Duterte to assert legality of drug war before International Criminal Court PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE is ready to face the International Criminal Court (ICC) to “personally” defend the legality of his administration’s war on drugs, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said following reports that the ICC would begin preliminary examination on the crimes against humanity linked to the campaign.
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“The President has said that if need be, he will argue his case personally before the International Criminal Court,” Roque said, adding, Duterte has welcomed the preliminary examination as a chance to defend his drug war because he’s “sick and tired” of being accused of crimes against humanity. Roque said: “This is an opportunity for him to prove that this is not sub-
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ject to the court’s jurisdiction because of both complementarities that domestic courts and the fact that we have a domestic, international, humanitarian law statuted in our jurisdiction are reasons enough for the court not to exercise jurisdiction.” No jur isdiction jurisdiction Roque said the case was not subject to the jurisdiction of the ICC because
President Rodrigo Duterte (PCOO Photo)
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Philippine courts were “more than able and willing” to exercise jurisdiction. He said there was even a pending complaint against the killings allegedly attributed to the war on drugs in the Office of the Ombudsman which has the power to recommend an impeachment, if successful, would lead to a criminal prosecution against Duterte. Continue on page 2
P10 Feb. 12-18, 2018
S
ABIT ANG DAL AWANG miy embr o ng M or o IIslamic slamic Liber aDALA miyembr embro Mor oro Liberation F mas sa mga Frront (MILF) sa bentahan umano ng ar armas I ndonesian jihadists matapos na masiwalat ang impor masy on sa kasong kinasasangkutan ng isang impormasy masyon ter istang lumaban sa panig ng rrebeldeng ebeldeng gr upo sa M indanao teror oristang grupo Mindanao indanao.. teror Ayon sa West Jakarta district court, binentahan ng mga armas ng dalawang rebeldeng MILF na nakilalang sina Marod at Dato ang teroristang si Suryadi Mas'ud noon 2015 upang gamitin sa terorismo sa Indonesia. Continue on page 2
Mga rebeldeng MILF.. (Mindanao Examiner Photo - Mark Navales)
ISIS supporters hunted in Mindanao COTABATO CITY – Security forces continue to hunt down local militants linked to the Islamic State following a clash that killed 3 of them in southern Philippines. Police and military forces clashed with ISIS
supporters and killed all of them in Lanao del Norte province last week. Army Brigadier General William Alunday, commander of an antiterror task group, said the trio opened fire on security forces out to arrest them in Lumba Punud
village in the town of Pantar. “The joint law enforcement operations of military and police neutralized the notorious Maute-ISIS remnants in Lanao del Norte,” he said and tagging those killed as “terrorists.” Continue on page 2
A military photo released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner shows weapons seized by soldiers and policemen from slain ISIS supporters in Lanao del Norte's Pantar town on Thursday, February 8, 2018.
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MILF sabit sa bentahan ng armas!
Continued fr om page 1 from Nagtungo ang 45anyos na si Suryadi sa General Santos City kasama ang asawang si Neneng Rita Anyar na nagsilbing “cover” upang hindi ito mapaghinalaan ng mga awtoridad. Sa bahay mismo ni Marod tumira si Suryadi habang hinihintay nito ang mga armas. Lumaban si Suryadi sa militar kasama ang MILF mula 1996 hanggang 2000. Ito rin ang kasagsagan ng pagkupkop ng MILF sa mga dayuhang terorista na siyang nagsanay sa
maraming mga rebelde sa Mindanao. Nabatid na si Iwan Darmawan Muntho, alias Rois, na ngayon ay nasa death row sa Indonesia sa kasong terorismo, ang sinasabing nagpondo ng biyahe at pagbibili ng armas ni Suryadi sa mula MILF. Umabot sa $30,000 ang halaga ng mga armas – 17 automatic rifle at limang pistol - na nabili ni Suryadi mula sa mga rebelde. Sabit rin si Suryadi sa pambobomba ng isang McDonald's outlet sa Makassar, south Sulawesi
noon 2002 at pagsasanay sa mga jihadists sa Aceh ng 2010 matapos na madakip sa Indonesia. Nahatulan ng West Jakarta district court si Suryadi na 10 taon dahil sa pagpasok ng mga armas sa Indonesia at terorismo. Hindi naman mabatid kung may basbas ng MILF ang pagbebenta ng armas kay Suryadi. Tikom naman ang bibig ng mga lider ng MILF sa pagkakasabit ng mga rebelde sa bentahan ng armas sa Indonesia at pagkupkop nito sa mga teroristang nasa Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner)
Duterte to assert legality of drug war before International Criminal Court Continued fr om page 1 from “The President has made it clear that he will communicate, he will assert the principle of complementarity, he will assert the legality of the war against drugs as a valid exercise of sovereign powers and therefore the element required for a crime against humanity is lacking,” he said. Roque explained that elements required for a crime against humanity must be either widespread or systematic attack directed against civilian populations with knowledge that it was being directed against civilian population. He pointed out that the alleged extrajudicial killings “will not prove anything” because of the lawful sovereign act to deal with the problem of illegal drugs. “Because the war on drug is a lawful, legitimate police operation, it cannot be characterized as an attack against civilian populations because they are civilians. It is a lawful use of force and therefore we submit that the element of directing an attack against directing an attack is simply lacking,” Roque said. Duterte was looking forward to engaging the ICC-Office of the Prosecutor
and expressed confidence that it would not go beyond its preliminary examination, according to Roque. “The President himself is a lawyer, he looks forward in fact to engaging the prosecutor of the court as a former prosecutor himself,” he said. Roque also stressed that Duterte stood by his position that he swore an oath to protect this republic against all threats to national security including the war on drugs. Initiativ es vs uter te nitiatives vs.. D Duter uterte He said Duterte wanted to put the prosecutor on the stand to ask who prodded them to proceed to preliminary examination noting that it was his suspicion that it was because the domestic enemies of the state behind this. “Obviously there’s been concerted public relations initiative against the President. Obviously this is intended to embarrass the President. But the President is a lawyer he knows what the procedures are. They will fail,” Roque said, clarifying that the decision of the ICCOffice of the Prosecutor stemmed not from a complaint, but two “communications” submit-
ted by lawyer Jude Sabio, and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Representative Gary Alejano in 2017. Sabio, in his communication, cited the number of people alleged killed by socalled Davao Death Squad in Davao City and the war on drugs which began in June 2016. While Trillanes and Alejano also cited Duterte’s pronouncements on killing drug addicts. “It’s not a complaint, it’s a communication because there’s no complaint yet, there are no charges yet. It emanated from the communication filed by individuals alleging crimes against humanity in the Philippines,” Roque said. Roque also pointed out that it was not a preliminary investigation but examination because it merely involved the “collection and verification of information.” He explained that the objective of the ICC- Office of the Prosecutor to conduct a preliminary examination is to determine if there is reasonable basis to proceed to a preliminary investigation. “I repeat no one should claim victory because we are only in a stage of preliminary examination,” he added. (Azer Parrocha)
The turn-over of handheld radio sets to 27 Barangay chairmen of Maimbung town in Sulu province through the Office of Maimbung Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council spearheaded by its Chairman, Mayor Samier A. Tan (Maimbung Municipal Government)
ARMM to build new market in Lanao Sur town, to benefit over 13,000 IDPs MARAWI CITY - Over 13,000 people displaced by the Marawi siege stand to benefit from a public market to be constructed by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in Bubong town in Lanao del Sur province. The groundbreaking
ceremonyWednesday for the wet and dry market was led by ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, along with other officials. The public market, worth P30 million, will sit on a 1.5-hectare land that will house 100 stalls. The market is expected to be completed in 240 days.
Governor Hataman said the construction of the public market will open additional economic activities in the town and in the entire first district of Lanao del Sur since these areas have no formal marketplace. “It will mainly cater to displaced residents of Marawi City who
ISIS supporters hunted in Mindanao
Continued fr om page 1 from One of the slain militants had been identified as Omar Daiser, a known drug pusher who escaped from prison and joined ISIS in May following the siege of Marawi City. Daiser was also a follower of former Marawi mayor Solitario Ali who is also being accused by authorities as involved in illegal drug trade. “Daiser had a standing warrant of arrest for the crime of robbery with
homicide issued by the Marawi City Regional Trial Court. He was known to be an illegal drug user and pusher and a follower of Solitario Ali, former Mayor of Marawi City, who is involved in illegal drug trade,” Alunday said. He said troops recovered the bodies of the slain militants, including their weapons - four M16 automatic rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, one FAL automatic rifle,
one police Beretta 9mm pistol and assorted ammunition and bandoleers. The cadavers were claimed by Bokari Abdulgani, a town council member. Army Major General Roseller Murillo, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said “government forces will continue to intensify its internal security operations to neutralize the remnants of terrorist groups in Marawi.” (Mindanao Examiner)
have sought refuge in the town,” he said. About 2,722 families, or more than 13,000 individuals, have sought refuge in Marawi City's adjacent town of Bubong since fighting in the Islamic city started in May 2017. Governor Hataman also attended numerous consultation dialogues with the displaced individuals to hear grievances from the grassroots. The consultations, he said, will help in making a “well-informed decision” for the projects and assistance that will facilitate in uplifting the lives of displaced Marawi residents. The IDP-organized Sowara O Miamagoyag, representing more than 12,000 households which evacuated to towns of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Misamis Oriental, and to the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, has been active in
promoting the welfare of its members. Sittie Joharah PacalindoMamacotao, 27, a leader of the group from the village of Marinaut in Marawi City, said displaced residents should be supported on their immediate needs of recovery to enable dignified survival.“We want to become their representatives to amplify their voice,” Mamacotao said. The group also recommended reparation and compensation for property damage; livelihood; recovery and access to employment; shelter; participatory, transparent and accountable planning of Marawi rehabilitation, and land dispute resolutions. “Naniniwala ako na makakabangon ang mga Maranaw kapag natulungan sila ng maayos,” Governor Hataman told the IDP leaders. He said the regional government has P150 mil-
lion in un-programmed funds reserved for projects and programs that would help in rebuilding Marawi City. He said ARMM and the provincial government of Lanao del Sur will jointly build an integrated public market and rehabilitate the terminal at the Greater Marawi Area in Marawi City this year costing P90 million. The national government-led Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) has allocated a P10-billion fund for the rehabilitation of Marawi City. The fund can be accessed by government offices for any project through proposals. The ARMM government has sent a proposal to the TFBM for the construction of 500 permanent houses with complete facilities such as kitchen, solar panel for electricity, and water sources. (Bureau of Public Information)
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BSP expects inflation to hover around 4%
THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it considers as temporary the elevated domestic inflation rate this year which is expected to “be around the high-end” of the government’s 2-4 percent target range for 2017-2019. BSP Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. said monetary officials expected inflation “to be around the high-end of the National Government’s target rate of 3.0 percent ± 1.0 percentage points in 2018 before settling above the midpoint of the target range in 2019.” “The higher inflation in 2018, due largely to the immediate impact of the TRAIN Law, is seen to be temporary,” he said. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that rate of price increases registered a faster rate of four percent in the first month this year, up from the 3.3 percent in December 2017 and the 2.7 percent in January 2017. Core inflation, which ex-
cludes volatile food and oil, registered at 3.9 percent, faster than the three percent last December and 2.5 percent in January last year. PSA traced this development primarily to faster inflation rate of the heavilyweighted food and non-alcoholic beverages to 4.5 percent from the previous month’s 3.5 percent and the double-digit rate of the alcoholic beverages and tobacco index to 12.3 percent from 6.4 percent last December. The first package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN ), which took effect January 1 this year, gave workers’ first PHP250,000 annual income a tax-free rate but hiked excise taxes on fuel and sugar-sweetened beverages. Some analysts also attribute the faster inflation rate last January to the impact of the tax reform. Amid the expected high inflation rate this year, Espenilla said, “Potential expansion of the economy’s
productive capacity due to infrastructure spending would temper prices pressures in the long run.” He cited that the planned one-year subsidies for the lower 50 percent of the society and the transport sector, which were targeted to help the poor cope with the increase of some commodity prices as a result of the tax reform, “could help mitigate the reduction in purchasing power of low-income households, and may help prevent further price increases.” “Nevertheless, the BSP during its 8 February 2018 monetary policy meeting will evaluate carefully potential elevated risks to the inflation outlook, such as those coming from secondround effects of TRAIN and higher energy prices, to ensure that inflation expectations are well-anchored and remain consistent with the inflation target,” he said. ( Joann Villanueva)
Chinese firm to build air and seaports in Cotabato
COTABATO CITY – The Cotabato City Government and China Engineering Construction Company have recently signed a memorandum of understanding for two major infrastructure projects here worth nearly a billion pesos, officials said.
Officials said the projects – a new airport and a seaport – will be undertaken by both parties under the government’s Public-Private Partnership. The projects are expected to start this month after the celebration of the Chinese New Year, accord-
ing to Bin Liu, the company’s CEO, who added that he also wanted to build a sports complex here using his own funds. He said the projects, when completed, can attract tourists to Cotabato City. (Amyrra Chielzy Rahmani)
ATTENTION: PAWNBROKERS The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas extended to April 30, 2018 the REREGISTRATION of PAWNSHOPS. Please visit the website of BSP www.bsp.gov.ph or may get in touch with the Chamber of Pawnbrokers of the Philippines, Inc. for your queries.
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DAR-ARMM turns over 46 HDAP projects COTABATO CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAR-ARMM) has turned over 46 various infrastructure projects worth P13,656,250 to agrarian reform beneficiaries and communities in Maguindanao province in January, officials said. The projects were funded under the Kalilintad sa Kangilupa component of the Humanitarian and Development Assistance Program (HDAP) of the ARMM government, which is implemented by DAR-ARMM. Dayang Carlsum Sangkula-Jumaide, DARARMM Secretary, said the projects aim at assisting the agrarian reform beneficiaries and their organizations to develop agriculture-based enterprises towards improving farm productivity and increasing household income. The projects include 24 socialized housing units, two community warehouses, and two solar dryers, which were turned over to agrarian reform beneficiaries and communities in the towns of Rajah Buayan and Sultan Sa Barongis in Maguindanao on Tuesday, January 30.
The turnover was led by Sec. Jumaide and Assistant Secretary Sampaco Mamainte and was witnessed by Sultan Sa Barongis Vice-Mayor Datu Al-Fizzar Allandatu Angas. Camsa Mindal, 50, is among the recipients of the socialized housing. Mindal said the housing unit is a big help for his family because his house, made mostly of light materials, is nearly damaged since it was built in 1980s. Mindal is also the president of the Kulambog Al Amanah People’s Organization, Inc., an agrarian reform beneficiary organization based in Sultan Sa Barongis. The organization also received one community warehouse and one solar drier. Mindal said the projects will surely boost their members’ income. Member-farmers of Al Amanah People’s Organization, Inc. have previously resorted to storing their harvest in their houses, which may cause losses to quality and quantity of their products. Mindal added these projects will surely protect their harvest from loses. “Ya sigurado sa niya ba na katiyakapan name su inenggay nu sa lekami ka masela e makadtabang na niyaba sa lekami (We assure you that we will
take good care of these facilities you awarded to us because it helps us a lot.),” Mindal said. Sixteen socialized housing units, one community warehouse and one solar dryer were also turned over to beneficiaries in Mamasapano during the ARMM People’s Day that marked the third year commemoration of the Mamasapano incident on January 25. Immediately following the Mamasapano encounter in 2015, the HDAP was drafted by the ARMM regional government. The program is an anti-poverty initiative covering barangays in 15 municipalities affected by intensified law enforcement operations launched immediately following the events in Mamasapano. The Kalilintad sa Kangilupa component of HDAP has a total funding allocation of P100,462,000. The amount will be used for social infrastructures in agrarian reform communities, provision of farm inputs, various trainings and capability building, and provision of common service facilities that include mobile rice mills, rice threshers and huskers, corn shellers, among others. (Bureau of Public Information)
Feb. 12-18, 2018
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NUJP criticizes background check on journos covering cops
THE NATIONA UNION of Journalists of the Philippines has strongly criticized the Philippine National Police for its alleged “Gestapo-like” methods in verifying identities of journalists newly assigned to cover the organization. “While we welcome the assurance of PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao that they have put a stop to the heavy-handed vetting done by agents of what he now acknowledges is the Directorate for Intelligence, we reject his contention that “we have no other way to verify” the identities of reporters fresh to the beat.” “Aside, of course, from the fact that the intelligence officers’ actions – tracking them, approaching or phoning them but refusing to identify themselves, vis-
iting their homes and neighborhoods to ask about them – not only sow fear but border on the, if they are not actually, criminal,” the NUJP said. It said Bulalacao admitted that a simple phone call or letter to the editors or managements of news outfits – who, after all, any organization that purports to be in the business of state security should know – should be enough to establish reporters’ bonafides. As it has, indeed, been the norm for generations of journalists covering the police beat. “Surely, one does not need police spies to handle this routine task? Unless, of course, there is a more sinister explanation for this? This concern is magnified by the fact that the organization primarily
tasked to guard and protect the citizenry cannot even get its act together, with PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa denying the background checks only for Bulalacao to admit them,” the media watchdog said. “The media deserve a more forthright accounting of how and why this fiasco ever came to be, plus an unequivocal pledge to never, ever again resort to such underhanded tactics against journalists. The same tactics are applied to activists, politic dissenters critical of the Duterte administration makes it even more threatening. Our right to privacy, communication and free movement are violated. We demand not only an apology but full disclosure of data collected about us,” the NUJP added. (Mindanao Examiner)
ARMM holds LGU assembly on social welfare protection SULU - The Department of Social Welfare and Development of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) conducted its first round of Local Government Unit (LGU) Assembly on Social Welfare Protection for the province of Sulu. The recent gathering convened local government officials as well as other groups, including beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), parent leaders, and officials of partner agencies such as the Integrated Public Health Office (IPHO) and the Department of Education (DepEd). The assembly discussed variations of irregularities in the implementation of the 4Ps, and the do's and don’ts in carrying out the program. Atty. Laisa Alamia, ARMM Executive Secretary and concurrent DSWD-ARMM Secretary, said that 4Ps stakeholders, especially officials who will be caught committing anomalous acts, will be immediately removed from their respective posts and could even face criminal charges. The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation, she said, will be helping in the cam-
paign. Sec. Alamia said that a similar activity will also be conducted in the other provinces of the ARMM to improve 4Ps’ implementation and strengthen the drive against irregularities in government programs and projects. “We have high hopes that this campaign will be successful so that we can achieve the progress and development that we aspire in ARMM,” she said. The LGU assembly is one of the ARMM government’s response to Martial Law Instruction Order No. 01 that seeks to promote good governance. The participation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other agencies such as IPHO and DepEd is critical in checking and securing the successful delivery of basic services to 4Ps' beneficiaries. Lea Abduhasad Daud, 44, a 4Ps beneficiary and parent leader from Tulay, Jolo said that the assembly is an effective way of preventing corruption in 4Ps implementation. “Masaya kami na merong ganitong kampanya ang gobyerno natin. Although, dito sa area namin ay wala naman kaming problema sa tuwing may payout kami dahil tapat naman ang
aming mga opisyales, suportadong suportado namin ang kampanyang ito,” Daud said. “This is a wake-up call and a reminder to all of us that we should abide by the policies and guidelines in implementing the programs of the government,” said Mayor Abraham Burahan of Hadji Panglima Tahil town. “As the mayor of Hadji Panglima Tahil, I give my full support to this campaign to make sure that those deserving people are the ones who will benefit from 4Ps; those we classify as poorest of the poor,” he added. Sulu has some 93,734 beneficiaries of the program, out of 415,000 beneficiaries in the entire ARMM region. The event ended with the signing of the a pact on the ‘Commitment Wall’ with participation from local government officials, representatives of partner line agencies, and other stakeholders who attended the assembly. The pact, upholding clean implementation of the program thus supporting the ARMM government in strengthening the fight against irregularities in 4P's implementation, is posted on the Commitment Wall. (Bureau of Public Information)
Sulu Governor Totoh Tan presides over the Provincial Development Council meeting that tackles the current state of basic utilities and social services, among others. (Photo from the Sulu Provincial Government.)
Mayor Samier A. Tan attended the LGU Assembly on Social Welfare Protection in Sulu province. (Maimbung Municipal Government)
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Answ er to last w eek osswor d: Answer week eek’’s cr crosswor ossword: 35. Laughing sound 37. What Moses parted (2 wds.) 39. Sped 41. Fangs 43. Tender 44. Dollar bills 45. Ghost's shout 46. Not new 48. Paving liquid 49. WNW's opposite 50. Rep.'s opponent
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LETTERS FROM DAVAO by Jun Ledesma ‘S ymptoms of H opeless‘Symptoms Hopelessness ness’’ I AM INTRGUED by the recent turn of events. Why is there so much brouhaha over press freedom following the closure of the operations of Rappler, a media outfit which was discovered to be generously funded by a foreign outfit knowing for its covert destabilization activity in foreign government and leaders not friendly to America? How much more money had been infused to discredit the Duterte government that a number of radical organizations and foreign-funded media firms suddenly emerged in an unusual activism that stemmed from Rappler’s closure? Stop, look and listen. Have they lost their freedom which they claimed was deprived of them? It was all about suppression of press freedom which Rappler complained of following the closure order by the Securities and Exchange Commission. But should SEC just watch in akimbo after it discovered that a notorious foreign funderOmidyar Network (ON) can intrude into the editorial content and policies of the media company? I do not wish to comment farther on the case of Rappler which is now with the Court of Appeals but the outfit itself is actively covering activities that had proceeded from its claim that its freedom had been curtailed and the activists, as if on cue, damning it and walking out of class to “fight Duterte’s dictatorship and tyrannical attacks on the youth and people”. The sound and fury seem to drown the basic issue on what is (press) freedom and what is criminal. But this is not even as simple as determining whether it is just an issue of freedom or crime. This is intertwined with the issues of nationalism, sovereignty and national security which are stonewalled in the razzmatazz and drama taking place in the University of the Philippines school campus, the leftist legal fronts like Kilusang Mambubukid, Kabataan Party List, the Senate hall and unescapably the foreign funded media organizations. The issue of press freedom and crime had been convoluted. The noise and sloganeering appears to be an attempt at concealing the crime of the past administration among them the Dengvaxia horror and the Mamasapano massacre of the police 44 Special Action Force. It is used by the moribund opposition and some onion-skinned politicians to question bloggers and social media platform like Facebook which impliedly Senators like Grace Poe and Manny Pacquiao want to sanction. Poe even raised the possibility of barring Facebook in the Philippines. Pacquiao is hurting some nosy bloggers are romancing his romance. The opposition charged that pro-Duterte supporters and bloggers used Facebook to spread fake news. Bloggers
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Feb. 12-18, 2018
from all political persuasions and ideology use FB and funny because the senators and the anti-Duterte bloggers aimed their turrets on Asec. Mocha Uson as if all the fake news emanates from her. They spared no words in discrediting her for mistakenly citing that Mt. Mayon is located in Naga. What a big issue that was and still is and Uson remains quiet to make her critics happy with their sarcasm. Recall that Duterte’s followers intensively used the free platform of FB because they were deprived of space and airtime in the traditional media. Duterte was running on a shoe-string budget during the Presidential derby. Duterte contracted advertising placements in ABS-CBN but even as he paid for this in advance the network never aired these. But he was not lacking in volunteers who covered the events of his campaign. They told their stories and post these in FB along with the crude video they took from their cell phones or handheld cameras. Jun Evasco, the campaign manager, was surprised to learn that not a few domains carried out news and videos of the campaign sorties. They were later dubbed as trolls but who cares. Their message reached the masses and the videos of the Duterte campaign were viewed by millions all over the country and by Overseas Filipino Workers who were cheering for the candidate of their kind. Were they viewing fake news in living colors? The political opposition has never gotten over their defeat. The votes were just too overwhelming no amount of machination and cheating reversed the outcome. Until today they cannot come to terms with realty. They blamed Facebook and Zuckerberg for their humiliating defeat and as the midterm election is nearing they want to ban Facebook. This time they charge FB for being a harbinger of what they claim are fake news. Symptoms of their hopelessness and defeat are showing this early. I wonder whether they will blame the Social Weather Station and Pulse Asia for the “excellent” trust rating of Duterte. I wonder too whether they suspect the international credit rating firms for the investment and stable grade they gave to the Philippine economy under Duterte. I wonder whether they find the BIR and BOC collection figures fakes. Will they blame the Supreme Court for affirming the extension of martial law in Mindanao? 2018 is a Build, Build, Build year. Surely the din of the rabid rallyists, the headless Commission on Human Rights, the retinue of foreignfunded media establishments and the interlopers from the Catholic Church will be swallowed by the rumbling of construction equipment. ‘Who is Rio of DICT?’ LET US LEAVE the controversial Rappler’s case for now. It is already with the Courts of Appeal. The last
time we heard from Rappler is their manifestation in the CA that it is not a mass media outfit but a news site. The Senate spent precious time distinguishing between Fake and Fact news and then we are this gobbledegook. Oh well….more about that next time. Meantime, the search for a permanent Secretary for the Department of Information and Communication Technology has been as tedious as the quest for the 3rd player in the Telecom industry. The criteria even as these are not spelled out demands that the head of DICT must have a thorough knowledge of the internet of things, immune from the economic terrorism of the duopoly of the telecom industry and guided by the principles and policies of the Duterte administration. There are baseless speculations that the DICT Secretary post had been reserved for Sen. Gringo Honasan but while the good senator is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy and doing well as Senator information technology is not part of his expertise. At this crucial time when we are extremely wanting of a competitive and efficient telecom network that could be at par with those in the ASEAN community the head of DICT must be a person of impeccable integrity, knowledgeable and is not in anyway connected or identified with the telecom players in the country. OIC Secretary of DICT, Eliseo Mijares Rio, Jr. fits the job requirements. His credentials are beyond what are demanded for the job and he owes no favors from the big and small players in the industry. Since his assumption as officer in charge of DICT, Rio has been subjected to scrutiny. His frugal lifestyle moreover speaks of his what persona. On the other hand even as an OIC he proved to be a lot better and courageously independent compared to his predecessors. The duopoly will not stop at anything to place the 3rd player at its beck and call. Manny Pangilinan for example cannot keep his cool and made assertions on how spectrum should be allocated. The duopoly which had been in total control of the industry had assumed it has all the four aces up its sleeve and government regulators must beware of games these giant players want to play. As in poker, the small players can be economically terrorized. In brief the big guys can buy spectrums no matter what the price be but the country will forever remain in limbo. What do you think is their motive in buying San Miguel’s/Telstra spectrum at a mind-boggling amount of P70-billion? And why do they refuse to use the state-of-the-art-the art peering switch which was donated by Microsoft to the Philippines through the Department of Science and Technology? So far OIC Rio has not adopted any of the duopoly’s sly strategies. One can just imagine the tremen-
HEALTH: First Aid Para Sa Heart Attack Payo ni Dr. Willie T. Ong PAANO malalaman kung inaatake sa puso ang isang tao? Isang senyales ng heart attack ay ang Levine’s sign kung saan nakalagay ang kamao sa may sikmura. Alamin din kung dati nang may sakit sa puso, altapresyon o diabetes and pasyente. Ganito ang ating gagawin bilang first aid sa heart attack: 1. Una sa lahat, tumawag ng doktor at ihanda na ang sasakyan para dalhin siya sa ospital. 2. Habang naghihintay, bigyan ng sapat na hangin ang pasyente. Gumamit ng pamaypay, electric fan o air con. Ang nangyayari sa heart attack ay nagkukulang ang oxygen sa puso ng pasyente. 3. Ipaupo ang pasyente sa kumportableng silya o kama. Kailangan mataas ang kanyang upo o mga 45 degrees. Maglagay ng maliit na unan sa ilalim ng paa para mas kumportable siya.
Dr. Willie T. Ong 4. Iluwag ang kanyang damit at necktie. Ayaw nating maipit ang ugat sa leeg. 5. Ang layunin natin ay mag-relax ang pasyente. Paano ito gagawin? Huwag siyang tanungin ng tanungin. Sabihin lang na magpahinga ka. “Kami na ang aayos sa mga gawain at problema.” Puwedeng ipikit ang mata at magrelax lang. 6. Sabihing huminga ang pasyente ng malalim at mabagal, yung tinatawag na deep and slow breathing. Nakakarelax ito at nakakababa din ng blood
pressure. 7. Kung mayroon siyang maintenance na gamot sa puso, ipainom ito. 8. Para sa heart attack, kailangan magbigay ng first aid medicine, ang Aspirin na 325 mg tablet o puwede din ang Baby Aspirin o Aspilet na 80 mg pero dalawang tableta ang ipainom. 9. Kung marunong kayo kumuha ng blood pressure, i-monitor ang kanyang blood pressure. Binabantayan natin ang biglang pagbagsak ng blood pressure. 10. As siyempre, dalhin ang pasyente ng mabilis sa Emergency Room ng isang malaking ospital. Dahil sadyang ang mga doktor lang ang magsasabi kung heart attack nga ba o hindi. Para sa mga kamaganak, maging maagap at gumamit ng common sense. Mag-aral ng first aid para makaligtas ng buhay.
RECIPE: Picadillo
INGREDIENT S: INGREDIENTS:
– 1 ½ lbs. ground beef – 1 medium yellow onion, minced – 4 cloves garlic, minced – 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil – 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomato – ½ cup raisins
– 1 cup beef broth – ¾ cup Manzanilla olives – 1 medium baking potato, cubed – 2 medium carrots, cubed – ¾ cup frozen green peas – Salt and pepper to taste
INSTR UCTIONS: INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Heat oil in a cooking pot. 2) Saute onion and garlic until the onion becomes soft and translucent. 3) Slowly add the ground beef. Cook until it turns light brown. 4) Add diced tomato, beef broth, and raisins. Stir and let boil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. 5) Add olives, carrots, potato, and green peas. Stir and cover. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. 6) Season with crushed black pepper and salt. Cook for 3 minutes more. 7) Transfer to a serving plate. Serve. 8) Share and enjoy! (http://www.panlasangpinoy.com) dous pressure he is subjected to at this stage. Those who aspire to be third player has only to prove they have the wherewithals to compete, the experience, the congressional franchise and it would help if they have existing assets nationwide and have foreign partners as the President suggests. Those who aspire on the bases of family relations better think of something else to do. At this stage one small player innocuously listed a name forgetting that in the case of the Urban Poor Commission a Presidential relative was among the conspicuous casualty. It is this attempt at swaying decisions where
Eliseo Rio is expected to have the gumption to resist and repel the way the President do. I have not met OIC Rio but his credentials speaks for him. A decorated soldier and officer for his bravery and courage which catapulted him to the rank of Brigadier General of the Philippine Army. A topnotch Electronic Communications Engineer. He specialized in satellite communications and missile guidance technology, These aside from the seminar and courses he attended as a military officer who was on top of the AFP communications, electronic and information service. Rio is a graduate of electrical Engi-
neering from UP, Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of the East and Electronic Industries from Ateneo University. I have talked to some of his closest friends and all of them have a common description of the man: He lives a very frugal life, a very modest home, like that of President Duterte they added and that he cannot even have his graying hairs dyed. Maybe his appointment as permanent Secretary of DICT be made at the same time when the Malacanang shall have decided to name the 3rd Telecom player.
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Feb. 12-18, 2018
Cebu to impound ‘counter-flowing’ vehicles
CEBU CITY – The Cebu City Traffic Operations Management said it will begin impounding vehicles violating traffic rules, particularly those caught counter-flowing traffic here. Francisco Ouano, chief of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management, said they already formed mobile teams just for the purpose of apprehending violators of this newlyapproved Executive
Order (EO) of Mayor Tomas Osmeña. “We will surely impound any vehicles, including motorcycles, caught counter-flowing the traffic in the city,” Ouano said. “The mayor said this is one way to discipline those motorists who cause traffic congestion because of their counter flowing.” Osmeña signed the EO last week allowing traffic enforcers to impound for a month vehicles
caught counter-flowing. “I just don’t want people to be abusing. There are several drivers who counter-flow and we are going to be very strict with these violators,” he said. Violators of the EO will not only get his vehicle impounded but will also lose his driver’s license aside from paying a fine. Under the EO, motorcycle drivers using the sidewalks will also be apprehended. (Luel Galarpe)
British firms eyeing opportunities in Visayas BRITISH COMPANIES are now eyeing business opportunities in Visayas as they a set trade and investment mission to Iloilo next month. British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) Chris Nelson said the business group is organizing the business mission to Iloilo from March 8-9 in line with the British Embassy’s Great Festival. Nelson said BCCP targets to bring in 50
firms based in the United Kingdom as delegates to the business mission in the Visayas. He cited British companies that are interested to tap opportunities in the country's infrastructure sector, be it transport infrastructure or ports, among others. This is in line with the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build Program which accelerates infrastructure projects across the country. The BCCP chief considers the Visayas a new
growth opportunity area for UK firms as this part of the country is expected to grow 7.7 percent to 8.3 percent in the next five years. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that from January to September 2017, approved investments in investment promotion agencies from UK companies increased by 10.9 percent to PHP4.79 billion from PHP4.32 billion in the same period in 2016. (Kris Crismundo)
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PWDs get discounts on PUV fares
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Eastern Mindanao
THE LAND TRANSPORTATION Franchising and Regulator y Board (LTFRB) has ordered public utility vehicle (PUV ) drivers and operators to grant a 20 percent discount to persons with disabilities (PWDs) so long as they present documents, such as an identification card issued by the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons or local government officials. This order was contained in LTFRB Memo Circular 2018-004 states
Western Mindanao
that PWDs can avail of discounted fares. They may also avail of the full 20 percent fare discount from transportation network vehicle services, such as Uber and Grab, as well as taxi services regardless of the number of services. Fare discount for PWDs is a benefit guaranteed by the law, according to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.“We are asking all PUV operators, from jeepneys to taxis, to grant discounts to PWDs,” Tugade said. He said violators shall
Cebu
be slapped with a P5,000 fine for the first offense, and P10,000 for the second offense plus a six-month suspension of their Certificate of Public Convenience.For the third and final offense, operators would have their franchises cancelled or revoked. The memo circular was issued in compliance with Republic Act No. 10754 or “An Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability”. (Aerol John Pateña)
Manila