THE PHILIPPINES’ FORUM FOR INTERNATIONAL READERS SINCE 1981 www.expatphilippines.ph
N E W S PA P E R
STILL IN STORES
January 24-February 6, 2016 Vol. XXXIV No. 8
An aerial view of scenic Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro - a member of the exclusive club of "One of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World." Puerto Galera will be hosting the general assembly of the 11th World Congress of the "Most Beautiful Bays" this February.
After one year, Mamasapano case to be reopened By CHING DEE
Enrile promises to deliver damning evidence against P-Noy
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oughly one year after the tragic end of ‘Operation Exodus’ in January 25, 2015, the Senate has agreed to reopen the Mamasapano case on Wednesday, January 27, 2016. Despite successfully killing the target, Malaysian terrorist Zulfiki bin Hir alias ‘Marwan,’ the military operation claimed the lives of 67 people, including 44 members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police (PNP-SAF), 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and 5 civilians. Damning evidence In October 2015, after Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile’s prompt return to the Senate after being granted bail, the 91-yearold legislator moved for the reopening of the
Mamasapano senate investigation, saying he has a new set of evidence against President Benigno Aquino III. 2016 presidential candidate and head of Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Sen. Grace Poe granted his request to reopen the case. In an interview on Radyo Inquirer on Jan. 13, Enrile had several questions festering him about the Mamasapano encounter and administration’s lack of response about the incident: “I know nothing about the government’s actions to save them, and what did the President do? What is his involvement there? He is the origin of all that’s happened, he holds the state, he’s the head of the state, head of government, he’s the chief executive, he’s the top policeman of the country, he’s the commander in chief of the armed forces, his power is very vast. What did he do so that the casualties
won’t be so many?” Enrile, a known ally of 2016 presidentiable and Vice President Jejomar Binay, announced on Jan. 18 that he has evidence to prove three things: (1) Aquino was “actively and directly involved… in the planning and preparation for Oplan Exodus,” (2) “on the day actual operation, [Aquino] was monitoring the operation while he was in his plane going to Zamboanga City,” and (3) “while the operation was going on, and the SAF units were being slaughtered, he did not do anything at all.” Enrile adds that some members of the Aquino Cabinet who attended the Senate hearings on Mamasapano “did not disclose the true facts even though they knew it… and they did not disclose the facts properly page 5 and truthfully” despite being
Phl set to host the 11th World Congress of the ‘Most Beautiful Bays’ By VIA BAROMA
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he Philippines will be hosting the 11th World Congress of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World, which aims to attract more than 20 countries by showcasing Puerto Galera as a prime tourist destination. During the five-day conference dubbed "Adapting to Climate Change," the Philippines Office of the President, Department of Tourism, Province of Oriental Mindoro, Board of Directors of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club (MBBWC), Country member representatives, and Ambassadors from France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, Morocco, Cape Verde, Senegal, Mozambique, Madagascar, Canada, US, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Colombia, Brazil, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, China, Turkey, and Korea will converge in Manila on Feb. 1 to 6. Following the COP21 discussions in Paris last December 12, which set page 5 the goal of limiting the world's