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VOL. 8 NO. 331

SEIZED

Some Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel presents guns and explosives seized from the members of the Francisco robbery hold up group operating in Batangas City, in a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Monday. The PNP served the search warrant that resulted in an armed encounter, including the death of the five suspects and arrest of the two other suspects in Nasugbu, Batangas.

JOEY RAZON / PNA

Duterte open to reviewing BOL provisions: Palace

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte is open to reviewing provisions in the recently signed Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) if there are sectors that are not satisfied with it, Malacañang said on Monday.

“I think the general sentiment of the

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President is if there are those who object, we’re open to reviewing those specific provisions,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

On July 26, Roque announced that Duterte has finally signed the landmark legislation, which is expected to pave the way for lasting peace in Mindanao.

‘Misconception’ blamed for Senate’s poor support on TRAIN 2

16 ‘Build, Build, Build’ creates over 600K jobs since April: DOLE

❱❱ PAGE 7 Duterte open

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AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Trillanes to slap Teo, Tulfo brothers with plunder raps over P60-M DOT ad

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer SENATOR ANTONIO Trillanes IV said he will slap former Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo and her brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo, with plunder charges over the P60-million advertisement controversy involving Department of Tourism (DOT), government-owned People’s Television Network Inc. (PTNI), and Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. (BMUI).

“I intend to file a plunder case against Tulfo siblings in relation to the 60M DOT ad controversy,” Trillanes said on Monday, July 30.

His remarks came after Ben Tulfo, chief executive officer (CEO) of BMUI, announced that he would not return the P60 million money paid to them by the government for advertisement placements on “Kilos Pronto,” a news magazine show on PTV-4 which features Ben, Erwin, and Alex Santos.

“Sa mga nagsasabing isauli ang pera at hinihintay daw ang 60-M, mamuti na mga mata niyo! Wala kaming isasauli! Sa mga nagsasabing ilegal at nangulimbat

kami, eh ‘di sampahan niyo kami ng kaso, tutal nandyan naman ang COA (Commission on Audit) at Ombudsman (To those saying that we should return the money and are waiting for the P60-million, may your eyes turn white! We have nothing to return! To those saying what we did was illegal and we stole the money, sue us since there is the COA and the Ombudsman)!” Ben Tulfo said in a Facebook post on July 26, Thursday.

Tulfo insisted that there was no irregularity in the airing of the DOT advertisements, saying that they have all the contracts and documents to prove that what they did was legal.

Trillanes, in his statement called on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to act on his resolution seeking an inquiry into the issue “so we could determine the magnitude of corruption, specifically, how much more of the people’s money was squandered by the previous leadership.”

In an audit report on the DOT for 2017, the COA found out that Teo may be liable for alleged conflict of interest over the contract.

Of the P120 million project, the COA

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

said, 75 percent or P89.9 million went to “Kilos Pronto” program.

“Considering that the DOT Secretary and the producer of ‘Kilos Pronto’ are siblings, there is a possible conflict of interest, which may be a violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” the report read.

However, Teo denied this, saying that it was PTNI or PTV-4 that decided on what program the ads would be placed.

“Ang contract po was between PTV4 and DOT because iyong request po ni Presidente [Rodrigo Duterte] (The contract was between PTV-4 and DOT be-

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cause the President’s request) is we support the government station,” Teo said in May. “Wala na po akong pakialam kung ilalagay nila sa kapatid ko (It is not my concern if they put it on my brother’s program). There is no conflict of interest because at the end of the day, the contract was between PTV-4 and DOT,” she added.

Teo stepped down from her post in May amid the DOT ad controversy. She was then replaced by former Agriculture undersecretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat. ■

House leadership change delays Duterte’s 3rd SONA

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday has been delayed for almost an hour after the House of Representatives (HOR) went through a change in House leadership.

Duterte’s SONA was supposed to start at 4 p.m.

Malacañang earlier said that the President’s SONA is expected to last from 35 to 45 minutes.

Just minutes before Duterte was supposed to deliver his third SONA, former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took her oath as new Speaker of the House of Representatives. www.canadianinquirer.net

Arroyo is the first female to assume the speakership post.

She replaced Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez after a manifesto of support to endorse her as House Speaker circulated Monday morning.

The former president took over the rostrum, minutes before Alvarez was seen welcoming Duterte at the House.

Duterte’s allies said the ouster move against Alvarez has the support of the President’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who earlier had a spat with Alvarez.

The Alvarez and Duterte-Carpio conflict started last February when he called the Davao City mayor as part of the opposition after she formed the regional political party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

Arroyo bats for creation of House disaster management panel

BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippine News Agency MANILA — Speaker Gloria MacapagalArroyo has ordered for the creation of a disaster management committee at the House of Representatives.

Arroyo bared the plan on Monday during a briefing of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) with lawmakers to discuss the effects of the recent typhoons in Luzon provinces.

“I have asked my colleagues in the majority… if they would agree to organize a new committee called the disaster management committee,” Arroyo said.

Currently, there are 72 regular and special committees in the lower chamber.

During the briefing, NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad said the total cost of damages to infrastructure and ag-

riculture amounted to PHP3.6 billion in seven regions due to the recent weather events, including tropical storms Henry, Inday and Josie.

From June 29, 2018 to July 30, 2018, Jalad said 454,594 families, or an estimate of two million persons, were affected. A total of 13 casualties, one missing, and two injured were also reported.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte urged Congress to pass a measure seeking the creation of a disaster management department during his third State of the Nation Address.

The House committees on government and national defense and security have jointly approved a substitute bill, creating the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).

Under the bill, the DDR will be the national government agency primarily responsible for disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response, recovery, and rehabilitation. ■

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‘Misconception’ blamed for Senate’s poor support on TRAIN 2

BY JELLY MUSICO Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Senate’s poor support to the passage of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) Package 2 could be due to the “misconception” that it will increase taxes, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was reacting to Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri’s statement that nobody from the Senate is interested to sponsor the CTRP’s Package 2 bill, also known as Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) 2.

“Well, actually, maybe because of a misconception that TRAIN 2 will increase taxes,” Roque said in press conference held in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

On the contrary, Roque said, TRAIN 2 will reduce corporate taxes.

“So it is not true that new taxes will be imposed. What the TRAIN 2 intends to accomplish is to lower corporate taxes,” he said.

A Department of Finance (DOF) study showed that the Philippines has the highest corporate taxes among Southeast Asian countries.

“I think it’s a matter of telling the Senate that, first, what is TRAIN 2 and I think we can overcome the initial hesitancy,” Roque explained.

He said the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) should take the initiative to address the misconception

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque.

of the Senate towards the CTRP’s Package 2.

Roque also allayed fears that foreign companies might transfer to other countries in Southeast Asia if government continues to push for the passage of CTRP’s Package 2.

“You know the DOF has conducted (a) study in this regard and found out that the incentives have nothing to do with the decision of the companies where to invest,” he said. “What is important for the investors will be first, the stability, predictability and availability of manpower.”

The TRAIN was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in December last year with the goal of achieving a simpler, fairer, and more efficient tax system in the country.

The law aims to exempt those earning an annual taxable income of PHP250,000 and below from paying personal income tax and raised the tax exemption for the 13th month pay and other bonuses to PHP90,000.

At least 30 percent of the incremental revenues to be raised from the TRAIN will be used for social services, targeting 10 million poorest households for 2018.

The massive infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build Program and the education sector will also be funded through the CTRP. In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, Duterte asked Congress to pass all the remaining packages of the CTRP within this year. ■

ALBERT ALCAIN / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

PH gov’n to spend up to P90 million for federalism info dissemination

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer

tive Commission [is set to end] this August so they are finding a way to be able to use the remaining funds of the committee for dissemination,” Roque explained.

THE ADMINISTRATION plans to “So the initial amount for the dissemispend up to P90 million for an informa- nation is 90 million but 10 million will tion dissemination campaign on feder- go to PCOO for production of materialism. als,” he then added.

In a press briefing at the Office of the The spokesperson confirmed that an Sangguniang Bayan ng Ipil Municipal intergovernmental task force was creHall in Zamboanga ated and that the PalSibugay on Thursace official has met day, July 26, 2018, them and came up Malacañang through with a strategy. He Presidential Spokesfurther said that they person Harry Roque, plan to bring the disJr. revealed the mensemination level to tioned initial budget The spokesperson the barangay level. which will hold the confirmed that an They will also fosavings of the Conintergovernmental cus on training their sultative Committee task force was trainers and will uti(Con-Com) and the created and that lize mass media for participation of the the Palace official the dissemination Presidential Comhas met them and campaign. munications Operacame up with a Roque said that tions Office (PCOO). strategy. this move is in line “Well, alam niyo with the survey repo ang [amount na] sults revealing that na-identify pa lang an “overwhelming (the only amount majority” of Filipiidentified)… and to nos are still not inbe candid about it, is formed about federan initial P40 million pero (but) 30 mil- alism. This comes with the fact that the lion lang ang pu-pwede gamitin (will be country is already preparing to shift its the only amount used) because 10 mil- unitary form of government to a federal lion will go to PCOO and apparently the one.

Consultative Commission has savings of He stressed the need for such camabout 50 million but they are not sure paign, “So we have accepted the chalhow they can actually spend it because lenge and we will embark on this masnatapos ang buhay o matatapos na ang sive dissemination drive,” he added. ■ buhay ng (its lifespan of the) Consulta-

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7

Delfin Lee welcomes SC ruling on downgrading of raps to simple estafa

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — The camp of property developer Delfin Lee welcomed the ruling of Supreme Court (SC) which downgraded his charges from syndicated estafa to simple estafa, a bailable offense.

“We welcome the Decision of the Supreme Court where it downgraded the charge against my client, Mr. Delfin Lee from Syndicated Estafa to simple estafa,” Lee’s counsel Rony A. Garay said in a statement Wednesday.

Garay insisted that Globe Asiatique, headed by his client, was doing legitimate real estate business prior to the controversy that led to his arrest and detention for four years.

“According to my client, this is the right opportunity to sit down with the new officers of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) so that they may be enlightened as to the real and true issues behind this legal battle which adversely affected the homeowners of the Xevera Mabalacat and Bacolor township projects of Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings Corp.”

Garay noted.

He said the pronouncements of the SC was just an reiteration of the prevailing jurisprudence on what should constitute syndicated estafa.

He noted that in sydincated estafa, the alleged victim, which in this case the Pag-Ibig Fund, should not be the one that solicited funds from the general public and that the respondents or the accused should be either owners, officers or employees of the entity or corporation that solicited funds from the general public.

“Globe Asiatique, the company of Mr. Delfin Lee that is embroiled in the fiasco never solicited funds from the general public,” Garay stressed.

“Globe Asiatique is a legitimate real estate company which responded to the government’s call for active private sector’s participation in providing low cost and quality houses to our people, both with formal employers and self-employed,” he added.

With the downgrading of his charges, Lee will be allowed to post bail for his temporary liberty.

Lee is detained at the Pampanga provincial jail for over four years now, while facing criminal

cases over the alleged anomalous housing projects of his firm, Globe Asiatique in Pampanga, worth PHP6.6 billion.

In a 7-5 vote with two abstentions, the High Court dismissed the petition filed in 2014 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) seeking the reversal of a Court of Appeals (CA) ruling in 2013.

It also lifted the temporary restraining order it issued in March 2014 that prevented Lee’s release from the jail as ordered by the appellate court.

In November 2013, the CA ordered the Pampanga Regional Trial Court (RTC) to terminate the trial of the charges against Lee and recall the arrest warrant against him.

The DOJ subsequently filed a motion for reconsideration, but the CA upheld its ruling, which led state prosecutors to elevate their case before the SC in a petition for certiorari filed on January 2, 2014.

The SC made the ruling after resetting deliberations on the case over 20 times since June 2015.

Lee was indicted for syndicated estafa charges for allegedly defrauding the government of

message of the President is that he really wants to reach out to the people of Sulu and he wants lasting peace in Sulu,” Roque said.

Duterte was in Jolo, Sulu last Friday to visit victims displaced by a fire in Jolo, Sulu and vowed to provide the local government with financial aid and additional fire trucks.

least three times to the Palace,” Roque said.

“Although, you know, nothing is perfect and of course the BOL as signed in the law is a result of compromise. So all that the President was saying is that if you have specific complaints, we’re open to discuss these complaints in the view of possibly amending it,” he added.

Should there be revisions, Roque assured that like any law, it would have to require congressional action.

“For now we have the BOL, so let’s see whatever changes they may want from the BOL,” Roque said.

Roque said Duterte has not yet decided on whether a formal signing ceremony should be held for the BOL. However, he said he personally feels the need for one.

DELFIN LEE WEBSITE

PHP6.6 billion in housing loan proceeds from home buyers, whom investigators later found to be fictitious or had incomplete documents.

But he persistently sought relief from courts and eventually secured a favorable ruling from the special 15th division of the appellate court in November 2013, which lifted the arrest warrant issued against him by the Pampanga RTC Branch 42.

The CA had bought Lee’s argument the he could no longer be prosecuted for the nonbailable charge of syndicated estafa following the dismissal of charges against two of his coaccused, Pag-IBIG Fund foreclosure manager Alex Alvarez and GA documentation head Christina Sagun.

With the dismissal of the complaint against Alvarez and

Sagun, which left Lee and GA vice president Dexter Lee and accounting head Cristina Salagan as three remaining accused, the CA held that the crime of syndicated estafa may no longer apply against the remaining accused since the law requires at least five accused in a syndicated estafa case.

The DOJ and Pag-IBIG questioned the CA’s ruling before the SC and secured the TRO. Lee was arrested on March 6, 2014 by elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Task Force Tugis at the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel in Manila by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by the Pampanga RTC Branch 42, in connection with the Pag-IBIG housing loan scam – in which, Lee allegedly used “ghost borrowers” for GA’s housing projects. ■

“Si Presidente talaga hindi mahilig sa seremonya (The President is really not fond of ceremonies). I would personally want to see a ceremony but it’s not my decision so I’ll find out today. I think we deserve one,” Roque said.

not happy with BOL, come talk to me,” Roque said.

Duterte open... ❰❰ 1

Roque explained that traditionally, Sulu did not want to be part of the BOL, which seeks to establish a new Bangsamoro political entity to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). But according to him, “things have changed.”

“Yung pinuntahan ni Presidente sa Jolo, e maraming tumututol sa Sulu (The place the President visited in Sulu, there are many who are against the BOL in Sulu) just because traditionally Sulu does not want to be part of it but I think things have changed),” Roque said.

“I think this is already the fourth or fifth trip of the President to Jolo, Sulu. I don’t think any other President has made this any trips to Sulu and I think the

Not rushed

Roque acknowledged that the BOL might not be perfect since it is a result of compromise among sectors involved, but refused to consider it as “rushed.”

“It wasn’t really rushed. It’s been there, it’s been pending, it took us almost a year to discuss the BOL, there’s been substantial consultations. I note that the President even called members of Congress and Senate at

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Reaching out to Nur Misuari

Roque, meanwhile, said that Duterte is also reaching out to Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari and even willing to accommodate some of his wishes.

“I think he’s reaching out specifically to Nur Misuari and he’s willing to listen to Nur Musari and accommodate some of Nur Misuari’s wishes, if it can be accommodated, but as of now I think it’s just really a strong message that if you’re

ASG surrenderers welcome

Moreover, Roque said that Duterte is also open to accepting surrenderers from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) noting that he would provide them with housing, capital, land and employment.

“I think what he’s saying is that in the same way he has been accepting surrenderers from the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), MNLF, and NPA (New People’s Army), he’s willing to accept surrenderers from the ASG,” Roque said.

“So what he means is surrender and you will be given a new lease on life. That’s as far as I understood the totality of what the President said on the basis of the transcript,” he added. ■

Philippine News

8

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

SC sets rules for oral arguments on ICC withdrawal

BY CHRISTOPHER LLOYD CALIWAN Philippine News Agency

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MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has issued guidelines on the oral arguments on the consolidated petitions seeking to void the Philippine government’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) scheduled on August 14.

In an advisory issued Thursday, the SC has limited the oral arguments to four major issues: -Whether or not it should take cognizance of the petitions; -Whether or not the withdrawal from the ICC’s Rome Statute through a “note verbale” delivered to the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) is “valid, binding and effectual”; -Whether or not the withdrawal plac- Supreme Court of the Philippines.

PNA es the Philippines in breach of its obligations under international law and; it and argue cases that they file in their from the illegal drug trade inside the -Whether or not it will diminish the capacity as senators or representatives, New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in MuntinluFilipino people’s protection under in- who are real parties-in-interest. pa during her term as justice secretary. ternational law.

“The undersigned manifesting senaIn their petition, the lawmakers also The oral arguments will tackle the tors, in the course of their preparations asked the high court to compel the Depetition filed by opposition Senators for this case and in compliance with this partment of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Franklin Honorable Court’s directive for the re- the Philippine Permanent Mission to Drilon, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, spective parties or their counsels to at- the United Nations to notify the United Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV tend the oral arguments for this case as Nations Secretary General that the Philand detained Senator Leila de Lima who scheduled, are of the strong conviction ippines is revoking the notice of withfiled for certiorari and mandamus and that the arguments for the case of all the drawal that it received last March 17. said that under Article VII Section 21 petitioners will be best presented before The diplomatic note stated that the of the 1987 Constitution, “entering into this Honorable Court by their colleague, “decision to withdraw is the Philippines’ treaty or international agreement re- Senator de Lima,” read the manifesta- principled stand against those who poquires participation of Congress, that is, tion was signed by opposition senators liticize and weaponize human rights, through concurrence of at least 2/3 of all dated July 24, 2018 even as its independent and well-functhe members of the Senate.”

The opposition senators pointed out tioning organs and agencies continue to The second petition was filed by the that the issues raised in their petitions exercise jurisdiction over complaints, Philippine Coalition issues, problems for the Internationand concerns arisal Criminal Court ing from its efforts to (PCICC) led by forprotect the people.” mer Commission on The senator is accused of benefitting from the The petitioners Human Rights chairillegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prisons said the Rome Statute person Loretta Ann (NBP) in Muntinlupa during her term as justice is a treaty validly enRosales. secretary. tered into by the PhilNamed responippines that has the dents in the petition same status as a law were Foreign Affairs enacted by Congress.

Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Execu- are of “transcendental importance”, On March 14, President Rodrigo tive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Phil- thus, the detained senator should be al- Duterte announced the Philippines’ ippine Ambassador to the UN Teodoro lowed to personally argue the case dur- withdrawal of its ratification of the Locsin Jr., and Chief Presidential Legal ing the oral arguments.

Rome Statute, a United Nations (UN) Counsel Salvador Panelo.

They also told the Court that they will treaty creating the ICC. The respondents will be represented by no longer be represented by counsel In the statement, Duterte cited “basethe Office of the Solicitor General (OSG). during the oral arguments as they have less, unprecedented and outrageous atMeanwhile, the opposition senators decided to adopt in whole the arguments tacks” against him and his administraasked the High Court to allow detained and positions that De Lima would raise. tion as the reason for his withdrawal as Senator De Lima to argue on their beDe Lima is currently detained at the a state party. half.

Philippine National Police (PNP) CusThis came after ICC special prosecuIn a three-page manifestation, the todial Center pending resolution of the tor Fatou Bensouda began a preliminary senators pointed out that it has been a illegal drug charges filed against him be- examination on the alleged human rights practice of the High Tribunal to allow fore the court. violations amid the Duterte administramembers of Congress to appear before The senator is accused of benefitting tion’s intensified war on drugs. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Philippine News

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

9

25th East Asian Seas New Ombudsman vows to Congress set in Nov with not be “used” by politicians PRRD as guest of honor PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

With a coastline totaling over 230,000 kilometers, East Asia is also a major link for 90 percent of international shipping MANILA — As President Rodrigo trade, aside from being a center of ecoDuterte has stressed his “non-negotia- nomic growth and home to major indusble” stance on environment protection, tries and resource bases of China and he has been invited as the guest of honor Japan. at an international congress slated in “Covering waters of Brunei DarusIloilo in November for healthy oceans, salam, Cambodia, People’s Republic of people, and economies (HOPE) across China, Democratic People’s Republic of East Asia.

Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People’s The Department of Environment and Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Natural Resources (DENR) will host the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singa2018 East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress, in pore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietcollaboration with the United Nations nam, it is home to 2.1 billion people,” Development Programme, the Global PEMSEA states.

Environment Facility, and the PartnerIn his third State of the Nation Adships in Environmental Management dress, Duterte highlighted the need to for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). protect the environment, so future genPEMSEA is an inter-governmental erations of Filipinos can benefit from organization operating in East Asia to the country’s natural wealth. foster and sustain healthy and resilient “Nature endowed us with this wealth oceans, coasts, communities and econo- to be tapped for the benefit of all generamies across this retions,” he said. “My gion. policy in the utiliza“The congress will tion of these resourcserve as a platform es is non-negotiable. for collaboration and Protection of the enpartnership on such My policy in vironment must be matter,” DENR Unthe utilization top priority.” dersecretary Analiza of these He warned about Teh said at the conresources the dangers of irregress’ launch in Metis nonsponsible mining, ro Manila on Thursnegotiable. noting improperly day.

Protection disposed wastes from Teh said the East of the mineral extraction Asian region urgentenvironment end up polluting waly needs action for must be top ter bodies.

HOPE, noting the priority.

This year is PEMincreasing threats to SEA’s 25th year in the region’s biodiverpromoting HOPE sity-rich seas, includacross East Asia. The ing the Philippine waters. first EAS Congress was in 2003. It is Among such threats, she pointed out, held every three years on a rotation baare climate change, illegal fishing, and sis among PEMSEA and its partners. coral reef destruction.

PEMSEA said it has 22 non-country “The EAS Congress is a recognized partners including Cambodia, People’s region-wide platform for dialogue, Republic of China, Indonesia, Japan, knowledge-exchange, strategic action, North Korea, Lao People’s Democratic partnership-building, and collaborative Republic, Philippines, South Korea, Sinplanning and cooperation in support of gapore, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. the region’s common vision of sustain“We try to work in terms of how we able development of the seas of East can promote mutually supportive and Asia,” PEMSEA Executive Director Ai- mutually collaborative action,” said Teh, mee Gonzales said at the launch. also the Philippines’ PEMSEA national Partnerships and integrated coastal focal point person. management solutions would help fosFor this year, PEMSEA expects over ter and sustain healthy and resilient 1,000 local and foreign delegates at the oceans, coasts, communities, and econo- congress. mies across East Asia, she added.

Government officials, members of the East Asian seas, according to PEM- academe, non-government organization SEA, comprise the global center of ma- workers, and representatives of funding rine biodiversity, hosting almost a third agencies are among the expected atof the Earth’s mangroves, seagrass beds, tendees to the event. ■ and coral reefs.

BY BEA KIRSTEIN T. MANALAYSAY Philippine Canadian Inquirer

A DAY after the President officially named him, newly-appointed Ombudsman Samuel Martires assured that he will not be swayed by politicians to be a tool.

“I will not allow myself to be used by politicians to prosecute their political enemies. I don’t have that prosecution complex,” he told the reporters on Friday, July 27, during a courtesy call in the Office of Ombudsman.

He explained that some people who have positions file raps against their political enemies for the sake of harassment.

Martires, who is set to head the antigraft body said that even the one who appointed him – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte – and his family or the first family would not be excluded if “there is a probable cause.”

“Kung (If ) the evidence will show that there is a probable cause to file charges against any members of the family, why not? Kaya nga ako tinalaga dito. Pero kung wala naman, sana tanggapin (That

is why I am appointed for this position.

But if there is none, I hope people will accept),” he said.

In line with this, the new Ombudsman also explained that he is ready to face critics.

“Nasa isip ko lahat ‘yon (I thought of it all). Right now, I can’t talk about it. Just give me time to relax and to compose myself because I was surprised yesterday,” he admitted.

Martires added that he cannot please everyone.

In a statement on Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr., a lawyer, said that the new Ombudsman is a respectable man.

“Wala pong bahid ng kahit anong eskandalo ang kanyang buhay, at hinahangaan ko talaga siya, dahil siya naman po talaga ay bihasa sa batas at talaga namang ni-re-recognize bilang isang legal luminary sa aming mga abogado(He has no trace of any scandal in his life, and I really admire him, because he is really an expert when it comes to law and he is recognized as a legal luminary to us lawyers),” Roque said in an interview with dzRH. ■

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10

Philippine News

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Police ‘scalawags’ gets fresh warning from Duterte

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer

LTFRB starts calibration, resealing of taxi meters

BY AEROL JOHN PATEÑA Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) started Tuesday its calibration and resealing of taxi meters in compliance with the fare adjustment it has approved.

The calibration and resealing of meters is being conducted in a property of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) along NAIA Road in Paranaque City.

The facility will be able to handle around 200 taxis at a time while a holding area for taxi drivers and operators is in place to verify that they have submitted the complete requirements and are present during the scheduled date of calibration and resealing.

“Calibration and resealing of meters is done to make sure that the fare is in accordance with what the LTFRB has set,” the LTFRB said in a statement.

A road test would be conduct-

ed among taxis that have their meters calibrated to ensure that it imposes the correct fare with their resealing to be done afterwards.

A Taximeter Calibration Certification sticker would be placed on the top right corner of the windshield of the taxi once it has passed the test.

The MIAA has allowed the Board to use its facility for the calibration and resealing until November.

The LTFRB has yet to comment when asked if they are planning to install additional facilities across Metro Manila as of this writing.

It is aiming to reseal more than 21,000 taxi units in the metropolis.

Last October, the LTFRB has approved a new fare structure for taxis which is set at PHP40 for the flagdown rate, PHP13.50 for every kilometer of distance travelled, and PHP2 per minute of waiting time in the National Capital Region and provinces except in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

For taxis operating in CAR, the flagdown will be at PHP35 with the same rates for distance traveled and travel time.

The Board explained the increase was granted due to the recent spate of oil price hikes and to enable taxi drivers and operators to be competitive with transportation network companies.

“It is urgent that the fare for taxis be increased for them to improve the quality of their service and become competitive amid increasing demand of passengers,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said in a previous interview.

Taxi drivers and operators should be compliant with the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.

The OFG states that public utility vehicles should have closed-circuit television cameras, a GPS navigation system, speed limiters, dashboard cameras, and free Wi-Fi connectivity. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

ed few buy-bust operations).

It was not only after I became President and it were as — I demanded that all records be PRESIDENT RODRIGO opened to me,” Duterte said.

Duterte once again warned the He continued, ”Nakita ko so-called ‘scalawags’ in the po- ang Pilipino nakapila na by the lice force, saying that he would thousands araw-araw diyan sa not hesitate to ‘terminate’ them television (I saw thousands of from service.

Filipinos in television lining “Huwag kayong pumasok up everyday). All contaminatdiyan sa droga, ed, all sickly, all ‘yang mgamurrendered inutile der-for-hire, kasi because of drugs. ipa-project ko Bakit noon wala You can be rin kayo (Do not (Why was there very sure get involved in none before)?” there will drugs or murDuterte’s rebe a project der-for-hire bemarks came for you and cause I will make after a cop was really that is you a project),” killed, while to neutralize Duterte said in three others or terminate a speech durwere nabbed folyou. ing the 68th Nalowing a shoottional Security out with their Council and 69th fellow policemen National Intelalso on Tuesday ligence Coordinating Agency in Taguig City for their alleged founding anniversary on Tues- involvement in a kidnap-forday, July 30, at Pasay City. ransom scheme.

“You can be very sure there Last April, Duterte issued will be a project for you and re- warnings to those policemen ally that is to neutralize or ter- engaged in illegal drugs, kidminate you,” he added. nap-for-ransom, and other unIf these policemen involved scrupulous activities, saying in illegal activities would not be that Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, punished, Duterte said nothing whom he appointed to head the will happen to the country oth- Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), erwise, especially “at this time will welcome them in the nawhen we are all bombarded tional prison. with drugs.”

Philippine National Police “Nobody seems to obey the (PNP) chief, Director General law,” he noted.

Oscar Albayalde also vowed The President also said some earlier that he will focus on people do not ‘fear’ the sanc- imposing strict discipline of tion of the law because of “hu- the uniformed men under his man rights.” watch. ■ “Ang pulis noon (The police before), previous administration, walang nahuli, iilan-ilang buy-bust (was not able to capture anyone and only conduct-

Philippine News

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

11

Arroyo to prioritize corporate tax reform

BY FILANE MIKEE CERVANTES Philippine News Agency MANILA — Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday said the House of Representatives will prioritize a measure that seeks to rationalize and modernize the corporate tax incentive system.

Arroyo made the statement in an ambush interview before meeting with officials of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) to

discuss the proposed 2019 national budget and how to address inflation.

Arroyo said prioritizing the passage of the second package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s legislative agenda.

“Yes, remember in the SONA (State of the Nation Address) of President Duterte, it’s (Package 2 of the CTRP) there and I said in my very short statement upon assumption, the first and foremost job I have as a Speaker, is to carry out the legislative

agenda of President Duterte,” Arroyo said.

“I don’t want to be very explicit about the timeline but it’s priority,” she added.

Arroyo said she prefers to call the measure “corporate income incentives reform” because calling it Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) 2 is “misleading”. This is to correct the misconception about the proposed second package of tax reforms that it would impose new taxes.

“It’s not called TRAIN 2 because TRAIN 2 is misleading.

It’s called corporate income incentives reform,” Arroyo said.

TRAIN 2 seeks to cut corporate income tax (CIT) to 25 percent from 30 percent.

Package 2 aims to lower the CIT paid by some 95 percent of businesses and at the same time, retaining and providing new fiscal incentives for deserving recipients that will contribute to national development and help generate propoor investments and jobs.

More than 99 percent of businesses are micro, small, or medium enterprises (MSME) em-

ploying around 65 percent of the country’s workers.

Duterte, in his third SONA, said the enactment of the Package 2 is what stands between today and millions of jobs in the near future.

“I hope to sign Package 2 before the year ends. I urge Congress to pass it in a form that satisfies our goals and serves the interests of the many, not just the wealthy few,” he said.

The President also asked Congress to pass all the remaining packages of the CTRP within this year. ■

PNR to deploy new train sets Investments except next year casinos welcome in Boracay: Palace

BY AEROL JOHN PATEÑA Philippine News Agency

MANILA — More passengers will soon be accommodated at the Philippine National Railways’ (PNR) Metro Commuter Line from Tutuban in Manila to Calamba in Laguna province with the delivery of new train sets next year.

“We will modernize five trains and buy nine next generation/class of PNR trains.

These will be PNR 8000 class trains,” PNR General Manager Junn Magno said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Wednesday.

“We are gunning capacity of 14 train sets by end of 2019 to serve approximately 120,000 passengers per day from the current 50,000 per day,” he added.

A total of nine new train sets — seven were bought in May and two in January this year — were purchased from Indonesian state-owned company PT Industri Kereta Api (PT INKA).

This is the first time in 40 years that the PNR has purchased new trains.

The train sets are expected to be delivered in 2019 amid ongoing rehabilitation of five trains.

On the one hand, the older train models of the PNR will be redeployed to the Naga-Legazpi and Lucena-Alabang service.

The agency also plans to purchase freight trains in order to ease traffic congestion on roads

BY AZER PARROCHA Philippine News Agency

Philippine National Railways train.

leading to the Port of Manila; and restart parcel cargo service from the Bicol region to Blumentritt and Divisoria next year, subject to the approval of its budget by Congress.

The freight trains will lead to the decongestion of the Del Pan-Roxas Boulevard-Osmeña highway corridor in Manila.

“If we haul one-fourth of their freight out of MICP (Manila International Container Port) to their inland port in Laguna (Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal) we can reduce overall Metro traffic by 10 percent and Del Pan-Roxas Boulevard-Osmeña Corridor by one third,” Magno said.

These measures are being implemented amid the ongoing construction of the PNR North and South railway projects un-

PNA

der the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration.

The PNR North consists of two phases: North South Commuter Rail from Tutuban to Malolos and North 2 from Malolos to Clark on Pampanga, while the PNR South consists of the South Commuter Line from Manila to Los Banos, Laguna and South Long Haul connecting Manila to Matnog in Sorsogon province.

The PNR is conducting the relocation of informal settlers residing along the right of way of these projects, in coordination with the National Housing Authority, the Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor and the Social Housing Finance Corporation. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

MANILA — All investments, except casinos, are still welcome in Boracay, Malacañang said on Tuesday, insisting that President Rodrigo R. Duterte will not allow the construction of a gambling establishment in the top tourist destination.

“I think what the President said is that he will not allow casinos. All other investments are otherwise welcome into Boracay,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

Macau-based Galaxy Entertainment Group and its Filipino partner, AB Leisure Exponent Inc., earlier revealed a plan to build a USD500-million integrated resort-casino complex on a 23-hectare property in Barangay Manoc-Manoc on Boracay Island. Roque explained that Duterte “does not like” casinos because they encouraged certain types of gambling activities.

“The President does not like casinos as a matter of public policy. It is contrary to good morals. It encourages a vice, which is gambling,” Roque said.

Earlier, Roque warned private corporations from proceeding with construction of establishments despite the President’s firm belief that Bo-

racay Island is a forestal and agriculture area.

“I don’t think any private entity should test the political will of the President on the issue of casinos in Boracay. The President has said no, and I would hope they would respect that as part of Executive power,” Roque said.

Despite a private entity being given a provisional license to proceed with construction, Roque described the license as “conditional” and “provisional.”

“It is subject to the happening of conditions which will never be fulfilled because the President has said he will not allow it,” Roque said.

On July 4, Duterte said that he is eyeing the creation of a committee that will identify the land owners of Boracay Island, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

“Yang (That) Boracay, sinasabi ko (I’m telling you), allow government to clean it. And after that, I will return Boracay to its rightful owners,” Duterte said in an earlier speech. ”Now the problem is how to determine who owns what.

There has to be a committee to be fair to everybody. From the local government then from the origins of any title there,” he added.

Upon Duterte’s orders, the government closed Boracay to tourists on April 26. It is set to re-open on October 26. ■

12

Philippine News

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Abu Sayyaf Catholic bishop decries extortion angle eyed dispersal of NutriAsia workers in Basilan blast

BY FERDINAND PATINIO Philippine News Agency

BY PRIAM NEPOMUCENO Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is looking into reports that a failed extortion attempt triggered the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to carry out the botched improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Lamitan City, Basilan Tuesday.

“We have persistent reports that point to the Abu Sayyaf as the group responsible to the IED explosion in Lamitan City, Basilan,” AFP spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said Wednesday.

Arevalo said the attack stemmed from the refusal of the Lamitan City government to give in to the terrorist group’s PHP50,000 extortion demand.

“By committing this dastardly and cowardly act, the ASG wanted to reverse the decline in their manpower and firearms; to entice fresh recruits; to portray strength as a force capable of terrorist attack; and

to draw foreign funding,” the AFP spokesperson stressed.

Arevalo earlier said the attack was masterminded by ASG leader Furuji Indama in response to the growing number of his members surrendering to government troops.

“But the vigilance, heroism, and selfless sacrifice of our troops prevented them from bringing in IEDs in the heart of Lamitan City on the culmination day of the City Nutrition Month,” he added.

The explosion took place 5:50 a.m. near Magwakit Detachment in Barangay Colonia, Lamitan City. Initial reports indicated that troops in the area intercepted a white van containing IEDs. Inspection were ongoing when the vehicle exploded killing one soldier, five CAFGUs and four civilians, including the driver who was believed to be the suspect.

Also wounded were one CAFGU and six members of the 9th Scout Ranger Company. ■

MANILA — A Catholic prelate slammed the violent dispersal of NutriAsia workers and their supporters in Marilao, Bulacan on Monday.

“That violent dispersion should really be condemned.

The workers there have a right to protest and so also their supporters because the workers have really been abused by contracrualization for so many years,” Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said in an interview Tuesday.

On the other hand, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) also assailed the action taken by the firm’s security personnel and the police against the protesters.

“We strongly condemn the violent dispersal of NutriAsia workers’ picket line,” they said in a statement.

“For more than a month, workers of NutriAsia have been calling for regularization, just wages, and humane working

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo.

conditions. On Monday, right after an ecumenical mass, they were violently dispersed by the security forces and members of the PNP. The bloody dispersal has injured a number of workers, including a senior citizen,” the group added.

The condiments firm, meanwhile, said some 200 striking workers of Toll Packer BMirk and their supporters sparked the violence when they allegedly fired a shot in the air and started to throw rocks at police and guards tasked to maintain peace and order.

The incident occurred three days after the DOLE instructed

ROY LAGARDE / CBCP

the non-striking majority of Toll Packers’ employees to return to work.

“It is unfortunate that the strikers staged a violent attack while a DOLE-led mediation meeting among stakeholders, including the union organizer, was at the same time ongoing with the objective of seeking a peaceful settlement for the strikers,” NutriAsia said in a statement released Monday.

The company also called out the strikers for allegedly using children and the elderly “as front-liners and human shields” in barricading the plant’s entry points. ■

No ‘secret talks’ with China: Cayetano

BY JOYCE ANN L. ROCAMORA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday assured the public the administration has not engaged China in “secret meetings” amid transparency calls on the issue of the West Philippine Sea. This comes after former President Benigno Aquino III called on the Duterte administration to disclose its negotiations with Beijing on the bilateral settlement of the territorial dispute.

Cayetano said the DFA made efforts to reach out with government agencies, the Congress, and some media outfits, as well as the opposition. ”I’ve offered briefings and even those that are classified.

I’ve spoken about talks with China that goes beyond a nor-

mal revelation of information of what’s been going to make the people and the media in the loop,” he told reporters in a press briefing.

“We have had no secret meetings, all the meetings are on the record,” he added.

The official underscored that all meetings between the administration and the Chinese government were “all on record,” from the levels of President Rodrigo R. Duterte and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Kequiang, down to his talks with China’s new vice president Wang Qishan.

“Some of them are even on Facebook live. There are no secret deals. We are working out the issues, the issues are being discussed,” he said.

Cayetano claimed the previous administration should be the one answering questions on transparency.

“On the contrary, maybe President Aquino should ask

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

Secretary (Albert) del Rosario: ‘We’re you transparent with me?’“ he said, adding that there is no complete report at the agency on who ordered the www.canadianinquirer.net

PCOO

Philippine forces to leave Scarborough Shoal during a standoff in 2012. ”I have some of the reports but it’s not complete, ang na-

kalagay lang, ‘O hintayin natin ‘yong text ni Senator (Antonio) Trillanes sabi ni presidente,’ then nawala na ‘yong ships, so sinong nagsabing tanggalin?

Hindi naman nila kinumpleto ‘yong records (what I saw only is this: ‘let’s wait for the text of Senator (Antonio) Trillanes as ordered by the president’. Then the ships are gone, who ordered them to leave? They did not complete the records).”

Meanwhile, he called on critics to look at the administration’s overall strategy and goals, not just the approach.

“We are not enemies. We want the same thing but we don’t agree on the approach to get that thing but it’s not true that we are not transparent.”

Cayetano left Manila on Tuesday morning to attend the 51st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Singapore, where an update is expected on the negotiation for the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. ■

Philippine News

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

13

Malacañang to Liza Maza, et al: Surrender and prove your innocence

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer MALACAÑANG SAID on Tuesday, July 31, that National AntiPoverty Commission (NAPC) head Liza Maza and three other former party-list lawmakers should turn themselves into the authorities, following the issuance of warrants of arrest against them.

In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. said Maza should respect the rule of law.

“If they are innocent then they should in fact surrender, recognize the jurisdiction of the court and prove their innocence in court,” Roque said.

He continued, “She has to heed the warrant of arrest. Not

even the President can interfere in our judicial process.”

Arrest warrants were recently issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 40 in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija against Maza, and former representatives Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis, and Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casino of Bayan Muna for murder charges filed against them in 2006.

The four party-list lawmakers were accused of involvement in the abduction-slay of Danilo Felipe in 2001, Jimmy Peralta in 2003, and Carlito Bayudang in 2004. The three victims were said to be supporters of rival partylist Akbayan.

However, the accused denied the charges.

Asked about Maza’s status as NAPC head, Roque said the

President has not yet issued any directives but clarified that she still holds the position.

“She hasn’t been fired but because she’s wanted, she may become a fugitive if she doesn’t surrender,” the spokesman noted.

If Maza goes on an AWOL or absence without leave, Roque said Duterte will have to decide on her continuing appointment.

“She cannot be absent. Her office is very critical to the fight against poverty and we cannot have a secretary who is a fugitive from the law,” he stressed.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde on Monday said they are currently tracking the whereabouts of the four respondents as they

Liza Maza.

received a copy of the arrest order.

“The PNP is duty-bound to implement orders of judicial authorities,” Albayalde said on a press briefing.

“That is our Constitutional mandate that law enforcers

ROBINSON NIÑAL / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

must abide with due consideration to human rights and dignity of the accused,” he added.

The country’s top cop also appealed to the four accused to just surrender themselves to judicial processes. ■

Senate execs, personnel Duterte renews undergo random drug testing call for dialogue with Abu Sayaff PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

senators tested negative for any illegal drug substance.

The departments of the Senate were randomly selected for the drug test to ensure its impartiality.

In the 2016 national elections, Sotto and Honasan voluntarily underwent drug testing during a leg of their campaign in Cebu City to set an example to the other candidates on the need to be transparent about their medical records.

Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 provides that officers and employees of public offices shall undergo ranMANILA — More than 300 offidom drug testing though. cials and employees of the SenAny officer or employee ate on Monday were subjected found positive for use of danto random drug testing, led by gerous drugs could face suspenSenate President Vicente Sotto sion or termination, subject to III and Senator Gregorio Honathe pertinent provisions of the san II, who volunteered to unCivil Service Law. dergo the procedure.

Based on CSC Circular 13, the The random drug test is done objective of the random drug annually at the Senate in comtesting is to ensure that governpliance with ment agencies Civil Service remain drugCommission free.

Memorandum The conduct of Circular (CSC) The departments of the Senate mandatory ranNo. 13, s. 2017 were randomly selected for the dom drug testthat requires drug test to ensure its impartiality. ing also serves as all government a condition for agencies and ofthe retention of fices, including public officials constitutional and employees bodies such as the Senate, to It was also to stress the re- in government service. submit a regular report to the sponsibility of public servants Sotto, a strong advocate Dangerous Drugs Board on the to maintain a drug-free life- against illegal drugs, said the conduct of drug tests and the style. drug testing on the Senate pernumber of personnel who testCandidates for public office sonnel is one of the most strined positive, if any. are not required to undergo gent types available.

Sotto and Honasan subjected drug testing as affirmed by the He also assured that the rethemselves to the drug testing Supreme Court in a 2008 rul- sults of the test would be held after the weekly flag-raising ing. confidential as guaranteed by ceremony at the Senate. Both Republic Act 9165 or the RA 9165. ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has renewed his call to dialogue with Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) on Friday, a day after signing the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

“Abu Sayyaf, mag-usap na lang tayo (let’s talk),” Duterte said in a speech during his visit to fire victims in Jolo, Sulu.

“Ano bang gawain natin? Magpatayan tayong lahat? Ako, pwede niyo akong patayin maski saan.

Anong makukuha ninyo (What are we going to do? Kill each other? Me, you can kill me anywhere.

But what will you gain)? he added.

On Thursday, Duterte signed into law the BOL, which is meant to bring peace in Mindanao by establishing a Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Duterte, meanwhile, appealed to the Abu Sayyaf to give time to see how the BOL would benefit them.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier described the signing of the BOL as an event that will “usher in a new era of peace in Mindanao.”

Lorenzana also said that the government is ready to assist the Bangsamoro people “start their lives anew, heal the wounds of conflict, and end our people’s divisiveness after decades of fighting.”

He expressed hope that through the BOL, the root causes of violent extremism and terrorism including poverty, lack of education, and social injustice, will be addressed.

“I now call on the remaining groups still fighting the government to follow the path of peace just like the MILF and MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front). Through our localized peace efforts, we remain committed to achieve peace, even with members of the Communist Terrorist Group, and pursue the peace agenda of our President who is walking the extra mile to unite the people as one nation,” he added. ■

14

Philippine News

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

ASG leader Indama behind Basilan blast: AFP

BY PRIAM NEPOMUCENO Philippine News Agency

(to) various areas, specifically in this area of Basilan. That is why our checkpoints in Mindanao have been alerted,” AreMANILA — The Armed Forces valo added. of the Philippines (AFP) has The explosion took place at confirmed that veteran Abu 5:50 a.m. near the Magwakit Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader, Detachment in Barangay ColoFuruji Indama, was behind the nia, Lamitan City. blast that killed 11 people, inReports indicated that troops cluding the suspected bomber, in the area intercepted a white and wounded seven others in van containing IEDs. Lamitan, Basilan early TuesThe vehicle was being inday. spected when an explosion tore In a press briefing in Camp into it, killing one soldier, five Aguinaldo, AFP spokesperson members of the Citizen Armed Col. Edgard Arevalo said the Force Geographical Unit (CAFattack was in GU), and four ciresponse to the vilians, including growing number the driver who of ASG terrorwas believed to ists voluntarily be the suspect. surrendering The explosion Also wounded to government took place at were one CAFforces, causing 5:50 a.m. near GU and six memthe bandit group the Magwakit bers of the 9th to lose ground in Detachment Scout Ranger Basilan. in Barangay Company.

“This group of Colonia, Despite the Furuji Indama Lamitan City. losses suffered is swiftly losing by military perground. That is sonnel, the AFP why they are respokesperson sorting to these said they have desperate moves in order to successfully performed their disrupt the mass surrender of mandate as they had preventAbu Sayyaf members in Basilan ed the IEDs from reaching the and in Sulu,” Arevalo added. intended target, which he beHe said military units in the lieved to be downtown Lamiarea were on alert after receiv- tan. ing reports that improvised ex“(AFP) Chief-of-Staff Gen. plosive devices (IEDs) would Carlito Galvez Jr. commends be deployed to various areas in the vigilance and dedication to Basilan. duty and the sacrifice of these “Now, as we told you, this heroes,” Arevalo said. vehicle loaded with IEDs is be“And while we commend ing driven by a lone person. our troops, we condemn in the Na-checkpoint natin ito (It highest possible terms this yet went through checkpoint) be- another dastardly attempt of cause we have received earlier terrorists to kill, maim, and reports that say there could be injure innocent civilians,” he IEDs that could be deployed added. ■

Inspection of the New Bohol (Panglao) Airport.

BUILD BUILD BUILD / FACEBOOK

‘Build, Build, Build’ creates over 600K jobs since April: DOLE

BY FERDINAND PATINIO Philippine News Agency MANILA — The Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration has generated over 600,000 jobs as of April 2018, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Wednesday.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III noted that they recorded a total of 625,000 net employment during the said period.

“Our data would show that the economy generated a net employment of 625,000 last April or about 40.896 million employed persons compared to the 40.271 million employed for the same period last year,” Bello said.

Most of the jobs created were in the construction sector.

“The single biggest contributor to this positive net employment generation is the con-

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struction sector. This sector registered a net employment of 468,000 during the same period,” Bello said.

He added that employment opportunities are not only available during the construction of infrastructure project but also after the projects, such as railways, airports, roads and bridges, have been erected.

“Once the projects are built, there will be more jobs that will be created since companies would be putting up businesses in the buildings and structures that will be erected under BBB programs,” DOLE chief said.

He explained that the government does not only provide jobs but decent jobs to Filipinos, by putting in place a number of interventions targeted at poor workers engaged in precarious or vulnerable work.

“This includes the enhancement of their access to educational and training opportunities that will allow them to develop and acquire medium-

to-high level skills required in more complex, higher paying, and in-demands jobs,” Bello said.

“We are also keen on providing a more efficient and easier access to vital labor market information and employment opportunities to jobseekers across industries,” he added.

At the same time, Bello said they are also conducting studies to encourage part-time work or even reduced work-time, especially for low-paying jobs.

“This is suited to school dropouts and even graduates of senior high school. This will give ample time for study and enable them to graduate to higher-paying jobs later on,” he added.

Under the “Bulid, Build, Build” program, the government is set to construct roads, bridges, airport, railways among others, with a total budget of PHP8 trillion, from 2017 to 2022. ■

15

Canada News Toronto council votes to oppose Ontario bill to cut number of councillors

BY PAOLA LORIGGIO AND MICHELLE MCQUIGGE The Canadian Press TORONTO CITY council voted Monday to express its opposition to a controversial bill that would cut the council nearly in half to the Ontario government.

Council also voted to request that the provincial government conduct a referendum on the number of wards and their boundaries before proceeding with legislation that would cut the number of councillors to 25 from 47.

“Today, city council sent a strong message to Queen’s Park that it opposes the process around the change to Toronto’s ward boundaries,” Mayor John Tory said in a release.

“City council approved my call for the province to hold a binding referendum before proceeding with any changes to the Toronto ward boundaries,” Tory said.

“Change of this magnitude should always happen with a degree of consultation that allows the public to be heard and I believe a referendum will ensure that opportunity.”

The vote followed heated debate at Toronto City Hall as local politicians weighed whether to wage a legal battle against the Progressive Conservative government.

Premier Doug Ford introduced the legislation on Monday, stating that the plan would

streamline the decision-making process and save Toronto taxpayers $25 million in councillor and staff salaries.

Ford stunned both politicians and residents last week when he announced the plan to cut council, just months ahead of the fall municipal election.

Speaking in the legislature Monday, Ford said he campaigned on reducing the size and cost of government so this move should come as no surprise.

“I talked to tens of thousands of people across this province, I talked to thousands of people in Toronto, and every single person I spoke to in Toronto said that city hall is dysfunctional,” Ford said.

“We don’t believe in bigger government. We don’t believe in more politicians or more bureaucracy. We’re going to make sure the City of Toronto finally runs more efficiently.”

He also highlighted other potential benefits to reducing the number of council seats.

“I can assure you that when we have 25 councillors, it’s going to be 500,000 less sheets of paper. I’m protecting the environment. I’m protecting trees,” he said.

One city councillor and longtime Ford ally suggested Monday there may be another motive for the move.

“There’s going to be less leftleaning politicians in the City of Toronto and that means it’s a great thing and it’s a great day

for the taxpayer,” Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti said in a news conference to defend the plan.

While Mammoliti and a handful of likeminded councillors showed their support for the bill at the provincial legislature, their peers at city hall discussed their options to oppose the plan, which many have said was foisted on them unexpectedly after the city had already ruled against a similar proposal.

Municipal staff have suggested they could not make all the necessary changes in time for the Oct. 22 election, though Ontario’s municipal affairs minister said he had reached out to them and is confident they can work out any “transitional issues.”

Scholars and lawyers have said that one of the ways to delay Ford’s plan from taking effect during the current campaign is to mount a legal challenge against the measures and seek a court injunction.

Tory said council has asked the city solicitor to examine the validity and constitutionality of the legislation.

“I will continue to advocate that the province pushes the pause button on this process and let the municipal election already underway proceed,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s any way we can stop it necessarily in the context of the province not able to move forward with changes to the City of Toronto Act … but I think we sure can call into

Toronto Mayor John Tory.

question the process here,” Tory said earlier in the day.

Ford has faced similar criticism from the opposition parties, who argue he did not campaign on the issue or hold public consultations as he pledged to do on key policy changes.

The premier promised Monday afternoon to go knocking on doors in the Toronto area and as far as Timmins, Ont., over the next week to hear what people think of his proposal, though his office did not immediately confirm the plan.

The bill introduced Monday amends several existing laws to realign Toronto municipal wards with provincial and federal ridings, extend the nomination period for those seeking a council seat to midSeptember and cancel elections for regional chair in Peel, York, Muskoka and Niagara regions, turning them back into appointed positions.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called Ford’s approach “dicta-

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torial,” and said that while the premier has touted the need for consultation on other issues, such as the sex-ed curriculum, it’s clear he doesn’t want any on this proposed legislation.

“No matter how much he pretends that he wants to hear people’s voices, by shutting them out of a decision around their own democratic institutions is absolutely wrong,” she said.

“He shouldn’t be governing by edict sitting on his throne in Etobicoke. The bottom line is, he is an elected official in a democracy, and democratic processes require public debate.”

The Liberals, who were ousted from government this spring, questioned the premier’s decision to target only Toronto and three other regions, while the Greens said the comments made by Mammoliti suggest the move is “more about settling old scores and gerrymandering the political boundaries than serving the people of Toronto.” ■

Manitoba government moves a step closer to carbon price for large emitters

BY JANICE DICKSON The Canadian Press WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government moved closer Monday to charging a carbon

tax on a handful of large emitters in the province.

The Progressive Conservative government released a discussion paper that eyes a price of $25 per tonne on industrial facilities with annual emissions

of at least 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The government plans to set targets for each emitter, following consultations through September, and charge the tax only on emissions that exceed that www.canadianinquirer.net

amount.

Companies that produce less than their target would get credits that could be traded, and the target would be reduced slightly every year.

“We will be setting a bench-

mark that will be reflective of our goals in Manitoba, which is to ultimately reduce the amount of carbon we put into the atmosphere,” said Sustain❱❱ PAGE 18 Manitoba government

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Canada News

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

The corporate climb: Stalled progress for women in Canadian C suites

BY ARMINA LIGAYA AND TARA DESCHAMPS The Canadian Press

eight CFOs in 2012.

Less than eight per cent of the top paid management roles were held by women.

Only 25 women were among a total of 312 named executive officers (NEO) TORONTO — None of Canada’s TSX 60 — defined by regulators as a company’s companies were headed by a woman and most highly compensated roles — in the two-thirds did not include a single wom- latest management information circuan among top earners during their lat- lars of TSX 60 companies, which, like est fiscal year, reveals a Canadian Press all Canadian public firms, are required analysis of corporate Canada’s highest to disclose a list of NEOs each year. The ranks. findings on NEO compensation include Despite pressure to improve gender salaries as well as other forms of comequality in Canadian workplaces — and pensation such as share-based awards, a myriad of initiatives and corporate incentive plans and pensions. pledges to boost female representation The Canadian Press analysis paints a — top-earning women continue to be bleak picture of a corporate landscape in paid less than their male counterparts, which women remain a significant miwhile the number holding the power- nority, and those in the upper ranks are ful management roles of chief executive paid an average 64 cents for every dollar officer and chief financial officer has earned by the average male NEO. That’s shrunk compared to five years ago. even more dismal than the average of 74 Among the companies on the TSX 60 cents for every dollar of annual salary index, a cross-section of the largest and made by men among the entire working most heavily-traded Canadian stocks, population, according to the most renone Joel_CanadianInquirer_print.pdf listed a woman as its chief execucent Statistics Canada data.

1 2017-10-05 3:45 PM tive officer in its most recent compensaOver the last year, the Me Too movetion disclosure. Just three had a woman ment, which began as a reaction to alleas CFO. That compared to one CEO and gations of sexual harassment and assault

against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, has become the latest iteration of a long-standing drive for equality for women in the workplace.

Many women in corporate Canada are hopeful the recent attention has sparked a broader conversation that will expose the unseen barriers women face when climbing the corporate ladder and fuel the push for gender parity, according to dozens of women in senior management roles and corporate governance experts who spoke to The Canadian Press.

“I can’t remember anything in the last 15 years that has sent such strong shock waves through corporate Canada,” said Charlene Ripley, general counsel and an executive vice-president at mining company Goldcorp Inc. “This Me Too movement has been a catalyst to shock people into awareness of so many issues, when it comes to bad culture.”

And yet, the C-suite remains a domain largely occupied by men.

Two-thirds, or 40 of the TSX 60 index of influential companies, did not cite any women NEOs in 2017 disclosures. (Loblaws Companies Ltd. and parent George Weston Ltd. are both listed on the TSX 60, and both cite Sarah Davis, president of Loblaw, as an NEO.) That figure is little changed from 2012 data, though the analysis of that year was limited to 59 firms because oil and gas heavyweight Nexen was delisted after being acquired and did not put out an NEO list.

“I am surprised that there has been no movement,” said Janice Fukakusa, former chief administrative officer and chief financial officer of the Royal Bank of Canada and one of the few women on the list of NEOs. “The only way you can increase participation is for women to look up and see themselves represented. So, this is not a good statistic for us.”

Over the past five years, 36 per cent, or 116 men who were deemed NEOs in 2012 were still on the influential list in 2017, while just six women remained in the elite group five years later, representing 30 per cent.

The eye-opening data suggests the efforts to accelerate gender diversity

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haven’t yielded the desired results, said Camilla Sutton, president and chief executive of Women in Capital Markets.

“If you took the pulse of the nation, in terms of the change that’s happened versus the change that the data suggests, I don’t think that would be correlated at all,” she reflected on the analysis.

“The data would suggest that we’ve gone backwards, on many measures.”

The analysis also makes apparent that the long-standing gender wage gap is a problem even for women at the top of their game.

In 2017, the average total compensation for female NEOs was $3.24 million, compared to $5.08 million for men — a difference of 36 per cent. That’s a slight improvement from the 38 per cent gap in 2012.

The disparity is even wider among the earners at the very top.

The highest paid male NEO, auto parts maker Magna International Inc.’s president and chief executive Donald Walker, received a total compensation package worth $25.54 million.

Meanwhile, the highest paid female NEO, Marianne Harrison, Manulife Financial’s president and chief executive of the insurer’s U.S. division, was paid $5.96 million. Harrison declined to comment for this story.

A dozen women on the NEO list who spoke to The Canadian Press suggested a range of reasons for why they think women still lag behind men in terms of representation and compensation.

They pointed to an overreliance on the ‘old boys’ club’ for executive searches, an unwillingness within some companies to challenge cultural norms that have left women out of top jobs, little workplace support for women, as well as a lack of confidence and risk-taking among women.

Nora Duke, an executive vice-president of sustainability at electric utility holding company Fortis Inc. who is among the women on the list, believes there are few women in prominent roles because of the time it takes for leadership positions to become available and women to rise to a level that makes them attainable. ❱❱ PAGE 18 The corporate

Canada News

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

17

Feds won’t decriminalize any drugs besides cannabis, despite calls from cities

BY JANICE DICKSON The Canadian Press OTTAWA — The federal government says it will not consider decriminalizing drugs beyond marijuana, despite calls from Canada’s major cities to consider the measure.

As the opioid epidemic washes over the country, Montreal and Toronto are echoing Vancouver and urging the federal government to treat drug use as a public health issue, rather than a criminal one.

Montreal’s public health department has just thrown its support behind a report released recently by Toronto’s board of health which urges the federal government to decriminalize all drugs.

Mylene Drouin, the director of Montreal’s public health department, said last week that she is in favour of Toronto’s

report and that decriminalization will be on the agenda at provincial and national health meetings.

A Health Canada report last month found that nearly 4,000 Canadians died from an apparent opioid overdose in 2017, including 303 opioid overdoserelated deaths in Toronto. In Montreal, the number of deaths relating to probable opioid overdoses was 140 for a period of a little over a year, ending June 30.

Vancouver Mayor Greg Roberston has long called for the decriminalization of all drugs, which has been repeated by health officials and advocates across British Columbia. In Vancouver, there was an estimated 335 opioid related deaths in 2017.

Despite calls from three cities, the federal government is not budging on its position, insisting that decriminalization

is not an option.

Thierry Belair, a spokesman for Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, said the federal government is not looking to decriminalize or legalize any drugs aside from cannabis.

Belair said the government understands that stigma and barriers to treatment need to be reduced, and Ottawa has taken steps in that direction.

He said the federal government has made it easier for health professionals to provide access to opioid substitution therapies; and the federal government has also approved more than 25 supervised consumption sites.

Fardous Hosseiny, national director of research and public policy at the Canadian Mental Health Association, which has advocated for decriminalization, said the organization welcomes the call from Vancouver, Toronto and now Montreal, and

hopes it puts some pressure on the federal government.

“Given the scale of the opioid crisis in Canada, we know that we need to take bold action,” he said.

“We know that evidence tells us that the war on drugs hasn’t worked, so criminalization really stigmatizes people and creates barriers for them accessing treatment and accessing help when they need it.”

Hosseiny raised Portugal’s model as an example, which B.C. urged the federal government adopt. The EU country decriminalized all drugs by eliminating criminal penalties for small possession and consumption of illicit drugs in 2001.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Petitpas Taylor may not be keen to add the decriminalization of all drugs to the election banner in 2019, their party’s supporters like the idea.

The Liberal convention in Halifax last April saw delegates adopt a resolution that supported decriminalizing all illegal drugs. The resolution put forward by the national Liberal caucus for debate at the convention called for illegal drugs to be treated as a public health issue. It also urged the government to adopt the Portugal model.

Petitpas Taylor said at the time that what works for a small country like Portugal wouldn’t work in a large one like Canada.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh urged Trudeau last fall to decriminalize all illegal drugs and he also campaigned on a promise to decriminalize all drugs during his party’s leadership race.

Conservatives have been largely opposed to legalizing pot and would object to the idea of decriminalizing even harder drugs. ■

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World News

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AUGUST 3, 2018

Manitoba government...

The corporate...

❰❰ 15

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able Development Minister Rochelle Squires.

The output-based system would only apply to six large companies, including Koch Fertilizers and Trans- Canada Pipelines. Municipalities, landfills, schools and hospitals would be exempt.

Starting in 2020, smaller operations that emit between 10,000 and 50,000 tonnes per year could opt-in to the system.

The government is seeking input on its plan and has asked for feedback via its website by Sept. 30. The discussion paper offers options on several issues, such as whether an emitter’s target level should be based on their historical output or the industry average.

The Opposition New Democrats criticized the plan as weak, given the exemptions for landfills and other operations.

“They are letting the largest emitters off the hook completely, while offering no new programs to help all other Manitobans avoid the impacts of their upcoming carbon tax,” NDP sustainable development critic

Rob Altemeyer said in a written statement.

The government is also planning a previously announced, $25 per tonne carbon tax on gasoline, diesel, propane and natural gas at the consumer level.

The consumer carbon tax also has large exemptions, including marked fuel for farming, forestry and mining. The government plans to offset

that levy through reductions in other personal taxes, but the New Democrats have said the money should go to help consumers adopt energy-efficient technology.

The carbon tax was supposed to take effect next month, but the legislation enacting it was pushed back by the New Democrats and is now expected to come into force in December. ■

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“I don’t think (companies) necessarily choose to discriminate against women, but I think there are some natural biases,” she said, noting that many organizations are packed with men in leadership roles, who have worked together for years.

“It is a comfortable situation and you just tend to continue in that format, until you really make a point of thinking differently about it? I think it is this concept of unconscious bias.”

The Canadian Press reached out to all of the TSX 60 companies who did not list any women NEOs to ask why.

Companies that responded said women are better represented in senior leadership roles and on their boards of directors than in their corporate management suite. The firms also pointed to various ongoing and new initiatives to further foster diversity in their highest ranks and on their board, and public pledges to do so. Eight companies declined to respond, and six did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Still, the executive women

FRIDAY

interviewed by The Canadian Press felt that the lack of women in the companies’ upper ranks makes it harder for those climbing the career ladder to picture themselves at the top, and gives women less of a voice at the executive table to help shape the corporate culture.

While the Me Too movement is centred on the sexual misconduct and harassment women face, there is an optimism that its momentum can help propel progress on other fronts, including inclusion in the corner office and equal pay.

“It really does give women that empowerment to speak up, about even things like staffing decisions … There is a broader good that’s happening,” said Fukakusa, now the chair of the board of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Changes will come, albeit slowly, many women agreed.

Goldcorp’s Ripley said she is disappointed that she is among the few women to reach the elite levels of TSX 60 companies.

“I am hopeful that in the coming years there will be more women on the list,” she added.

“But there is a long way to go.” ■

World News

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

19

No mystery to Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh’s gun views

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN AND LARRY NEUMEISTER The Associated Press SILVER SPRING, MD. — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh says he recognizes that gun, drug and gang violence “has plagued all of us.”

Still, he believes the Constitution limits how far government can go to restrict gun use to prevent crime.

As a federal appeals court judge, Kavanaugh made it clear in a 2011 dissent that he thinks Americans can keep most guns, even the AR-15 rifles used in some of the deadliest mass shootings.

Kavanaugh’s nomination by President Donald Trump has delighted Second Amendment advocates. Gun law supporters worry that his ascendancy to America’s highest court would make it harder to curb the proliferation of guns. Kavanaugh has the support of the National Rifle Association, which posted a photograph of Kavanaugh and Trump across the top of its website.

The Supreme Court has basically stayed away from major guns cases since its rulings in 2008 and 2010 declared a right to have a gun, at least in the home for the purpose of selfdefence.

Gun rights advocates believe Kavanaugh interprets the Second Amendment right to bear arms more broadly than does Anthony Kennedy, the justice he would replace. As a first step, some legal experts expect Kavanaugh would be more likely to vote for the court to hear a case that could expand the right to gun ownership or curtail a gun control law.

Kavanaugh would be a “big improvement” over Kennedy, said Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America. Kennedy sided with the majority in rulings in 2008 and 2010 overturning bans on handgun possession in the District of Columbia and Chicago, respectively, but some gun rights proponents believe he was a moderating influence.

“Kennedy tended to be all over the map” on the Second Amendment, Pratt said.

Former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, the Arizona Democrat who was gravely wounded in a 2011 shooting at a constituent gathering, said in a written statement that Kavanaugh’s “dangerous views on the Second Amendment are far outside the mainstream of even conservative thought.”

She predicted that Kavanaugh would back the gun lobby’s agenda, “putting corporate interests before public safety.”

In his 2011 dissent in a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Kavanaugh argued that the district’s ban on semi-automatic rifles and its gun registra- US President with Donald Trump (right) with Brett Kavanaugh and his family. tion requirement were unconstitutional. wrote. guns in violent crimes.

That case is known as “Heller He said it was unconstituHe was equally dismissive of II” because it followed the Su- tional to ban the most popular Washington’s gun registration preme Court’s 2008 decision in semi-automatic rifle, the AR- protocol, saying it had not been District of Columbia v. Heller 15, since it accounted for 5.5 per traditionally required in the striking down the city’s ban on cent of firearms by 2007 and nation and “remains highly unhandguns in the home. over 14 per cent of rifles pro- usual today.”

Kavanaugh said the Supreme duced in the U.S. for the domesStill, Kavanaugh supported Court held that handguns are tic market. the ban on full automatics or constitutionally protected “beHe said semi-automatic rifles machine-guns, reasoning that cause they have not tradition- had been commercially avail- they “were developed for the ally been banned and are in able since at least 1903, “are battlefield and were never in common use by widespread civillaw-abiding citiian use.” zens.”

In 2016, Kava“Gun bans and naugh dissented gun regulations Gun bans and gun regulations that when two of his that are not longare not longstanding or sufficiently colleagues lifted standing or sufrooted in text, history, and tradition an order blockficiently rooted are not consistent with the Second ing the city from in text, history, Amendment individual right. enforcing a limit and tradition are on issuing linot consistent censes to carry with the Second concealed fireAmendment individual right,” quite common in the United arms. he wrote in a point rejected by States” and the Supreme Court The Giffords Law Center the majority. said in a 1994 ruling that they to Prevent Gun Violence said Critics contend Kavanaugh’s “traditionally have been widely the dissent shows Kavanaugh analysis is flawed because AR- accepted as lawful possessions.” believes the district’s “good 15s were not around during the Semi-automatic rifles were reason” requirement for conearly days of the republic. used in several mass shootings cealed-carry permit applicants In his dissent, Kavanaugh in recent years, including the is unconstitutional. His views wrote that he had lived and February killing of 17 people at on that subject drew more scruworked in Washington for most a Florida high school. tiny after the 9th U.S. Circuit of his life and was “acutely Kavanaugh rejected the ma- Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 days aware of the gun, drug, and gang jority’s reasoning that semi- ago in a Hawaii case that people violence that has plagued all of automatic handguns were suf- have the right to openly carry us.” ficient for self-defence, saying: guns in public for self-defence.

He said few government “That’s a bit like saying books Phil Mendelson, a Democrat responsibilities are more sig- can be banned because people and chairman of the D.C. Counnificant than fighting violent can always read newspapers.” cil, said Kavanaugh’s dissent crime. “That said, the Supreme He belittled the description of made clear that “his views on Court has long made clear that the guns as “assault weapons,” gun control are on the extreme the Constitution disables the saying that handguns could be side.” Councilmember Mary government from employing called the “quintessential ‘as- M. Cheh, a Democrat and procertain means to prevent, de- sault weapons’ because they fessor of constitutional law at ter, or detect violent crime,” he are used much more than other George Washington University, www.canadianinquirer.net

THE WHITE HOUSE / TWITTER

said she’s “worried about the shift to the right, for sure.”

Some legal experts believe Kavanaugh’s confirmation would make it more likely the court would hear another potentially groundbreaking Second Amendment case. Only four of nine justices need to vote in favour of reviewing a case.

UCLA law school professor Adam Winkler, author of “Gunfight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America,” said Kavanaugh could become that crucial fourth vote because three justices — Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Jr. — all have voiced support for the court to take on Second Amendment cases.

Still, it takes five justices to win a case and Chief Justice John Roberts may turn out to be as reluctant as Kennedy to further define the law.

Georgia State University law professor Eric Segall said the court’s recent silence on gun laws has fueled speculation that neither the conservative justices nor their liberal colleagues knew how Kennedy would vote.

Segall suspects the Supreme Court would be more likely to review a Second Amendment case if Kavanaugh is confirmed because there is less uncertainty about where he stands compared to Kennedy.

“The lower courts are just all over the place, reaching different results on different gun laws. The court has to provide guidance at some point, and it will,” Segall said. ■

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World News

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Death toll from Greek wildfire reaches 91 as village grieves

BY COSTAS KANTOURIS AND DEMETRIS NELLAS The Associated Press MATI, GREECE — Fire officials in Greece raised the death toll from a wildfire that raged through a coastal area east of Athens to 91 and reported that 25 people were missing Sunday, six days after Europe’s deadliest forest fire in more than a century.

Before the national fire service updated the official number of fatalities, it stood at 86 as hundreds of mourners attended a Sunday morning memorial service for the victims in the seaside village hardest-hit by the blaze.

The fire sped flames through the village of Mati, a popular resort spot, without warning on July 23. A database maintained by the Centre for the Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters in Brussels shows it as the deadliest wildfire in Europe since 1900.

The vast majority of victims died in the fire itself, though a number drowned in the sea while fleeing the flames. Until Sunday night, Greek officials had not provided a tally of the people reported missing.

Hellenic Fire Service spokeswoman Stavroula Malliri provided a breakdown that illustrated why the death toll continued to expand and the list of people thought to be missing was difficult to draw up with precision.

Malliri said that as of Sunday evening, 59 victims had been identified from bodies or remains and another four people injured in the fire had died in area hospitals. But identities have not yet been linked to another 28 sets of remains, she said.

Relatives or friends reported 25 people who were considered officially missing, Malliri said.

A fire service official said some or all of the 25 missing people could be among the yet-

unidentified remains of the dead. The official requested anonymity because the fire still is under investigation.

At the morning memorial service in Mati, the senior local Greek Orthodox Church official, Bishop Kyrillos, said the community was grieving the simultaneous loss of family, neighbours and friends.

“There’s fewer of us now than usually,” the bishop said. “It is the victims of the recent fire that are missing — friends, relatives and acquaintances, nextdoor people that we saw every day in town and on the beach.”

Local resident Angeliki Galiatsatou said she narrowly managed to escape the fire that killed others in their cars and homes.

“I came to pray for the people who were lost and I pray that God blesses us all,” she said.

Dozens of volunteer divers, some of them retired Navy Seals, ventured into the sea again Sunday to look for the

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bodies of more possible victims.

The search was abandoned, without result, because of a sudden storm.

Greek authorities have said they have reason to believe the fire resulted from arson and turned so deadly because winds of up to 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) buffeted the pine-forested seaside resorts at the time.

The Greek government also has come under criticism for how buildings and roads were laid out in the area and an alleged lack of adequate preparation for fire season. More than 2,000 homes were damaged in the fire and roughly a quar-

ter will have to be demolished, Greek officials said Friday.

The Holy Synod made up of all Greek bishops said in a letter read out loud at Sunday’s memorial service that everyone bears responsibility for protecting the environment from haphazard development.

“What words of comfort can you offer the person who has lost their father, their mother, the grandparents in whose arms their grandchildren were found?” Kyrillos said. “What words of solace can you offer a mother who has lost her baby and left a few flowers on the beach?” ■

World News

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

21

Trump willing to shut down government over border security

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE The Associated Press BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would consider shutting down the government if Democrats refuse to vote for his immigration proposals, including a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Republicans, trying to protect their majority in Congress, are playing down the chance of a shutdown as the November election nears. Trump, however, isn’t backing away from the idea.

“I would be willing to ‘shut down’ government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall!” Trump tweeted. “Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT! “We need great people coming into our Country!” Trump said.

Trump returned to the idea of shutting down the government over the border wall after meeting at the White House last week with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to discuss the fall legislative agenda.

McConnell, asked about a shutdown during a Kentucky radio interview, said it was not going to happen. He did acknowledge, however, that the border funding issue was unlikely to be resolved before the midterm elections.

Ryan said after the meeting: “The president’s willing to be patient to make sure that we get what we need so that we can get that done.” He added that money for the wall was “not a question of if, it’s a question of when.”

Trump campaigned on the promise of building a border wall to deter illegal immigration and making Mexico pay for it. Mexico has refused.

Congress has given the president some wall funding but far from the $25 billion he has requested. Trump wants changes to legal immigration, including scrapping a visa lottery program. In addition, he wants

to end the practice of releasing immigrants caught entering the country illegally on the condition that they show up for court hearings.

Trump has also demanded that the U.S. shift to an immigration system that’s based more on merit and less on family ties.

Democrats and some Republicans have objected to some of the changes Trump seeks.

The federal budget year ends Sept. 30, and lawmakers will spend much of August in their states campaigning for re-election. The House is now in recess, returning after Labor Day. The Senate remains in session and is set to go on break the week of Aug. 6 before returning for the rest of the month.

McConnell cancelled most of the Senate’s recess to give senators time to work on the annual spending bills that fund government operations.

Both chambers will have a short window to approve a spending bill before government funding expires.

Trump would be taking a political risk if he does allow most government functions to lapse on Oct. 1 — the first day of the new budget year — roughly a month before the Nov. 6 elections, when Republican control of both the House and Senate is at stake.

Some Republican lawmakers doubted the government would be forced to shut down.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he didn’t think shutting down the government just before the elections would be helpful “so let’s try and avoid it.”

Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm for GOP House candidates, agreed.

“I think we’re going to make sure we keep the government open, but we’re going to get better policies on immigration,” he said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“The president, I think, wants us to have policies that work for America and work for Americans, and I think that’s what we are going to move forward

with.”

House Republicans released a spending bill this month that provides $5 billion next year to build Trump’s wall.

Democrats have long opposed financing Trump’s wall but lack the votes by themselves to block House approval of that amount. They do, however, have the strength to derail legislation in the closely divided Senate.

The $5 billion is well above the $1.6 billion in the Senate version of the bill, which would finance the Homeland Security Department. The higher amount matches what Trump has privately sought in conversations with Republican lawmakers, according to a GOP congressional aide who wasn’t authorized to publicly talk about private discussions and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Two leading Democrats — Reps. Nita Lowey of New York and California’s Lucille Roybal-Allard — called the $5 billion a waste that “only further enables this administration’s obsession with cruel attacks on immigrants.”

Separately Sunday, Trump tweeted that there are “consequences when people cross our Border illegally” and claimed that many who do so are “using children for their own sinister purposes.”

Trump’s tweet came several days after the government said more than 1,800 children separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under Trump’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy have been reunited with parents and sponsors. A federal judge had ordered the reunions to be completed by last Thursday, but hundreds of children remain separated. The administration says some of their parents have criminal histories.

“Please understand, there are consequences when people cross our Border illegally, whether they have children or not – and many are just using children for their own sinister purposes,” Trump said.

He also said Congress must fix “the DUMBEST & WORST immigration laws anywhere in the world!” and urged voters to “Vote ‘R.”’ ■ www.canadianinquirer.net

Michigan Democrats hope pot measure brings out youth vote

BY ALICE YIN The Associated Press LANSING, MICH. — As both parties continue pumping funds into the 2018 race, Michigan Democrats hope to cash in on another kind of green.

A proposal to legalize marijuana will be on Michigan’s November ballot, putting the state on the cusp of allowing recreational use of the drug for those 21 and older. If approved, Michigan would become the 10th state and the first in the Midwest to allow its recreational use.

The ballot measure could also entice more younger voters to show up to the polls, which likely would help the Democrats.

And in Michigan’s first general election in two years, the lure of legal weed could be a surprise tool for the minority party to redeem itself in a battleground state that narrowly swung to President Donald Trump in 2016.

One of the ballot’s committee leaders, Jeff Hank, said the initiative is nonpartisan but that Michigan politicians running on anti-marijuana messaging — all of whom are Republicans — should beware.

“It’s the most sensible thing to do,” Hank said. “Politicians who don’t support this proposal are on the wrong side of history, and that’s too bad.”

Having a cannabis-injected voter bump is an easy gift for

Michigan Democrats, who by and large support legalizing marijuana as a civil liberty, a criminal justice reform and a fertile source of tax revenue.

It also helps that legalizing marijuana, a once-fringe issue associated with the anti-war counterculture movement, has quickly solidified into a lasting political cause.

Two years ago, the share of Americans living in a state with recreational marijuana laws swelled to almost a quarter of the country, thanks to successful 2016 election ballot initiatives in four states that raised the total to nine states plus the District of Columbia. Thirtyone states have legalized medical marijuana, including Michigan, which has allowed it for a decade.

Legalizing recreational marijuana boasts a 61 per cent approval rating among Michiganders, according to EPIC-MRA polling. The partisan breakdown showed three-fourths of both Democrats and independents favour legalization, while just under half of Republican respondents approve.

“It’s likely to increase participation among young voters, who are very Democratic,” EPIC-MRA president Bernie Porn said.

It’s difficult to draw on successful marijuana ballot initiatives elsewhere because most succeeded in western states ❱❱ PAGE 27 Michigan Democrats

22

World News

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Manafort trial to focus on lavish lifestyle, not collusion

BY ERIC TUCKER AND CHAD DAY The Associated Press

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN / FACEBOOK

Turkish leader dismisses US sanctions threat over pastor

BY CINAR KIPER The Associated Press ISTANBUL — Turkey’s president said his government would not back down and was willing to “go its own way” if the United States imposes sanctions over an American pastor who is being tried on espionage and terror-related charges.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended his silence late Saturday on the escalating diplomatic dispute involving Andrew Craig Brunson, 50. The evangelical pastor was arrested in December 2016 and jailed until he was released to home detention last week.

“They cannot make Turkey back down with sanctions,” Turkish media quoted Erdogan saying during an official visit to southern Africa.

“The U.S. should not forget that unless it changes its attitude, it will lose a strong and sincere partner like Turkey,” he warned.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced possible sanctions against Turkey, a crucial NATO ally, for its treatment of Brunson. The pastor, who is originally from Black Mountain, North Carolina, has lived in Turkey for 23 years and led Izmir Resurrection Church.

Brunson was detained in the aftermath of a failed 2016 coup on charges of “committing crimes on behalf of terror

groups without being a member” and espionage. His He faces a prison sentence of up to 35 years if he is convicted on both counts at the end of his ongoing trial.

In an interview that aired Sunday, U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence reiterated that there would be consequences if Erdogan’s government did not free Brunson and drop the charges.

“Transferring Pastor Andrew Brunson to home arrest is just not good enough, and the United States of America is prepared to bring sanctions against Turkey until Pastor Andrew Brunson is free,” Pence said in the interview on Fox’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

Erdogan denied speculation that there had been an agreement to swap Brunson for Turkish citizens being held abroad, particularly 27-yearold Ebru Ozkan. Ozkan had been detained by Israel on terror-related charges, but was deported this month.

The Turkish leader previously linked Brunson’s return to the U.S. to the extradition of Fethullah Gulen. Ankara blames Gulen for the coup attempt, while the cleric denies involvement.

Erdogan also warned that Turkey would seek international arbitration if the United States refused to deliver F-35 fighter jets in retaliation. ■

warned prosecutors to restrain themselves, noting the current “antipathy” toward Russia and how “most people in this country don’t distinguish between WASHINGTON — The trial Ukrainians and Russians.” He of President Donald Trump’s said he would not tolerate any onetime campaign chairman pictures of Manafort and others will open this week with tales “at a cocktail party with scantof lavish spending, secret shell ily clad women,” if they exist. companies and millions of dolProsecutor Greg Andres reaslars of Ukrainian money flowsured the judge that “there will ing through offshore bank acbe no pictures of scantily clad counts and into the political women, period,” nor photoconsultant’s pocket. graphs of Russian flags.

What’s likely to be missing: “I don’t anticipate that a govanswers about whether the ernment witness will utter the Trump campaign co-ordinated word ‘Russia,”’ Andres said. with the Kremlin during the While jurors will be hear2016 presidential election, or reing painstaking detail about ally any mention of Russia at all.

Manafort’s finances, they won’t Paul Manafort’s financial be told about Manafort’s other crimes trial, the first arising criminal case, in the nation’s from special capital, where counsel Robhe faces charges ert Mueller’s of acting as an i nv e s t i g a t i o n , unregistered forwill centre on Perhaps he believes that he’s done eign agent and lyhis Ukrainian nothing wrong, and because he’s ing to the governconsulting work done nothing wrong, he’s unwilling ment. and only briefly to plead guilty to any crime Nor will they touch on his inwhatsoever — even if it’s a lesser hear about the volvement with crime. reason he’s been the president’s jailed since last campaign. month after a But the broadjudge revoked er implications are unmistakProsecutors in Manafort’s his house arrest over allegations able. case have said they may call 35 that he and a longtime associThe trial, scheduled to begin witnesses, including five who ate attempted to tamper with Tuesday with jury selection in have immunity agreements, as witnesses in the case. And they Alexandria, Virginia, will give they try to prove that he laun- won’t learn that Manafort’s the public its most detailed dered more than $30 million co-defendant in the Washingglimpse of evidence Muel- in Ukrainian political consult- ton case is a business associate ler’s team has spent the year ing proceeds and concealed the named Konstantin Kilimnik, accumulating. It will feature funds from the IRS. who lives in Russia and who U.S. testimony about the business Jurors are expected to see authorities assert has connecdealings and foreign ties of a photographs of his Mercedes- tions to Russian intelligence. defendant Trump entrusted Benz and of his Hampton propTrump and his lawyers have to run his campaign during a erty putting green and swim- repeatedly sought to play down critical stretch in 2016, includ- ming pool. There’s likely to be Manafort’s connection to the ing during the Republican con- testimony, too, about tailored president, yet the trial won’t be vention. And it will unfold at a Beverly Hills clothing, high-end entirely without references to delicate time for the president antiques, rugs and art and New the campaign. as Mueller’s team presses for York Yankees seasons tickets.

Mueller’s team says an interview and as Trump esThe luxurious lifestyle was Manafort’s position in the calates his attacks on an inves- funded by Manafort’s political Trump campaign is relevant to tigation he calls a “witch hunt.” consulting for the pro-Russian some of the bank fraud charges.

Adding to the intrigue is the Ukrainian political party of Viktor Prosecutors plan to present expected spectacle of Manafort’s Yanukovych, who was deposed as evidence that a chairman of one deputy, Rick Gates, testifying Ukraine’s president in 2014. of the banks allowed Manafort against him after cutting a plea Lawyers have tangled over to file inaccurate loan informadeal with prosecutors, and the how much jurors will hear of his tion in exchange for a job on the speculation that Manafort, who overseas political work, particu- campaign and the promise of a faces charges in two different larly about his ties to Russia and job in the Trump administracourts and decades in prison if other wealthy political figures. tion. The administration job convicted, may be holding out At a recent hearing, U.S. Dis- never materialized. for a pardon from Trump. trict Judge T.S. Ellis III, who “Perhaps he believes that he’s will preside over the trial, ❱❱ PAGE 36 Manafort trial www.canadianinquirer.net

done nothing wrong, and because he’s done nothing wrong, he’s unwilling to plead guilty to any crime whatsoever — even if it’s a lesser crime,” said Jimmy Gurule, a Notre Dame law professor and former federal prosecutor. “Obviously, that’s very risky for him.”

Manafort was indicted along with Gates in Mueller’s wideranging investigation, but he is the only American charged to opt for a trial instead of co-operating with the government.

The remaining 31 individuals charged have either reached plea agreements, including exWhite House national security adviser Michael Flynn, or are Russians seen as unlikely to enter an American courtroom.

Three Russian companies have also been charged.

23

Entertainment Seth Rogen lends voice to TTC public service announcements

BY VICTORIA AHEARN The Canadian Press TORONTO — Canadian comedy star Seth Rogen is taking Toronto Transit Commission riders to task in a series of funny and friendly public service announcements that come just days after he lent his raspy tones to Metro Vancouver’s TransLink.

Unveiled Tuesday in TTC subway stations and on its website, the 10 PSAs cover a variety of transit issues, including fare evasion, personal grooming and eating, and those who hold train doors.

“Hey, TTC customers, Seth Rogen here — fellow Canadian and public transit user,” Rogen says in one of the PSAs. “I always hold the door for my mother, because she raised me right. But holding a subway door for her would get me in

trouble. I don’t need the hassle, or the delay, so leave ‘dem doors alone.”

The Vancouver-born actorwriter-filmmaker said he wants to “help make everyone’s riding experience as amazing as it could possibly be.”

“I use public transportation, myself, and would like people to not be clipping their toe nails around me,” Rogen added in a statement.

The TTC said Rogen donated his time and voice after Toronto city councillor Norm Kelly suggested it on Twitter.

While there was no fee for Rogen’s services, there were some costs associated with the recording session, editing and travel, said TTC spokesman Brad Ross, who went to California for two days for the project.

“Goodwill that you cannot buy for that price,” Ross said in a phone interview, noting the

Alfrancis Chua.

total cost for the entire project was $2,300.

Last week the “Pineapple Express” star announced he’s

JOEY O. RAZON / PNA

the new guest voice of Translink, tackling transit etiquette as well as “interesting tidbits” about the area and his relation-

ship to Metro Vancouver.

He’s a replacement for Morgan Freeman, who was removed from TransLink public announcements following allegations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour against the Oscar winner.

For the TTC, Rogen recorded messages that are about 20 seconds each and focus on etiquette and common courtesy amongst passengers.

“Imagine, if you would, a world without feet,” he says in one PSA. “OK, don’t, because it’s freaky. But anyway, imagine a TTC where no one puts their feet on the seat. So yes, while feet are cool please leave them on the floor while riding the TTC.” “It is another example of how we’re moving the TTC forward in new and innovative ways,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said in a statement. ■

‘Simpsons’ creators bring feminism, young talent to new show

BY PABLO ARAUZ PENA The Associated Press BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. — Matt Groening said his new adult cartoon series “Disenchantment” has a feminist component that sets it apart from his previous shows.

Groening spoke to reporters about bringing fresh talent to the Netflix show at a Sunday panel for the Television Critics Association, joined by the voice actors Abbi Jacobson and Eric Andre.

He also highlighted the differences between the new project and his previous work, the long-running Fox series “The Simpsons.”

“One of the reasons that ‘The Simpsons’ is what it is, is be-

cause of the time constraints,” he said. “In this show, we’re able to let it breathe a little more which I find gratifying.”

The series notably stands out as an adult cartoon with a female lead. It follows the misadventures of an alcoholic slacker princess named Princess Bean, voiced by “Broad City” star Abbi Jacobson, who has everything but a sense of purpose.

Joined by a personal demon named Luci, played by Andre, and a scruffy elf named Elfo (voiced by Nat Faxon), Bean creates mischief in the kingdom of Dreamland where she’s infamous for her careless antics.

“Bean is such an anti-stereotypical princess from what we are used to seeing,” said Jacobson.

Both Jacobson and Andre have a built a following with the hard-to-win young adult audience in their shows “Broad City” and “The Eric Andre Show.” The stars shared their stories of growing up watching “The Simpsons” and finding their place with Groening and Josh Weinstein, creators and producers of “Disenchantment.”

Weinstein said that while “Disenchantment” features established talent from both “Futurama” — which he produced — and “The Simpsons,” it transcends boundaries in both age and diversity. He said at least half the writing staff is under 30.

“We like to think we’re sensitive guys but we have an awesome writing staff,” he said. www.canadianinquirer.net

Matt Groening.

“Just as a cast, it’s a great mix.”

Groening also cited “Monty Python and The Holy Grail” as an inspiration for the series, but said that the feminist style of Jacobson’s “Broad City” influenced the show as well.

GAGE SKIDMORE / FLICKR

“As pro-women as Josh and I are, Abbi definitely kicked up the lines we wrote for her an extra notch and made them even better,” he said.

“Disenchantment” premieres Aug. 17 on Netflix. ■

24

Entertainment

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Alexander Lee addresses gay rumors

BY JOANNA BELLE DEALA Philippine Canadian Inquirer IS ALEXANDER Lee gay? This question might have crossed the minds of those who are curious about his sexuality. So, the Korean actor and singer took it to social media to give light about this issue.

Lee, in his Instagram post on Monday, July 30, seemed to be aware that some people think that he is not “manly enough” because of the way he looks and behaves.

“I might look gay for you but sorry that’s the way I am!” Lee said.

“And I will say this only once: I’m not gay so stop trying to bring me sh*t (accusations, hate comments, blind items, etc) to bring me down, he added.

The actor went on by saying that if he shows a video of him-

self having an intimate relationship with a woman, would it be enough to justify that he is not what his haters think he is?

Aside from clarifying that he is indeed a straight guy, Lee also said he finds nothing wrong with being gay.

“You think people choose to be gay? Stop judging others.

You are not God. And only God knows the reason and the answer why,” Lee stressed.

“Furthermore, even if I go to a gay bar, so what? Being straight or being gay, people will say the same sh*t like ‘He’s gay.’” he continued.

Those who stay at home, he said, could be even “more lustful or immoral.”

“Anyway, conclusion, if you don’t like me then sorry that I don’t fit your taste, there are many other dishes out there for you, so bon appetit,” Lee ended.

His fans then expressed sup-

@XANDER0729 / INSTAGRAM

port for their idol, saying that he should do whatever makes him happy and just ignore those who try to bring him down.

User @lhaine_rios_rio told Lee, “You do not need to prove anything to those who misjudged you… just never mind

those who have very bean-like minded.”

“I love you just the way you are!! You’re amazing and always keep your head up!! Be yourself and no apologies!!!” lilhoney1974 said.

Meanwhile, @dindinssi wrote, “Thank you for being born brave and true to yourself @xander0729 you are one of the bravest artist that I know.”

“Being able to stand up for yourself and saying what you want to say without hesitation.

I salute and adore you! Keep it up,” she added.

Lee, who was a former member of the Korean boy band U-Kiss, starred in a comedy-romance series My Korean Jagiya along with Heart Evangelista. It was aired

by GMA Network in 2017.

He also had a special participation in GMA’s Dear Uge, a comedy anthology starring Eugene Domingo. ■

Allegation clouds Bobby Brown’s plan for violence shelter

BY JONATHAN LANDRUM JR. The Associated Press ATLANTA — Singer Bobby Brown plans to build a shelter for domestic violence victims in honour of his late daughter despite allegations that he once hit his ex-wife Whitney Houston.

Brown is developing the not-for-profit Bobbi Kristina Brown Serenity House near Atlanta. The shelter will also offer a 24-hour crisis intervention line and an emergency transitional shelter.

On Monday, he received three proclamations from officials in Atlanta, Fulton County and the City of South Fulton acknowledging his plans.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 22, was found unresponsive in a bathtub in 2015 and died after six months in a coma.

Her estate sued her boyfriend, Nick Gordon, for wrongful death, accusing him of assault and other offences. An attorney for Gordon called the charges baseless, but after Gordon failed to defend himself in the civil case, a judge ruled against him in 2016 and ordered him to pay $36 million.

Bobbi Kristina Brown’s

mother, Houston, died in 2012 after she drowned in a bathtub.

Coroner’s officials ruled Houston’s death accidental and said heart disease and cocaine were contributing factors.

Last week, Brown denied to news reporters that his tumultuous marriage with Houston ever turned violent, despite a 2016 interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts in which Brown said he once hit her.

Asked again Monday about the allegations involving Houston, Brown did not answer directly, but instead described his own childhood experiences of domestic violence.

“I grew up in a domestic violence home,” he said. “I’ve seen it firsthand. It stopped after my mom was not going to have it anymore. They both would do it to each other. I’m happy that part of my life is over. I’m ready to move on. I’m becoming a better man, father and brother.

This is all about being there for someone else, so they won’t have to go through it by themselves.”

Houston called police just outside Atlanta in December 2003 to report that Brown threatened to beat her and then hit her in the face, leaving her with a bruised cheek and a cut

inside her lip. But Brown described the incident as a “little spat” saying the two were playfully “slap boxing” before Houston took one of his jabs a “little serious.”

A judge in May 2004 ruled there was enough evidence for Brown to stand trial on misdemeanour battery charges and set a deadline about two months later for Brown to turn himself over to authorities for fingerprinting. An Associated Press report from the time says Brown and Houston exchanged smiles during the hearing and left the courtroom arm-in-arm.

Brown turned himself in on July 11, 2004, a few hours before the court-imposed deadline, and was released after posting a $2,000 bond.

A notice from the Fulton County solicitor general’s office says the case was dismissed in December 2005. The reason prosecutors gave was: “Unable to contact the victim.”

Brown’s wife, Alicia Etheredge-Brown, said she doesn’t appreciate the old allegations against her husband getting fresh attention.

“It feels very hurtful,” she said. She added that, “everyone doesn’t have the platform that Bobby is on, so it’s exposed.” www.canadianinquirer.net

Bobby Brown.

She said they are currently looking at properties in Atlanta and plan to open a home in the next year.

City of South Fulton Mayor Bill Edwards said he supports Brown despite the old charges, saying it’s appropriate for Brown to receive a proclamation recognizing his plans for a shelter.

“You have to get to know the person for themselves. If you listen to the person and read between the lines, and you hear

RANDY MIRAMONTEZ / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

him today, that was genuine.

That was not New Edition. That was a genuine love for his family. A genuine love for his daughter and for this movement to avoid domestic violence.”

Brown said he felt overwhelmed by the local officials’ support.

“I’m one of the happiest men on the planet earth right now,” Brown said. “It’s just beautiful that the mayor and city council have stepped up in support of my daughter’s passing.” ■

Entertainment

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

25

‘Guardians’ cast issues Roseanne Barr on racist tweet: open letter in support ‘I wish I worded it better’ of James Gunn THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BY LINDSEY BAHR The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Chris Pratt and his fellow “Guardians of the Galaxy” castmates are coming out in support of ousted director James Gunn 10 days after his firing.

In an open letter Monday signed by Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel and five other main stars of the franchise, the cast said it fully supports the director and the character he showed both on the set of the first two movies and in the wake of his firing.

Gunn was let go from directing the third installment of the franchise by The Walt Disney Co. after old tweets resurfaced where he joked about subjects like rape and pedophilia.

The cast says it waited 10 days to issue a statement to “think, pray, listen and discuss.” In the interim, various cast members, including Gunn’s brother Sean Gunn, have issued individual statements. Fan petitions were also started online to rehire Gunn.

“Each of us looks forward to working with our friend James again in the future,” wrote the cast members, who said they were all shocked by the firing.

Pratt added in an Instagram post that he would, “Personally love to see him reinstated as director of Volume 3.”

James Gunn.

“Although I don’t support James Gunn’s inappropriate jokes from years ago, he is a good man,” Pratt added.

The letter also discusses the climate that led to Gunn’s abrupt firing and the lack of “due process in the court of public opinion.”

Gunn’s current Twitter account is heavy on left-leaning politics, and some on the right with whom he’d sparred found and promoted the tweets from 2008 to 2011 that led to his firing.

“James is likely not the last good person to be put on trial,” the cast members continued.

“Given the growing political divide in this country, it’s safe to say instances like this will continue, although we hope Americans from across the political spectrum can ease up on the character assassination and stop weaponizing mob mentality.”

Gunn has been writer and director of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise from the start, taking an obscure Marvel Comics title about a group of multicolored misfits and turning it into a space opera decked with comedy and retro music that made Pratt a major movie star. Through two installments the franchise has brought in more than $1.5 billion in global box office, and much has been staked on the third film that would launch another decade, or more, of Marvel films. ■

GAGE SKIDMORE / FLICKR

Barr repeatedly said Thursday that her tweet was meant to address U.S.-Middle Eastern policy and had no racial overtones. She said she was stunned by the negative reaction to the tweet, which Hannity noted was nearly universal.

“I am a creative genius, and this is not a good feeling for an artist to be treated this way, and it’s not a good feeling for a citizen, either.”

Despite apologizing at times, Barr also said she felt the tweet

Donald Trump, brought him briefly into the conversation.

“I’m not a racist and the people LOS ANGELES — In Roseanne who voted for Trump, they’re not Barr’s first TV interview since her racist either, and Trump isn’t a ABC sitcom was cancelled for a racist, sorry. We just have a difracist tweet, the comedian apoloferent opinion,” she said. gized for her “ill-worded” post She said she could have fought and insisted she is not a bigot.

ABC over her firing, but that she During her hour-long interwalked away from the hit reboot view on Sean Hannity’s Fox because she didn’t want anybody News Channel show Thursto lose their jobs. She said her day, Barr lamented the damage contract was supposed to allow done to her by her tweet about her to correct any misstatements Valerie Jarrett, a former advisshe made within 24 hours, but er to President she wasn’t given Barack Obama. the opportunity.

“It cost me evThe new vererything,” Barr sion of “Rosesaid. “I wish I I’m sorry that you feel harm and anne” was an worded it better.” hurt, I never meant that. instant smash Hannity refor ABC, owned peatedly urged by the Walt DisBarr to apologize ney Co., and was to Jarrett on air. The comedian was being mischaracterized counted on to lead the neteventually did, saying that she and she indicated she felt like work’s fortunes next season. was sorry for the poorly worded she had apologized enough for Its debut episode last March tweet. She said she would tell Jar- her actions. was seen by more than 25 milrett, “I’m sorry that you feel harm “I feel like I have apologized lion people with delayed viewand hurt, I never meant that. I and explained and asked for ing counted in, numbers that never meant to hurt anybody.” forgiveness and made recom- are increasingly rare in netShe repeated her assertion pense,” she said early in the in- work television. that she did not know Jarrett terview. At another point, just ABC has announced that it was black when she likened Jar- before addressing Jarrett di- will produce a “Roseanne” spirett to a cross between the Mus- rectly, Barr said, “I already have noff called “The Conners” that lim Brotherhood and a “Planet said I’m sorry for two months.” features John Goodman, Lauof the Apes” actor.

Barr, a supporter of President rie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert. ■

Next ‘Star Wars’ film to use unreleased Fisher footage THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES — Carrie Fisher is not done with “Star Wars” after all — Lucasfilm says unreleased footage of the actress will be used in the next installment of the “Star Wars” saga to draw her character’s story to an end.

The studio and writer-director J.J. Abrams announced Friday that footage of Fisher shot for 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will be used in the ninth film in the space opera’s core trilogies about the Skywalker family that includes Fisher’s character, Leia.

Filming is scheduled to begin Wednesday at London’s Pinewww.canadianinquirer.net

wood Studios.

Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, will also appear in the film, which for the moment is simply called “Episode IX.” It is scheduled to be released in December 2019.

Fisher died in December 2016 after she finished work on the middle installment in the trilogy, “The Last Jedi.” Director Rian Johnson opted not alter her storyline, leaving Leia’s fate to be handled by Abrams.

“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” Abrams said in a statement. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us.”

He said recasting Fisher or recreating her using computer graphics, as was done in a spi-

noff film “Rogue One,” was not an option.

“With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honour Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.” Friday’s announcement also confirmed that Billy Dee Williams will be returning to the franchise as Lando Calrissian, a hero of the rebellion who hasn’t been seen in the latest trilogy.

Also returning to the film are Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, who all play heroes.

Adam Driver and Domhnall Gleeson, who play villains in the latest films, are also returning. ■

26

Lifestyle Japan website offers anonymity for variety of grievances

BY NICOLA SHANNON The Associated Press TOKYO — A cartoon cat in a purple robe brandishes a tiny gavel as it comforts another cat yowling from abuse: The images welcoming visitors to Sorehara, a Japanese website for anonymous complaints about harassment and other grievances, are deceptively endearing.

“You don’t have to suffer alone. Get help from the cat who seeks justice,” it says.

Sorehara, an abbreviation of the Japanese for “That’s harassment,” was devised by a 21-year-old college student and, like many #MeToo apps and websites, is meant to help victims of abuse safely fight back against their tormentors.

It allows users to send anonymous complaints by email, without registering any personal information and is gaining popularity in Japan, despite some concerns over the potential for its misuse.

On-the-job harassment is gaining attention as the #MeToo movement slowly takes root here. Sexual harassment claims have brought on recent resignations of highprofile officials, pop stars and professors.

But the website doesn’t focus just on sexual misbehaviour.

Sorehara goes to very Japanese extremes in allowing users to register their disapproval electronically to those who offend them in all sorts of ways, including indulging in garlic, wearing excessive perfume or smelling

too strongly of cigarette smoke.

Victim blaming can be severe in highly conformist Japan so anonymity is essential for helping them feel safe, says Tatsuki Yoshida, 21, who developed Sorehara and founded his startup Quaerere last year.

“In Japan, companies don’t like to deal with harassment issues. People who raise their voices about harassment usually just get moved to a different department or maybe given a raise. Or they get fired,” he told The Associated Press in a recent interview in Fujisawa, southwest of Tokyo.

A college sophomore, he is taking time off from his studies to work on Sorehara.

Inappropriate behaviour and unwanted sexual advances, repugnant and dangerous as they can be, are just part of a universe of gripes people might have about their co-workers.

So Sorehara offers users various options, including “power harassment,” bullying, alcohol harassment, sexual harassment and even “smell harassment.”

Next, they chose the level of severity, ranging from mere annoyance to threatening legal action. They fill in the email and a name or nickname of the person accused of the misbehaviour, but not their own email or name. The Japaneselanguage site gives an option to delay sending the message for up to two months, to reduce the possibility of the accuser being recognized.

Recipients get an email politely notifying them of the harassment claim, asking if they

recognize it and giving a choice of responses such as: “I will reflect on my behaviour,” or “I have done nothing wrong.”

An English version was released recently, and a Korean-language version is in the works.

The #MeToo era has inspired companies, colleges and support groups to devise all sorts of apps and other online support for victims of sexual harassment and other abuses.

Some, like Protibadi in Bangladesh, HarassMap in Egypt and bSafe use mapping and GPS technology to help protect people by identifying potentially unsafe locations or notifying a user’s friends if the person seems to be in trouble. AI-powered chatbots like Spot, developed in California, automate harassment reporting. Others focus on support and counselling for victims. Few combine anonymity with direct online complaints the way Sorehara does.

Some worry that this anonymity could invite abuse because the claims can’t be verified, and because many Japanese tend to view simple annoyances like body odour as grievous social transgressions.

“There’s a possibility that the person you say is a harasser is not really harassing,” said Yoko Iwasaki of Cuore C Cube Co., a business management consulting company in Tokyo that focuses on harassment and diversity issues.

“That person who receives that email from Sorehara might feel very weird and attacked.

www.canadianinquirer.net

SOREHARA WEBSITE

Sending that kind of message can also be harassment,” she said.

But Hiroaki Morio, a professor at Kansai University, says he just believes the website is meant to be “light-hearted.”

“They’re trying to make harassment easier to deal with,” Morio said.

Despite the wider recognition of sexual harassment as a problem, Japanese thinking has not changed much and as most people still feel unable to speak up, so anonymous outlets like Sorehara can help, says Mayumi Haruno, who became the first Japanese woman to sue alleging on-the-job sexual harassment after she was forced out of her job in the 1980s. She won 1.65 million yen ($15,000) in damages in a lawsuit that she filed in 1989.

Social media that allow anonymity, like Line, Twitter and Mixi are popular in Japan and in neighbouring South Korea, where Blind, an anonymous message board app for employees, launched a #MeToo message board early this year.

“I think people are still afraid to make things public because

they’re afraid of a backlash,” said Kyum Kim, co-founder of TeamBlind, which started the Blind app in 2013 and has offices in San Francisco, Seoul and Tokyo. “I think that’s the culture right now in Japan and Korea.”

Sorehara says it sends about 50 complaints a day. Most people who get them accept or at least acknowledge them, suggesting most claims are genuine, Yoshida said.

He says Sorehara is meant more to open lines of communication and raise awareness than to provide a formal way to report or solve harassment cases. Different people draw social lines in different places, Yoshida says, so he wants Sorehara to help people educate each other.

Several companies, including one with about 200 employees, are working with Sorehara to use the service internally, and Yoshida says he is also collaborating with counselling services.

“I don’t think companies are really changing internally,” Yoshida said. “But they are scared about their image, so at least they are paying more attention.” ■

Lifestyle

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

27

Are esports sports? Overwatch players sure act the part

BY TERRIN WAACK The Associated Press

at the end of a seventh-month season.

“It’s like a job,” Fusion player Gael “Poko” Gouzerch said.

“We’re not doing this for fun.

It’s not like how you go on your sofa and play your PS4 and just do it for fun. It’s more than that.”

The twelve-team league has many traditional sports markers: regional divisions, a preseason and post-season, and even broadcast rights deals with Twitch and ESPN. Blizzard Entertainment, the creator of Overwatch, structured the league on traditional sports, even bringing in NFL team owners Robert Kraft (Patriots) and Stan Kroenke (Rams) as franchise owners.

And the players’ lifestyles don’t appear to be much different from more recognizable stars.

on distractions — and even employed physical trainers to further promote a healthy lifestyle.

NEW YORK — Seung-Tae Choi After a breakfast cooked by a doesn’t look the part of a trateam chef, they go to work. ditional athlete, not with his It starts with warmups — norshaggy hair, smallish build and mally some individual screen an expression that says ready to time. Then comes in-game nap rather than game on. practice, usually scrimmaging During all the hours he for six-plus hours. spends playing video games, At that point, many teams though, the 21-year-old from encourage players to step South Korea certainly acts it. back from the PC to talk strat“We’re not here to have fun,” egy. Then there’s solo time for he said through a translator. sharpening skills.

Choi — better known to his “It’s takes full commitment fans as Bdosin — and his teamat some point,” Fusion player mates with the London Spitfire Joona “Fragi” Laine said. “I like to think they’re making a think a lot of people need to statement on a major stage this think about their day-to-day weekend: esports might not be life, but at some point, you’ve the same as football or basketgot to take the leap and really ball, but the competition is as fully commit to it.” real and the lifestyle as intense When the esports-as-sports as it is for any traditional sports debate really matters is off the star. field. As in, who The Spitfire will partner with are vying for the industry? the Overwatch ESPN has a League’s inauThere are players that have innate, two-year deal to gural championnatural ability, just in the same way broadcast Overship at Barclays that there are baseball players watch matches, Center in Brookthat can throw a baseball 99 mph and gaming lyn. Choi has and there are baseball players that could even one already spent can’t. day find itself years chasing in the Olympics a career in the — Overwatch 6-on-6, firstLeague Commisperson shooter, and now he’s on For most in the league, the sioner Nate Nanzer was just in the verge of splitting a $1 mil- day starts after a good night’s Switzerland with Blizzard Enlion top prize with his Korean sleep. Overwatch coaches and tertainment to meet with the teammates. managers have strongly en- International Olympic ComLondon is facing the Phila- couraged a full eight hours — mittee. delphia Fusion, a club featuring the Spitfire turn off wifi in team Gaming doesn’t look like a players from nine countries, housing at 3 a.m. to cut down traditional sport, but when the

PE3K / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

players talk, it sure sounds like one. The buzzwords and phrases have a familiar feel — players talk about execution, focus, team chemistry and determination.

“Winning the final,” Gouzerch said.

People around esports liken their games to darts, bowling or pool.

No 40-yard dash times, bench presses or vertical jumps needed. But some players are more physically gifted than others. Nanzer pointed to New York Excelsior sniping specialist Do-Hyeon “Pine” Kim as an example earlier this season.

“I promise you, you physically cannot do what he does,” Nanzer said. “There’s actually a physical component of moving that cursor across the screen in a split-second and putting it on a pixel. That’s a physical move.

And you can practice a lot, and you can get better at it, but you couldn’t get to his level at it.

“There are players that have innate, natural ability, just in the same way that there are baseball players that can throw

a baseball 99 mph and there are baseball players that can’t.”

Talent separates amateurs from professionals. In the Overwatch League, the pros get a minimum base salary of $50,000 with healthcare and a retirement savings plans.

With stakes like the $1 million grand prize, there’s another traditional sports hallmark apparent: the sting of defeat.

The Fusion lost the first of three matches to the Spitfire on Friday night. Facing possible elimination, tension and disappointment was apparent in their post-match press conference.

Then there was the Spitfire, riding high and relaxed after beating Philadelphia on day one. Another victory, and London will become the first club to hoist the Overwatch League trophy.

“We’re dedicating our lives to this, making sure we are the best of the best,” Spitfire player Jae-Hui “Gesture” Hong said. “I don’t think anyone can do what we do.” ■

personally support legalizing recreational marijuana but that he’d uphold whatever law is in place if he’s elected. That’s a message Michigan Republicans running for other offices are giving and the reason state GOP spokeswoman Sarah Anderson said the party isn’t worried.

Pro-marijuana Republican voters will still show up for GOP candidates who promise to champion the will of the people in this ballot initiative, she said.

“There could be a small net increase for Democrats, but it’s not insurmountable,” Ander-

son said. “(Marijuana) is a personal issue that won’t necessarily favour one side or another.”

If voters are satisfied with that, perhaps those praying for a weed vote to bolster a Democratic reckoning against GOP control in Lansing and Washington are simply blowing smoke.

But whether or not there’s a liberal “blue wave,” many contend there surely will be a green one.

“Even the most ardent opponents of marijuana legalization say this is coming,” said Porn, the pollster. “There’s no way this isn’t going to take place.” ■

Michigan Democrats... ❰❰ 21

during extraordinary election years. A Brookings Institute study found that 2012 proposals increased liberal and young voter turnout in Colorado and Washington.

Recent events in Lansing suggest that Republicans are worried. Last month, the GOPcontrolled Legislature found itself in an unenviable bind when it received the certified ballot proposal and had to either vote yes and risk appearing marijuana-cozy or send it to a popular vote this November

and potentially boost Democratic turnout. Ultimately, the lower chamber resisted adopting the legislation, with House Speaker Tom Leonard saying there wasn’t enough support.

But that won’t be the last that Leonard, a DeWitt Republican running to be Michigan’s next attorney general, hears of the weed question. Should he get the GOP nomination, his opponent in November will be one of the loudest marijuana proponents on the state ballot.

Dana Nessel, the Democratic attorney general nominee and

a civil rights lawyer who won the case overturning Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban, said she has favoured legalizing marijuana for decades and believes that unwavering support makes her the most-trusted candidate to defend Michigan’s marijuana policy.

“I didn’t believe legalization was important back then just because I put my finger in the air and decided it to be politically popular,” she said. “I ran on it because this was important in Michigan.”

Leonard has said he does not www.canadianinquirer.net

28

Lifestyle

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Is it essential to have a food garden?

BY MA. CRISTINA ARAYATA Philippine News Agency MANILA — One of the highlights of President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address was about access to universal health care.

As ordinary citizens, how can we help ourselves maintain a healthy lifestyle so we could better avoid getting sick and be healthier?

The National Nutrition Council (NNC) suggests trying food gardening.

Every July, the country observes Nutrition Month, and the NNC, under Presidential Decree 491 or the Nutrition Act of the Philippines, was tasked to lead and coordinate this nationwide observance.

For this year, the NNC chose the theme, “Ugaliing Magtanim, Sapat na Nutrisyon Aanhin!”, which is about food gardening.

The theme aims to contribute to improved nutrition through improved food access by increasing the number of households, schools, and communities engaged in food gardening. The theme also aims to encourage communities to try this activity.

The NNC described food gardens as “multi-storey combinations of various trees and crops, sometimes in association with domestic animals, around

homesteads, and that home garden cultivation is fully or partially committed to vegetables, fruits, and herbs, primarily for domestic consumption and secondarily for additional household income”.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), NNC Nutrition Information and Education division chief Jovita Raval explained why food gardens are important to have in every home and in other places.

Food gardens, she said, can be considered as a three-in-one intervention.

“First, it is a food security intervention, since harvest from the garden can provide additional food for the family, and if planned well, can provide daily food for a family of five or six members,” she said, adding that the savings from not buying additional food can be used to buy other requirements of the household.

Second, food gardens can serve as a nutrition intervention, since consumption of the produce would improve the quality of the diet of the family, she continued.

“The consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh foods from the garden, will improve the nutrient quality of diets and thus help prevent malnutrition,” Raval noted.

Third, food gardens can be considered as a health intervention, since it has many ben-

efits. “Not only does it provide a means of physical activity, food gardening improves mood, reduces stress and anxiety, and reduces allergy and asthma.

It also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and obesity,” she pointed out.

Raval added that aside from these, food gardening could also lead to improved community relations, and the extra produce can also be sold to provide them with additional income.

Among the things that one needs to consider if he or she plans to have a food garden is that this should have a variety of vegetables, fruits, and small animals. The food that should be included should provide the

needed calories and nutrients, Raval said.

“There are a number of gardening technologies that can be applied so that a family can harvest daily,” she added.

Furthermore, there are available technologies that can be used by those residing in urban areas or those with limited space.

“Container gardening, vertical gardening can be done when land or space is limited,” Raval emphasized.

Preparing healthy vegetable meals

Raval reiterated that food gardening provides an alternative source of fresh, safe, and inexpensive vegetables. What

are her pointers and suggestions if one wants to prepare a vegetable meal?

1. Vegetables should comprise about 33 percent of each meal, based on the Pinggang Pinoy or healthy Filipino food plate.

2. Recommended vegetables are those green leafy and yellow vegetables that are packed with vitamins and minerals, as well as anti-oxidants and fiber for good health.

3. Plan the food garden so that harvest can be done each day. For starters, one can plant vegetables that are easy to grow, such as malunggay, sweet potato (camote). Plant indigenous vegetables such as alugbati, talinum, saluyot, himbabao, ampalaya. Plant papaya and banana as well.

4. Grow chickens, goats for source of meat, milk, and eggs.

Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Each meal should have vegetables.

5. A family can also prepare one-dish meals, such as tinola, sinigang, in which a protein source is cooked together with vegetables. Make sure there are enough vegetables for the family. A serving is equivalent to 1/2 to 1 cup of vegetables.

6. Use vegetables to feed infants starting 6 months.

Meanwhile, Raval said one can check some healthy vegetable recipes posted in NNC’s Radyo Mo Sa Nutrisyon Facebook page. ■

Canadians cut back spending on extras, essentials amid rising interest rates: poll

BY ARMINA LIGAYA The Canadian Press TORONTO — Nearly 60 per cent of Canadians have changed their behaviour to brace themselves for rising interest rates by doing things such as cutting back on spending on both extras and essentials, a new survey from Manulife Bank suggests.

Among those who have taken steps to prepare for higher rates, 27 per cent pared back on entertainment such as movies and bars, 17 per cent put more money into savings accounts,

and 10 per cent spent less on essential items, such as groceries, the poll data showed.

It’s a good sign that some Canadians are being more prudent as interest rates continue to inch higher, said Rick Lunny, president and chief executive of Manulife Bank.

“It is encouraging that there is a large group of people preparing for higher interest rates… Young families, not surprisingly, had the most concern about debt. So if you are in a position where you can adjust your lifestyle, I think that’s a good thing.”

The online survey of 2,003 Canadians was conducted between May 11 and 14, after the Bank of Canada had raised interest rates three times since last summer, but before the central bank’s latest hike in July to 1.5 per cent.

Two-thirds of respondents to the Manulife Bank survey said they are concerned about rising interest rates, and 23 per cent said they were spending more on interest payments than they did last year.

And while some respondents said they were watching their spending more closely, half of www.canadianinquirer.net

respondents in debt said they are stressed about the level of indebtedness and one in three are kept awake at night worrying over it, the survey showed.

What’s more, four-in ten Canadians said the level of indebtedness is negatively impacting their mental health and 30 per cent said debt is causing issues in their personal relationships, the poll suggests.

Twenty per cent of respondents said their spouse or common-law partners do not know how much debt they are in, and 12 per cent of people with debt hid a large purchase from their

significant others.

“In some ways, it’s similar to the stigma over mental health, where people are embarrassed, not comfortable or they’re feeling guilty about their situations,” said Lunny. “So they don’t want to share that knowledge… when you’re concerned or embarrassed, you do hide things from your loved ones.”

The polling industry’s professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population. ■

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Sports SMC sports head denies SMB evens finals withholding players for Gilas series vs. Ginebra PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

MANILA — San Miguel Corp.

(SMC) sports director Alfrancis Chua on Friday night vehemently denied claims they are withholding star players from their three Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) clubs for national team duty.

Ever since the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) became the official national sports association for basketball, a frequent conversation among local fans is about the SMC, a corporate rival of the MVP Group, which bankrolls Gilas Pilipinas, allegedly withholding its star players from Alfrancis Chua.

JOEY O. RAZON / PNA playing for flag and country.

“Hindi ho totoo na ang San pionship eh, kahit sinong tao. It’s said that if the SBP opted not to Miguel, ang ganito, ayaw mag- a matter of scheduling.” withdraw its men’s basketball pahiram (It’s not true that San He later added that Fajardo team, the chance of the CleveMiguel does not want to lend its opted to take a rest after the land Cavalier playing for Gilas players),” the former champion conference to gear up for the is only at 30 percent as the SBP coach, currently the governor fourth window of the FIBA can ask the Olympic Council of of Ginebra in the PBA board, World Cup Qualifiers.

Asia for an exemption owing to said in a press conference called Chua then insisted that the fact that Clarkson is playing by the league at the Smart Ara- top rookie pick Chris Stand- overseas. neta Coliseum in Quezon City hardinger is also ineligible Chua previously revealed on just before Game 1 of the PBA to play for Gilas in the Asian Tuesday during the pre-Finals Commissioner’s Cup Finals be- Games, owing to a rule that ac- presser at the nearby Sambotween Barangay Ginebra and tually barred naturalized play- kojin Restaurant that the SBP the San Miguel Beermen. er Andray Blatche from joining and the PBA initially offered In fact, Chua even said that he the previous edition of the qua- the Beermen the core team is willing to lend the core of the drennial meet in 2014. set-up for the national team Beermen, led by that will play current national in Jakarta, only team player Junthat the fatigue emar Fajardo, to factor stemming the Asiad.

Ako na ang nagsasabi. Tanggalin na from their Phil“Actually po, a yung one (player) per team. Kahit ippine Cup title couple of months ilan ang gusto niyo sa San Miguel conquest led to ago, noong group, magpapahiram kami. both parties setumupo po si Mr. tling to await (Ricky) Vargas the results of as chairman, I the elimination told him, ‘Ako na ang nagsasabi.

“Sinasabi ko yan sa board, round of the next conference, Tanggalin na yung one (player) ‘Baka di niyo alam ang rule. which eventually ended up per team. Kahit ilan ang gus- Ang rule, kailangan three years with the Rain Or Shine taking to niyo sa San Miguel group, dito nakatira bago pwedeng the top seed entering the playmagpapahiram kami,’” Chua maglaro.’ So kahit si (Jordan) offs. quipped.

Clarkson, di ho pepwede. Hindi Commissioner Willie MarHowever, the roadblock, ac- pwedeng makalaro,” Chua fur- cial called for the presser to air cording to Chua, is that “ang ther said. the league board’s sentiments San Miguel ho saka Ginebra, Earlier Friday, Vargas, who on the decision of the SBP to nasa championship. So di talaga is also the Philippine Olympic pull the plug on Gilas’ participwede maglaro kasi nasa cham- Committee (POC) president, pation in the Asian Games. ■

MANILA — Two nights after conceding a blowout loss, it was San Miguel Beermen’s turn to score a bludgeoning in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

The Beermen whipped Barangay Ginebra, 134-109, in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Sunday night.

SMB bounced back from a tough Game 1 defeat in style come the first half, opening a 75-46 halftime lead behind a 61.7 percent clip from the field.

Ginebra somehow threatened in the third quarter, dropping 33 points on SMB and cutting the lead, which spiked up to 31, down to just 20, 99-79.

The Beermen, however, held on in the fourth despite two of their key stars, Arwind Santos and Chris Ross, getting thrown

www.canadianinquirer.net

out of the court late in the period.

Santos was first slapped with a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 after appearing to have hit Scottie Thompson at his torso area while trying to move out of a screen.

Ross then had an altercation with Joe Devance, leading to the two getting a technical foul each.

With Ross already incurring a technical foul earlier in the game, he was also shown the door.

Alex Cabagnot made 33 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and four steals for SMB, which tied the series at 1-1.

Junemar Fajardo added 25 markers, eight rebounds, and one assist, while, Renaldo Balkman, Chris Standhardinger, and Marcio Lassiter each made 20 points.

Justin Brownlee continued his efficient series despite the losing effort for Ginebra, making 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting with six rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block. ■

Agravante, Hallasgo rule MILO Marathon Manila leg PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA – Jeson Agravante and Christine Hallasgo were crowned champions in the 42nd MILO Marathon Manila qualifying leg at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City on Sunday.

Agravante clocked two hours, 35 minutes and 10 seconds to rule the men’s division in the 42K event.

Erick Paniqui was second at 2:42:41, followed by Bryan Quinco, 2:43:59.

Hallasgo dominated the women’s division after submitting the best time of 3:05:17. Jhoan Villarama placed second in 3:14:28 while Cinderella Lorenzo finished third in 3:17:46.

“Pinaghandaan ko talaga ito (I

really prepared for this),” Agravante said. He registered a personal best time of 2:33:00 during the 2013 MILO Marathon.

Hallasgo, on the other hand, was a first-timer in the 42K event.

She was back-to-back champion in the 21K event in 2014 and 2015.

“Naging pangarap ko na manalo rin sa 42K event, first time ko sumali at natutuwa ako dahil sa nanalo ako (I dreamed of winning the 42K event, this is my first time to join and I am happy that I won),” said the 25-year-old Hallasgo, who hails from Malaybalay City in Bukidnon province.

Other winners were Richard Solano and Nhea Ann Barcen (21K), Mervin Guarte and Meagey Ninuna (10K), Camino Immuel and Joida Gagnao (5K), and Cedric Alcoriza and Rishane Archira Abellar (3K). ■

30

Business Megaworld starts roll-out of P28-B township in Bacolod

BY NANETTE GUADALQUIVER Philippine News Agency

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Dakila Carlo Cua.

DAX CUA/ FACEBOOK

No need to rush TRAIN 2: Solons PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY

value in the whole design,” he added.

On the sidelines of the forum, Senate committee on ways and means panel chair Juan Edgardo Angara told reporters that it is difficult to predict the passage of TRAIN 2 in the legislative branch this year.

“With the pronouncement of Senator (Vicente) Sotto (III), Senator (Juan Miguel) Zubiri, I think we need to take time to get a consensus as to this bill,” Angara said.

tries like Vietnam and Thailand, which are generous in giving incentives, and losing the jobs here for Filipinos.

MANILA — Lawmakers say Angara mentioned that it is they would rather take their also possible that the inflationtime deliberating over the proary impact of the first package posed Tax Reform for Acceleraof TRAIN left some senators tion and Inclusion Package 2 hesitant to willfully support the (TRAIN 2) while studying how next package of the tax reform. to improve the country’s tax “The Duterte administration is system. still in power in the next four During the Makati Business years so there’s a lot of time to Club (MBC) Forum Friday, pursue (it),” Angara said.

House of Representatives chair Both Cua and Angara emfor ways and phasized that means commitTRAIN 2 should tee, Dakila Carlo not create uncerCua, said the tainties for forTRAIN 2 “should The Duterte administration is still eign businessnot be rushed.” in power in the next four years so men on whether “Package 2 there’s a lot of time to pursue (it). or not to invest is supposed to in the Philiplower the corpopines. rate income tax Meanwhile, and fix the kinks MBC Trustee in the incentives regime, so the Unlike in the lower house, and former Philippine Aminvestors will come in and we TRAIN 2 has yet to find a spon- bassador to the United States can become more attractive sor in the Senate. However, bills Jose Cuisia Jr. said lawmakers as an investment destination on some portions of the TRAIN should also look into the posin the region. In the middle of 2, particularly on fiscal incen- sible impact of TRAIN 2 to the it all, should be a tax amnesty tives and lowering of corporate country’s image, as government package to allow our ‘locked income tax, have already been promotes the Philippines as an capital’ to be unlocked and to filed by senators, according to investment hub. be released to the economy and Angara.

“We’ve been criticized for not further fuelling the economic He added that the election honoring the sanctity of congrowth,” said Cua, who spon- period in 2019 also creates un- tracts, and that’s going to have sored a bill on TRAIN in the certainty for the passage of an impact on foreign direct inlower house.

TRAIN 2 in the near term. vestments,” said Cuisia.

“This is really a big picture Some senators, he said, are The executive branch targets that has to go together. We hesitant to support TRAIN 2 to pass the TRAIN 2 as a law by agree that it should not be because it can lead to losing end of the year. ■ rushed. There has to be some investors to neighboring counwww.canadianinquirer.net

BACOLOD CITY — Urban township developer Megaworld has announced the roll-out of its PHP28-billion The Upper East development in this city starting this year.

The masterplan for the 34-hectare project to be developed in the next 10 years was presented by Harold Geronimo, Megaworld senior assistant vice president and head of public relations and media affairs, and Rachelle Peñaflorida, Megaworld Bacolod vice president for sales and marketing, in a press conference held at L’ Fisher Hotel on Monday afternoon.

“We are already mobilizing for the land development,” Geronimo said.

The township will have residential condominiums, shopping malls and commercial centers, mixed-use buildings, office towers, and hotels with facilities, including a transport hub, church, green and open parks and a central plaza.

Peñaflorida said The Upper East, situated a few blocks from the Bacolod City Government Center in the eastern side of the city, will be the first masterplanned mixed-use community in Bacolod that integrates the live-work-play components of an integrated urban township.

To rise within the township beginning this year is Megaworld’s first condominium development in Bacolod, One Regis, a nine-storey residential structure, offering 212 exclusive units with first-class amenities.

Peñaflorida said the price range for the condominium units is between PHP2.5 million and PHP7.5 million Pre-selling starts July 31, she added.

“One Regis will be located right across the township plaza and beside the iconic Casa de Emperador. It will also be just a short walk away from the future mall development,” Peñaflorida said.

She noted that they are looking at a diversified clientele for The Upper East condominium development. Aside from residents of Bacolod and nearby localities, and Negrense families living in Metro Manila, part of the target market are overseas Filipino workers.

“We have a lot of inquiries from them. We are also open to foreign investors,” Peñaflorida said.

Geronimo added that through the office towers that will rise in the township, they aim to bring in new locators that need business processing outsourcing and traditional office sites.

Dubbed to become an iconic “central business district,” The Upper East will be highlighted by a 30-meter wide, six-lane Upper East Avenue, the township’s main road, that will connect Lopez Jaena Street to the Circumferential Road.

The Casa de Emperador, a mixed-use structure, featuring a unique architectural design will be another highlight.

A New York-inspired lifestyle mall with several interconnected structures will also be a feature of the township.

The Upper East is one of Megaworld’s two township developments in Negros Occidental with a total project cost of PHP35 million. The first is the PHP7-billion Northill Gateway located at the boundary of the cities of Bacolod and Talisay. ■

Business

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

31

Gov’t works to attract more investments into CAR

BY LESLIE GATPOLINTAN Philippine News Agency MANILA — The government will continue implementing programs to increase investments to the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), which is touted as the fastest growing region, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said in a report on Monday.

The CAR Regional Economic Situationer said the establishment of Negosyo Centers in strategic areas in the region is being targeted for succeeding quarters.

The report said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will continue the imple-

mentation of the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Next Gen product and market development, expansion of the Pondo Para sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3), and the establishment of the Fabrication Laboratory for CAR micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

It shall also implement convergence programs with other agencies like the Roads Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade (ROLL IT), Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investment in Regional Exposition (ASPIRE), and Filipinnovation.

The agency shall continue the implementation of the Regional Interactive Platform for the Philippine Exporters

(RIPPLES) Plus project to help MSMEs level up their export pathway stages.

DTI-registered investments reached PHP392.72 million for the first quarter, 17 percent lower than the previous year’s PHP473.91 million, but higher than last quarter’s PHP229 million.

This was attributed to the business sector’s seeming speculation on the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, and anticipated to implement remedial measures to sustain their ongoing concerns.

The Regional Economic Situationer also expects the Department of Public Works and Highways’ infrastructure

budget this year amounting to PHP19.8 billion will help boost the region’s construction sector with more public projects along with private construction.

CAR reported the fastest growth of 12.1 percent in 2017 from previous year’s 2.3 percent due to the rebound in the

construction and manufacturing sectors.

“This was made possible by the government increased spending on public infrastructure and social protection,” NEDA Undersecretary for Regional Development Adoracion Navarro told media last week. ■

Local assemblers to supply 140-K Espenilla: Economic units in PUV modernization expansion benefits PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — Local vehicle manufacturers together with support industries have set their sights on replacing the estimated 200,000 public utility vehicles (PUVs) that will be phased-out under government’s modernization program.

In a press conference for the 2nd Philippine Auto and Parts Expo (PhilAPEX) on Friday, Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy-Project Management Office (CARS-PMO) Manager Marissa Concepcion said 140,000 out of the 200,000 units are being targeted to be supplied by local manufacturers under the PUV Modernization Program.

Of the 140,000 units that will be locally supplied, 60,000 units are Class 1 PUVs or those with 13 seating capacity and 80,000 are Class 2 and 3 PUVs that have seating capacity of 23 and above.

Concepcion said the DTI is designing an incentive program to support the local assembly of PUVs in line with the modern-

ization program.

This program is biased to the manufacturing of Class 2 and 3, with the large demand for these segments, but the production capacity of local assemblers for these types remain low.

DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said the Board of Investments aims to provide the manufacturing solution for the PUV Modernization Program by strengthening the local assemblers, helping them to take advantage of the demand, and also to create jobs for Filipinos.

It was noted by Automotive Body Manufacturers Association of the Philippines President Vicente Mills Jr. that around 10,000 to 15,000 direct employment may be generated if the 200,000 units in the PUV modernization will be supplied by local assemblers.

Mills said that it needs 600 man hours to produce a nonair conditioned PUV prototype and 700 man hours for air conditioned PUV. Moreover, Rodolfo said the government will be supporting the local industry but will not restrict the market for imported vehicles to supply the demand for the PUV modern-

ization.

“We’re not doing the manufacturing solution in a protected environment… We are allowing the imports to supply the needs of jeepney operator.

We will have open competition here,” Rodolfo said.

But providing fiscal incentives to local assemblers will help them to build the local value chain, jobs, and additional taxes for the government.

“This program is what local auto part makers and vehicle body builders have been waiting for. It provides local manufacturing activities that boost our industry. It is something we look forward to that will fill up our plant utilization and sustain our labor force, if not even increase job generation,” Philippine Part Makers Association (PPMA) President Ferdinand Raquelsantos said.

Meanwhile, the PPMA will be holding the 2nd PhilAPEX on August 9 to 10 at the SMX Convention Center. ■

www.canadianinquirer.net

banking system

BY JOANN VILLANUEVA Philippine News Agency MANILA — Banks continue to reap the benefits from the Philippine economy’s sustained expansion as shown by the robust growth of deposits and lending activities, which in turn helps ensure the industry’s health.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. said banks continue to attract deposits, which as of end-May 2018 has risen by 12.5 percent.

Most of these funds are extended to borrowers and the loans “were broad-based across various borrower and industry types.”

“The banking system is healthy and profitable. Over-all profitability is buoyed by the increase in core income from lending activities,” Espenilla said.

As of end-May this year, outstanding loans of commercial banks, excluding placements in the BSP’s reverse repurchase (RRP) facility, rose by 19.4 percent.

On the other hand, bank lending, including RRP placements, in the first five months this year went up by 17.7 percent.

The central bank chief said banks continue to heed reform measures that the BSP has been introducing.

Among others, this has resulted in improvement of the industry’s capitalization to above regulatory thresholds, he said.

“Banks continue to adhere to sound credit underwriting standards as shown by the very satisfactory quality of the banking system’s loan portfolio. Moreover, banks are well prepared to bear credit losses as they have set up adequate provisions for possible defaults,” he said.

Espenilla said monetary officials “expect further expansion of the banking system, sound asset quality, adequate liquidity and rising capital buffers.”

“The trajectory for profit growth will continue, driven mainly by strong growth outlook, upbeat lending activities, product innovations, and more cost-efficient and technologyenabled operations,” he said “As the main provider of credit to key production sectors, the banking system is key to the Philippine growth story,” he added. ■

32

Technology EU ruling against Google opens ‘opportunity,’ rival says

BY RYAN NAKASHIMA AND RAF CASERT The Associated Press BRUSSELS — European regulators’ latest swipe at the dominance of U.S. tech giant Google could open new opportunities for rivals in search and web browsers — that is, if cellphone manufacturers decide to make the most of the opening.

The European Commission on Wednesday fined Google a record $5 billion for forcing cellphone makers that use the company’s Android operating system to install Google’s search and browser apps. It also set a 90-day deadline for Google to rectify the problem or risk further fines.

A remedy could involve unbundling its core apps Search, Chrome and Play Store from eight other apps it packages with Android. The company could also decide to reverse its practice of barring Android manufacturers from selling devices using altered versions of Android, such as Amazon’s Fire OS. EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said concerns about restricting competition “wasn’t just a remote possibility from theory books.” She said Amazon tried to license its Android-based Fire OS in 2012, but Google’s contracts prevented it.

“Manufacturers could not launch Fire OS on even a single device,” she said.

Google immediately said it will appeal the ruling, arguing that its free operating system

has led to lower-price phones and created competition with its chief rival, Apple.

Android has “created more choice for everyone, not less,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted .

Mozilla Foundation, the nonprofit group that creates the lightweight ad-blocking browser Firefox Focus, said the ruling gives it the opportunity to displace Chrome as the default browser or be pre-installed alongside it on some phones.

It has been in talks with manufacturers from Huawei to Samsung about those possibilities.

It’s also possible not much will change. Google Search, Chrome and the Play Store are popular with consumers and developers. Cellphone manufacturers could still choose to include them despite unbundling.

The fine, which caps a threeyear investigation, is the biggest ever imposed on a company by the EU for anticompetitive behaviour.

It could stoke tensions between Europe and the U.S., which regulates the tech industry with a lighter hand. President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that the fine proves his point that the EU is taking advantage of the U.S. He wrote, “I told you so! The European Union just slapped a Five Billion Dollar fine on one of our great companies, Google. They truly have taken advantage of the U.S., but not for long!”

Still, some U.S. politicians welcomed the fine.

Democratic Sen. Richard

_D / FLICKR

Blumenthal of Connecticut tweeted that the fine should “be a wake-up call” to the Federal Trade Commission and should lead U.S. enforcers to protect consumers. Blumenthal previously called on regulators to investigate how Google tracks users of Android phones.

In its ruling, the EU said Google broke the rules by requiring cellphone makers to take a bundle of Google apps if they wanted any at all.

The EU took issue with Google’s payments to wireless carriers and phone makers to exclusively pre-install the Google Search app.

It also said Google broke the law by forcing manufacturers that took its apps to commit to not selling devices that use altered versions of Android.

The 4.34 billion euro penalty comes on top of a 2.42 billion euro fine ($2.8 billion) that regulators imposed on Google a year ago for favouring its shopping listings in search results.

Neither fine will cripple the

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company. Google parent Alphabet, made $9.4 billion in profit in the first three months of the year and has more than $100 billion in cash reserves.

“What is important is that Google has to change its abusive behaviour,” said Rich Stables, CEO of the rival search engine Kelkoo.

The Google crackdown comes at a sensitive time for trans-Atlantic relations, with President Donald Trump lambasting the EU as a “foe” only last week.

The U.S. imposed tariffs on EU steel and aluminum this year, and the EU responded with duties on American goods.

Android is technically an open-source operating system that Google lets cellphone makers use for free. As a result, it is the most widely used system, beating Apple’s iOS by a wide margin.

The EU wants to ensure that phone makers are free to preinstall apps of their choosing.

It also wants cellphone makers to be able to more easily use al-

tered versions of Android, like Amazon’s Fire OS. Both Amazon and Samsung, maker of the popular Galaxy line of phones, declined to comment on the ruling.

Google argues that downloads are easy and while the inclusion of its suite of apps help phones run well out of the box, competitors’ apps are a tap away.

It also argues that not supporting so-called “forked” versions of Android ensures a baseline of experience across some 24,000 different models of Android devices. Vestager called the compatibility argument a “smokescreen.”

European regulators have set the pace in shaping rules for the tech industry.

They have likewise taken a harder line on data privacy. After the scandal this spring involving the misuse of Facebook users’ personal data during the U.S. presidential election and other campaigns, the EU began enforcing tougher new rules. ■

Technology

FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

33

It’s Rubens vs.

To repair reputation, Twitter, Facebook in fight Facebook incur investor wrath over artistic nudity

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY The Associated Press

BY RAF CASERT The Associated Press BRUSSELS — For four centuries, the opulent, exuberant nudes of Peter Paul Rubens have been known to shock and delight in sometimes equal measure. And now, even in 2018, his Baroque paintings are still jolting the internet.

Belgian museums are uniting in protest against Facebook since they cannot promote Flemish Masters including Rubens at will for fear of falling foul of the social media site’s adult content rules and automatic censorship.

“The bare breasts and buttocks painted by our artist are considered by you to be inappropriate. We have noticed that Facebook consistently rejects works of art by our beloved Peter Paul Rubens,” over a dozen top Belgian art officials wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The Visit Flanders tourist board even produced a mock news video where security officials prevent visitors from seeing nudity in the Rubens House museum. In it, one even spreads his arms in front of the “Adam & Eve” painting, where the biblical figures are covered only by the proverbial fig leaf.

Instead they divert them to other paintings where everyone is properly dressed.

Point made, they hope.

“Twenty per cent of the (Facebook) posts that we dedicated to the Flemish Masters couldn’t be shown to our audience, our cultural audience worldwide,” said spokeswoman Tama d’Haen of Visit Flanders.

“It’s really embarrassing for Visit Flanders that we cannot show one of our main assets to the world. That’s why we came up with the idea of a video,” she said.

Facebook says it understands the issue. Yet even if it allows paintings like those from Rubens to be posted, it has more restrictive rules when it comes to advertising, which “must not contain adult content. This includes nudity, depictions of

people in explicit or suggestive positions, or activities that are overly suggestive or sexually provocative.”

The Facebook rules go on to say that it includes “nudity or implied nudity, even if artistic or educational in nature.”

And that is where Rubens and other masters get caught in the act.

D’Haen said Belgian officials want Facebook to “make a difference between nudity in general, pornographic nudity, which is of course not allowed on their platform, and the nudity which is part of many paintings hanging in Flanders and worldwide.”

She said they never get complaints from museum goers about the nudity.

Both sides have agreed to a meeting to discuss the topic in detail. Facebook wrote to The Associated Press on Friday saying that “as part of a longer running and continuous review process, we want to make sure that museums and other institutions are able to share some of their most iconic paintings.”

“We are thus currently reviewing our approach to nudity in paintings in ads on Facebook,” the statement said.

The issue of censorship wouldn’t be unfamiliar to Rubens, who died in 1640. After all, the Roman Catholic church in his time already asked him to paint loincloths over body parts of his Venus figures, although he preferred the natural concourse of muscle, skin, and fat.

It was always thus, said Paolo Grossi of the Italian Cultural Institute in Brussels.

“Everyone knows the story of Il Braghettone, the famous Daniele da Volterra who was asked to paint loincloths over Michelangelo’s nudes in “The Last Judgment,’” in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Grossi said.

That directive was driven by moral concerns. Grossi, however, wondered if Facebook was now driven “by the need to deliver a politically correct message … and comply with Facebook’s ad and business model to avoid any ripples.” ■

NEW YORK — Two of the biggest social media platforms lost nearly one-fifth of their market value after reporting disappointing user growth.

Twitter’s stock plunged Friday after it reported a decline in its monthly users and warned that the number could fall further in the coming months. The 20.5 per cent plunge came one day after Facebook lost 19 per cent of its value in a single day.

Twitter says it’s putting the long-term stability of its platform above user growth. That leaves investors seemingly unable to value what the biggest companies in the sector, which rely on their potential user reach, are worth.

On Wednesday, Facebook warned that its revenue growth will slow down significantly for at least the remainder of the year and that expenses will continue to skyrocket. The next day, the company saw its biggest one-day drop Facebook history, Facebook continues to grapple with big existential questions, ranging from its users’ privacy to tech addiction to how it deals with fake news and misinformation, hate speech and extremism on its service. Both the slower growth forecast and heavier spending reflect problems largely of Facebook’s own making.

Twitter had 335 million monthly users in the quarter, below the 339 million Wall Street was expecting, and down slightly from 336 million in the first quarter. That overshadowed strong monthly user growth of 3 per cent compared with the previous year.

The company said its monthly user number could continue to fall in the “mid-single-digit millions” in the third quarter.

While Friday was Twitter’s second-worst loss since it went public in November 2013, the stock has still doubled in value over the last 12 months.

Long criticized for allowing bad behaviour to run rampant on its platform, Twitter has begun to crack down, banning accounts that violate its terms www.canadianinquirer.net

and making others less visible.

Twitter is now attempting to rein in the worst offenders after years as one of the Wild West corners of the internet.

At the same time, it must convince people it’s the go-to platform in social media, even though it is dwarfed right now

by Facebook.

Facebook has more than 2.23 billion users while its apps WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger each have over 1 billion.

Twitter on Friday reiterated its efforts to ”to invest in improving the health of the public conversation” on its platform, making the “long-term health” of its service a priority over short-term metrics such as user numbers.

As part of these efforts, Twitter said that as of May, its systems identified and challenged more than 9 million accounts per week that are potentially spam or automated, up from 6.4 million in December 2017. The company has previously disclosed these numbers.

A Washington Post report put the total number of suspended accounts in May and June at 70 million. The Associated Press also found that Twitter suspended 56 million such accounts in the last quarter of 2017. While Twitter main-

tains that most of these accounts were dormant and thus not counted in the monthly user figure, the company also warned that its cleanup efforts could affect its counted user base without giving specific numbers.

“We want people to feel safe freely expressing themselves and have launched new tools to address problem behaviours that distort and distract from the public conversation,” CEO Jack Dorsey said in a prepared statement.

Twitter’s market value dropped by more than $6 billion Friday, to around $26 billion. Investors still value Facebook at $503 billion. Facebook lost $119 billion in value on Thursday.

Twitter’s second-quarter net income hit $100.1 million, after a loss last year during the same period. It’s the company’s third profit in a row, the third it has ever posted.

Per-share, the San Francisco company’s net income was 13 cents, or 17 cents adjusted, in line with expectations, according to a poll by Zacks Investment Research.

Revenue of $710.5 million, up 24 per cent and edging out expectations of $696 million. ■

AUGUST 3, 2018

34

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35

Travel DOT to rehabilitate Banaue Rice Terraces PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY MANILA — The Department of Tourism (DOT) will rehabilitate the famed Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao by end of 2018 or next year, a Tourism official revealed Thursday.

In an interview, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Pocholo Paragas said DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat will visit Ifugao Friday (July 27) to discuss with the local government DOT’s biggest infrastructure project yet — the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration.

Paragas said the Banaue Rice Terraces Restoration project, supported by the Congress with an allocation of at least PHP80 million, will be split into two parts — the rehabilitation of TIEZA-operated Banaue Hotel and the stonewalling of the rice terraces that deteriorated over time.

“In the stonewalling, I think we’re already at the final stage of designation because it’s very critical in that site that you cannot just bring any contractor, it should be by them. Because it’s a heritage piece, you can’t use ordinary cement but stones

(found in the area),” he told reporters.

“The secretary will go there tomorrow (July 27) to discuss with the LGU there what will happen. We are really proud to say that the biggest infrastructure program or the investment of infrastructure there will be coming from TIEZA,” he added.

The Banaue Rice Terraces, one of the country’s national cultural treasures, were built by the Ifugaos by hand some 2,000 years ago.

Among the famous terraces found in Banaue include the

Batad Rice Terraces and the Bangaan Rice Terraces.

Recently, the Municipality of Banaue reported that there are more than 500 hectares or 33.6 percent of the Banaue Rice Terraces that have been damaged, eroded, or abandoned over time.

The private sector has also launched the Banaue International Music Composition Competition (BIMCC) which concluded on Wednesday night after the grand finals at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The competition, partly a

fundraising activity, shared the same vision with the government — to bring back the grandeur of the rice terraces through music.

The grand prize winner was Leon Firšt from Slovenia with his composition “The Story of Ifugao” played by an orchestra at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo in CCP. Two runners-up named were Alessandra Salvati from Italy with her composition “Hudhud”, and Jem Robert Taraloc of the Philippines with his piece “Kabunyan”.

Romulo-Puyat, in her message for the participants and organizers, lauded the initiative.

“I am sure that these musical masterpieces would make for a powerful invitation for tourists all over the world to rediscover the majesty of the Banaue Rice Terraces,” she said, adding this would inspire the business and entrepreneurial communities to join hands in preserving the landmark.

The BIMCC was launched by Milagros How, United Harvester, Inc. president and the municipal government of Banaue. ■

Company unveils moving mosque to welcome Muslims in Japan

BY NICOLA SHANNON The Associated Press TOKYO – A large white and blue truck pulls up outside a stadium in central Japan and slowly expands into a place of worship.

Welcome to the Mobile Mosque.

As Japan prepares to host visitors from around the world for the 2020 Summer Olympics, a Tokyo sports and cultural events company has created a mosque on wheels that its head hopes will make Muslim visitors feel at home.

Yasuharu Inoue, the CEO of Yasu Project, said the possibility that there might not be enough mosques for Muslim visitors in 2020 is alarming for a country that considers itself part of the international community. His Mobile Mosques could travel to different Olympic venues as needed.

“As an open and hospitable country, we want to share the idea of ‘omotenashi’ (Japanese hospitality) with Muslim people,” he said in a recent interview.

The first Mobile Mosque was unveiled earlier this week outside Toyota Stadium, a J-

League soccer venue in Toyota City, which is also the headquarters of the car company with the same name.

The back of the modified 25ton truck flipped up to reveal an entrance and then the side slid out, doubling the width of the truck. The 48-square-meter (515-square-foot) room can accommodate 50 people.

Muslim guests prayed inside the mosque, which includes outdoor taps and a washing area for pre-worship cleansing.

Indonesian students who were victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami also participated in the debut ceremony. www.canadianinquirer.net

“The Mobile Mosque is very important to Muslim people such as Japanese people or tourists, Muslim tourists who visit Japan,” said 14-year-old Nur Azizah. “I want to show my friends.”

An estimated 100,000 to 200,000 Muslims live in Japan.

Tatsuya Sakaguchi, a Japanese guest, expressed hope that the Mobile Mosque would help open people’s minds worldwide.

“Looking in from the outside at the people in the mosque, they looked very happy,” said Sakaguchi, the representative director of an Osaka retail com-

pany.

Inoue said the inspiration for the project came to him on a trip to Qatar four years ago.

Initially, the project organizers plan to target international sporting events both in Japan and overseas. Inoue said he hopes the project will do more than fill a gap in religious infrastructure.

“Going forward, I would be so happy if people from Indonesia, Malaysia, Africa, the Middle East and, for example, refugees who are coming from Syria are able to use the mosque as a tool to promote world peace,” he said. ■

36

Travel

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Heart of Yosemite to close as Laak town to open crews battle raging wildfire caves to tourists, spelunkers

BY CHRISTOPHER WEBER The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – Campsites and lodges emptied out after disappointed tourists were ordered to leave the heart of Yosemite National Park by noon Wednesday, as firefighters battled to contain a huge wildfire just to the west that has threatened the park’s forest and sent up smoke that obscured grand vistas of waterfalls and sheer granite faces.

Yosemite Valley will be closed until at least Sunday, along with a winding, mountainous, 20mile (32-kilometre) stretch of California’s State Route 41 that leads in, park spokesman Scott Gediman said.

At least a thousand campground and hotel bookings will be cancelled – to say nothing of the impact on day visitors, park workers and small businesses along the highway, Gediman said. Rangers went to campsites one at a time to inform visitors of the closures. Hotels guests got phone calls and notes on their doors.

“This is the prime visitor season, so this wasn’t an easy decision to make,” Gediman said.

“This was purely for safety’s sake.”

Officials were quick to point out that Yosemite wasn’t under imminent danger from the Ferguson Fire. Authorities decided on the closure to allow crews to perform protective measures such as burning away brush along roadways without having to deal with traffic in the park that welcomes 4 million visitors annually.

The last time the 7.5-mile-

BY ARMANDO FENEQUITO JR. Philippine News Agency

PATRICK CUMBY / FLICKR

long (12-kilometre-long) valley was closed because of fire was 1990, he said.

Yosemite Valley is the centerpiece of the visitor experience, offering views of landmarks such as Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Bridal Veil Fall, El Capitan and Yosemite Falls. The glacial valley has been enveloped by a choking haze of smoke from the Ferguson Fire.

Visitors are advised to “limit activity during the periods of poor air quality,” the park said in a statement. “Some facilities and services are closed or diminished.”

Over nearly two weeks, flames have churned through more than 57 square miles (148 square kilometres) of timber in steep terrain of the Sierra Nevada just west of the park. The fire was just 25 per cent contained Tuesday.

Mandatory evacuations are in place in several communities while others have been told to get ready to leave if necessary.

More than 3,300 firefighters are working the fire, aided by

16 helicopters. One firefighter was killed July 14, and six others have been injured.

Rhonda Salisbury, CEO of Visit Yosemite/Madera County, said the regional visitors bureau has been relocating tourists statewide following the closure.

“People are heartbroken,” she said. “Some want to ride it out for a few days and see if they can get back in the park.” Others want help finding places to stay away from Yosemite.

Gediman suggested valley visitors divert to Tuolumne Meadows, on Yosemite’s northern edge, or to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks to the south.

“There are wonderful places to visit in the region, so we’re asking people to consider alternative plans,” he said.

In the state’s far north, a nearly 4-square-mile (10-square-kilometre) wildfire has forced the evacuation of French Gulch, a small Shasta County community that dates to the Gold Rush. ■

of Mueller’s investigation — whether Russia worked with the Trump campaign to tip the election.

Ellis rejected that argument despite having initially questioned the special counsel’s motives for bringing the case.

He noted that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, had explicitly authorized Mueller to investigate Manafort’s busi-

ness dealings. Mueller’s original mandate was to investigate not only potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but also any other crimes arising from the probe.

“When a prosecutor looks into those dealings and uncovers evidence of criminal culpability,” said Stanford law professor David Alan Sklansky, “it doesn’t make sense to ask him to avert his eyes.” ■

LAAK, COMPOSTELA VALLEY — With the success of its three-day Caving Festival held July 27-29 that was participated by senior high school students, the municipal government here will soon open the town’s caves to tourists and spelunkers.

Municipal Mayor Antonio Libuangan, in an interview on Sunday, said his town is ready to accommodate tourists who want to experience the wonders of their caves, which the town boasts as a tourist attraction.

The mayor said he plans to open the caving festival to the people from the entire Davao region so that everyone will be able to witness the town’s natural attraction.

“Nindot nga ma open ni sa tibuok region aron masaksihan sa tanan (It is good to open them to the whole region so that everyone will see our tourism attraction),” he said.

Libuangan said the town has more than a hundred caves, adding the need for them to be classified for conservation management and protection by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) so that tourists will experience all of them.

To complement these tourism initiatives, the town will also open access roads going to the cave sites for easy transportation, and a hotel to be managed by the municipal government Provincial Tourism Office

caving coordinator Prescila Decena said the municipal government initially targeted the graduating senior high school students because they can help in promoting the caves once they leave the town to study in the cities.

“Kung asa man sila, makakita sila sa TV nga well-known kaayo ilang cave dili kaayo sila ma ignorante. Dili kay mo ingon sila nga haaa naa diay mi ana nga cave diha sa Laak (Wherever they go, if they see their caves featured on TV, they will not be ignorant or surprised about them),” she said.

Decena said the town is positioning itself as the ‘Cave Capital’ in the region, and the campaign is supported by the Department of Tourism and the DENR. Cecile Claros, barangay captain of Sto. Niño, said the activity is a stepping stone to the bigger market as soon as the town finally opens it.

Claros said the invitation for spelunking will help not just the barangay but also the Indigenous Peoples community and land owners here.

“Makatabang gyud ni sa mga cave guides og uban pang naglihok (This will help the cave guides and other functionaries who work for this),” she said.

Claros assured that environment protection will be a top priority, citing an ordinance passed by the barangay council for the protection of the caves.

She said part of the ordinance is the prohibition of cutting trees within the 500-radius of the cave areas and promoting waste segregation. ■

Manafort trial... ❰❰ 22

The trial will afford the public its first glimpse of a defence that so far has focused less on the substance of the allegations than on Mueller’s authority to bring the case in the first place.

At one point, his defence lawyers sued Mueller and the Justice Department, saying they had overstepped their bounds by bringing a prosecution untethered to the core questions

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Laak Caving Festival.

MAYOR ANTONIO AY-ENG LIBUANGAN / FACEBOOK

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Food Don’t chase ice cream trucks, making it at home is easy AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN SUMMER IS synonymous with ice cream. And I think it would be safe to say that it is a universal experience. But making ice cream at home has changed since I was a child.

When we were young, my sisters and our cousins made hand-cranked ice cream using a White Mountain Wooden Bucket Ice Cream Maker that used ice and rock salt to freeze the ice cream. My grandmother loved having her grandkids use the hand cranker. The woodenbucket style ice-cream maker is still popular today and comes with an electric motor, and the option of the hand cranker for a nostalgic experience. My mother used the electric motor exclusively and when she wanted to make smaller quantities of ice cream, she used the electric machines with the inserts that you leave in the freezer until you are ready to make ice cream. I’ve used those models, but the truth is that I never have enough room to leave the insert in the freezer for 24 or more hours, and so I rarely make ice cream.

But every summer, I still have a yearning to make my own ice cream. Since you can now buy ice cream machines that come with a compressor, I decided that this summer I was going

to start making ice cream at home. With a self-refrigerating machine, you don’t have to plan in advance and remember to freeze the insert, and you can make batch after batch if you are making different flavours.

The machine that I choose after consulting a few ice cream experts was the Cuisinart ICE-100. It is streamlined and doesn’t take up too much room on your counter. It is also very simple to operate and works like a dream. The machine is mostly the compressor with a small bucket insert that holds and churns the ice cream, and can be removed for easy cleaning. My ice cream was ready in 45 minutes, and the timer can be set for up to 60 minutes.

Now that I had the machine, I needed a recipe. I decided to turn to my friend David Lebovitz’ newly revised ice cream book, “The Perfect Scoop.” This book has something for everyone! I grew up making custard ice creams with egg yolks and David has very good instructions for these. He also has a number of Philadelphia-style ice creams made without eggs, as well as frozen yogurts, gelatos, sorbets and so much more.

But what intrigued me the most were the ice creams with a fruit component. Those he makes with a combination of sour cream and half-and-half or heavy cream. When I asked him why he used sour cream as part

of the dairy component, he said, “I usually only use it with fruit because I want less cream (and less fat) as it interferes with the refreshing nature of the fruits and berries.” The sour cream also contains “natural gums so it helps keep the texture of the finished ice cream better.”

That explanation made perfect sense to me and it only took me a second to choose his Orange Popsicle Ice Cream. The six ingredient recipe was easy, chock full of quality ingredients and immediately conjured memories of summers past, ice cream trucks and creamsicles. I couldn’t wait to make it.

I zested the oranges, juiced them and put all the ingredients in a blender to combine.

It couldn’t have been easier. I put the mixture in the refrigerator overnight and made the ice cream the next day. I poured the mixture in the bucket, pressed the power button, set the timer and before I knew it, I had a softly frozen, smooth and delicious ice cream that was reminiscent of my favourite childhood treat.

David Lebovitz’ orange popsicle ice cream

(Adapted from “The Perfect Scoop”) Servings: 6 (Makes about 1 quart) Start to finish: 1 hour • 2/3 cup granulated white

sugar • Zest of 3 large oranges, zested with a microplane • 1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice from 4-5 large oranges • 1 cup full-fat sour cream • 1/2 cup half-and-half • 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier In a blender, pulverize sugar and zest until well mixed. Add the orange juice, sour cream, half-and-half and Grand Marnier. Blend until the sugar is completely dissolved. I use the smoothie function.

Chill the mixture in your refrigerator according to the manufacturer’s instructions— most machines specify how

long you need to chill the mixture. The Cuisinart ICE-100 states that you don’t need to refrigerate the mixture but I like to make the ice cream mixture the day before I make it and let the flavours chill and marry overnight in the refrigerator.

Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions and transfer to a glass or plastic container and keep in the freezer until ready to serve. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 223 calories; 81 calories from fat; 9 g fat (6 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 34 mg cholesterol; 23 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 29 g sugar; 2 g protein.

P.E.I. potato shortage blamed as Cavendish Farms closes packaging plant THE CANADIAN PRESS DIEPPE, N.B. — Cavendish Farms is blaming a shortage of potatoes on Prince Edward Island as it closes a fresh produce packaging facility in O’Leary, P.E.I., and switches to producing only frozen potato products in the province.

It says the closure by the

end of the year will affect 40 employees but some seasonal workers will be hired when the facility switches to a storage role.

General manager Ron Clow says Cavendish had a shortfall of 68 million kilograms of potatoes in 2017 in P.E.I. which it made up for by buying from new sources on the island as well as from producers in New

Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta and Maine.

He says the company has already made arrangements to import 29.4 million kilograms of potatoes to P.E.I. this year, which is not economically sustainable.

Last fall, Cavendish Farms broke ground on a $360-million frozen potato processing plant in Lethbridge, Alta., which is www.canadianinquirer.net

expected to triple existing capacity there when it opens in the fall of 2019.

The company, part of the J.D. Irving Group of Companies, has two potato processing plants in P.E.I. and another in Jamestown, N.D. “There simply aren’t enough potatoes on P.E.I. for both our lines of business,” said Clow in a news release. “This is an un-

fortunate consequence of low yields and lack of raw potatoes on PEI.” He added the health of the province’s potato industry in the face of growing competition in the frozen potato export market depends on farmers increasing yields through means including more irrigation. ■

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Food

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

Wake up the flavour of fish with a bright and acidic sauce AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN SOLE PICCATA, a light and delicate dish that consists of lightly browned sole fillets bathed in a lemon, caper, and white winelaced pan sauce, is a classic for a reason: The fresh, bright acidity of the sauce wakes up the flavour of the fish.

To ensure our thin fillets were crisp and golden brown on the outside and moist and flavourful on the inside, we started with the coating. We produced the perfect crust without heavy eggs or bread crumbs by simply drying the fillets, seasoning them with salt and pepper, letting them sit for 5 minutes, then dredging them in flour.

A nonstick skillet coated with a mixture of oil and butter prevented sticking and ensured that we had enough fat left to build our Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce.

Flounder is a good substitute for sole. Try to purchase fillets that are of similar size. If using smaller fillets (3 ounces each), serve two fillets per person and reduce the cooking time on the second side to about 1 minute.

You will need to cook smaller fillets in three or four batches and wipe out the skillet with paper towels after the second and third batches to prevent any browned bits from scorching.

Pan-Fried Sole with LemonCaper Pan Sauce

Servings: 4 Start to finish: 45 minutes

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless sole fillets • Salt and pepper • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 recipe Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce (recipe follows) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 F. Pat sole dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and let sit until fish glistens with moisture, about 5 minutes.

Spread flour into shallow dish. Dredge sole in flour, shake off any excess, and transfer to plate. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl to melt.

Gently lay two sole fillets in skillet and cook until golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Turn sole over using 2 spatulas and cook until second side is golden and fish flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife, about 2 minutes. Transfer to ovensafe platter and keep warm in oven. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels and repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon butter, and sole fillets; transfer to oven.

Prepare sauce using fat left in skillet. Spoon sauce over sole and serve.

Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce

(Makes about 3/4 cup; enough for 4 servings) This sauce pairs best with fish and shellfish.

1 small shallot, minced • 1 cup chicken broth • 1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons) • 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces and chilled • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley • Salt and pepper

[PUAMELIA] / FLICKR

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. (If necessary, add oil to equal 1 tablespoon.)

Add shallot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes.

Stir in lemon juice and capers and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in butter, 1

piece at a time, until melted and sauce is thickened and glossy.

Stir in parsley and any accumulated meat juices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. ■ Nutrition information per serving: 329 calories; 178 calories from fat; 20 g fat (8 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 107 mg cholesterol; 766 mg sodium; 13 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 23 g protein.

50 years on, McDonald’s isn’t messing with its Big Mac

BY CANDICE CHOI The Associated Press NEW YORK — McDonald’s is fighting to hold onto customers as the Big Mac turns 50, but it’s not messing with the makings of its most famous burger.

The company is celebrating the 1968 national launch of the double-decker sandwich whose ingredients of “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun” were seared into American memories by a TV jingle. But the milestone comes as the company reduces its number of U.S. stores. McDonald’s said Thursday that customers are visiting less often. Other more trendy burger options are reaching into the heartland.

The “Golden Arches” still

have a massive global reach, and the McDonald’s brand of cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and french fries remains recognizable around the world.

But on its critical home turf, the company is toiling to stay relevant. Kale now appears in salads, fresh has replaced frozen beef patties in Quarter Pounders, and some stores now offer ordering kiosks, food delivery and barista-style cafes.

The Big Mac remains unchanged, showing just how much McDonald’s and the rest of fast-food have evolved.

“Clearly, we’ve gotten a little more sophisticated in our menu development,” McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook said in a phone interview.

As with many of its popular and long-lasting menu items, the idea for the Big Mac came from a franchisee.

In 1967, Michael James “Jim” Delligatti lobbied the company to let him test the burger at his Pittsburgh restaurants. Later, he acknowledged the Big Mac’s similarity to a popular sandwich sold by the Big Boy chain.

“This wasn’t like discovering the light bulb. The bulb was already there. All I did was screw it in the socket,” Delligatti said, according to “Behind the Arches.”

McDonald’s agreed to let Delligatti sell the sandwich at a single location, on the condition that he use the company’s standard bun. It didn’t work. Delligatti tried a bigger sesame seed bun, and the burger soon lifted sales by more than 12 per cent.

After similar results at more stores, the Big Mac was added to the national menu in 1968.

Other ideas from franchisees that hit the big time include the www.canadianinquirer.net

Filet-O-Fish, Egg McMuffin, Apple Pie (once deep-fried but now baked), and the Shamrock Shake.

“The company has benefited from the ingenuity of its small business men,” wrote Ray Kroc, who transformed the McDonald’s into a global franchise, in his book, “Grinding It Out.” Franchisees still play an important role, driving the recent switch to fresh from frozen for the beef in Quarter Pounders, Easterbrook says. They also participate in menu development, which in the U.S. has included a series of cooking tweaks intended to improve taste.

Messing with a signature menu item can be taboo, but keeping the Big Mac unchanged comes with its own risks. Newer chains such as Shake Shack and Five Guys offer burgers

that can make the Big Mac seem outdated. Even White Castle is modernizing, recently adding plant-based “Impossible Burger” sliders at some locations.

A McDonald’s franchisee fretted in 2016 that only one out of five millennials has tried the Big Mac. The Big Mac had “gotten less relevant,” the franchisee wrote in a memo, according to the Wall Street Journal.

McDonald’s then ran promotions designed to introduce the Big Mac to more people. Those kind of periodic campaigns should help keep the Big Mac relevant for years to come, says Mike Delligatti, the son of the Big Mac inventor, who died last year.

“What iconic sandwich do you know that can beat the Big Mac as far as longevity?” said Delligatti, himself a McDonald’s franchisee. ■

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FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2018

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40

AUGUST 3, 2018

FRIDAY

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