November 16, 2010:
Peace talks with the MILF have become a slog, and a slow one at that. The MILF leadership are trying to keep their many factions quiet, and distance themselves by armed groups that were part of MILF but are now bandits or freelance terrorists. More of the Islamic terrorists are turning to banditry, some still pretending to be fighting for the cause, but living a decidedly non-Islamic lifestyle. The government has outlasted the Islamic radicals, and worn them down.
November 15, 2010: In Basilan, Islamic terrorists kidnapped two teachers. One was later released, but the other, an administrator, is still held. It's uncertain if this is related to Islamic radicals, or a purely criminal act.
November 10, 2010: In the north (Batangas), police killed two NPA men, one of who turned out to be a local leader.
November 7, 2010: In the central Philippines (Eastern Samar) the army found an NPA camp and chased the 30 or so rebels who were living there. Losing these camps is a big blow to rebels, lowering morale and making if more difficult to carry out operations.
November 6, 2010: Police revealed that they made arrests three days ago, and seized bomb making materials, in breaking up an Islamic terror plot to kill two foreign ambassadors and several Filipino officials.
November 5, 2010: In the north, troops encountered 20 NPA rebels and killed one, forcing the others to flee. But some of the retreating communist rebels were wounded, as there was a blood trail.
November 4, 2010: The government lowered the terrorism alert level (from the highest level), now that several terrorism operations appear to have been disrupted.
November 3, 2010: Another Abu Sayyaf member was arrested in the south, while search operations on Basilan and Jolo are reduced. There seem to be fewer Abu Sayyaf members around, and more are fleeing to urban areas to hide in plain sight. This arrest was part of a nationwide increase in security as a worldwide alert went out warning of Islamic terrorism attacks about to be carried out.
