T H E
ENTERT
INMENT
Why Andi Eigenmann almost quit showbiz See Page 6
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Vol. 5 No. 36
LOS ANGELES
A BALITA MEDIA PUBLICATION
Friday - Thursday, June 10 - 16, 2016
DUTERTE TO SHUN MEDIA DAVAO CITY, June 6 (Mabuhay) – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is rejecting interviews for now in response to a call to boycott his press conferences until he apologizes for his statement on media killings, his spokesman said Monday.
Filipino-American media practitioners led who belong to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines USA Chapter with a strong message to Presidentelect Rodrigo Duterte, who earlier said that corrupt journalists deserved to die in the Philippines.” Photo: Benny Uy
“Unang-una, yun naman yung hiningi ng media,” Salvador Panelo said. He added that Duterte’s statements were not coming out “as accurately as they should” in media reports. Panelo could not say how long Duterte would shun media interviews but said the President-elect would still be “transparent” about
his activities through his spokesman and other appointees. “Sa ngayon yan ang kanyang patakaran,” he said. “But then again, even assuming that to be, kahit na patagalan, wala pa rin namang kurtina na nakatakip o bintanang sinarado. Open pa rin e.” Duterte was irked when asked in an interview last week about an international watchdog group’s
call for Filipino journalists to boycott his press conferences. The Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) wants Duterte to apologize for saying that many of the journalists killed in the Philippines were paid hacks and were corrupt. “Just because you’re a journalist, you are not exempted from
MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – The president of the National Press Club (NPC) said that the choice of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to course his statements through the government television network PTV-4 following his decision to suspend his nightly press conferences would have negative repercussions on the country’s free press. NPC President Paul Gutierrez described Duterte’s decision to use only state-run media for his statements as a “subtle way” of undermining a free press. “I believe that this is a follow-up doon sa sinabi niya na kung ayaw siyang i-boycott ng media, eh siya
na lang ang magbo-boycott sa media. In a sense, this is a subtle way o simpleng pamamaraan ng bagong administrasyon na limitahan ang ating kalayaan sa malayang pamamahayag,” Gutierrez said Monday. (I believe that this is a follow-up to what he said that if the media won’t boycott him, he would boycott the media. In a sense, this is a subtle way of the new administration to limit the free press.) Duterte, 71, drew flak for justifying the murders of journalists, saying that those who have been killed were corrupt. He also catcalled a female television reporter in one of
See DUTERTE, page 7
Fil-Ams celebrate Independence Lacson: Duterte Using only state-run media a ‘subtle’ Day, have message for Duterte should not urge public way to stifle free press: NPC head By Nimfa U. Rueda
LOS ANGELES – Hundreds of Filipino-Americans paraded through Historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles on June 4 to celebrate the 118th Philippine Independence Day. Cheering crowds watched a marching band, local beauty queens on floats, community leaders in a convoy of cars, Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders in formation and dozens of participants who marched while waving Philippine flags. A group of youths, dressed in Igorot costumes, danced in the streets.
“We want to show everyone that Filipino-Americans are united and have a great deal to contribute to the community, this city and the nation,” said Bernie Ganon, assistant executive director of the nonprofit Filipino-American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI), one of the event organizers. More than 30 organizations participated, including the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, USA Chapter, whose members paraded a banner with a message for President Elect Rodrigo Duterte: “Stop Media Killings.” “It’s not just about celebrating
to arrest, kill suspected drug lords
MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – Incoming Senator Panfilo Lacson said Monday that the call for the public to arrest and kill suspected drug lords should not come from President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. Even as citizen’s arrest is allowed under the Revised Penal Code and killing on self-defense may be accepted, the President should not encourage the public to take it upon themselves to kill accused drug personalities. “Sa palagay ko ay hindi dapat
See MESSAGE, page 7
See LACSON, page 7
See MEDIA SUBTLE, page 7
PNP probing involvement of generals Amid Duterte criticisms, CBCP president says: in corruption, illegal drugs MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into information about the involvement of some police generals in corruption and illegal drugs but its chief said the PNP has yet to find evidence to support the claims of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. Outgoing PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez revealed that he has sent a team of anti-illegal drugs policemen in Visayas to probe details linking generals to corrupt activities and illegal drug trade. “We have not found any evidence
yet that will support the information about the involvement of active general (in corruption and drugs),” Marquez told reporters at Camp Crame after the flag-raising ceremony on Monday. “But we have raw information before so as a matter of fact we deployed special teams ng (of) AIDG (Anti-Illegal Drugs Group) in Visayas but until now, the work is in progress,” he added. Marquez, who will soon be replaced by Duterte’s pick Chief Supt. Ronald Dela Rosa, said the PNP’s Intelligence Group has been inves-
There is virtue in silence
MANILA, June 6 (Mabuhay) – Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, on Sunday said, “there is virtue in silence,” an apparent reply to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s attacks on the church. “There is virtue in silence. There is virtue in speech. Wisdom is knowing when it is time for silence and when is the timing for speech,” Villegas said in a statement entitled “Understanding Silence.” Villegas went on to say, “Mine See SILENCE, page 7
See GENERALS, page 7
Incoming SolGen ‘very hopeful’ PHL will win arbitration case vs China DAVAO CITY, June 4 (Mabuhay) – Incoming Solicitor General Jose Calida on Saturday said he is “very hopeful” that the Philippines will win its arbitration case against China on the disputed West Philippine Sea. “We are very hopeful that we will win this case,” Calida told reporters at Royal Mandaya Hotel. The former Justice undersecretary said he recently met with incumbent Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, who briefed him and incoming foreign affairs secretary
Jun Yasay on the case. “During that meeting we only discussed the West Philippine Sea dispute with China, he said. “It’s really a complicated issue but according to the solicitor general now, around 70 to 80 percent we will win this case,” Calida said. Asked what will happen if the country wins the case with the international tribunal, Calida said, “Well we will cross the bridge when we get there. We will wait for the decision then we will make our move.”
The Philippine government earlier asked the international tribunal in The Hague to rule on the validity of China’s controversial 9-dash line claim. He said another issue he wants to address is the overwhelming number of cases that each solicitor handles. “Did you know that they handle 1,500 cases? Each solicitor,” he said. “We have around 250 solicitors and we are still recruiting. I want See SOLGEN, page 7
Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile thanks his colleagues in his valedictory speech on Monday (June 6, 2016) at the Senate Building in Pasay City. Enrile is retiring from government service after having served the country’s Executive Department for 20 years where he served as Justice and Defense secretary, and 27 years in the Legislative Department with four terms in the Senate and three years in the House of Representatives. Also in photo are Senators Grace Poe and Aquilino Pimentel III. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)
Enrile, PHL’s oldest lawmaker, bids goodbye to half century of public service By Jelly F. Musico
MANILA, June 6 (PNA) – Senate minority leader Juan Ponce Enrile, the country’s oldest lawmaker, on Monday took the podium, not to debate, but to bid goodbye to the chamber which he served for 27 years, capping his more than 50 years of public service. ”My esteemed colleagues, this will be my last day to visit this chamber because when we adjourned at midnight today, I shall have closed my public service to the nation for more than half a century beginning in January 1966,” the 92-year-old Enrile said in his valedictory speech during the sine die adjournment of the 16th Congress. Enrile, one of the brilliant minds in the Philippine Senate, served See ENRILE GOODBYE, page 7