Us asian post july 1, 2014

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Vol. 3. No. 42 LOS ANGELES

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Wednesday - Tuesday, July 2 - 8, 2014

US, PHL troops ‘assault’ beach

SAN ANTONIO, Philippines (June 30, 2014) U.S. Marines assigned to1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, conduct a joint amphibious landing exercise with Philippine marines during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Philippines 2014. In its 20th year, CARAT is an annual, bilateral exercise series with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the armed forces of nine partner nations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jerry Jimenez/Released)

SAN ANTONIO, June 30, 2014 (AFP) – More than 200 US and Filipino Marines launched a mock amphibious assault Monday on an enemy beachfront close to a disputed South China Sea outcrop.

Amid driving rain and rough waves, five amphibious assault tanks roared off from a US destroyer anchored off Zambales province, about two hours drive northwest of Manila, and landed on the soggy beach peppered with imaginary foes.

US Marines scanned the horizon on scopes mounted on assault rifles as they dramatically emerged from the hatch, while their Filipino counterparts took firing positions on the ground.

Shots later rang out towards enemy positions in an assault that lasted about an hour.

The drill was part of week-long, annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training that the United States bilaterally holds with Asian allies, including the Philippines, to boost maritime security.

About 1,000 US and Filipino troops and five warships, including an American missile de-

stroyer, took part in the training, which began last week.

Philippine fleet commander Jaime Bernardino told reporters at the start of the war games last week that they were designed to upgrade the Filipino navy’s capability in guarding the country’s long coastline.

“These are the gaps that we would like to address (to) make sure we detect (foreign vessels) properly, we intercept them and we neutralize them if necessary,” he had said.

Monday’s exercise took place on an uninhabited beach near a naval outpost on Zambales on Luzon island, 220 kilometers (137 miles) east of Scarborough Shoal on the South China Sea. The shoal, a traditionally-rich fishing ground, has been effectively taken over by China following a tense year-long standoff with the Philippines in 2012.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, including waters near its smaller neighbors’ shores.

It has been accused of becoming increasingly aggressive in See ASSAULT, page 12

Palace welcomes U.S. envoy’s support for PHL in WPS dispute MANILA, June 28 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Saturday welcomed continuous support from U.S. ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg amid the rising tensions due to ongoing sea dispute with China.

Two days after China released a map indicating its territories in the West Philippine (South China) Sea, Goldberg reacted saying that China’s use of the 10-dashline to claim maritime rights is “inconstant with international law.”

He further stressed that the

only resolution to prove a country’s claims is through tribunals, code of conduct and the like.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunyang, however, said that China was only publishing maps with the purpose of serving the public.

“We certainly welcome the statement of the U.S. embassy,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in an interview over state-run dzRB radio.

Lacierda said Malacañang will also continue to support the position taken by the Department of

Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“Our emphasis is the rule of law,” he said, referring to United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS).

It can be recalled that the Philippines has previously pursued arbitration before an International Tribunal for the Law of Sea. “(Although) the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that (the maps) are only for their own audience, this involves entitlement which is not exclusively theirs,” he added. (MNS)

Drilon urges gov’t to raise pay for civil servants

and the government partners in a plan to pass a law creating the autonomous region by mid-2016, when Aquino is required by the constitution to stand down.

Muslim rebels have been battling for independence or autonomy in the southern islands of the mainly Catholic Philippines since the 1970s, with the conflict claiming tens of thousands of lives.

A commission composed of rebel and government nominees drafted a proposed “basic law” for the autonomous region, and it was submitted to Aquino in April as part of a timeframe to have Congress pass it by June.

However, Aquino said Friday:

MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – Senate President Franklin M. Drilon today called on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to take immediate steps in conducting a pay review for all government employees including policemen and soldiers, in time for the enactment of the 2015 national budget next year.

The Senate leader said the study on how the government can improve the salary rate being implemented with all government employees, including those serving in the military and the police must be fast-tracked “in order to uplift the standard of living of our public employees.”

“I have requested the DBM to expedite its analysis, so that if possible, we can already put into effect the new version of the Salary Standardization Law and we can include the required budget in the 2015 national expenditures program, which we will approve at the end of this year. That way, all public employees can already enjoy their new wages starting next year,” Drilon said.

“By raising the salary scheme in government, we will provide the biggest morale boost for state workers and give them continued inspiration to excel in their works,” said Drilon.

“But more importantly, we can attract more competent and dedi-

See AUTONOMY, page 12

See DRILON, page 12

Filipino Muslims gather at the Quiapo Mosque in Manila on Sunday (June 29, 2014) to mark the start of Ramadan, a time for spiritual reflection. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are required to abstain from eating, fasting, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. (MNS photo)

Aquino pledges Muslim autonomy law by January MANILA, June 27, 2014 (AFP) – Philippine President Benigno Aquino vowed Friday to deliver self-rule to minority Muslims by January 2015, in line with a peace treaty signed with its largest rebel group.

“We’re hoping that all the steps will be finished (so) that they can take position by January of 2015,” he told reporters.

The pledge followed Aquino’s surprise meeting in Japan on Tuesday with Murad Ebrahim, the country’s top Muslim rebel, to address growing concerns over delays in implementing the peace deal signed in March.

The pact made Murad’s Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)

Senator Jinggoy Estrada arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on Monday, June 30, for his arraignment over the plunder charges filed against him and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles in connection with the alleged P10-B pork barrel scam.

(MNS photo)

‘Not guilty’ – Court enters for Jinggoy Estrada MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – The Sandiganbayan on Monday entered a not guilty plea for Senator Jinggoy Estrada following his refusal to enter one himself, in the plunder case filed against him in connection with the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations or pork barrel funds.

Estrada told the court he cannot enter a plea because he has two pending petitions at the Supreme Court.

“I respectfully refuse to enter a

plea, your honor,” he said.

Estrada asked the SC on June 24 to stop the Sandiganbayan from hearing his plunder and graft cases and to invalidate the arrest warrant issued against him.

Alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty.

Accused of plunder before the anti-graft court’s First Division are Estrada, Napoles, Estrada’s chief of staff Pauline Labayen and See NOT GUILTY, page 12

Erap says case vs. Jinggoy ‘very very weak’ MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – Former President and incumbent Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada on Monday remained confident that the graft and plunder cases against his son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada will be dismissed due to lack of merit.

“Hindi lang weak, sa tingin ko very very weak. Nagmamadali sila, kesyo wala naman talagang kaso,” Erap said in an interview with reporters during a break in his son’s arraignment proceedings.

Aside from one count of plunder, Estrada is also accused of 11 counts of graft in connection with the P10-B pork barrel scam.

Estrada allegedly diverted his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF or pork barrel) allocation to fake NGOs put up by trader Janet Lim-Napoles, and pocketed P183.79 million in kickbacks.

Accused of plunder before the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division together with him are Napoles, Estrada’s chief of staff Pauline Labayen, and Napoles’ driver John Raymund de Asis. Labayen and de Asis remain at large.

Erap attended Jinggoy’s arraignment on Monday with wife Dra. Loi Ejercito and two other children, Jackie and Jude. Jinggoy’s wife See VERY VERY WEAK, page 12

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Aquino inaugurates 1,000 low-cost housing units for informal settlers

President Benigno Aquino III inspects the rowhouse and a model housing unit, assisted by Senate President Franklin Drilon (L) and NHA General Manager Chito Cruz (R) during the inauguration of the Iloilo River Plains Subdivision Phase 1 in Brgy. Lanit, Jaro District, Iloilo City on Friday (June 27). (MNS photo)

ILOILO CITY, June 28 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno S. Aquino III on Friday led the inauguration of 1,000 low-cost housing units in Jaro district for informal settlers who used to live on the banks of the Iloilo River.

President Aquino unveiled the project marker and inspected the completed low-cost housing units of the Iloilo River Plains Subdivision Phase 1, Barangay Lanit in Jaro district.

In his speech, the President said the P170 million allocation for the construction of the housing units came from the Disbursement Acceleration Program and 2011 General Appropriations Act. “Dalawa po ang pinagmulan ng mahigit 169 milyong pisong pondo ng proyekto. Ang isandaang milyong piso po, nagmula sa ating 2011 Disbursement Acceleration Program, o DAP. Ang nalalabi namang mahigit 69 milyong piso, mula sa 2011 General Appropriations Act o GAA,” he said.

“Kongkretong patunay po ito sa pagiging epektibo ng ating sistema sa pagpopondo. Kitang-kita nga po na kapag sa tapat ginamit ang pondong mula sa buwis na pinaghirapan ng taumbayan, may kaukulan itong benepisyo sa Pilipino, at hindi napupunta lang sa bulsa ng iilang mapanlamang,” he added.

President Aquino said the NHA housing project would accomodate 1,000 informal settler families.

The President added the beneficiaries would now have peace of mind and they can now sleep well in

their new homes.

“Kapanatagan po ang kaakibat ng mga bagong bahay na ito. Noon po, nakatira ang mga pamilya sa paligid ng Iloilo River. Dahil sa alanganin at delikadong lokasyong ito, para bang laging nasa bingit ng peligro at kawalang-katiyakan ang mga naninirahan dito,” he said.

“Kaunting ulan at kulog lang, kakabog ang dibdib mo dahil sa posibilidad ng malakas na ulan o bagyo, ng pagtaas ng tubig sa ilog at pag-apaw nito sa komunidad. Ngayon, mas ligtas na ang inyong lokasyon at mas matibay na ang inyong mga tahanan. Hindi na po kailangang mangamba. Umulan man o umaraw, mas panatag na ang buong pamilya,” he added.

Apart from the housing units, President Aquino also inaugurated and inspected the P2.1-billion Iloilo circumferential road, the P700-million Iloilo Convention Center, and the P500-million Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue here.

“Pambihira po talaga ang nakikita nating transpormasyon ng Iloilo. At malinaw na hindi ito nangyari sa isang iglap lang. Mula ito sa masusing pagpaplano, sa kolektibong pagsusumikap, sa masinop na paggugol ng kaban ng bayan, at sa paninindigang ito ay maisasakatuparan,” he said.

“Ang susi po nito: Mulat kayo sa inyong mga kalakasan. Batid ninyo ang biyayang kaakibat ng estratehikong lokasyon ng inyong probinsya, ng inyong likas na yaman, at ng kilalang sipag at talento ng mga Ilonggo – at kitang-kita naman po na sinasagad ninyo ang potensyal ng mga positibong katangiang ito,” he added.

Also in his speech, President Aquino called on Iloilo residents to choose the next leaders wisely come election time.

Gov’t hiring 81,000 extra teachers for K to 12, House leader says MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – Congress is expected to create thousands of new posts for public school teachers to bring to fruition President Benigno S. Aquino III’s K to 12 Program under the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2014, House Deputy Majority Leader and Makati City Rep. Mar-Len Abigail Binay said on Monday.

Citing a Department of Education (DepEd) preliminary report, Binay said up to 81,637 new senior high school teachers may be required upon the roll-out of K to 12 between 2016 and 2017.

According to Binay, the report assumes that some 1.1 million Grade 10 finishers of public junior high school will enroll in public senior high school by then.

She identified the senior high school subjects that are anticipated to entail additional instructors (with the number of teachers required in brackets) as follows: English (8,178); Filipino (7,267); Social Science (8,697); Humanities (4,171); Math/Statistics (7,267); Advance Math (609); Physical Science (6,313); Life Science (5,707); Information & Communications Technology (3,982); ABM/ Economics/Entrepreneurship (6,356); Philosophy (3,412); Technical Vocational Education & Training (15,634) and PE (4,055).

“We are reporting these figures out so that this early, teacher education students who are about to graduate, fresh (teacher education) graduates, as well as newly licensed teachers still looking for gainful employment, can start specializing in subjects where their services may be required by K to 12,” Binay explained.

“We understand the new teaching posts will be on top of those which DepEd may seek to create in the proposed 2015 national budget to fill the public school system’s existing staff shortages,” she added.

Commission on Higher Education records show that some 450,000 students are now taking up teacher education, making it the most heavily subscribed college program.

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Palace eyes last 2 years to lay foundations for growth, improved governance MANILA, June 28 (Mabuhay) – Expect the Aquino administration to spend its last two years laying the foundations for “equitableâ€? growth and a higher standard of governance, MalacaĂąang said Saturday.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on government-run dzRB radio this is part of the administration’s belief of inclusive growth for all. “We would like to make sure as we leave, as the President leaves after 2016, he has laid the foundations for an economy that would provide equitable growth for all and a system na tumaas ang antas ng appreciation sa governance,� he said. He said they want to instill in Filipinos the mentality of “not going back� to where they were before President Benigno Aquino III assumed office in 2010. June 30, Monday, marks the fourth anniversary of Aquino’s assumption of the presidency. His term ends June 30, 2016.

Lacierda claimed the Aquino

administration has “elevated� the level of governance such that people now expect a better government. “’Yan ang isang bagay na gusto ma-realize ng Pilipino, mas maganda ang antas ng ating pamamahala. Despite the many issues that surround us and we have to handle on a regular basis, the Filipinos can expect standards of governance have risen and they should not allow (those standards) to go down again,� he said.

Meanwhile, Lacierda said that as far as selecting a standard bearer for the 2016 elections, “we will have to wait for process to proceed and take its course.�

He said one factor in the search is “who will continue the kind of government.� “Kailangan ang hinihingi ni pangulo ipagpatuloy ang reporma...One way of making reforms irreversible is to find someone who can push the reforms even further,� he said. (MNS)

Fiberglass ‘bangkang pinoy’ for Yolanda-hit areas launched MANILA, June 28 (Mabuhay) – Agriculture officials this week launched new fiberglass bancas for fishermen in areas hit by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), as part of efforts to help them recover from the disaster.

Dubbed “Bangkang Pinoy,� the fiberglass vessels were launched at Manila Bay. The Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said they plan to build 5,000 such bancas in 100 days.

On Monday, the DA described

the “Bangkang Pinoy� as “unsinkable,� tree-friendly and durable fishing boats.

It said the fiberglass boats can stay afloat through rough seas and keep fishermen safer during rough weather conditions.

Also, the fiberglass boats are sturdier and last longer in the long run compared to wooden boats.

The DA said the “Bangkang Pinoy� has two versions: a 20-footer unit valued at around P42,000, and a 35-footer version worth around P65,000. (MNS)

Disaster readiness of the country above average, say Palace official MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – The Philippines’ disaster readiness is above average, a Palace official said on Sunday.

Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., is reacting to a report from the United Nation (UN) rating the Philippines disaster preparedness between 6 and 7, where 10 is the highest. “Siguro naman maituturing na rin na above average kahit na sabihing sixth or seventh. Ibig sabihin, hindi naman po tayo naging malamya sa ating pagtugon sa mga hamon na ‘yan,� said Coloma in a press briefing over radio station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

Margareta Wahlstom, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s special representative for disaster risk reduction made the assessment of the Philippines’ capability.

The Philippines is located in the Pacific ring of fire, where most volcanoes are active; it is also in the Typhoon belt where an average of 20 typhoons pass through each year; and it has fault lines that generate earthquakes.

Coloma said the gov-

Bill seeks to establish fitness center in every barangay MANILA, June 28 (Mabuhay) – A lawmaker wants to promote the well-being and health of the Filipino citizens by creating community fitness centers in all barangays nationwide.

Rep. Mark Villar (Lone District, Las PiĂąas City) introduced House Bill 4316 to involve all Filipino citizens in maintaining good physical and mental health condition. “The collective health of the people affects to a great extent the success of their overall socio-economic development.

The state of health and mental fitness of every person are controlling factors on the ability to take advantage of education, technical capabilities and business entrepreneurship,�

Villar said.

Villar filed the bill citing the constitutional mandate for the State to promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions and amateur sports, including training for international competitions to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry.

ernment is continuously making preparations and educating the public on how to prepare themselves in times of disaster. “Matibay po ang paninindigan ng ating Pangulo na ang kinakailangan nating itatag ay ‘yung mga disaster resilient communities. Hindi na dapat maulit ‘yung itinuturing niyang vicious cycle of destruction and reconstruction. Dapat ay matigil na ang aspeto ng destruction sa pamamagitan ng pagtatag ng mga mas matibay na komunidad,� he added.

Here in the capital the Metro Manila Development Authority is constantly conducting earthquake drills. “Iba na po kasi ang maging handa para kapag dumating ang panahon – huwag naman sanang pahintulutan ng Poong Maykapal – ay mas mataas na po ang antas ng kahandaan ng mga mamamayan,� Coloma said. (MNS)

President Benigno Aquino III with a group of bikers from Iloilo and Senate President Franklin Drillon during the inauguration of the 2KM section of the proposed Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. road widening project at brgy san Rafael Madurriao Distric, Iloilo City on friday (June 27). (MNS photo)

Bill seeks to amend Family Code MANILA, June 28 (Mabuhay) – Lawmakers filed a measure amending the Family Code’s provisions on marriage and family relations.

HB 4613 authored by Deputy Speaker Henedina Abad (Lone District, Batanes) and Rep. Kaka Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat Islands) seeks to eliminate discrimination against women relating to marriage of a son or daughter and matters relating to family relations.

Abad said the bill mandates that the best interest of the family and children be considered in making decisions on matters involving exercise of parental authority and administration of properties during their marriage.

Abad cited the Constitution’s Article II Section 14 which recognizes the role of women in nationbuilding and shall ensure equality of women and men before the law.

The bill seeks to amend Article 14, 96, 124, 211 and 225 of Executive Order No. 209 (Family Code of the Philippines).

Abad said Article 14 of the Code gives undue preference to the father in giving consent to marriage of a son or daughter. “Article 14 states that in case either or both the contracting parties, not having been emancipated by a previous marriage, are between the ages of 18 and 21, they shall, in addition to requirements of the preceding articles, exhibit to the local civil registrar, consent to their marriage of their father, mother, surviving parent guardian or persons having legal charge over them, in the order mentioned,� Abad explained.

Abad said the bill proposes to amend this particular provision by changing the comma after the word father to OR which also

gives the mother the opportunity to decide on the marriage of a son or daughter.

At present, Abad said Articles 96 and 124 provide joint administration by the husband and wife of absolute community (COMMUNAL?) property and conjugal partnership of gains which under the law gives preference to decision of the husband in case of disagreement.

Under the bill, Article 96 will read: “The administration of the community property shall belong to both spouses jointly; any exercise of acts of administration by either spouse without the consent of the other shall be without effect, until it is subsequently approved by the non-consenting spouse. Either spouse may elevate the matter before the court within 5 years from the date the contract was entered by the parties thereto, or upon knowledge of the non-consenting spouse, whichever comes later, the court, in deciding the case, shall take into consideration the best interest of the family, damages and expenses of litigation which did not redound tot eh benefit of the family shall be borne by the contracting spouse and shall not be charged to the community property.�

Abad said Article 124 on administration of the conjugal partnership of the Family Code is likewise amended to include the paragraphs “any exercise of acts of administration by either spouse without the consent of the other shall be without effect, until it is subsequently approved by the non-consenting spouse. Either spouse may elevate the matter before the court within 5 years from the date the contract was entered by the parties thereto, or upon knowledge of the non-consenting spouse, whichever comes later,

the court, in deciding the case, shall take into consideration the best interest of the family, damages and expenses of litigation which did not redound to the benefit of the family shall be borne by the contracting spouse and shall not be charged to the conjugal partnership.�

On the other hand, Bag-ao said Articles 211 and 225 give joint parental authority over the person and legal guardianship over property of the common children to both parents.

Again, in case of disagreement, the father’s decision should be followed.

Bag-ao said the proposed measure corrects this by inserting the phrase “either spouse may elevate the matter before the court, which shall decide, taking into consideration the best interest of the children.� (PNA)

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Palace: Govt prepared to defend EDCA from latest suit MANILA, June 28 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang said Saturday the government is prepared to defend the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), after a third suit questioning the controversial mutual defense pact was lodged before the Supreme Court Friday.

While presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said it is the right of any citizen to file a petition questioning the legality or constitutionality of the pact, he said the Palace believe the deal is constitutional.

“We believe this is constitutional. We are prepared to defend the EDCA before the Supreme Court,” he said on government-run dzRB radio.

He said the Solicitor General will defend the constitutionality of the pact, which was signed on the first day of US President Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines last April.

The latest suit questioning the EDCA was lodged before the Supreme Court Friday by labor groups from the public and private sectors.

Friday’s petitioners, including the Kilusang Mayo Uno and the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, claimed the government committed grave abuse of discretion and violated the 1987 Philippine Constitution when it signed the EDCA. Named as respondents were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, and Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista.

Other respondents included defense undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino, who chairs the country’s negotiating panel for EDCA, and panel members Ambassador Lourdes Yparraguirre, Ambassador Eduardo Malaya, Justice undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, and Defense undersecretary Raymund Jose Quilop.

The petitioners said the EDCA violates provisions of the Constitution pertaining to the preferential use of Filipino labor and domestic materials; tax exemption; national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interest; freedom from nuclear weapons; role of the judiciary in settling disputes; autonomy of local government units; and treaties with other countries, specifically military treaties.

Under EDCA, the US may build structures, store and preposition weapons, defense supplies and materiel, station troops, civilian personnel and defense contractors, transit and station vehicles, vessels, and aircraft for 10 years.

But the petitioners said EDCA would grant the US “carte blanche power to establish and operate de facto military bases anywhere on Philippine soil, minus the cost of paying for one.” (MNS)

FA-50s will make PHL air defense effective, President Aquino says MANILA, July 1 (Mabuhay) – The first of the country’s South Korean fighter jets won’t arrive until 2015 year but the Philippine Air Force has slowly built up its capability over the past few years after decades of neglect, President Benigno Aquino III said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 67th anniversary of the PAF in Clark Field, Aquino said the military already has two additional C-130 planes, 18 basic trainer aircraft, eight Sokol combat utility choppers, 20 upgraded MD520 MG helicopters, and four of the 21 recently purchased Huey helicopters.

The modest build-up happened amid an ongoing dispute with China over territories in the West Philippine Sea. Aquino said he expected the remaining 17 Huey helicopters to be delivered by the end of the year and two of the 12 FA-50 lead-in fighter trainers to arrive from South Korea next year.

“Kaya naman sa paglapag ng sarili nating FA-50 sa ating bakuran, muli nating magagawang ipagtanggol ang ating teritoryo sa mas epektibong paraan,” Aquino said.

Aquino said the government was moving to acquire eight combat utility helicopters, two long-range patrol aircraft, six close-air support aircraft, radar systems, and other upgrades for the Air Force.

The President said his administration has been seeking such upgrades since he assumed office in 2010.

“Sa apat na taong nakalipas, sinagad natin ang pagkakataon para lalong isulong ang modernisasyon sa inyong hanay. Para po sa Air Force, kabilang sa ating mga inisyatiba ang paglinang sa kasanayan ng mga piloto, pagpapalawak ng ating airlift capability, at pagdaragdag ng mga fixed-wing at rotary assets,” Aquino said.

He said this is a big difference from his predecessors, who supposedly did not give the Air Force the support it needed.

“Nakakalungkot nga pong isipin ang estado ng Air Force na ating dinatnan: Ang dating tinitingala bilang isa sa pinakamalakas na hukbong himpapawid sa Asya, tila hindi na naka-take-off dahil sa maraming dekada ng katiwalian, panlalamang, at kakulangan ng pansin.

Tila ba sinalamin ng kalagayan ng Air Force ang malubhang estado ng ating lipunan dahil sa baluktot na pamamahala,” Aquino said.

“Malinaw po, sa tuwid na daan, ang hangad natin: Itama ang maling pamamalakad upang muli nating maabot ang matatayog na tagumpay na tatak ng ating Hukbong Himpapawid,” he added.

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OPINION

Jinggoy Estrada claims Aquino gov’t just ‘showing off ’ in detaining ‘pork’ scam suspects MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday called the charges against him “rushed” in a bid by the administration to boast that it was able to detain senators charged over the pork barrel scam.

After his arraignment before the Sandiganbayan on Monday, Estrada added that the charges against him were “politically motivated.”

Estrada was reacting to the special prosecutor’s move to amend the charge sheets of the senators.

The prosecutors eventually withdrew their motion to amend Estrada’s information when told the senator would be released.

“The cracks are showing. The recent developments are indicative of the fact that the cases against us were rushed and railroaded and that due process of law was not observed…” Estrada said as he read his written statement after his arraignment.

“Gusto kasi nilang magpasikat at ipakita sa taumbayan na kaya nilang magpakulong ng tatlong senador kaya naman naghain agad sila ng information kahit alam nilang wala naman talagang kaso at walang matibay na ebidensiya laban sa akin,” he added.

(The administration wanted to show off and show to the nation that they are capable of detaining three senators, that’s why they filed the information immediately even though they know they don’t have a strong case and evidence against me.)

Estrada added that because of the administration’s “overzealousness to be glorified,” they “haphazardly filed” the case information before the antigraft court.

“This also further bolsters what I have been saying all along that this is politically motivated with no other intent but to persecute the members of the opposition while protecting their allies,” he added.

He went on to call the plunder information against him “defective” and “weak” because the prosecution wanted to amend it.

“If there are ‘truckloads of evidence’ against us and that the case is ‘airtight,’ as they initially say, why is there a need to amend the information?” Estrada added.

The beleaguered senator said he hoped he would be granted bail from plunder because of supposed weak evidence.

“Kung talagang malakas ang kaso at maraming ebidensiya, dapat kahit nakapikit pa ang dalawang mata nila ay kaya nilang isulat nang malinaw at walang pagkakamali ang mga paratang laban sa akin,” Estrada added.

(If the case and evidence against me are strong, the prosecutors should be able to write the information against me with eyes closed and without error on the charges against me.)

According to an Ombudsman memorandum attached to prosecutor’s motion filed before the antigraft court to admit the amended information, the special prosecutor said they amended the case information to make Estrada, not Janet Lim-Napoles, as the alleged mastermind of the scam.

“The introductory paragraph in each of the information may be rephrased so as to emphasize that the senator (Estrada) was the one who amassed, accumulated and acquired ill-gotten wealth in connivance or in conspiracy with his co-accused public officer and private individuals,” the memorandum read.

“The prosecutors deemed it wise to amend them to minimize, if not obviate, objections therein by certain accused which may cause undue delay in the proceedings,” it added. According to the amended information, Estrada “(exerted) undue pressure on the implementing agencies to favorably act on his endorsements to the NGOs (non-government organizations) of Napoles…”

The special prosecutor had withdrawn its motions for the court to admit the amended information against Estrada and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

The prosecutors had withdrawn the motion to amend Estrada’s plunder sheet after the court warned them that Estrada may be released.

Meanwhile, the court denied the prosecutor’s motion for the court to admit the amended information on Revilla’s case.

This after the prosecution admitted that the original information can stand as sufficient information for the plunder case. (MNS)

People’s initiative for law vs PDAF launched MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – Various groups on Monday launched a people’s initiative to abolish the pork barrel, aiming to give venue to the “faceless individuals” to craft a law that would remove lump sums in the budget and penalize violators.

“The President, Congress, and the Supreme Court have failed the people. It is time for the people to take matters into their own hands and abolish the pork barrel system themselves,” the group said in a statement that was read by Mother Mary John Mananzan of the Abolish Pork Movement.

“We have jointly come up with a proposed bill to abolish the presidential and congressional pork barrel; prohibit lump sum, discretionary appropropriations; and penalize violators,” they added.

Mae Paner of the Scrap Pork Network said the initiative will give the “faceless” the chance to participate in law-making.

“Ballpen lang ang katapan, sasamahan mo ng pirma mo at makakagawa na tayo ng batas. How so rock star is that?” she said. (“We only need a ballpen for our signature and we can craft a law.”)

Bayan Muna partylist Representative Neri Colmenares said the initiative aims to come up with a law that mandates line item budgeting and criminalizes allocation and use of pork barrel.

Despite the decision of the Supreme Court to abolish the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), Colmenares said the national budget still contains billions in lump sum funds at the disposal of the President.

Carol Araullo of Abolish Pork Movement said ordinary people would not find it hard to relate to the need to push for the People’s Initiative because all of them are affected with the corruption involving the pork barrel funds.

Republic Act 6735 (An Act Providing for a System of Initiative and Referendum) states that “a referendum or initiative affecting a law, resolution, or ordinance passed by the legislative assembly of an autonomous region, province, or city is deemed validly initiated if the petition therefor is signed by at least

ten per centum (10%) of the registered voters in the province or city, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three per centum (3%) of the registered voters therein.”

“If the province or city is composed only of one legislative district, then at least each municipality in a province or each barangay in a city should be represented by at least three per centum (3%) of the registered voters therein,” the law added.

The convenors of the group are Mananzan, Colmenares, Paner, Araullo, lawyer Rex Fernandez and Marc Canton of Cebu Coalition Againsr Pork Barrel, Fr. Ben Alforque of the Church People’s Alliance Against the Pork Barrel, Manny Lopez of E-Pirma, lawyer Alex Lacson of the Solidarity Transformation Philippines, and Inday Espina Varona of Scrap Pork Network.

Solidarity from Cebu Lawyer Rex Fernandez of the Cebu Coalition Against Pork Barrel expressed confidence they could gather the estimated P5.4 million signatures needed for the law.

The law mandates that the petition must contain the text of the proposed measure, the proposition, the reasons for the creation of the proposed measure, the signatures of the petitioners or registered voters, and an abstract or summary written or printed at the top of every page of the petition.

After the verification of signatures and determination of the sufficiency of the petition, the Commission on Elections is required to publish the petition in newspapers with major circulation within 30 days after its receipt.

Comelec will also set the date of the referendum “which shall not be earlier than forty-five (45) days but not later than ninety (90) days from the determination by the Commission of the sufficiency of the petition.”

A special registration must also be set at least three weeks before the referendum.

If the voters approved the proposition, the proposed measure will be enacted into law 15 days after its publication. (MNS)

Palace releases midterm update of Philippine Development Plan MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – The Palace released on Sunday the midterm update of the Philippine Development Plan for 2011 to 2016 from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

“Maaari itong ituring na report card ng gobyerno kung hanggang saan na humantong ang mga reporma at programa hinggil sa pagpapahusay ng serbisyo publiko,” said Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a briefing over radio station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

“According to the President: We have witnessed the gradual transformation of our country from an economic laggard to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world,” said Coloma quoting the President.

“Through sound management of economic fundamentals, we have climbed out of severe financial and economic deficits, and achieved a healthy cash position to financing priority development projects; and from being regarded as the ‘sick man of Asia’ to earning an investment grade rating that reflects the confidence of the local and international communities,” he continued.

Coloma said the country has made a significant headway in the campaign against corrup-

tion, prosecuted government officials and eliminated leakages in government procurement.

He added that due to the government’s trustworthiness it resulted to attracting big-ticket investments in manufacturing, tourism, agribusiness, logistics and other productive sectors that resulted to higher employment and more remunerative jobs for Filipinos.

The Communications Secretary said that the President emphasized that there are more still to be done particularly in reducing poverty which may be addressed through focusing on health, education and employment.

“That is why we are exerting every effort to ensure that the process of reducing inequality happens at a much faster rate and that our programs and projects will have a much more palpable impact on peoples’ lives,” Coloma added.

He encouraged the public to visit the NEDA website to see the so called report card.

“Makikita nila doon sa plans.neda.gov.ph.

Chapter by chapter meron tayong performance indicators kaya komprehensibo. Nag-umpisa sa macroeconomic policies, nandoon din ‘yung competitive industry and services, pagkatapos agriculture and fisheries, pagkatapos ‘yung financial system, tapos ‘yung social development,” said Coloma. (MNS)

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UTREACH California whooping cough epidemic continues 1,100 new cases have been reported in the last two weeks SACRAMENTO – The number of pertussis (whooping cough) cases in the state continues to climb, Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and state health officer reported today.

In the past two weeks, 1,100 new cases of pertussis have been reported to CDPH. This brings the total number of cases to 4,558 (as of June 24). This far surpasses the total number of reported cases in 2013, which was 2,532. One additional infant has died, bringing the total number of infant deaths to three. Children four-months-

old or younger account for nearly 2/3 of all pertussis hospitalizations.

“Infants are at the greatest risk of illness and death from pertussis,” said Dr. Chapman. “Vaccination is the best form of protection. We’re encouraging all parents to vaccinate their children, and for pregnant women to be vaccinated to protect their babies. This will ensure maximum protection against this potentially fatal disease.”

The Tdap vaccination for pregnant women is the best way to protect infants who are too young to be vacci-

nated. All pregnant women should be vaccinated with Tdap in the third trimester of each pregnancy, regardless of previous Tdap vaccination. Inoculated women pass immunity to their unborn babies that protect them until they can be vaccinated. Infants should be vaccinated as soon as possible.

The first dose of pertussis vaccine can be given as early as 6 weeks of age.

Older children, pre-adolescents and adults should also be vaccinated against pertussis according to current recommendations.

“It’s particularly important

that people who will be around newborns also be vaccinated,” added Dr. Chapman. “This includes babysitters, older siblings, parents and grandparents. When those people are vaccinated they will help protect infants who are too young for immunization.”

The symptoms of pertussis vary by age. For children, pertussis typically starts with a cough and runny nose that can last up to two weeks.

The cough then worsens and turns into rapid coughing spells that end with a tell-tale “whooping” sound.

Young infants may not have typical pertussis symptoms and may have no apparent cough. Parents describe episodes in which the infant’s face turns red or purple. For adults, pertussis may simply be a cough that lasts for several weeks. CDPH is working closely with local health departments, schools, media outlets and other partners to inform the general public about the importance of vaccination against pertussis. Current pertussis data, including the number of cases in each county, can be found on the CDPH website. www.cdph.ca.gov.

Powerful body that runs Internet backbone mulls future

By Naomi O’Leary

LONDON, June 27, 2014 (AFP) – Some came in suits, some came in stilettos, and some came in sci-fi t-shirts, but together they could shape the future of the Internet.

In a London hotel, over 3,300 technicians, government representatives, academics and members of the domain name industry gathered this week for the largest ever meeting of the powerful body that runs the Internet’s key infrastructure: the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Its name is one of numerous acronyms that can make the world of the

Internet’s managing forces seem impenetrable to outsiders.

But its policies are of enormous importance, deciding what addresses like .com, .org or .fr exist, and who has the right to use them.

Over the last two years, ICANN has overseen the highest ever expansion of these generic Top-Level Domains—it awarded .catholic to the Vatican, but opted to give .amazon to the South American region rather than the online business.

It must balance the demands of myriad corporations, interest groups and governments, eking out compromises to ensure the system sticks to one set of rules and does not split into regional

‘internets’.

To this end, ICANN is trying to transform itself from an institution overseen by the US government into a globally representative body—and some say now is the time to change how it is run.

“ICANN’s procedures highlight its inability to take into account the legitimate concerns of states,” the French delegation to ICANN said in a statement Wednesday.

“Today ICANN is not the appropriate forum to discuss Internet governance.”

The attack followed a standoff over the .wine and .vin domains, which France believes should be legally pro-

Facebook under fire over ‘creepy’ secret study

By Peter Stebbings

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2014 (AFP) – Facebook secretly manipulated the feelings of 700,000 users to understand “emotional contagion” in a study that prompted anger and forced the social network giant on the defensive.

For one week in 2012, Facebook tampered with the algorithm used to place posts into users’ news feeds to study how this affected their mood, all without their explicit consent or knowledge.

The researchers wanted to see if the number of positive or negative words in messages the users read determined whether they then posted positive or negative content in their status updates.

The study, conducted by researchers affiliated with Facebook, Cornell University and the University of California at San Francisco, appeared in the June 17 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (www.pnas.org/content/111/24/8788. full.pdf).

Results of the study spread – and with that anger and disbelief – when the online magazine Slate and The Atlantic website wrote about it Saturday.

“Emotional states can be transferred to others via emotional contagion, leading people to experience the same emotions without their awareness,” the study authors wrote.

“These results indicate that emotions expressed by others on Facebook influence our own emotions, constituting experimental evidence for massive-scale contagion via social networks.”

While other research has used

metadata to study trends, this experiment appears to be unique because it manipulated the data to see if there was a reaction.

‘Super disturbing’ The social network, which counts more than one billion active users, said in a statement that “none of the data used was associated with a specific person’s Facebook account.”

“We do research to improve our services and to make the content people see on Facebook as relevant and engaging as possible,” it added.

“A big part of this is understanding how people respond to different types of content, whether it’s positive or negative in tone, news from friends or information from pages they follow.

We carefully consider what research we do and have a strong internal review process.”

In the paper, the researchers said the study “was consistent with Facebook’s Data Use Policy, to which all users agree prior to creating an account on Facebook.”

But that did nothing to stem the growing anger of Facebook users. “#Facebook MANIPULATED USER FEEDS FOR MASSIVE PSYCH EXPERIMENT... Yeah, time to close FB acct!” one Twitter user said.

Other tweets used words like “super disturbing,” “creepy” and “evil,” as well as angry expletives, to describe the psychological experiment.

Susan Fiske, a Princeton University professor who edited the report for publication, said the researchers assured her the study had been approved ahead of time by an ethics review board.

“They approved the study as ex-

Google starts ‘forgetting’ things in Europe

By Glenn Chapman

SAN FRANCISCO, June 26, 2014 (AFP) – Google on Thursday said that it is “forgetting” things in Europe to comply with a legal ruling granting people the power to have certain information about them removed from searches.

“This week, we’re starting to take action on the removal requests that we’ve received,” Google said in an email response to an AFP inquiry.

“Each request has to be assessed individually and we’re working as quickly as possible to get through the queue.”

The California-based Internet search colossus continues to work with data protection authorities to refine processes and standards regarding what information about people merits removal and which deserves to remain in the best interests of the public. A Google spokesman said the world’s leading search engine received 12,000 requests from people seeking to be “forgotten” the day an online form went live in May. Google set up the form page to allow Europeans to request the

removal of results about them from Internet searches.

In May, the European Court of Justice ruled that individuals have the right to have links to information about them deleted from searches in certain circumstances, such as if the data is outdated or inaccurate.

Google has said that each request would be examined individually to determine whether it met the ruling’s criteria.

Privacy versus censorship The ruling on the right to be forgotten comes amid growing concern in Europe about individuals’ ability to protect their personal data and manage their reputations online.

“The court’s ruling requires Google to make difficult judgments about an individual’s right to be forgotten and the public’s right to know,” a Google spokesman said in a previous statement.

Google created an advisory committee to help strike a balance between freedom of information and people’s rights when it comes to not being haunted by untruths or acts from the past on the Internet.

empt, because it is essentially a preexisting dataset, part of FB’s ongoing research into filtering users’ news feeds for what they will find most interesting,” she told AFP in an email.

“Many ethical issues are open to debate, and this one seems to have struck a nerve.”

Katherine Sledge Moore, a psychology professor at Elmhurst College, said the study was fairly standard overall, especially for so-called “deception studies,” in which participants are given one purpose for the research when they provide initial consent and told later what the study is really about.

In this case, however, the study’s subjects did not even know they were in it.

“Based on what Facebook does with their newsfeed all of the time and based on what we’ve agreed to by joining Facebook, this study really isn’t that out of the ordinary,” Moore said.

“The results are not even that alarming or exciting.”

tected, in a similar way to how the European Union limits who can use the drink label ‘Champagne’.

ICANN’s leadership dismisses the French characterization that it is opaque and lacks accountability, contending that it is a pioneer in transparency that needs little advice from governments. “When I prepare a draft budget, let alone a draft plan, even before it’s vetted by my leaders it’s put on the Internet for anyone to comment on,” said Jean-Jacques Sahel, ICANN’s Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement for Europe.

“Tell me what corporation, international organization or government consults on its draft budget and draft plans at such a detailed level?”

Strange contraption ICANN’s complex and unusual structure grew out of the peculiarities of the early Internet, when its core job was done by just one man: Jon Postel, a California computer scientist known as the ‘God of the Internet’.

“It’s a strange contraption. It’s a private corporation but it’s making public policy,” said Milton Mueller, a professor at the Syracuse University School of Information Studies who has worked in ICANN’s decision-making process.

“It’s like what Winston Churchill said about democracy – it’s the worst system apart from all the others.”

Its board of 21 directors is partly appointed by an independent committee, and is split between various stakeholders and industry bodies, with govern-

ments and ‘Internet users’ represented by a board member each.

Decisions are made through ‘rough consensus’, according to which suggestions that are put to ICANN are developed into a report by a committee, which is then put out for public review, and discussed and revised until a consensus is reached, or as a last resort the board decides.

Currently under debate: the question of who should have access to the contact details of anyone who registers a website domain name – currently searchable through a system called Whois.

Police, governments and copyright lawyers, not to mention journalists, have a huge interest in the data, and it raises obvious questions about privacy.

But the technical nature of the issues at stake can be an obstacle.

A Japanese promotional video for the .jp domain name manager JPRS made light of the problem, featuring an employee who brings on instant narcolepsy to all who overhear him describe his job.

“Those jargons might put you to sleep but this job is really important,” he tells a sufferer of chronic insomnia, who promptly slips into unconsciousness.

It has more than a grain of truth.

In the middle of a press conference to explain the importance of ICANN’s 50th meeting, the chairman of its board slipped into a gentle slumber at the podium.

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With or without GOP, Obama will act on immigration

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2014 (AFP) – President Barack Obama ignited a new power showdown with Republicans Monday, vowing to fix America’s broken immigration system alone after Congress refused to vote on his top remaining domestic priority this year.

Obama rebuked Republican leaders who will not pass a “darn bill” because they fear conservative activists who oppose offering a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented migrants as “amnesty.”

If the lawmakers allowed a vote, “they would be following the will of the majority of the American people who support reform,” Obama said in a statement to reporters in the White House Rose Garden laced with sarcasm and bitterness.

“Instead, they have proven again and again that they’re unwilling to stand up to the Tea Party in order to do what’s best for the country.”

Obama said House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner told him last week that his chamber would not vote this year on comprehensive legislation that passed the Democratic-run Senate a year ago.

Obama, searching for a genuine legacy-enhancing achievement to adorn his battered second term, argued that he thus had no choice but to act to stem a building immigration crisis.

“If Congress will not do their job, at least we can do ours,” he said, revealing he had asked the Department of Homeland Security to come up with recommendations within the next few months, which he pledged to immediately implement using his executive powers.

Obama said he would surge resources to secure the southwestern US border, where a flood of tens of thousands of child migrants from Central America has stretched customs services and deepened the partisan bile over immigration reform.

Obama’s moves will further inflame the fiery showdown between the Democratic president and Republicans ahead of mid-term congressional elections in November. Republicans accuse Obama of exceeding his presidential power in a series of actions on health reform, immigration enforcement and personnel issues.

Their case was bolstered by a unanimous Supreme Court ruling last week that found the president overstepped his powers by appointing several officials to a Labor Relations Board without the consent of Congress.

Obama’s salvo against Republicans came after the administration announced over the weekend that it would ask Congress for more than $2 billion to enforce the southern border and speed up repatriations of some of the 52,000 unaccompanied minors that crossed illegally into the country since October.

The move will ensure that deportations are handled as humanely as possible, while still ensuring the protection of asylum seekers and refugees, the president wrote in a letter to congressional leaders.

The president also asked for additional authority for the Department of Homeland Security to process and remove unaccompanied child migrants from nations like Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador who transited through Mexico.

Obama wants to surge immigration judges to the area and to do more to crack down on criminal and smuggling networks.

The request will also include funds for Central American nations to reintegrate returned migrants.

Obama campaigned in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections for comprehensive immigration reform – racking up huge majorities from Hispanic voters, for whom the issue is deeply resonant.

The president said he was certain that Republican leaders did in fact want to move on the issue, but were unable to get their party’s rank and file on board.

He is almost certainly correct. Political analysts warn that Republicans cannot continue to alienate the rapidly growing Hispanic population and win presidential elections.

But the issue leaves Republican leaders deeply exposed among the party’s grassroots, and activists are whipped up every day by a chorus of invective about the reform bill on conservative talk radio.

Earlier this month, the number two Republican leader in the House, Eric Cantor, lost a primary nominating contest in his seat in Virginia in a shocking result largely attributed to conservative outrage over the possibility of reform.

He quit his post as a result.

Political power players in Washington quickly adopted political positions after the president spoke.

“Speaker Boehner has made it absolutely clear that he won’t lift a finger to fix our broken immigration system, so President Obama is right to protect families from being torn apart,” said Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid.

President Barack Obama walks with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Vice President Joe Biden on the Colonnade prior to an event for the 2013 President’s Cup championship teams in the East Room of the White House, June 24, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

US says Mexican chopper crosses border, shoots twice LOS ANGELES, June 28, 2014 (AFP) – A Mexican military helicopter ventured around 100 yards (meters) into the United States and fired two shots, the US border security agency said Friday in a claim quickly denied by Mexico.

The alleged incident took place Thursday at 5:45 am (1245 GMT) when “a Mexican law enforcement helicopter crossed... north into Arizona,” said a statement from US Customs and Border Protection.

“Two shots were fired from the helicopter, but no injuries or damage to US property were reported.”

The agency said the incident, which occurred some eight miles (13 kilometers) southwest of the village of San Miguel, on the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation, “is currently under investigation.”

The Mexican helicopter was on “a law enforcement operation near the border,” it added. Local media reported the helicopter was part of a counternarcotics mission. But criminal investigator Tomas Zeron de Lucio of Mexico’s attorney general’s office denied the Mexican helicopter had crossed the border, and said the operation was “agreed and coordi-

nated” with the US border patrol.

“The operation was on the border... I do not think we crossed the border, because we brought our navigation systems,” he told reporters. Zeron said the helicopter had not fired any shots, but that instead, it was suspected drug runners who had shot at the aircraft. He said that during the operation, conducted at a ranch suspected to be used as a border crossing for drugs and illegal migrants since 2006, Mexican security forces arrested four people and found 39 migrants, including 13 from outside Mexico.

SoCal man with Al-Qai’da links gets 13 years prison term LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man who admitted that he intended to assist al-Qai’da by traveling to Pakistan, where he would provide weapons training to members of the terrorist group, was sentenced this morning to 13 years in federal prison.

Sinh Vinh Ngo Nguyen, 25, of Garden Grove, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who called the crime “a very serious offense that requires a correspondingly long sentence.”

Nguyen pleaded guilty late last

year to one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Nguyen, who also used the name Hasan Abu Omar Ghannoum, admitted that in late 2012 he travelled to Syria where he joined opposition forces. Using a social network site during a four-month period he was in Syria, Nguyen told people that he was fighting against the Assad regime and that he had had a “confirmed kill.”

After he returned to the United States, Nguyen told associates that he had offered to train al-Qai’da

forces in Syria, but his offer had been turned down.

Between August 3 and October 11, 2013 Nguyen met with a man he thought was an al-Qai’da recruiter, but who in fact was working with the FBI. Within the first few minutes of their first meetings, Nguyen began questioning the man to determine if he was a fellow jihadist, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court.

Nguyen told the man about his exploits in Syria and said he wanted to return to jihad because “this was what he was born to do.”

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Maggots? Zwitterions?

New products enter the ever-evolving first-aid kit

Fruits and vegetables important for health but don’t lead to weight loss

(Relaxnews) – In the quest to ease the transition from wounded to healed, the art of treating wounds has entered an innovative phase, the latest development in which Taiwanese researchers presented a porous dressing they say works faster than commercially available products.

The porous quality of the material allows wounds to breathe, while the addition of an element they call zwitterions wicks bacteria and dried blood away from the wound site instead of allowing it to collect as it does with conventional bandaging.

The research was published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Bacteria-laden bandages, browning from blood stains, are fading into the past, and a product called WoundSeal hopes to eliminate them forever.

It’s a powder made of hydrophilic polymer and potassium ferrate that forms an artificial scab to stop bleeding. Designed to heal cuts, skin tears and avulsions, it is said to be easily applied and sticks after 30 seconds of applied pressure.

This week the company, Biolife LLC, announced sales of WoundSeal have exceeded four million units for the month of June.

“The response from seniors with thin skin, those who bleed easily and active adults who want to stop bleeding instantly has been overwhelming,” says Andrew McFall, vice president of Biolife.

Competition for the top of the market may get ferocious in light of a discovery, published in February in the journal Science, by Swiss researchers of what is best described as a glue whose treatment spectrum starts with small cuts and expands

(Relaxnews) – Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have found that increasing fruit and vegetable intake does not lead to weight loss, despite decades-old popular belief.

A team of investigators performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of data of more than 1,200 subjects in seven randomized, controlled trials to explore the weight loss effects of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

“Across the board, all studies we reviewed showed a near-zero effect on weight loss,” says study leader Kathryn Kaiser, Ph.D., instructor in the UAB School of Public Health. “So I don’t think eating more alone is necessarily an effective approach for weight loss because just adding them on top of whatever foods a person may be eating is not likely to cause weight change.”

According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate initiative, the recommended daily serving amount for adults is 1.5-2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables, although dieters are often advised to “fill up” on fruits and vegetables based on the assumption that the low-calorie foods will satiate by taking up space in the digestive tract.

“In the overall context of a healthy diet, energy reduction is the way to help lose weight, so to reduce weight you have to reduce caloric intake,” Kaiser said.

“People make the assumption that higher-fiber foods like fruits and vegetables will displace the less healthy foods, and that’s a mechanism to lose weight; but our findings from the best available evidence show that effect doesn’t seem to be present among people simply instructed to increase fruit

to broken bones.

Researchers call it “engineered growth factor” because it’s essentially a reproduction of elements that humans and animals produce naturally to allow growth and wound-healing.

The adhesive aspect of the innovation keeps the growth factor proteins in place and prevents their over-concentration.

And announced in April in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie, a team from the Soft Materials and Chemistry Laboratory (ESPCI/ CNRS) and the Laboratory for Vascular Translational Science (Paris Diderot University) in France tested a material called “nanoglue,” made with silica nanoparticles, that was able to repair deep wounds better than stitches.

In one unusual case, innovation in the first aid revolution involves reverting to the Middle Ages. Inspired by mounting resistance to antibiotics, French dermatologists gave “maggot therapy” another look in a 2012 study that was published in JAMA Dermatology.

Because maggots feed only on dead flesh, they clean wounds nicely, particularly surgical incisions.

“Maggot debridement takes out all the dead and infected tissue, which is necessary for the wound to close,” said lead author Anne Dompmartin-Blanchère, a dermatologist at the University Hospital Center of Caen in France.

While the idea of maggots on an open wound may seem ghastly, another study, published the same year in the journal Wound Repair and Regeneration, showed their excretions activate the patient’s immune responses, clearing out infection-causing pathogens rather than inviting them.

and vegetable intake.”

Fruits and vegetables provide many vitamins and fiber, so even if they don’t promote weight loss, it seems unlikely they could do harm unless consumed in extreme quantities.

A study comparing the popular Mediterranean diet to a reduced-fat diet says that while the former may not promote weight loss, it significantly reduces risk of type 2 diabetes, significantly more than the latter.

Another study, published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine, worked with patients at risk for cardiac disease, concluding that fol-

lowers of the Mediterranean diet were 30 percent less likely to experience heart attack or stroke than those on a low-fat diet.

Possibly, though, the attention given to fruits and vegetables casts a shadow over other important dietary foods.

For example, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that eating two eggs for breakfast can lead to weight loss, which some might find surprising because eggs are sometimes associated with weight gain.

Kaiser’s study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

8

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KITCHENOMICS Potato Salad with Peppers and Onions Servings: 6 Mustard Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons mustard 1 tablespoon water 1/2 cup vinegar Juice of one lemon Fresh ground black pepper 2 cups olive oil Salt, to taste Salad: 4 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled 1 medium yellow or orange pepper 1 medium onion 3/4 cup Mustard Vinaigrette Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper For vinaigrette, combine all ingredients

in bowl except oil and whisk until frothy.

Whip mixture continuously as steady stream of oil is added. Whisk until all oil is incorporated. Season to taste.

For salad, boil potatoes in lightly salted water. Cut pepper into thin, 2-inch strips. Cut onion into thin slices.

Slice warm boiled potatoes into salad bowl, scatter sliced peppers and onions over them and pour on about 1/2 cup vinaigrette.

Using hands, gently mix salad until each potato slice is coated with vinaigrette and onions and peppers are well distributed.

Taste salad and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Let salad stand at least an hour. Before serving, taste salad again and add vinaigrette to taste. Nutritional information per serving: 280 calories; 18 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat); 2 g protein; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g dietary fiber; 0 mg cholesterol; 10 mg sodium; 2 g sugar.

FAMILY FEATURES

W

henever friends and family gather to celebrate warm weather days, potato salad is probably the most popular side dish served. However, the traditional salad made with mayonnaise and eggs that we all know and love is being passed by for lighter versions that include more vegetables, different protein sources and healthier dressings.

Simple sides The best part is — these salads are easy to make. Cut your Idaho potatoes into 1-inch cubes with the skins still on. Boil in water for about 8–15 minutes, then check for doneness by piercing a cube with a fork or skewer. If it goes through with little resistance, drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add your favorite dressing and ingredients while the potatoes are still warm. Warm potatoes more easily absorb all the delicious dressing.

Fix ahead dishes These decadent dishes are best eaten the day after they’re made. This gives the flavors a chance to intensify and come together. When you’re ready to serve, keep your cold salad the perfect temperature by placing your serving dish in a larger bowl filled with ice.

Treat your family to potato salads they’ve never tasted before. For more recipes for salads and other potato dishes, visit www.

IdahoPotato.com.

Potato, Cucumber and Dill Salad Servings: 4 3 large Idaho potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, or 1 tablespoon dried whole dill weed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large cucumber, unpeeled and thinly sliced Place potato slices in 9-inch square microwave-safe baking dish; cover with microwaveable plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH 9–11 minutes or until tender, stirring gently every three minutes.

Combine vinegar, mustard, oil, dill and salt in small jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously. Pour vinegar mixture over potatoes.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Gently mix in sliced cucumber before serving.

Nutritional information per serving: 350 calories; 14 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat); 6 g protein; 51 g carbohydrate; 5 g dietary fiber; 0 mg cholesterol; 450 mg sodium; 4 g sugar.

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MOTORING Google drives into infotainment with Android Auto

(Relaxnews) – The search company’s answer to Apple’s CarPlay will, like the iPhone system, project smartphone apps and functionality to consumers’ car dashboards, and the first vehicle to boast the new system will be the Volvo XC90, which goes on sale at the end of 2014.

And the XC90 will be followed in 2015 by cars from Audi, General Motors, Hyundai and Honda that will all feature the system.

The point of Android Auto is to make it safer and more intuitive to use a phone while driving. So, when a handset is connected to a car, certain apps won’t be accessible – for example video streaming or anything that presents dense text – that could increase distraction, and those that are accessible will be slightly tweaked for the same reason.

So, there’s an in-car version of Google Maps and certain non-Google apps will also appear on screen, like Spotify, but for the most part Google’s core features are front and center but in voice operation mode. You can dictate text messages while driving and have the system read received messages to you, and saying “OK Google” will access Google Now or initiate a web search.

As the smartphone becomes more and more indispensable to modern life, so do the risks of them being the cause of a road traffic accident. A 2013 study by the University of Utah, highlights the risks that mobile devices, including those with in-car settings can cause. It found that even smartphones with full hands-free functionality can lack effectiveness as although the driver’s eyes remained fixed on the

road, his or her concentration is split between the driving conditions and interacting with devices.

As Volvo’s Senior Vice President, Product Strategy & Vehicle Line Management, Lex Kerssemakers, said about the company’s decision to sign up to Google’s system: “Volvo Car Group’s philosophy when it comes to the use of the technology in our cars reflects our customers’ desire to get the best from their lives without adding complexity.

Android Auto represents another step towards creating a unique, enjoyable and easy-to-use experience in Volvo cars.”

Both Google and Apple are trying to cut these risks by developing in-car systems and although some are worried that the competitive tactics the two tech titans typically adopt could lead to entire car companies being incompatible with a phone’s operating system – e.g., General Motors is Android but Ford is iOS, – nothing could be further from the truth.

Following Android Auto’s official unveiling at the Google I/O developers conference, 15 car makers and a host of after-market companies announced that they would be supporting the system, and many of them, including Honda, Volvo, Ford and Nissan, have already pledged to support Apple’s CarPlay system too.

Mag

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Volvo Cars adds Android Auto to its next generation of cars. Like Apple’s CarPlay Android Auto brings smartphone apps safely to the car dashboard. ©Volvo

Honda’s first jet takes to the skies (TOKYO-AFP) – Honda’s first business jet has logged its maiden flight ahead of its expected certification and delivery next year, the Japanese company said in a weekend press release.

The 84-minute flight of the first production HondaJet took place on Friday near the world headquarters of Honda Aircraft, the aviation subsidiary of the automobile giant, in Greensboro in the US state of North Carolina, the statement said.“With this first flight, the HondaJet program has entered the next exciting phase as we prepare for delivery,” Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino said.

“Today’s celebration is the cul-

This handout picture taken by Japan’s auto giant Honda Motor on June 27, 2014 shows Honda Motor’s aviation subsidiary Honda Aircraft’s first production HondaJet during a test flight at Greensboro, United States. Honda’s first business jet has logged its maiden flight ahead of its expected certification and delivery next year, the Japanese company said in a weekend press release. ©AFP PHOTO / HONDA MOTOR

mination of extensive engineering and production efforts, and

this is an important achievement in bringing the world’s most advanced light jet to market.”

The HondaJet is currently offered for sale in North America and Europe through the HondaJet dealer network, the statement said. The plane, which seats up to five passengers in a standard configuration, flies at a maximum cruise speed of 483 miles per hour (777 kph) and has a maximum altitude of 43,000 feet (13,106 meters), it added. Priced at $4.5 million, it has received more than 100 orders from businesses and affluent customers, Japanese media said. In 2006, Honda announced its plan to commercialize business jet production.

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reach my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the

count on You...I trust in You...I throw myself at Your mercy...Lord Jesus! You will not fail me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your love for me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked for many

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ENTERT

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INMENT

Kris on Bistek: I truly loved him True love graciously lets go.”

This was TV host Kris Aquino’s message as she finally opened up about her failed relationship with Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Aquino admitted she got hurt when she watched Bautista’s television interview where he admitted that he no longer wants to get back with her.

Bautista was placed on the hot seat in Bandila’s “Yes or No” segment last June 6 regarding the real story behind his relationship with Aquino.

He was asked a series of questions on the topic, and why the relationship abruptly came to an end last April.

Baustista was first grilled on whether the two were ever in a relationship.

He quickly answered yes but was clearly taken aback when host Karen Davila followed up with: “Mahal mo ba si Kris Aquino?”

The mayor tried to dodge the question, saying he will let the segment’s allotted time to run out before answering yes or no.

But after seeing that the hosts were adamant for an answer, Bautista replied: “Oo.” The former actor was then prodded further on whether he would like to get back together with the actress or if he would ever court Aquino again, to which he answered “no” to both.

On Sunday, Aquino said she “tried to keep quiet” about the issue – a difficult task considering that she has two daily talk shows, “Kris TV” and “Aquino & Abunda Tonight,” plus “The Buzz” on Sundays.

“Ironic nga na siya naman ang unang nagsalita when ako ‘yung expected ng lahat na mag-overshare,” Aquino noted. “I did keep

quiet for one very human reason.

I got hurt for that very same reason because I truly loved him.”

“In a perfect world, the love you give the person you love will be the same type of love that he will give you. At magiging tama ang timing niyong dalawa na lahat ng mga mahal niyo, lahat ng mga taong mahalaga at may responsibilidad kayo sa kanila, handa na rin silang intindihin kayo,” she added.

Aquino also said her sons supported her relationship with Bautista.

“Bimb was very vocal in saying he did like HB because he made mama happy. Kahit seven years old lang si Bimb, sabi niya he just wants his mama to be happy. My two sons were ready to share me and my love,” she said.

Although it was difficult, she said she had faith in their relationship.

“When he asks you to spend your life with him, you do say yes kasi naniniwala ka that everything will fall into place because what you have, you will feel it was meant to be. You have faith in forever,” she said.

“For someone who came from heartbreak, that was so hard to believe in forever again. And you believed that he wasn’t going to play games. And you believed na meron ka ng lifetime companion,” Aquino explained.

When the relationship did not push through, Aquino said she opted to see the breakup from Bautista’s perspective, because she is also a parent.

Bautista had earlier admitted that relationship ended because of his children. “Yung mga anak ko siyempre. I love my children,” he has said.

Bautista has two children – Athena, 18, and Harvey, 10 -- with

Kris Aquino

long-time girlfriend Tates Gana.

Aquino revealed that Bautista had even talked to her son James “Bimby” Yap Jr. “You forgive dahil kahit sinaktan ka, mahal na mahal mo pa rin siya and kahit paano, humanga ka pa rin sa kanya. Kasi personal niyang pinuntahan si Bimb, kinausap niya yung anak ko man to man. Simple siyang nag-sorry kay Bimb kasi alam niyang nakita ni Bimb na nasaktan ako at nakita ni Bimb na umiiyak ako.

Somehow he knew that he should set an example for Bimb,” she added.

“As a gentleman, even when you do go through a breakup, boys should own up to it and say sorry. And that sons will always instinctively feel yung pain na nararamdaman ng nanay nila at gugustuhin na protektahan ang nanay. Because he loves his chil-

dren so much, he knows na significant ang feelings ng mga bata,” she said.

Aquino admitted that prior to Bautista’s interview on “Bandila,” she expected have a second shot at their failed relationship.

“Somehow, you find the strength to rebuild the friendship.

And when he tells you na babalik siya kapag naayos na ang lahat ng kailangan niyang ayusin, starting with fixing himself, because mahal mo siya, aasa ka. And every day magdadasal ka. Ang prayer mo, sana God it’s part of your will that we will be together in the future,” Aquino admitted.

“Tapos isang gabi makakanood ka sa ‘Bandila,’ and you hear him answer about you,” she continued. “And it wakes you up to reality na wala pala talagang somewhere down the road para sa inyo and you can’t stop crying because

‘yung future na ikala mo, ‘yung pinagdarasal mo, that future that kept you going, that dream just disappears.”

Despite this, Aquino left a message for Bautista.

“I don’t want to make a mistake sa sasabihn ko kasi simple lang ang mensahe ko. True love graciously lets go,” she said.

“Sincere ito, para kay Mayor Herbert, from my heart, I really wish that kung anong magpapaligaya sa buhay mo, kung ano ang kukumpleto sa ‘yo bilang tao, sana lahat ng ‘yun mapunta talaga sa ‘yo, sana makamit mo ‘yun.”

“Kahit hindi nga maganda ang naging ending natin, ito yung first time na nakapagsalita ako na hindi ako umiiyak, hindi ako galit. Grateful lang ako na dumating ka sa buhay ko. Someday, sana maging magkaibigan pa rin tayo,” she said. (MNS)

12

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No special treatment for Jinggoy, Bong – Trillanes

VERY VERY WEAK From page 1

Precy Ejercito was also present.

Meanwhile, Erap also said that he remains confident that Jinggoy will be acquitted.

“We think so, kagaya din nung the last time that I was charged, sinama rin si Jinggoy. After two and a half years naacquit din siya. ‘Yan din ang mangyayari ngayon,” Erap said.

Sen. Estrada was charged with his father, Erap, then president, for plunder.

Erap was later found guilty of pocketing government funds.

Supportive family

Erap also said Jinggoy has the full support of the Estrada clan.

“I’m very confident that he can defend himself. He has my family’s support,” he said.

He added, however, that he worries for Jinggoy’s children, saying Jinggoy’s case was “mental torture.”

“Siyempre masakit ‘yun but I know he will overcome it. But what I’m worried about are his children, ‘yung mga apo ko.

It’s mental torture. Pati ang nanay niyang si Dra. Loi, ‘di ko na makausap. Dasal na lang ng dasal,” he said. (MNS)

NOT GUILTY From page 1

Napoles’ driver John Raymund de Asis. Labayen, and De Asis remain at large.

Estrada allegedly diverted his PDAF allocation to fake NGOs put up by Napoles, and pocketed P183.79 million in kickbacks.

Aside from one count of plunder, Estrada is also accused of 11 counts of graft.

In a separate interview before Estrada’s arraignment, his lawyer Jose Flaminiano said the senator has a good chance of being granted bail for plunder, a non-bailable offense.

Flaminiano said the prosecution’s case and pieces of evidence against Estrada are “very weak.”

“Palagay ko malakas ang laban sa bail.

Katunayan gusto amyendahan ng prosecution ang kanilang demanda dahil napakahina ang kanilang demanda. ‘Yung ebidensya nila very weak and insufficient kaya malaki ang laban sa bail,” the lawyer said.

Flaminiano refused to divulge the defense camp’s strategy to secure Estrada’s acquittal on plunder and graft charges.

Last week, the Ombudsman attempted to amend Estrada’s plunder case by emphasizing that the senator “amassed, accumulated and acquired ill-gotten wealth in connivance or in conspiracy with his accused public officer and private individuals.”

Prosecutors however ended up withdrawing their motion to amend Estrada’s plunder case after Associate Justice Roland Jurado, Sandiganbayan Fifth Division chairperson, warned them that revisions in the case may lead Estrada’s release from detention.

Immediately after Estrada’s surrender last June 23, his lawyers filed a petition before the Sandiganbayan to allow the senator to post bail, claiming the evidence against him “is not strong.” (MNS)

ASSAULT From page 1

staking its claims to the sea, a vital shipping lane also believed to contain vast oil and mineral deposits.

Parts of the sea are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Filipino military officials had said the maneuvers were designed to plug “capability gaps” within the Philippine military, considered one of the weakest in the region.

The Philippines has increasingly looked

Mag

THE US ASIAN POST

at the United States to boost its military capabilities amid the Chinese threat.

In recent years, the Philippine acquired two US ships to patrol its coasts.

In April, the allies signed a defense pact that would see thousands of US troops stationed in the country in the next decade, including in Subic, once the country’s largest naval shipyard outside US soil until 1992 when it was shut.

Tayo!

MANILA, June 30 (Mabuhay) – Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada are not receiving any special treatment at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said Monday.

Trillanes, who was detained for three years in Camp Crame, said there are schedules set for visitation three times a week.

“Meron pong naka-schedule diyan na visitation period, normally 3 times a week... Basta minsan, hanggang alastres lang, minsan hanggang alas-singko, tapos tuwing Biyernes merong conjugal visit na tinatawag,” he said. The senator said it is normal for guests to overstay at the PNP Custodial Center during special

occasions such as Christmas Day. “Normally, if you exceed visiting hours, sinusundo yan ng custodians,” he said.

However, he also questioned reports that some guests stay until the wee hours of the morning.

“Kung medyo umabot ng madaling araw, ibang usapan ho iyon. Pero kung ganyang araw ng visitation, regular po ‘yan,” he said. Trillanes emphasized that Estrada and Revilla are not threats to national security. He said the purpose of jails and detention cells is to make sure that the accused will be able to attend hearings.

The senator also pointed out that Estrada and Revilla are accused parties that must be granted all their rights.

DRILON

From page 1

cated professionals, especially the youth, to work in government and help craft policies and programs that will benefit our people,” stressed Drilon.

In 2013, there were 1,205,375 government employees, he noted.

Drilon said he believes that improved government collection in the past years could provide the state ample funds to capacitate a new Salary Standardization Law. “With the kind of fiscal discipline being observed by the administration for the past years, I believe we have a great chance of raising government wages without negatively affecting our budget deficit. It is highly important that we help government workers as prices for everyday essentials such as rice or vegetables go up,” he said.

“Our policy makers must ceaselessly look at parts of the National Budget which could permit and put into action sustainable salary augmentation, in a manner

that would help our workers, yet would not result in budgetary deficit or decreases in other important sectors such as social and health services,” he emphasized Drilon also said that improvements in the compensation of policemen and other law enforcers would help drive up recruitment, enabling the state to field more police officers who would protect the public.

In an earlier statement, President Aquino had acknowledged that more police officers are needed amid many reports of crime in the nation.

“One good effect of increasing the salary of our government workers is that it can help us fill in the numbers as far as more policemen or soldiers are concerned. By making these professions more financially rewarding, we help convince more people to enlist in our security services, and that means more people in the fight against crime and disorder in our streets,” he said.

(MNS)

AUTONOMY From page 1

“There’s a need to further refine the language so that it really states a meeting of the minds of both parties.”

Aquino said he and Murad reviewed the “broad strokes on how to come up with the basic law that will ensure swift passage in Congress,” during a 10-minute meeting on the sidelines of a Hiroshima peace conference.

He said their representatives are to meet again next week to thrash out the fine print of the document before Aquino is to submit it to Congress when it resumes sessions in late July.

Early passage will allow Aquino to name

an MILF-led, 15-member “transition authority” that will temporarily lead the autonomous region until its residents vote for a regional assembly in May 2016.

This would give the transition team “time to demonstrate its abilities”, he said.

The MILF, with 10,000 armed followers, is the biggest rebel group and its signing of the accord has raised hopes of an enduring peace in the south, despite other breakaway groups still vowing to fight.

The Hiroshima meeting was the second between Aquino and Murad in Japan since a 2011 encounter that built momentum in the peace process.

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