bureau, 13 February 2005, www.philippinerevolution.org.
[16 ]“Letter to Geneva Call
Re: Deceitful Reports on the Use of Landmines,” from Fidel V. Agcaoili,
Chairperson, Human Rights Committee, NDFP, 14 May 2005.
[17]Len Espinosa, “Rebel
admits making mines,” Manila Times, 15 April 2005, www.manilatimes.net.
[18 ]Bong Reblando, “2 NPA
rebels killed by troops in S. Kudarat,” Manila Bulletin, 26
February 2005, p. 3; “Army overruns NPA camp in Columbio,” Sun
Star Gen San, 28 February 2005.
[19 ]Short Text Message (SMS) to
Landmine Monitor from Col. Alfredo Cayton, 601st Brigade Chief, Philippine Army,
10:25am, 26 February 2005. The Bilaans are an indigenous and non-Muslim tribe
who mainly reside in Cotabato.
[20 ]“10 NPA rebels killed
in Davao del Sur clashes,” Manila Bulletin, 17 March 2005.
[21 ]“4 NPA rebels slain, 5
gov’t soldiers hurt in fierce fight,” Manila Bulletin, 7
April 2005.
[22 ]Allen V. Estabillo,
“Rebels attacked camp, soldier hurt,” Sun Star General
Santos, 27 July 2004; Victor Reyes, “4 rebels killed in
Kudarat,” Malaya News, 28 July 2004; “AFP slams NPA rebels
for using landmines, minors in war vs gov’t,” Manila
Bulletin, 16 August 2004; Joel M. Sy Egco, “Landmine kills 3
soldiers,” Manila Standard Today, 13 April 2005; Bernadette E.
Tamayo, “3 soldiers killed by landmine,” Journal Group, 13
April 2005; Villamor Visaya Jr., “NPA denies land mines,”
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 8 May 2005; “5 soldiers wounded by land
mine laid by communist rebels,” Journal Group, 12 May 2005.
[23 ]Matrix on Landmine Incidents
and Recoveries (March 2004 to April 2005) provided to Landmine Monitor by the
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, AFP, 27 May 2005. More detailed notes on
these incidents and sources are included in this document.
[24 ]Matrix on Landmine Incidents
and Recoveries (March 2004 to April 2005) provided to Landmine Monitor by the
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, AFP, 27 May 2005. More detailed notes on
these incidents and sources are included in this document.
[25]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 671-672.
[26 ]Mindanao Peaceweavers,
“Sulu: State of War Calls for Peace,” Report of the Sulu Peace and
Solidarity Mission, 27-31 March 2005, p. 3.
[27 ]“2 soldiers killed in
landmine blast,” Sun.Star Publishing (Sunnex), 26 April 2005.
[28]Mindanao Peaceweavers,
“Sulu: State of War Calls for Peace,” Report of the Sulu Peace and
Solidarity Mission, 27-31 March 2005, p. 9.
[29 ]SMS to Landmine Monitor from
unnamed MNLF source, Sulu, 6:37am, 9 April 2005.
[30 ]SMS to Landmine Monitor from
unnamed MNLF source, Sulu, 6:42am, 9 April 2005. In what may be the same
incident, the AFP reported that an armored personnel carrier traveling to
Silangkan, Parang in Sulu exploded from a mine that injured three AFP soldiers.
Matrix on Landmine Incidents and Recoveries (March 2004 to April 2005) provided
to Landmine Monitor by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, AFP, 27 May
2005.
[31 ]Landmine Incidents in Sulu.
Notes sent to Landmine Monitor by unnamed MNLF source, Sulu, 28 May 2005.
[32]SMS to Landmine Monitor from
unnamed MNLF source, Sulu, 30 May 2005.
[33 ]Mindanao Peaceweavers,
“Sulu: State of War Calls for Peace,” Report of the Sulu Peace and
Solidarity Mission, 27-31 March 2005, p. 9.
[34 ]Bong Garcia, Jr.,
“Sayyaf using landmines, says Southcom chief,” MindaNews, 1
June 2005.
[35 ]“Philippine rebel
landmine kills soldier, wounds 7,” Reuters (Manila), 29 September
2004.
[36 ]Matrix on Landmine Incidents
and Recoveries (March 2004 to April 2005) provided to Landmine Monitor by the
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, AFP, 27 May 2005.
[37 ]Email from David Santos,
ABS-CBN Zamboanga reporter, to Alfredo Lubang, PCBL, 26 April 2005; “2
soldiers dead in landmine blast in Jolo,” Agence France-Presse, 25
April 2005; “2 soldiers killed in landmine blast,” Sun.Star
Publishing, Inc. (Sunnex), 26 April 2005; Bernadette E. Tamayo, “Land
mine kills 2 soldiers,” Journal Group, 26 April 2005.
[38 ]It first signed in March
2000, then signed a revised and expanded Deed of Commitment in April 2002.
[39 ]Maj. Gen. Hermogenes
Esperon, “Landmining Incidents, Calendar Year 2003,” 19 March
2004.
[40 ]The RPA-ABB and its party,
the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas (RPM-P) signed an initial
version of the Deed in Geneva in March 2000.
[41 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 673.
[42 ]CCW Amended Protocol II
Article 13 Reports, Forms B and G, 17 November 2003 and 8 October 2004. See
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 674, for AFP EOD capacity.
[43]“Warplanes pound rebel
ranks; 3,000 civilians flee,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, 10
February 2005, p. A18.
[44]Article 7 Report, Form I, 9
May 2005.
[45 ]Written response from
Secretary Silvestre C. Afable, Jr., Chairman, Government Negotiating Panel for
Talks with the MILF, 12 May 2004.
[46 ]Implementing Guidelines on
the Security Aspect of the GRP-MILF Tripoli Agreement of Peace of 2001: Article
II Definition of Terms; 3.1.2
[47 ]Joint Statement, 28th
meeting of the Joint GRP-MILF Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of
Hostilities, 28-29 June 2005, General Santos City, Philippines.
[48]Letter from Mohagher Iqbal,
Chairman, Committee on Information, Central Committee, MILF and Chairman, MILF
Peace Negotiating Panel, 16 July 2005, to Atty. Soliman M. Santos Jr.,
acknowledges that the PCBL proposal was discussed in Malaysia and in the CCCH,
that its confidence-building element was appreciated, but that no consensus was
achieved.
[49 ]For more details, see Rebel
Use section of this report; see also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 675
for more details on casualties from January to May 2004.
[50 ]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 675.
[51 ]For more details see earlier
section on use by non-state armed groups of this report.
[52 ]Ed General, “Landmine
victim gets US Army help,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, 7 May 2005,
p. A19.
[53]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, pp. 674-675.
[54]See Landmine Monitor
Report 2004, p. 675.
[55 ]For more information, see
Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 675.
[56 ]Email from Ma. Alicia S.
Bonoan, Director IV, Technology Bureau, DSWD, 7 June 2005.
[57]Email from Ruel G.
Lucentales, Assistant Secretary, DSWD, 6 June 2005.
[58]ICRC, “Annual Report
2004,” Geneva, June 2005, p. 164.
[59 ]Email to Landmine Monitor
(HI) from Benjamin Gobin, Program Director, HI Philippines, 26 August 2005; see
also Landmine Monitor Report 2004, p. 675.
[60 ]Email from Benjamin Gobin to
Landmine Monitor (HI), HI Philippines, 26 August 2005; “War amputees get
chance to stand on two feet again,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5
August 2004, p. A1, A5; “Positive Progress: Special Rehabilitation
Issue,” Newsletter of Handicap International, Issue 3, April 2004.
[61]US Department of State,
“Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004: Philippines,”
Washington DC, 28 February 2005; see also “Magna Carta for Disabled
Persons,” dated 24 March 1992, www.dredf.org/international/philippines.html.