OPINION:
North Cotabato mayor, abswelto sa kasong graft!
The tale of EJK By JJun un Ledesma
PRESIDENT DUTERTE’S critics are having a fiesta over his jocose statement that his only fault is the beaten-to-the-pulp issue of extra-judicial-killing. It all started when the New York-based Human Rights Watch published a book entitled “You Can Die Anytime” prompting the Commission on Human Rights chaired by
Founded 2006
Leila De Lima to conduct a probe on alleged EJK victims in Davao City. This was in April 2009 a few months before elections. The undefeated Duterte and his daughter Inday Sara are emerging to be a strong political leader like his father. Davao then was a bastion of drug syndicates that crept into the city after
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the CPP/NPA lost control of the urban center following a spontaneous peoples uprising dubbed “alsa masa”. Rodrigo Duterte a newly elected Mayor had to deal with the scourge of drugs, kidnap for ransom, carnapping and other vicious criminal syndicates. The most Continue on page 7
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Inabswelto umano ng Sandiganbayan Second Division si dating President Roxas Mayor Lucita Racines sa apat na kasong graft at malversation of funds. Ito ayon kay Atty. Vicente Andiano, ang legal counsel ni Racines, at sa panayam ng Mindanao Examiner
regional newspaper, sinabi nito na ang desisyon ay inilabas ng Sandiganbayan kamakailan lamang na kung saan ay pinawalang sala ang dating punong ehekutibo sa pag gamit nito ng kanyang intelligence fund. Ang kaso ay isinampa noong 2010 nina Jane Fordan Dayo, Elizabeth Hilado at Noel Mallorca na
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mga opisyal ng pamahalaang lokal ayon kay Andiano. Nag-ugat ang nasabing kaso matapos na gamitin ni Racines ang P1 milyon piso mula sa naturang intelligence fund noong 2007, kahit walang ipinasang pondo ang Sangguniang Bayan. Malinaw naman kasi Continue on page 7
P10 October 8-14, 2018
Martial Law, Revolutionary Government? Read story on page 3
President Rodrigo Duterte inspects members of the Mechanized Infantry Division during his recent visit to Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. (Presidential photo)
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The Mindanao Examiner
October 8-14, 2018
Ban tricycles, pedicabs on highways
A pedicabs in Zamboanga City highway. (Mindanao Examiner Photo) THE DEPARTMENT OF the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered all city and municipal mayors in the country to ban pedicabs and tricycles along national highways. “For safety reasons, no tricycle or pedicab should operate on national highways utilized by fourwheel vehicles greater than four tons and where normal speed exceeds 40 kilometers per hour,” DILG officer-incharge, Secretary Eduardo Año said. Año said while the government recognizes that tricycle and pedicab operations provide livelihood and income to Filipinos, both in the urban center and rural areas, allowing them on main thoroughfares poses hazards to other motor vehicles, the riding public, and even to the drivers themselves. “The regulation of tricycles and pedicabs on national highways is, therefore, to the best interest
of everyone,” he said, adding, vehicles may only be allowed by concerned Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) or Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) to traverse main highways if there is no other alternative route. Año reiterated the directive after receiving reports from its field offices regarding the unregulated operation of tricycles and pedicabs along main thoroughfares which poses serious hazards to the passengers, drivers, and other vehicles. This is worse in Zamboanga City where tricycles freely ply the highway and passenger jeeps which are also overloaded, and motorcycle drivers who habitually occupy opposite lane of the road despite the presence of traffic policemen and enforcers. Ang these practices have been going on for many years now. Under the Local Government Code, city
and municipal mayors, through their respective Sangguniang, are authorized to regulate the operation of tricycles within their territorial jurisdiction, subject to the guidelines prescribed by the Department of Transportation. Año also urged local authorities to strictly adhere to the standards and guidelines provided by Memorandum Circular 2007-01, which contains the basic considerations in the preparation of city or municipal tricycle and pedicab franchise and regulatory ordinance or code. The guidelines include banning of tricycle and pedicab operations along national highways; prohibiting said vehicles to carry more passengers and goods than what they are designed for, or more than what is authorized in the franchise, among others. (Mindanao Examiner)
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Jeffrey Salih and two of his companions from the Department of Agriculture in Region 9 met with Sulu Gov. Toto Tan II to seek his assistance in transporting 320 goats from Zamboanga City to Jolo that will be distributed to farmer-beneficiaries of Maimbung, Parang, Talipao and Panamao municipalities. Salih says that for 2019, two more municipalities will be covered by the DA project, and two more in 2020.
Senate ratifies Expanded Maternity Leave law THE SENATE RATIFIED the proposed Extended Maternity Leave bill that would provide 105 to 120 days of paid maternity leave for working mothers in both government and private sector. Under the proposed law, 105 days of paid maternity leave will be given to all working mothers. Of the 105, seven days are transferable to fathers in what is called a “daddy quota.” An additional 15 days would be given to solo working mothers, for a total of 120 days of paid maternity leave. And mothers also have the option to extend for an additional 30 days of unpaid leave. These provisions would apply to all instance of pregnancies. Under the current law, women are only allowed 60 days of paid maternity leave and the maternity
leaves are limited to four pregnancies. Senator Risa Hontiveros, main author and sponsor of the bill in the Senate, hailed the ratification of the Extended Maternity Leave law as a “truly revolutionary and historic victory for women.” “This is a massive victory for all Filipino women. Now, we not only have a maternity leave policy that is at par with international standards, it also includes modern provisions to adequately respond to the everyday reality confronted by women and our families,” Hontiveros said. In the present 60-day maternity leave policy, the country lags behind Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia who has 90 days each, Myanmar has 98 days, while Laos and Brunei have
105 days. Singapore and Vietnam top the list with the best maternity leave policies in the region at 112 days and 180 days, respectively. Hontiveros said the law not only gives expectant mothers ample time to ensure the best possible conditions for a healthy delivery, recovery from childbirth and a stronger mother-child bond, it also recognizes the role of fathers in parenting. She said this so-called “daddy quota” is what makes the bill revolutionary. “Parenting is a collective effort. Pregnancy and child care are not the responsibility of women alone. Men deserve the opportunity to create meaningful memories with their partners as they welcome and nurture their children,” she said. (Jose Cielito Reganit)
LTO intensifies campaign vs. manufacturer, use of fake documents THE LAND TRANSPORTATION Office (LTO) warned the public against people who demand money from them in exchange for their preferred ending of plate numbers in the registration of their vehicles. The LTO also asked the public not to engage the services of people who manufacture fake licenses, vehicle registrations and car stickers because it is a criminal offense. LTO chief Edgar Galvante said the agency will not just go after the manufacturers of fake LTO documents but, also those who patronize them. “As part of our intensified campaign, the LTO will bar from obtaining or renewing the driver’s licenses of those who will be identified patronizing these illegal operations while those who will be caught manufacturing fake LTO documents will be criminally charged in court,” said Galvante, who also serves as an assistant secretary of the
Department of Transportation. LTO Executive Director Romeo Cruz said they are coordinating with the banking industry to check the use of fake driver’s license as identification. “We will provide bank management the knowhow to check the fake driver’s license from the real ones,” Cruz said. There were also reports that some car dealers and agents are asking additional payment from their clients who wanted to choose the last number of their vehicle plates claiming it as an “added service,” according to Galvante “I enjoin the motorists to just pay only the amount with official receipts because the agency does not charge anything above the prescribed fees,” he said, adding, they are doing the best to solve the backlog in the issuance of vehicle plates, there are these people with criminal minds who take advantage of the situation.
“We will not condone this act and put these people where they should be. We may withdraw the accreditation of the erring car dealer and their agents,” he said. Based on the information received by the agency, a client is being charged P3,000 to P5,000 if he wants to choose the last number for the vehicle plate saying it is considered a “special plate.” Most of the victims of this modus operandi are new vehicle owners since the government is planning to have all new vehicles coming out of the car dealerships with plates already attached to them. This is part of the LTO’s “Moving Forward” program. The LTO clarified that to date, the agency has not accepted application for the special plate and the issuance of the same is still suspended until after the backlog on vehicular plate has been resolved. (Mindanao Examiner)
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The Mindanao Examiner
October 8-14, 2018
Martial Law, Revolutionary Government?
T
HE PHILIPPINE MILIT AR Y said MILITAR ARY communist rebels were plotting to remove p lotting President Rodrigo Duterte from office and also behind plans to destabilize the government by launching massive street protests and rallies denouncing human rights violations and extrajudicial killings across the country and spark a national outrage. It said leftist organizations and labor groups, including procommunist students would spearhead the rallies in an effort to lure Duterte into declaring a nationwide martial law or a revolutionary government which the military claimed would be a “political trap” for the President. Armed Forces’ Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr. claimed the communist rebels are behind the so-called “Red October” ouster plot. “The way we see it, the President is being dragged to declare a nationwide martial law, and also most probably a r e v o l u t i o n a r y government. That is the plan of the CPP-NPA (New People’s Army), to lead the president to a
Carlito Galvez (TOPS facebook page) political death trap,” he said. Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., Armed Forces’ Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, also said that rebels have been recruiting in schools and universities in Manila and identified them as University of the Philippines in Diliman and Manila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Santa Mesa, Ateneo de Manila, La Salle, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, Far Eastern University, University of the East in Recto and
Callocan, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Earist-Eulogio Amang Rodriguez, San Beda, Lyceum, University of Makati, Caloocan City College, University of Manila and Philippine Normal University. But school officials strongly denied the allegations. P r e s i d e n t i a l Spokesperson Harry Roque said any attempt to oust Duterte would fail. “ We stand by the statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that the Communist Party of the Philippines is
Jose Maria Sison (Facebook page) pushing the President to
place the country under
martial law,” he said. “We will therefore not fall into this trap hatched by the enemies of the State. President Duterte sees no ground to declare martial law nationwide as the whole situation is under control.” Duterte has declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23 last year after pro-ISIS militants occupied Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province and sparked a deadly battle that lasted 5 months. Roque also assured the public that martial law Mindanao is free from human rights violations, unlike the military rule during the Marcos regime. ( With a report from Azer Parrocha.)
Sulu Gov. Toto Tan poses with government midwives from Jolo, Maimbung, Parang and Lugus during a recent visit at Provincial Capitol. Tan assures the midwives of the provincial government commitment to provide them with support in the exercise of their duties. (Ahlfranzie Salinas)
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The Mindanao Examiner
October 8-14, 2018
ARMM celebrates 29th Troops seized IEDs, as rebels National Statistics Month disarmed trader in South
COTABATO CITY – The regional offices of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), formally opened here the month-long celebration of the 29th National Statistics Month. With the theme, ‘Exploring Philippine Wonders in Numbers: Statistics Towards Sustainable Tourism in Development’, this year’s celebration reflects the relevance of statistics in achieving sustainable and progressive tourism growth for the country. Ayesha Vanessa Hajar Dilangalen, DOT-ARMM Secretary, emphasized the role of statistics in tourism. “Statistics is important in tourism as it serves as a tool for development in the area. It helps us in monitoring the number of tourist arrivals in ARMM,” she said. Hadji Razulden
Mangelen, PSA-ARMM officer-in-charge, meanwhile, thanked the Hataman administration for exerting efforts and in giving statistical direction to the region as part of governance. The event’s opening program was also graced by the presence of Atty. Laisa Masuhud Alamia, ARMM Executive Secretary, and Engr. Baintan AdilAmpatuan, Regional Planning and Development Office Executive Director. Atty. Alamia mentioned progress in the ARMM based on Gross Regional Domestic Product and Poverty Incidence Rate, which have been observed through statistical data. ARMM’s reform accomplishments, she said, were anchored on statistical indicators. “Iyong data na mayroon ang mga ahensya, iyon ang nagpapatunay kung may nangyari ba sa mga repormang ginawa ng
ARMM under the administration of Governor Hataman, at iyon din ang pwede nating ipagmalaki at i-turnover sa bagong gobyerno ng Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” she said. The lineup of activities during the celebration of the 29th National Statistics Month in ARMM includes the following: Statistical display/exhibit; Conduct of agency statistics-related activities; and 4 on 4 basketball game to be spearheaded by the region’s Department of Public Works and Highways. The culmination program of the 29th National Statistics Month in ARMM will be conducted on October 31. The celebration is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 647, declaring the month of October every year as National Statistics Month. (Bureau of Public Information)
A military photo released to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner shows the improvised explosives seized by troops from a New People’s Army hideout in the village of Kiponget in Sultan Kudarat’s Palimbang town. KIDAPAWAN CITY – Security forces recently raided a communist rebel hideout and seized improvised explosives in southern Philippines where insurgents also stormed a trader’s house and confiscated his automatic pistol. Security officials said members of the 1st Marine Brigade and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency recovered three improvised explosives during an operation in the village of Kiponget in Sultan Kudarat’s Palimbang town.
But soldiers failed to capture any members of the New People’s Army in the hideout which is being used by rebel leaders Bobo Fernandez and Ofelia Buanhog, of the Guerrilla Front 73. Troops managed to locate the hideout after civilians tipped off the military about the place that had been frequented by armed men. Soldiers also seized anti-government propaganda. “The operation was the result of the sustained focused military operation against the local threat
group,” said Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the 6th Infantry Division. But rebels also struck on the other side of the region and raided a house Bobby Calo, whose owns a hardware store and coconut farm in the town of Nasipit in Agusan del Norte province. Calo is also being accused by the NPA of maltreating his employees. Omar Ibarra, a rebel spokesman, said they confiscated Calo’s automatic pistol and warned him to treat his employees fairly. “His workers had been complaining against his brutal and abusive conduct, such as beating his workers while at the field. Yet, he perpetuated such act. Hence, the Red fighters of NPA-WANAS made this decisive action. The Red fighters seized a Glock-40 from Calo. His long rifle was not confiscated for he kept it in his other place,” said Ibarra. The NPA has been fighting for many decades now for the establishment of a separate state. President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to destroy the rebel group after government peace talks with the insurgents collapsed. (Mindanao Examiner)
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The Mindanao Examiner
October 8-14, 2018
ARMM gets new ISO certification
COTABATO CITY – The Office of the Regional Governor in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ORGARMM) passed the accreditation process and attained the quality management certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)9001:2015. Following last week’s two-day intensive evaluation on the efficacy of the ORG’s quality management system (QMS) by the TUV Rheinland Philippines Inc., the certificate was awarded. Earning the ISO 9001:2015, the latest edition of ISO’s flagship QMS standard, means that the
ORG-ARMM attained the international standard and requirements for an excellent management system. The scope of the certification includes the provision of completed staff work for the governor’s issuances and engagements. With the accreditation, ARMM’s Executive Secretary Atty. Laisa Alamia recognized the team’s hard work and urged it to continue serving the Bangsamoro people. “It will further boost the efforts of the regional government to provide quality and efficient services to its constituents,” Atty. Alamia said, as she received the certification on behalf of the ORG. “Today is a
memorable day for us. It has always been a dream since RG Hataman took his post,” said the governor’s chief of staff Norkhalila Mambuay-Campong. She recalled the hardships the governor’s team experienced to provide quality services, improve facilities and address the needs of the regional government’s constituents. Tristan Arwen Loveres, managing director of TUV Rheinland, emphasized the award process requires an organization to be able to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. “I know the hard work of the ISO core team. And I
Lanao still hotbed of pro-ISIS activities
Military photos show the slain Dawlah Islamiya member Rasol Mambuay and materials in the manufacture of improvised explosives seized from pro-ISIS militants in Lanao del Norte’s Tagoloan town. (Mindanao Examiner) CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Pro-ISIS militants continue to hide in the province of Lanao del Norte where recent fighting left 2 persons dead. Government forces clashed with militants last week, according to Captain Clint Antipala, a spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division. He said one soldier died in the operation that targeted members of the Dawlah Islamiya in the villages of Malimbato and Upper Dimayon in Lanao del Norte’s Tagoloan town. The operation killed Rasol Mambuay and the recovery of an M16
automatic rifle, grenade, communication radios and materials in the manufacturing of improvised explosives. Antipala said soldiers of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, municipal policemen and members of the National Bureau of Investigation were involved in the operation aimed at capturing Dianalan Dimanatang Imam and Manbuay and their followers. He said the militants were among those who took part in the deadly siege of Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province last year.
Antipala did not say how many militants were able to escape the government operation or if they were plotting to sow terror in the region where security forces are battling various pro-ISIS groups, and communist insurgency. The whole of southern Philippines are under an extended period of martial rule following the Marawi siege that lasted 5 months, but many militants involved in the attack managed to escape and were said to be recruiting members in the region. (Mindanao Examiner)
SUPPORT PEACE IN MINDANAO
told you that time that the greater challenge is how you can maintain the quality management system. True enough, the ORG-ARMM just not continuously maintain the quality management system but you continuously improved on it,” Loveres said. ORG-ARMM has been awarded its first ISO 9001:2008 certification in 2016. As explained by
Loveres, the new QMS standard (ISO 9001:2015) gives more emphasis on risk management and greater leadership involvement to ensure a more timely and responsive approach in the offices. “No doubt, the ORG-ARMM led by ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, (doesn’t) lack in leadership. It also clearly shows the top management commitment, involvement in giving the
quality services and achieve conformity and customer satisfaction.” As the new Bangsamoro entity is set to be established next year, Atty. Alamia hopes the next regional government would continue to have a quality management system that will have a significant impact on the lives of the Bangsamoro people. (Bureau of Public Information)
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The Mindanao Examiner
October 8-14, 2018
Across: 1. Belly 4. British baby carriage 8. Pub brews 12. Fire remains 13. Loony 14. Not common 15. Zodiac lion 16. ___ transmission 18. Nabs 20. Build 21. Pal (Fr.) 22. Pallid 23. Competitor 27. Stairs 30. Have being 31. Poet's eternity 33. That female 34. Canvas covers 37. Bank transaction 40. Actress ___ West 41. Tuna container 42. Flaming 44. Ill-fated ship 48. Napoleon ___ 50. Picnic beverage 51. Burden 52. Lima or kidney 53. Male heir 54. She, in Bordeaux 55. Highland Scot 56. Key near Ctrl Answer to last week’s crossword: Down : 1. Festive event 2. client 3. Norse thunder god 4. Blood component 5. Standard procedure 6. Drama divisions 7. Barnyard sound 8. Biblical mount 9. Tardiness 10. Rock's ___ Clapton 11. Church group 17. Kitty sounds 19. Lobe locale 23. Chow down 24. Gun rights group (abbr.) 25. Airport section 26. Mogul ___ Turner 28. Greek letter 29. Gel
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OPINION:
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The Mindanao Examiner
October 8-14, 2018
The tale of EJK By JJun un Ledesma
Continued from page 1 tenacious criminals however are the members of drug syndicates that peddled drugs even in the confines of school campuses. Duterte himself led a composite team that raided a suspected shabu laboratory resulting in the death on undocumented Chinese nationals that ran the joint. CHR and HRW accounts skirted this story in what I can only surmise as their apprehension that it would diminish the credibility of their assertion that the problems of illegal drugs was not that serious and that those killed were victims of police brutalities and the Davao Death Squad which they said was organized by the Mayor. But to Davao City residents most especially, the drug syndicates had caused nightmares as crimes related to drug addiction was getting to be worse than the crimes perpetrated by the Communist hit squads – the “Sparrows”. The intensified police operation against drug dealers was intensified. The bloodiest event happened when PDEA assigned Col. Efren Alquizar in the region. In a bizarre strategy, he came up with a list of suspects which was made available to media during a press conference at downtown Mandaya Hotel. What followed was a series of killings of drug suspects some by legitimate police operations and, as the intelligence community later bared, were the handiwork of drug lords themselves to clean the link that would lead to their identities. By some accounts about 250 plus suspected drug pushers were killed. All these were accounted for by the police and PDEA Chief Colonel Alquizar who himself was later killed by a sniper’s bullet believed to be from the drug syndicates. Davao City was a crime capital in the country when it was under the communist control in the early 1980’s and when criminal syndicates supplanted them. This was the scenario that Duterte was confronted with when he became Mayor. Many prominent families had left Davao and opted to live in Manila or abroad. Duterte scored big against organised crime – robbery with rape, kidnap-forransom and carnapping. The campaign against drugs syndicates, however proved to be daunting. Shabu supplies were brought to Davao City without let-up. The source was later discovered to have come from Lanao and somewhere in Maguindanao towns adjacent to Lanao. Duterte personally brought his war against drugs all the way to one of the towns there following a big catch of
shabu shipment loaded on board an ambulance traced later to the said municipality. From what I learned he warned the town mayor to stop the illicit activity otherwise something more serious could happen. Hot on the trail of criminals, Duterte, figured too, in the assault of the police detention center where the notorious Pogoy gang were detained, but later raped a visiting Australian missionary. Earlier the Mayor, who was appointed by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as Chairman of the Regional Development Council, offered himself as hostage to the Pogoy gang which bolted the Davao Penal Colony in lieu of members of the visiting families which they held captive during their attempted escape. The Mayor then sweet-talked them to proceed to Davao City Hall for him to negotiate their demands with higher authorities. The gang agreed ending the tense situation with their incarceration at the Davao City Police detention center. Weeks after the gang was committed to the detention center, Pogoy attempted another escape try again holding hostage and raping visiting Australian missionary and her companions. They had grabbed several weapons from the prison guards and later engaged responding policemen to a firefight. Mayor Duterte rushed to the scene and joined the police force to neutralise the armed convicts. The accounts of the incidents involving the bloody shabu laboratory raid and the assault of the police detention cell that wiped out the members of Pogoy’s gang were widely publicised and the Mayor Duterte himself openly admitted his participation in these operations. In another celebrated case, several members of a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate who victimised a businesswoman from Quezon City, were all killed in an exchange of gunfire with police operatives led by then Davao City Police Chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. In an on-the-spot interview with Bato, he told the media: “The order of the Mayor (Duterte) was shoot-to-kill if they will fight it out with the law”. Years had elapsed CHR Chair De Lima became Secretary of Justice, and was replaced by Etta Rosales. De Lima had spent over four months digging for what she claimed were common graves of EJK victims in Davao City. She found nothing except for badly deteriorated and incomplete skeletal remains and three pairs of car license plates which were not even corroded. She presented her “evidence” before the
Manila Trial Court Branch 34 which threw this out being inadmissible in court. Later De Lima became Secretary of Justice, but in her stint failed to indict Duterte. As Senator, she continued with her consuming desire to charge Djuterte on the issue of EJK. This time she and her new-found ally Sen. Antonio Trillanes presented as witnesses Matobato and Laranas. Both alleged that they buried more than 1,200 EJK victims in an abandoned Laud quarry. It’s the same refrain told all over again only the figures had ballooned exponentially. Speaking of Etta Rosales I remembered her screaming “this is murder!” when shown by ABS-CBN the video clip of the dead KFR members in that shootout with Bato’s men. She dubbed it as another case of EJK. Etta conveniently rehearsed what her predecessor Leila charged Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and this goes on with the incumbent Chair Chito Gaston who faults Duterte of EJK in every turn in domestic and international forums. After over a decade had elapsed when all the instrumentalities were virtually under their control, not a single complaint was filed against Duterte. Etta Rosales is back in the streets denouncing Duterte and cursing Marcos Martial law for what she went through in those days. In a reversal of fortune, De Lima is detained and facing trial in court confronted by witnesses too many to be ignored. Duterte’s critics dub her detention as political persecution. In the meantime her perjured witnesses have gone hiding abroad and I cannot help but wonder how they manage to survive. They are not legitimate OFWs but selfconfessed guns-for-hire. Any which way you look at these chronicle of events there is absolutely no doubt these sprung from dubious political agenda. President Duterte is correct in that the only crime he is being held accountable for is EJK. That had always been what he was and is being charged with by the Commission on Human Rights a repetition of unfounded allegations that had been compounded by an ignoramus Agnes Callamard who swallowed the EJK story conjured by De Lima and her ilk as biblical truth. Indeed over a decade had elapsed. The EJK story is as farcical as the Davao Death Squad and the more than 1,200 EJK victims buried in the fertile minds of Duterte’s critics. Haven’t you noticed? The President is “Very Good” to the Filipino people according to the Social Weather Station.
North Cotabato mayor, abswelto sa kasong graft! Continued from page 1 sa local government code na 3% ng total funds ng local government ay mapupunta bilang intelligence funds ng mayor. At sinang-ayunan ito ng Sandiganbayan, gayun rin ang mga pahayag ng alkalde na walang kurapsiyon na nangyari at hindi nito kinurakot ang pera mula sa kaban ng bayan.
Giit pa ni Andiano na kulang ang mga ebidensiya na inihain laban kay Racines upang madiin na may anomalya at kurapsiyon sa paggamit ng pondo. “Dito natin makikita na ang pagabswelto sa aking kliyente ay patunay lamang na buhay ang hustisya sa bansa at sa mga taong naagrabyado,” ani Andiano. Ang mga paratang na
ito ang ginamit naman ng mga kalaban sa pulitika ni Racines dahilan para matalo siya sa pagtakbo nito sa nakaraang eleksiyon. Tuwang-tuwa naman ang mga supporters ni Racines sa nasabing desisyon ng korte at ipinagbubunyi rin ito ng iba’t-ibang mga grupo na tiwala sa pulitiko. (Rhoderick Beñez)
Military wants stronger anti-terror law PHILIPPINE MILITARY CHIEF Carlito Galvez has suggested that suspected terrorist should be detained for at least 30 days even without a valid court order considering the complexities of investigating terror acts in the present security landscape. Galvez made the proposal during a recent Senate hearing on the proposed amendments to the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007. Senator Panfilo Lacson chairs the Senate Committee Public Order and Dangerous Drugs. Under the said law, suspected terrorists “may not be detained for more than three days without the written approval of a municipal, city, provincial or regional official of a Human Rights Commission or judge of the municipal, regional trial court, the Sandiganbayan or a justice of the Court of Appeals nearest the place of the arrest.” Galvez said the threeday reglementary period is not enough to get information from captured suspected and hardcore terrorists. “Based on our experience, if we were able to capture a very ideologue bomber, more or less wala tayong,” he said, citing the bombing in Sultan Kudarat’s Isulan town where troops captured several suspects, but the military was unable to get any information from them and released them. “Because of our permissive laws, the bombers were able to be released from detention,” he said. Besides, being able to get the substantive and corroborating information, Galvez said the 30-day detention period for suspected terrorist is also a good “disruptive measure” to prevent further threats. “Normally, terrorists act within a cell or in different cells. Thirty days is also a pre-emptive measure, wherein if there are also other co-conspirators that will have a simultaneous terrorist attack, that 30 days is a good disruptive measure for counteractions to prevent imminent attacks,” he said. “They can be a lone wolf or a pack of
wolves, and sometimes deception is involved wherein a cell is meant to be captured to allow other cells to perpetrate a bigger attack. Thirty days would be enough to completely disrupt or completely defeat the threat.” Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año agreed with Galvez, saying: “Thirty days is actually enough time for the security sector to conduct all intensive investigations, follow-up operations and counteractions.” He, however, said it does not mean that the 30day detention period would be used to the maximum. “If we have already neutralized the plan and can already file charges, even less than 30 days is enough. But the 30 day-period guarantees that the security forces can do its job properly,” said Año, a former military chief. National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Alex Paul Monteagudo, said an extended detention period is needed adding that the country is facing a totally different security landscape than when the HSA was first passed. “When the law was passed, there was no such problem as extremism or the type of threat that we are experiencing today,” he said. Monteagudo said the Philippines now has the weakest anti-terrorism law in the region, and it is the reason why the country is attracting foreign terrorist fighters even from as far as Iraq, Syria and Morocco. He said the proposal might not even be sufficient to determine the domestic and international links of the suspected terrorists. “The 30 days should even be extendable if necessary, considering that the investigations that we conduct not only concern domestic networks but also international networks. It takes time for us to establish and coordinate with other foreign countries regarding the terrorist networks,” Monteagudo said. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also urged for a stronger antiterrorism law, saying martial law would not be necessary if the country’s
anti-terror law has more teeth. President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire Mindanao under martial law from May 23, 2017 until the end of this year after Islamic Stateinspired local and foreign terrorists seize Marawi City. Under martial law, security forces are allowed to make warrantless arrests. Philippine police chief Oscar Albayalde also called for a stronger law against terrorism. “With the global threat of terrorism now confronting our country, today is the most opportune time to highlight the shortcomings of the provisions of the Human Security Act so that we may be able to craft a more effective anti-terrorism law -- one that law enforcement and the military would not have the utmost difficulty in implementing,” he said. Lacson is seeking to amend the provisions of HSA through his Senate Bill 1956, in order to strengthen a law that he said has become a “useless piece of legislation” through the years. In pushing for stronger legislation, Lacson noted that since its enactment 11 years ago, no person or organization has been prosecuted under the HSA. Lacson, a former police chief, added that since the 9/11 terror attack against the United States, Australia has already legislated 61 new anti-terror measures. “As lawmakers, we cannot in good conscience remain silent and do nothing about our primary law against terrorism, becoming nothing more than a useless piece of legislation,” the chair of the Senate Committee Public Order and Dangerous Drugs said at the start of the hearing. He said while an antiterror law in itself cannot solve the problem of terrorism, government and law enforcers should be given the much-needed tool to prevent, respond to, and address the growing threat of terrorism. “We cannot allow this to continue. We must act now. Our inaction will make us equally accountable for every death, injury and damage terrorists inflict on our country,” Lacson said. (Jose Cielito Reganit)
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Philippines improved ranking in global tourism index
M
ANIL A HAS WEL C OMED a rrepor epor hilippines ANILA WELC eportt which placed the P Philippines in the 13th and 15th place on the Trav el and Tour ism C ountr ies avel ourism Countr ountries Pow er rranking, anking, and Tr av el and Tour ism C ountr ies P er for mance avel ourism Countr ountries Per erfor formance r anking, rrespectiv espectiv ely espectively ely.. In the report, theWorld include four main Travel and percent. Travel and Tourism Tourism indicators namely: WTTC is a global body Council (WTTC) said the Travel and Tourism total that works to raise Philippines ranked 13th gross domestic product, awareness of travel and with an overall score of foreign visitor spending tourism as one of the world's 19.75 in the Travel and (visitor exports), domestic largest industries. The report Tourism Countries Power spending and Travel and involves assessing 185 ranking, which is based on Tourism capital investment. states based on its travel and absolute growth. The country also tourism sector's The Philippines also ranked 8th among states performance from the ranked 15th with an that have seen the largest period of 2011 to 2017 after overall score of 30.0 in the growth in travel and the financial crisis ended. WTTC’s Travel and tourism's contribution to It also highlights the Tourism Performance GDP from 2011 to 2017, with scale of growth of a country's ranking, which is based on $66.3 billion share in 2017 travel and tourism in four compound annual growth. alone. It also placed 7th key areas - contribution to Citing the report, among states where travel GDP, international visitor P r e s i d e n t i a l and tourism contribution to spend, domestic spend, and Spokesperson Harry GDP grew fastest, growing at capital investment. (Azer Roque said both rankings an annual rate of 14.2 Parrocha)
Sunset in the Philippines (Mindanao Examiner Photo)
Joint China-Philippines oil, gas exploration pushed THE PHILIPPINES EXPRESSED optimism that a joint exploration deal for oil and gas reserves in the disputed South China Sea or West Philippine Sea – WPS as the Filipino
government calls it - will be finally signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit in Manila next month. “We’re doing all we can to make sure that when
President Xi comes here, we can sign the joint exploration na magsimula na tayo na maghanap ng natural gas at langis at sa ganun po magkaroon na tayo ng energy security,” Presidential
President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping.’
Spokesperson Harry Roque said. Xi is expected to visit the Philippines in November as a follow-up to the high-level economic meetings conducted by the two countries’ economic and infrastructure managers in Beijing. Roque described the joint exploration as the most important agreement that the Philippines and China are hoping to achieve during Xi’s visit, to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel products. “Of course, ito ang pinakaimportanteng agreement dahil nga sa pagtaas ng preso ng langis na
nagdadahilan sa pagtaas ng lahat,” he said. “Alam naman po (natin na) lahat tayo naaapektuhan dyan pero hanggang makakuha po tayo ng langis ay talagang wala tayo magawa dahil iniaangkat natin ang langis.” Roque said initial research and studies show that oil and gas reserves can be found in the disputedWPS particularly in the so-called Service Contract 72 (Recto Bank). “So ito po ang naging malinaw: kinakailangan na po nating isulong ang joint exploration. Isantabi natin ang hidwaan dahil according to the preliminary studies, meron pong laman ang SC
72,” he said, adding, an executive agreement for joint exploration in theWPS is crucial since the supply of Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project is projected to last only until 2029. “So we’re hoping that by 2027, production there at SC 72 will already start,” he said. China has reportedly expressed willingness to enter into a 60-40 joint exploration deal in favor of the Philippines. Aside from Recto Bank, Service Contract 57 or Calamian is also being considered as areas of possible joint exploration. (Jelly Musico)
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