Duterte to Army: Lease lands, move to Clark

President Duterte on Thursday urged the military to lease out its remaining lands in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, to raise more funds for its modernization program.

Mr. Duterte said leasing out military land in Fort Bonifacio—the location of the headquarters of the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marines, as well as Bonifacio Naval Station—would raise “trillions” of pesos for the Armed Forces.

Wish list

“This is not for sale like the others. No. No. Just lease (them out), 50 years, and you have the income,” the President said in a speech in Fort Bonifacio.

“So, aside from the regular annual budgetary needs that you have, you’d have your own wish list (like) what’s the ideal helicopters, for example. You know that’s very important in the insertion of troops right now in Mindanao,” he said.

“These are the things that you have to improve on. And that is my deal. I said, ‘Nobody is taking your land, it’s yours. Go into a joint venture or lease it on a long-term (basis). The money that is generated would be yours.’”

The President made the statement at the installation of the Army’s new commanding general, Maj. Gen. Rolando Bautista, who took over from the retired Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda.

Among those present were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año.

Army representative

Mr. Duterte said he would appoint Miranda to the board of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority in November so the military would have a representative in the agency.

The President conceded that Fort Bonifacio might have a “sentimental” value for the military but he added that it must learn to “move on.”

“You can help the country by trying to look for money for your own (use). And this (land deal) could involve trillions,” he said.

Mr. Duterte said the military could transfer its facilities in Fort Bonifacio to Clark Field in Pampanga or to any other military base “that’s not operating.”

“You can convert it to an ordinary camp, then with an airstrip. Just look for one. I’ll give you this place, all of this with one sole condition—everything that you earn will go directly to you,” he said.

‘Our deal’

“So that’s our deal. Accept it during my time. You have no other time. I will give it to you and you can fund the modernization. Buy all the equipment you need…to meet the challenges way, way ahead,” he added.

The government privatized 240 hectares of military land in Fort Bonifacio in the early 1990s to support the Armed Forces’ modernization program.

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Making access to sex-change drugs easier for teens

FEDERAL Attorney-General George Brandis is controversially backing a push to make it easier and quicker for teenagers to access sex-change drugs.

The nation’s top law officer has said hormone treatment is “therapeutic” to treat the “disease” of gender dysphoria and should no longer need Family Court approval.

But Family and Community Services has countered with a contradictory medical opinion saying hormone treatment is not reversible if the child changes its mind and could lead to infertility or damage the developing adolescent brain.

Mr Brandis made a submission to the Full Court of the Family Court in an appeal­ that seeks to overturn current law that a child needs court permission for hormone treatment to change sex even if the medical profession and their parents acknowledge they are “competent” and fully understand what is involved.

The Attorney-General’s submission, obtained by The Saturday Telegraph, supports views of the ACT-based A Gender Agenda, representing “intersex, transgender and gender diverse people”, the Australian Human Rights Commission and Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, which deals with more gender dysphoria cases than any other hospital in the nation.

Only the NSW Department of Family and Community Services­ raised any opposition, saying the court should remain in an oversight role to make sure there was no “grave error” and the treatment was in the best interests of the child.

The case was brought by the father of 17-year-old “Kelvin” who was born female but has identified as a boy since the age of nine.

The court has already determined Kelvin is competent enough to start hormone treatment, but his father­ launched the appeal as a test case to stop the court having any role in future­ decisions.

Of about 60 transgender applications­ made by children to the Family Court since 2004, none has been refused.

FACS said that was not an argument in dispensing with the “security” of court oversight.

FACS quoted a paediatrics professor who said that most children grow out of gender dysphoria and the “long-term effects of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are not known”.

The Family Court Full Court decided to hear the appeal­ because many judges had expressed views that the court process was traumatic and expensive and was letting transgender children down.

The court has reserved its judgment.

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Grace Poe praises Thinking Pinoy for 'excellent research, neutrality'

Senator Grace Poe praised Thinking Pinoy blogger Rey Joseph Nieto for his “excellent research” and “neutrality.”

Thinking Pinoy, a blatantly pro-administration blog, is among the sites accused of propagating fake news or disinformation online.

“You know we may or may not agree with you. But if there’s anything, you do excellent research and that’s the truth. You do excellent research – sometimes against us, sometimes for us,” Poe said on Wednesday, October 4.

The senator told Nieto to “keep the neutrality,” even as he is a known rabid supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte and a critic of the opposition.

“Being fair to you, Mr Nieto, when [another] camp, Open Source, came up with an issue supposedly about me, you corrected it with research, [with] facts. And you were a supporter of President Duterte, I mean you were very transparent but you came up with proper research to say what they were claiming was untrue,” Poe said.

Poe was apparently referring to the report of a website, Opensource Investigations, during the 2016 presidential campaign, which claimed she has a million-dollar mansion in the United States. Poe denied it.

Incidentally, it was also the same blog that mapped the ties of Poe to former ambassador and Marcos crony Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr over the issue of the coconut levy funds during the campaign.

Nieto said he also calls out fake news that spread online, citing the photo of opposition senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan seemingly holding hands.

Poe admitted that she follows Nieto’s page and said other senators should also check his site “so [we] know how people think.”

Freedom of expression

“So I hope you keep the neutrality. Like if you're in a board, you can be an independent director. You can be in government but an independent consultant,” Poe reiterated.

Nieto is currently a social media strategist and consultant at the Department of Foreign Affairs' Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs.

Senators questioned Nieto for his blog posts seemingly propagating hate and disinformation while in civil service. But the latter said as a consultant, he is not considered an employee of government.

He also said he is just exercising his right to freedom of expression.

In a post after the hearing, Nieto thanked Poe for an "excellent job" on Wednesday's hearing.

Poe is the chair of the Senate public information committee leading the probe into the proliferation of fake news.

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Mocha Uson, Thinking Pinoy reminded about state workers code of conduct

SENATORS on Wednesday, October 4, asked
bloggers Margaux "Mocha" Uson and Rey Joseph Nieto, more popularly known
 as Thinking Pinoy, to be more circumspect in their posts now that they
are getting salaries funded by Filipino taxpayers.

Uson is an assistant secretary under the Presidential Communications
Operations Office (PCOO), while Nieto has been hired as a consultant of
the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

At the Senate inquiry into fake news, Nieto admitted to Senator Francis
Pangilinan that he is now connected with the Department of Foreign
Affairs as head of Strategic Communication for Migrant Workers.

“Do you know that you are now receiving money from the taxpayers? Being
now a consultant in the government, you are now bound by the Code of
Conduct," Pangilinan said, referring to Republic Act 6713, or the Code
of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees
which requires political neutrality among government employees.

"It is time to rethink because you have now a sensitive position,”
Pangilinan added.

Nieto, however, argued that his position is not sensitive and, citing
the Civil Service Commission law, said that being a consultant does not
mean he has to discontinue his regular blog.

“But it is allowed. Please send a complaint. If I was given a choice, I
will not work in the DFA. But the DFA needs me. I have 700,000
followers. And my purpose in the DFA is to reach out to the OFWs,” Nieto
 said.

He insisted that he is a blogger first. As a DFA consultant, he said he
merely advises the department.

"There is no employee-employer relationship,” he said.

Senator Nancy Binay also cited RA 6713 in telling Uson that as a public
official, "you cannot separate your blogging from your public position.”

Senator Grace Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public information
 and mass media, reminded Uson to be more careful in blogging and to use
 only sites that have been validated carefully for the sake of fairness.

“Government resources are in your hands to validate,” Poe told Uson.

Uson had shared, among others, the wrong photos to accompany her posts.
Among these was a photo of Honduran law enforcers who were praying to go
 with a post encouraging her followers to pray for Philippine soldiers
fighting the Maute Group in Marawi City.

Uson admitted she is bashed online everytime she commits a mistake.

“Kaya po naglalagay po ako kaagad ng erratum (that's why I immediately
post an erratum)," she said.

She said she herself was a victim of fake news and asked that there
should be accountability for spreading fake news.

“I am a victim of fake news. Naniniwala po ako na dapat may
accountability. Dapat may mukha,” Uson said.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who filed about two weeks ago six criminal
 complaints against Uson before the Ombudsman, reminded her that she is
no longer an ordinary citizen, being a PCOO assistant secretary.

Roby Alampay, editor-in-chief of Interaksyon and BusinessWorld, said a
government official with a blog such as Uson's is untenable because it
becomes difficult for the public to distinguish when the official is
wearing his private hat.

PCOO UnderSecretary Joel Sy Egco said Uson is free to express her
opinions "as long as she is not using a government portal.”

But at the same time, Egco urged Congress to make a clear and more
defined cybercrime law before they can penalize the spreading of fake
news.

“We can accuse anyone of spreading news because we don’t have a clear
definition of the term fake news. Malaki talaga ang problema natin sa
fake news na yan,” Egco said.

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Nine-year-old girl murdered after rape in Lahore

LAHORE (Daily Dunya) – A nine-year-old girl was murdered after being rape by an unidentified suspect in Lahore’s Bhati Gate area.

According to details, victim Bisma’s body was recovered from the house’s roof after which police was informed. The security personnel shifted the corpse to morgue and launched an investigation into the matter.

They said that torture marks were visible on the neck of Bisma however, facts will be surfaced after post-mortem. LAHORE (Daily Dunya) – A nine-year-old girl was murdered after being rape by an unidentified suspect in Lahore’s Bhati Gate area.

According to details, victim Bisma’s body was recovered from the house’s roof after which police was informed. The security personnel shifted the corpse to morgue and launched an investigation into the matter.

They said that torture marks were visible on the neck of Bisma however, facts will be surfaced after post-mortem.

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PNP exec in drug session dismissed

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa has dismissed a police official who was caught in a drug session in Las Piñas City last March.

Superintendent Lito Cabamongan was dismissed from the service last September 1, based on the dismissal order signed by Dela Rosa.

Cabamongan, former head of the PNP Crime Laboratory’s Muntinlupa satellite office in Alabang, was caught sniffing shabu with a woman at a house on March 30.

Dela Rosa could not be reached for comment. However,  a ranking official from the PNP who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the PNP chief dismissed Cabamongan.

The official, who is privy to the case, said Dela Rosa was determined to remove Cabamongan from the police force.

 “He (Dela Rosa) said the police organization was put in a bad light because of Cabamongan’s actions,” the source said in a phone interview.

The source said Cabamongan was found guilty of grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer after he tested positive for illegal drugs.

The source explained the penalty for a police officer found hooked on illegal drugs is dismissal from the service based on the provisions of Republic

Act 8851 or the the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998 and rules set by the National Police Commission.

Cabamongan tested positive during confirmatory tests on his urine sample. A neuropsychiatric test conducted on him by the PNP General Hospital revealed he was suffering from psychosis due to substance abuse.

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WWF-Philippines launches #TheSustainableDiner to combat food wastage

 Extra rice? Hold that thought and consider this first: Filipinos waste up to 308,000 tons of rice every year.

Food wastage is a real problem in the Philippines, even if 2.7 million Filipino families were documented as "hungry" in the first quarter of 2017.

As a response to this, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines is launching a campaign to raise awareness on mindful production and consumption of food — if there's enough to go around, not a single person should feel the pain of hunger.

"With The Sustainable Diner project, WWF-Philippines hopes to empower the Filipino dining public and the food service sector, and help them realize that their consumption and production choices have the power to transform the industry," Joel Palma, President and CEO of WWF-Philippines, said during the launch of the new project on September 26.

"With the support of the government and our media partners, we can all have productive and collaborative discussions on the changes we can implement in order to make the local dining scene more sustainable," he said.

"These choices are now more important than ever, and if we want to green both the food service industry and the tourism industry, each stakeholder has to become a key ingredient towards achieving a more sustainable Philippines.”

Every grain of rice has value, so eat it all up...and try not to take more than what you need.

#TheSustainableDiner is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Bulding and Nuclear Safety. The organization made a commitment to three local cities — Quezon, Tagaytay, and Cebu — to further educate the public on how to make the food service industry more environmentally friendly.

 The dining public can help by supporting establishments who have partnerships with local farmers. Coffee shops like SGD and Commune, for example, brew from beans sourced directly from communities in Northern Luzon.

Every peso spent in these establishments empowers local food producers.

“If consumers go to restaurants that practice sustainable dining, or only order food that comes from local producers, such as fisher folk who practice sustainable fishing, then of course the market will follow suit. The market will always follow what the consumers want,” said Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Undersecretary for Administration, Agribusiness and Marketing, and Regional Engagement of the Department of Agriculture.

“If we are proud of what we have, we would promote it, patronize it, support it, sustain it, and all the more we will be able to enjoy it, not only now, but for the future,” Eden Josephine David, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Tourism added.

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Philippines: 40 Bodies Found In Marawi Buried In Mass Graves

Forty sets of remains recovered from the battle zone in the southern Philippine city of Marawi were buried in a public cemetery on Oct. 5.

It was the third mass burial of people believed to be victims of the four-month-old conflict in the country’s only Islamic majority city.

One other set of bones not buried is believed to belong to a police inspector killed by gunmen who attacked the city on May 23.

Police officials said that of the 40 sets of bones buried, 25 were those of suspected gunmen who claimed to have links with the so-called Islamic State.

“We can say that they are [Islamic State] fighters because they were wearing black uniforms and they have pistol belts and other indicators that they were fighters,” said Senior Superintendent Mary Leocy Mag-abo of the police’s crime laboratory.

Jelbin Darantinao, a provincial government worker, said burying the remains was “kind of eerie.”

“I am a Christian and I believe that we have souls so I silently said to them while operating the backhoe loader [to fill in the graves] that ‘I am only doing my job, I’m just following orders’, please don’t scare me,” he said.

Government spokesman Ernesto Abella, meanwhile, announced that 17 hostages were rescued on Oct. 5 while eight terrorists had surrendered and turned over another nine hostages to the military.

He said ongoing military operations are focused on rescuing remaining hostages. It is unclear how many other hostages the militants hold.

The four-month old conflict has displaced close to 400,000 people, and resulted in the death of more than 900 others, including 753 terrorists, 155 soldiers and police, and 47 civilians.

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Philippines’ tobacco giant pays $586 million to settle tax case

The Philippines said Friday it has dropped a tax evasion case against the country’s number-two cigarette manufacturer after it was sold to Japan Tobacco to raise funds for a record 30 billion-peso (US$586 million) settlement.

Manila had accused Mighty Corp of using counterfeit tax stamps to avoid paying PHP37.88 billion (US$740,569,909.60) in taxes, and threatened it with criminal charges.

However in July, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the finance department to accept a settlement, under which Mighty, which has 23 percent of the local cigarette market, would drop out of the tobacco business.

“We could consider this case as closed. (The) government of the Philippines is PHP40 billion richer (US$782,016,800),” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre told reporters.

The company settled the case with a 30-billion-peso payment, and paid another 10 billion in taxes and penalties, he explained.

Mighty had originally offered a 25-billion-peso settlement, Aguirre added.

The company sold off its assets to Japan Tobacco International in order to meet its tax deficiencies, the finance department said earlier.

The Japanese firm, one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies, whose global brands include Winston and Camel, announced on August 22 that it was purchasing Mighty for PHP46.8 billion (US$914,959,656).

Asked to comment on the justice department decision, a Japan Tobacco spokesman in Japan said “the tax liability is an issue that should be solved appropriately between Mighty Corp and the Philippine government”.

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Senator Sotto, hindi papayag na alisan ng pondo ang oplan tokhang

Manila, Philippines – Hindi papayagan ni Senate Majority Leader Tito Sotto na magtagumpay ang opposition senators na alisan ng pondo ang oplan tokhang ng Philippine National Police.

Tugon ito ni Senator Sotto sa pahayag ni Senator Bam Aquino na harangin ang P900 milyon proposed budget para sa Oplan Tokhang.

Hindi kumbinsido si Senator Sotto sa iniaangal ng mga kritiko ng administrasyong Duterte na hindi epektibo ang war on drugs.

Giit ni Sotto, successful ang kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga ng gobyerno kumpara sa mga nakaraang administrasyon na ayaw man lang itong hipuin kahit pa ito ang totoong problema sa bawat lansangan sa bansa.

Nilinaw naman ni Sotto na bukas ang kahit sinong senador na maghain ng kaniyang pagtutol sa ilalaang budget para sa Tokhang at kakailanganing idaan sa botohan kung hindi nila ito mapagkakasunduan.

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Palace calls on public to help resolve cases of killings Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/936291/palace-calls-on-public-to-help-resolve-cases-of-killings-palace-drugs-war-on-drugs-accountability-ernesto-abella#ixzz4unPXLgVh Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

Emphasizing that “one death is too many,” Malacañang on Saturday called on individuals who can provide information and evidence on the deaths linked to illegal drugs in order to resolve these cases and hold perpetrators accountable.

“Regardless of this definition, these deaths are being addressed to ensure the accountability of perpetrators, even as it calls upon witnesses and individuals who can provide valuable evidence that will lead to speedy resolution of cases,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

Abella issued the statement a day after the Philippine National Police (PNP) had said that there was no case of extrajudicial killing (EJK) under the Duterte administration, which was quickly disputed by people on social media.

He said the PNP’s definition of EJK was based on the operational guidelines of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Administrative Order No. 35, which states that an EJK is where “the victim was a member of, or affiliated with an organization, to include political, environmental, agrarian, labor, or similar causes; or an advocate of above-named causes; or a media practitioner or person(s) apparently mistaken or identified to be so.”

The order, issued by then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, also defines EJK as “the victim targeted and killed because of the actual or perceived membership, advocacy, or profession; or the person/s responsible for the killing is a state agent or non-state agent; and the method and circumstances of attack reveal a deliberate intent to kill.”

“AO 35 has not been repealed or revoked; thus, the definition of EJK remains the same,” Abella said.

Thousands of suspected drug criminals have been killed since the government’s implementation of a massive campaign against illegal drugs more than a year ago.

The crackdown has drawn condemnation from the public, as well the international community.

Last week, 39 countries, including long-time Philippine allies United States, United Kingdom and Australia, issued a joint resolution before the United Nations Human Rights Council, raising alarm over the increasing number of killings linked to the government’s war on drugs.

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Dating CHR Chief Etta Rosales, tinawag na “lawless element” si P-Duterte

Manila, Philippines – Tinawag ni dating Commission on Human Rights chief Etta Rosales na lawless element na nasa Malacanang si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte .

Ginawa ni Rosales ang pahayag bilang reaksyon sa paglikha ni Duterte ng isang commission na magiimbestiga sa kaso ng corruption laban sa mga opisyal ng gobyerno.

Ayon kay Rosales, isa na naman itong pag operate sa labas ng batas ng pangulo.

Isa na aniya itong mockery of the law.

Idinagdag ni Rosales na kung ang pakay ni Duterte ay imbestigahan ang Ombudsman, dapat hayaan nito ang panloob na mekanismo ng Anti graft body para sariling imbestigahan ang kanilang kasamahan na sangkot sa matiwaling gawain.

Hinimok ni Etta ang mga Naniniwala sa diwa ng rule of law at pananaig ng democratic rights na manindigan at hindi magpakita ng takot.

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'One death is too many': Palace says killings 'being addressed'

But Malacañang backs police statement that no extrajudicial killing has been recorded under the Duterte administration

MANILA - "One death is too many."

Malacañang on Saturday said recent killings are "being addressed" even as it backed an earlier statement by the Philippine National Police (PNP) that no extrajudicial killing (EJK) has been recorded under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that the government was addressing cases of unexplained killings while maintained that none could be called an EJK as defined by an administrative order issued during the Aquino administration.

The government has repeatedly asserted that it does not sanction killings under the drug war and that drug suspects killed in police operations had put up violent resistance.

"We wish to emphasize that one death is one too many," Abella said in a statement.

"Regardless of this definition, these deaths are being addressed to ensure the accountability of perpetrators, even as it calls upon witnesses and individuals who can provide valuable evidence that will lead to [the] speedy resolution of cases," he added.

The PNP had said Friday that no case of an EJK has been recorded since July last year, when Duterte took power and initiated the fierce anti-narcotics campaign.

This after retracting an earlier statement that there was one recorded case.

The PNP cited guidelines of Administrative Order No. 35 issued by former President Benigno Aquino III, which defined EJKs as killings where “the victim was a member of, or affiliated with an organization, to include political, environmental, agrarian, labor, or similar causes; or an advocate of above-named causes; or a media practitioner or person(s) apparently mistaken or identified to be so.”

Under the order, a killing could be classified as extrajudicial if “the victim was targeted and killed because of the actual or perceived membership, advocacy, or profession; or the person/s responsible for the killing is a state agent or non-state agent; and the method and circumstances of attack reveal a deliberate intent to kill,” Abella said.

"AO 35 has not been repealed or revoked; thus, the definition of EJK remains the same," Abella said.

Latest police estimates placed the number of drug suspects slain in legitimate police operations at 3,800. Human rights groups, however, place the death toll at 13,000, a figure that the administration has described as overblown.

Data from the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group meanwhile show that a total of 4,226 drug-fatalities were reported from May 10, 2016 to Oct. 3, 2017, including those killed in police operations (2,441), those killed by unidentified assailants (1,537), and bodies found away from the crime scene (248).

The figures were compiled from websites of PNP regional offices, and national and local news reports.

In August, Duterte reminded police officers that unlawful killings were not allowed, following the spate of teen killings in suspicious police operations.

He has brushed aside international criticism against his drug war, saying police operations were all above board as he emphasized the magnitude of the country's drug problem.

The influential Catholic Church has mobilized against reported drug slays, with police officers reportedly coming forward to testify on alleged summary killings.

Malacañang meanwhile cautioned the Church against giving them sanctuary, saying the clergy should “exercise due diligence as there are drug protectors, kidnappers, kotong and ninja cops who want to destroy the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs.”

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Palace: Gov’t to remain relentless in campaign vs tax evaders

President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to wage his relentless campaign against corruption and delinquent taxpayers, Malacañang said Saturday following the government’s P40-billion tax settlement with tobacco giant Mighty Corporation.

“The President will be relentless in his campaign against corruption and delinquent taxpayers, hauling violators to court, if necessary. As citizens cooperate, we build a comfortable life for all. Strong political will to benefit all, and not just a few, should be the trademark of the entire government,” Palace Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II announced on Friday that the government had entered into a P40-billion compromise deal with Mighty Corporation, which was accused of evading taxes worth P37.9 billion by using fake tax stamps.

The Department of Justice, in a joint resolution dated October 2, approved the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s plea to junk the three tax evasion complaints.

“This landmark tax settlement is the largest in Philippine history; and will go a long way in funding the Duterte administration’s infrastructure program,” Abella said, noting that “unpaid taxes result in less government revenues and stall the delivery of quality government services.”

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10 suspects killed in Northern Philippines drug raids

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines

At least ten suspects were killed after they fought with police in 24-hour simultaneous anti-narcotics operations in 23 cities and towns in Northern Philippines’ Bulacan Province from Thursday to Friday.

The drug raids also led to the arrest of 136 drug suspects and the seizure of 112 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or locally known as shabu and 66 grams of marijuana, said provincial Police Chief Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat Jr. as quoted by Inquirer News.

Three of the suspects were killed in the provinces’ capital Malolos City, two in the town of Norzagaray while the towns of Bocaue, Calumpit, Hagonoy, Pandi and Plaridel have seen one death from the most recent bloody operations. President Rodrigo Duterte last August lauded the provincial police of Bulacan for the 66 anti-drug operations which resulted in the killing of 32 suspects and the arrest of 107 personalities.

“That’s good,” said Duterte. “If we kill another 32, maybe we can reduce what ails this country.”

Meanwhile, Police Chief Director General Bato dela Rosa during his visit to the Northern Philippines Ilocos provincial police on Thursday said the police want to capture the suspects alive.

“We want to capture them alive. What’s the use of waging this war on drugs if you do not value life?” said Dela Rosa.

Recently released police data showed a little over 3,800 drug suspects were killed in anti-drug operations since Duterte’s drugs crackdown was launched in July last year, contrary to the 7,000 claimed by the Human Rights Watch (HRW).

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Volcano warning: Mexico fears latest eruption from Popocatepetl after earthquake

THICK rivers of mud have washed into towns and villages in Mexico from the edge of a volcano as locals fear another deadly eruption.

The 5,426-metre high Popocatepetl volcano is the most active in Mexico, with more than 15 major eruptions reported since 1519.

But the volcano, which is also referred to by Mexicans as El Popo, is now causing other problems in the region as neighbours report rivers of mud flowing from the skirt of the mountain following a recent mini eruption.

Experts at geological news service Sismologia Mundial reported the plume as a "mild eruption" and confirmed Popocatepetl is now "normal".

But now neighbours have warned large rivers of mud from the volcano have flowed into the streets over the last three days, reaching the municipalities of Atlautla and Ozumba.

María de los Ángeles Ibáñez, a neighbour of San Juan Tehuixtitlan, said: “We are afraid. There are times when it comes with more strength and it rumbles, it is not a normal river.”

Ladislao Rocha Martínez, head of Civil Protection in Atlautla, said that since yesterday the Civil Protection of the State of Mexico reported that "there was an avalanche of black mud."

And residents say they are unable to sleep at night, as they are fearful the plague of mud could be a sign an explosion is imminent.

One neighbour said: “I live in a two-storey house and it has one or two fractures. The authorities came to see it, they said it was safe to live inside.

“But I no longer feel safe, for fear of another earthquake or a volcano eruption.”

On 19 September a deadly 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Mexico City and triggered a volcanic eruption.

The Popocatepetl volcano burst into life at the same time as the earthquake, which killed at least 248 people, and sent plumes of thick, black smoke into the sky.

And during the eruption a church collapsed during mass, killing 15 people, in Atzitzihuacan on the slopes of the volcano, Puebla Governor Jose Antonio Gali said.

The landslides after the earthquake created a dam, which with the constant rains has been washed away, dragging tons of mud to the lower parts, especially in Nexpayantla.

Since the earthquake, the neighbours of these communities, the most affected ones, say they can no longer sleep peacefully as they fear what could happen.

The mountain is known to be very active and previously had a significant eruption on August 22, sending a volcanic plume some 4km into the air.

Last year, Popo erupted for the first time since 2000 when ash was propelled a staggering three kilometres into the sky.

Since then, there have been several eruptions.

The eruption comes after a spate of volcanic activity around the world – with all eyes on the Agung volcano in Bali which is showing signs of erupting.

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Japan Earthquake Shakes Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Site Still Being Cleaned Up

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake rocked Japan's coastline Friday, threatening an already volatile area and recalling the disaster of 2011 in which at least 16,000 people died.

Friday's temblor struck at about 4 a.m. EDT near the Japan Trench, about 200 miles away from the Fukushima nuclear disaster site, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The most recent quake did not trigger a tsunami and no injuries nor damaged buildings were immediately reported Friday, but all eyes remained on the sensitive Fukushima region, which is still recovering from the damage caused by the previous disaster.

After that 9.0 magnitude quake, all 11 of the nearby reactors shut off, but resultant tsunami waves knocked out backup power and prevented three of the oldest units—located at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant—from being able to cool off.

Pressure built up, and workers were forced to let out gases, triggering explosions, according to BBC News. The reactors' cores melted down, more than 160,000 people were evacuated, and the Fukushima crisis ultimately became the second-worst nuclear accident in history.

Despite Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's September statement that the plant is now "under control," the disaster is still not over. Authorities had to pump tons of water into the plant to try to lower temperatures, and now face the challenge of dealing with the contaminated water. This week, more than six years since the disaster, scientists found radioactive cesium in sand and water as far as 60 miles away.

"Over 9 million cubic meters of nuclear waste are scattered over at least 113,000 locations across Fukushima prefecture," Kendra Ulrich, with the environmental group Greenpeace Japan, said in a 2016 news release. "The Abe government is perpetuating a myth that five years after the start of the nuclear accident the situation is returning to normal. The evidence exposes this as political rhetoric, not scientific fact."

Earthquakes like Friday's not only scare residents who fear another tsunami but also affect Fukushima clean-up efforts, which are projected to last for the next four decades, according to the Guardian.

Earthquakes are not rare in the region given Japan's location on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. The nation experiences about 100,000 tremors every year; roughly 1,500 are strong enough to be detected by residents without the need for machinery.

Friday's earthquake near Fukushima followed a 6.1-magnitude tremor off the coast on September 20.

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Is the Philippines Violent Drug War Spreading to Indonesia?

The Philippine war on drugs, led by President Rodrigo Duterte, has been eviscerated by human rights advocates due to its reliance on extrajudicial killings. Meanwhile, neighboring Indonesia has been much more quietly ramping up its own war on drugs, but here, international attention has been limited outside of two series of high profile executions. But in the past few months, several news outlets have reported that the country’s empowered anti-drug forces have killed alleged drug criminals across the country, another sign that Indonesia is borrowing tactics from it’s neighbor.

“The fact that people are being killed by police and unidentified attackers with impunity, at a rapid rate and massive scale — over 12,000 — for over a year now is a brutal atrocity,” Gloria Lai, senior policy officer at the International Drug Policy Consortium (IPDC), told The Diplomat. “The influence this can have in enabling similar tactics by governments in the region is a significant concern, particularly as the Philippines is chair of ASEAN in 2017 and has been using this platform to call on member states to support the war on drugs.”

In fact, we can see a shift in the rhetoric coming from Indonesian leaders on the use of violence to tackle the so-called drug crisis. Just a year ago, Indonesia’s President, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, while praising his Philippines counterpart stated that such a system was not acceptable under Indonesian law. But this year, he stated that the police and the Badan Narkotika Nasional (National Narcotics Bureau, BNN) should not hesitate to shoot drug offenders because they are “ruining our country.”

“You can see there is a change in approach to drug offenses,” Ricky Gunawan, a human rights lawyer with LBH Masyarakat (Community Legal Aid Institute), told The Diplomat. “When the President gave the green light, the chief of national police followed. This is worrying.”

This green light is being interpreted liberally, and the numbers, according to IPDC are getting worse. Last year, there were an estimated 16 people killed during drug enforcement operations in Indonesia. Already this year, that number has jumped to 80, with little to no analysis or investigation into whether the use of deadly force was necessary, or even if the victims were truly drug criminals.

“We often see news reports of arrests, law enforcement raids, drugs being seized or burned, but high numbers of arrests or people in prison do not mean that the supply or demand for drugs has fallen, or that the health or safety of communities have improved,” said Lai.

While the use of extrajudicial killings is a worrying trend, the focus on drugs from among myriad problems the country faces should come as no surprise. Indonesia’s president seems obsessed with drugs, and once even called drugs the #1 problem facing Indonesia, despite vast evidence not only showing this is not true, but that heavy-handed tactics only make the situation worse.

The reason may be more political than factual. Jokowi had a tough first year as president, failing to meet lofty expectations until he went forward with the controversial decision to execute several foreign nationals, most notably the Australian duo Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chat in April 2015. While Indonesia’s global image suffered, Jokowi’s popularity among Indonesians rose. In fact, his approval ratings surged every time there was a round of executions. That’s because the war on drugs remains incredibly popular in Indonesia.

“Indonesians still support how government and police deals with drugs, and they say the police is doing a good job,” said Gunawan. “There is no criticism from the public on how police deals with drugs offenders.”

For Gurnawan and many in Indonesia’s human rights community, the ramping up of an unnecessary and violent war on drugs, and giving more power to both the BNN and the national police, is just the latest disappointment from a president who, back in 2014, received ample support from civil society. Instead of fulfilling his promise to improve the country’s human rights record, Jokowi has taken it several steps backwards. It’s not just his use of executions, or even the ramping up of the war on drugs, but his lack of action on the festering crisis in West Papua and his inability to bring justice to victims of the 1965 purges.

Unfortunately, this might be a sign of things to come. Jokowi is facing increasing challenges as he nears the next election in 2019. The stunning victory of Anies Baswedan, supported by Jokowi’s 2014 opponent, Prabowo Subianto, over Jokowi’s ally, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, in the Jakarta governor’s race has forced Jokowi to cover his right flank. Expanding the war on drugs is one way he can align himself with the country’s increasingly powerful Islamic right, who he has been actively courting since Ahok’s defeat.

“It’s not just drugs. Jokowi is now trying to get more votes from the Muslim population, and that’s why he is now close to some Islamist organizations,” said Gunawan. “Islamic organizations condemn drug offenses. If he is being lenient on drug issues, he will lose support from the Islamic public.”

Thus, a heavier focus on drugs, and visible actions like police raids show Indonesians that Jokowi is taking action. Even if, in the end, the effects will be negligible. Most evidence from previous and ongoing long-term, police and force-heavy wars on drugs in countries like the United States, Mexico, and Colombia, shows that such efforts have little effect. Where progress has been made it has been when a public health approach is taken, as is the case in the Netherlands, Portugal, and parts of Canada. Unfortunately, a similar approach is unlikely to work in Indonesia, the Philippines or its neighbors, at least in the short term.

“This is a region with perhaps the harshest drug policies in the world,” said Lai. “This has been driven by misinformation about drugs and drug use, and the effectiveness of existing drug policies, which has created extensive stigma and fear about people who use drugs and any drug-related activities,” said Gunawan. “The right choice would be greater public education about the real harms of drugs, and greater investment in public health and drug rehabilitation programs. Those, however, would not win Jokowi many political points with the communities he needs the backing of to be re-elected. Neither would the police and BNN – who are gaining power and influence through the war on drugs – likely to agree to a less force-heavy policy. This is why, as of right now, there are is a lack of people within Indonesia’s government willing to speak out against the war on drugs.

“To date there are no politicians brave enough to publicly say that the way we are dealing with drug problems in Indonesia isn’t just only failing but damaging to human rights,” said Gunawan.

A silver lining? There’s at least one thing we may not see much more of. Executions. After two rounds of controversial, internationally condemned executions, the latest of which was so badly run that the national Ombudsman and Supreme Court are reviewing the Attorney General’s process, it is doubtful that we’ll see Jokowi attempt another round. And why would he? Allowing for a small number of extrajudicial killings could give him the best of both worlds – the populist support from taking action on drugs without the negative, international response sparked by an execution.

“These killings, they will maintain populist approach, but avoid international condemnation,” said Gunawan. “And it’s far less than the Philippines, so the international community will condemn the Philippines, but not here, as it has not yet touched 100 people.”

Which means, out of the sight of most global observers, the death count from this wasteful war on drugs will likely continue to rise as long as popular support is behind it. Such is the reality in today’s Indonesia.

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PNP says one... er, zero EJKs under Duterte admin

MANILA- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday claimed that there are no cases of extra-judicial killings (EJK) under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, after it earlier cited a single case.

Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos on Friday afternoon retracted his earlier statement that there is only 1 case of extrajudicial killing from July 1, 2016 up to Sept. 30, 2017 --- that of slain journalist Larry Que in Catanduanes.

Carlos, in a message to reporters, later said the case of Que is not yet a confirmed case of extrajudicial killing.

He earlier sought to allay fears of Filipinos who worry that they may become a victim of extrajudicial killings following the results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey that showed 73 percent of Filipinos still worry that they or anyone they know will be a victim of extrajudicial killings.

Police under the term of President Duterte have been heavily criticized for doubts on the conduct of their anti-drug operations particularly "Oplan Tokhang," where cops knock at the doors of suspected drug users and peddlers and ask them to surrender.

The administration has several times defended the campaign, saying drug suspects killed in legitimate police operations had put up violent resistance.

According to government data (PDEA/PNP/NBI), a total of 3,811 drug personalities were killed in anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016 to August 29, 2017.

Government data also said there were 6,225 drug-related killings from July 2016 and September 2017.

This is contrary to estimates by human rights organizations, which put the death toll at 9,000 to 10,000, figures that the government has said are bloated.

The Duterte administration has repeatedly denied that summary killings amid its drug war are state-sponsored.

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Traffic jammed as landslide closes Diversion Road

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio
ordered the 48-hour closure along Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion
Road), Old Dumpsite section or from the Shrine Road to Matina Pangi, to
give way to the clearing and repair works following the minor landslide
triggered by a series of heavy rainfall.

This means, the Diversion Road will be closed until Sunday morning, and
motorists coming from the south should expect massive traffic jam
similar, but not quite like Friday since it's a weekend.

In an interview with SunStar Davao, Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction
Management Council (CDRRMC) operation officer Rodrigo Bustillo said that
 they initially recommended to the mayor the closure of roads Thursday
evening because of the minor landslide.

The closure caused massive traffic jam as all vehicles are now passing
through McArthur Highway, including cargo trucks. Several office workers
 and students from Matina down south farther on to Toril were stuck in
traffic for hours.

Duterte-Carpio released an order for the road closure, prohibiting entry
 of all types of vehicles to avoid further inconvenience to the public
and to also protect motorists from another landslide.

"Even Thursday evening, we recommended for the closure of Diversion Road
 because of traffic. The mayor gave a directive earlier for 48 hours
closure while the repair is ongoing in the landslide area," he said.

The public is advised to avoid the road and take the alternative routes,
 although very few are available for this section.

Various agencies coordinated to fast track the repair and to restore the
 normal flow of traffic including Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH, Philippine National Police (PNP), barangay officials,
Davao City Social Service Development Office (CSSDO), Davao City
Engineer's Office (CEO), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and Davao
City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), he said.

Bustillo said that DPWH started the repair and implementation of
mitigating measures to prevent further erosion.

Aside from the heavy rain that has softened the soil, the constant
vibration of passing cargo trucks caused the soil to loosen some more.

Meanwhile, Bustillo said that evacuation is still ongoing for residents.
 A total of seven families were evacuated Friday morning. Evacuees were
temporarily sheltered in Los Amigos, Tugbok District while some took
refuge with relatives.

They have also conducted force evacuation among residents dwelling near
danger zone. However, there are still families who insist to stay but
they were told of the danger of staying in the area.

So far, no casualties were recorded by their office related to the
landslide and flooding.

As of 3:30 p.m. Friday, the DPWH said "Soil stabilization/slope
protection operations at the landslide area along the Diversion Road is
ongoing."

"Once completed, information will be immediately made available to the
public. In the meantime, please continue to avoid the Diversion Road
until further notice. The City Government of Davao and the Department of
 Public Works and Highways are working closely together to expedite
clearing operations and ensure the safety of the public," the DPWH
advisory read.

Earlier, the City Government warned the public on the imminent danger of
 landslide in Shrine Hills and Diversion Road in Barangay Langub.

Emmanuel Jaldon, head of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Center of Davao, said the ground cracks of the upper portion of the hill
 indicated movements.

In the weather forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical
Astronomical Service Administration (Pagasa), Mindanao will experience
partly cloudy to cloudy skies apart from isolated rainshowers mostly in
the afternoon or evening due to localized thunderstorms.

Winds will be light to moderate coming from the South to Southeast with
slight to moderate seas.>

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President insists CJ, Ombudsman resign

Chief Justice (CJ) Lourdes Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales should accept the challenge to resign and open their bank records if they are not really corrupt, President Duterte said last Thursday.

The President said he and two other government officials should “go quietly into the night” after working in government for so long.

“If you are really honest, tutal [besides] you have been there for several years, including me. Why don’t we just resign?” Duterte said during an agribusiness expo in Pasay City last Thursday.

“Kung talagang hindi kayo salbahe, hindi kayo magnanakaw… hindi (If you are not really bad, you are not thieves), you are qualified to hold the job, you should accept my dare,” he added.

Both Sereno and Morales have refused to heed the President’s challenge to resign with him despite allegations of corruption and partiality. Sereno’s camp claimed the Chief Justice has done nothing unlawful to merit her resignation. Morales, on the other hand, said she would not be baited into abandoning her constitutional duties.

Solidarity with OMB

Yesterday, several opposition groups trooped to the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) on Agham Road, Quezon City to hold a solidarity mass for Morales.

The Holy Mass, which was spearheaded by groups such as Tindig Pilipinas, The Silent No More Organization, Magdalo, Prayer Battalion for Truth and Justice, among many others, was conducted as Duterte challenged Morales to resign from her position amidst corruption allegations.

Fr. Robert Reyes led the mass, which was attended by well-known personalities affiliated with the former Aquino administration. Among those in attendance were former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman, former Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, and former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chair Etta Rosales.

Sereno impeachment

Meanwhile at the Batasan, Assistant Minority Leader and ABS Partylist Rep. Eugene Michael De Vera said the impeachment complaint filed against Sereno by Dante Jimenez and Eligio Mallari may have been rejected by the justice panel for insufficiency in form but this does not mean that the case is dead.

“In the first complaint vs Sereno, it is not yet dead because surely the disposition will be included in the final report of the first and second complaints by the committee. The plenary with 1/3 or more of all members may still revive the said complaint,” De Vera said.

On the other hand, the second case against Sereno, filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon, has moved to the third phase of the impeachment process after the Committee on Justice found sufficient ground to pursue it.

De Vera said the justice committee will submit to the plenary its report on the two impeachment cases against Sereno as soon as the body has resolved them.

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Cayetano tells Al-Jazeera: More than 3,000 killed in police ops all drug dealers

 Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano defended President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs in an in-depth interview on Al Jazeera on Friday.

Cayetano answered UpFront host Mehdi Hasan's questions regarding the country's anti-illegal drug campaign, including more than 3,000 deaths as a result of police operations.

The DFA chief told Hasan that the victims of the drug war were drug dealers despite the host questioning the lack of due process in anti-drug operations.

"How do we know that? You didn't try them. You didn't prosecute them. You didn't charge them. You shot them on sight. That's not a democratic way of solving crime, is it?" Hasan asked.

"You're absolutely saying it as if you're not on the ground. Come and look. So, if I pull a gun on you here, right now, and you shoot me, it's your fault? Or it's my fault?" Cayetano said.

Hasan countered, "That's not what I asked. I said three and a half thousand people have been killed... Are they all criminal drug dealers?"

"Yes," Cayetano answered.

In one part of the interview, Hasan asked if the police officers arrested by the government admitted to "false killings" or framing victims of the drug war.

Cayetano replied that the officers were "charged for murder" and did not admit to such accusations.

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‘Diversionary terror attacks to replicate Marawi siege’

Reports of planned “diversionary attacks” by terrorists are being received by the military during its ongoing operations in Marawi City against the Islamic State (IS)-linked Maute Group, according to the newly-installed commanding general of the Philippine Army.

In an interview with reporters on Thursday, Maj. Gen. Rolando Bautista said they have been receiving such reports since the start of the siege of the city by the Maute Group on May 23.

“[As] part of the diversionary attacks, they will disrupt peaceful municipalities and replicate the Marawi siege,” Bautista told reporters at the sidelines of the 58th Change of Command ceremony for the new Philippine Army commander in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Defense and security officials have been announcing deadlines for ending the siege of the capital city of Lanao del Sur in southern Mindanao but have failed to deliver on them.

The most recent deadline set by the military was announced by Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., commander of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in September said the fighting would not last until the beginning of October but this deadline was unmet.

For Bautista, the war would not last until November, when meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will be held in Clark, Pampanga.

He said military operations would not stop in Marawi even if it was liberated from the Maute Group bandits.

“Our operations in Marawi will not stop. As we liberate downtown Marawi, [the operations]will continue. We have consolidated reports [of the planned attacks],” according to Bautista.

In the meantime, he said, it will be necessary to retain martial law in Mindanao to pursue the rehabilitation phase of Marawi City.

“Martial law has been a big help for us. Imagine, we can accost suspected terrorists. If there is no martial law, we would be charged [if we did that],” Bautista added.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the whole of Mindanao shortly after the Marawi siege began.

If he had his way, Bauti sta said, he would want to return to Marawi City to finish off the siege but that he would have to wait for instructions from Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año.

Bautista was the commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Marawi when he was named by President Rodrigo Duterte as the chief of the 87,000-strong Philippine Army, replacing Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, who will retire on October 8.

Aside from reports of the diversionary attacks, Bautista said they are also receiving reports that the two remaining terror leaders of the Maute Group were among the casualties of the siege in Marawi City.

He added that ground commanders obtained reports that the Islamic State’s Southeast Asian “emir” Isnilon Hapilon and Omarkhayam Maute, one of the top Maute brothers, had been killed.

“There were reports that they are already dead but then again those will be subject for validation, the deaths of Hapilon and the others,” Bautista said.

In September, Año said Abdullah, Ottoh and Maddie Maute–the Maute brothers leading the terror group–were already dead.

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Duterte OKs random drug testing of HS students – Briones

Education Secretary Leonor Briones says the President wanted DepEd to look at drug abuse as a health problem and to treat the random drug test as a preventive measure

MANILA, Philippines – Education Secretary Leonor Briones said President Rodrigo Duterte and other Cabinet officials approved the plan to subject high school students to random drug testing this school year.

Briones said on Friday, October 6, she had presented the Department of Education’s (DepEd) guidelines for the random drug testing during the Cabinet meeting last Wednesday.

According to Briones, Duterte gave his nod to the random drug testing plan after she gave him the assurance that the procedure is designed to be a preventive measure against drug abuse among the youth.

“The President’s only question was, ‘Are you looking at it as a health problem?’ I said yes. [He also asked], ‘Are you undertaking the test as a preventive measure?’ I also said yes. Then he said, ‘In that case, you can go and have the test because you’re thinking about it as a health problem,’” Briones said in a phone interview.

She added the other Cabinet officials had “no negative reactions” to the drug testing guidelines after she explained its legal basis.

“No one said, ‘Don’t do it.’ They saw it was necessary,” said Briones.

DepEd officials have been referring to Section 36 of Republic Act (RA) Number 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 to defend the random drug testing of high school students.

The said law mandates that random drug testing be conducted among secondary and tertiary students “pursuant to the related rules and regulations as contained in the school’s student handbook and with notice to the parents.”

RA 9165 was challenged before the SC in 2008 for mandating the random drug testing of students, among other issues. But the High Court ruled the procedure is constitutional.

Drug testing procedure

Briones said around 20,000 junior and high school students will be subjected to random drug testing to determine drug use prevalence.

The procedure will be conducted within school year 2017 to 2018, but Briones said DepEd will not be disclosing the exact date of the testing period to help protect the privacy of the students who will be chosen.

Each chosen student will be assigned a codename to help conceal his or her identity. Those who will test positive for drug use will be subjected to an intervention program by the Department of Health.

Parents will first be informed about the guidelines of the random drug testing through a regular or special general assembly or a parent-teacher conference. The students and their parents will also be notified about the procedure in writing.

But failure to return the acknowledgment slip of this notice "shall not be a bar to the conduct of the drug testing and of the said students' inclusion in the sample" – one main contention of parents and groups against the procedure.

Lawmakers, parents, and human rights groups alike have slammed the random drug testing, saying it would make students vulnerable to Duterte’s bloody drug war. (READ: Random drug testing of students will make minors 'open targets’)

Briones, however, said the DepEd is closely working with the National Privacy Commission to keep the drug test results confidential.

“If there is going to be any leakage, it’s not going to be from DepEd,” she said.

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Shell, QEV OK charging station

QEV Philippines signed an agreement with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., the country’s second largest oil company, to put up the first electric vehicle fast charging infrastructure network in the country.

QEV, a partnership between businessmen Endika Aboitiz and Enrique Banuelos, signed the agreement with Pilipinas Shell chief executive officer and president Cesar Romero.

“The agreement calls for an initial 100 pilot sites for the EV charging posts,” QEV said in a statement on Friday.

The first installations of the charging stations will be put up in December.

ABB, the Swiss multinational company specializing in robotics power and automation technology areas, will supply the charging posts. ABB has installed EV charging posts across Europe and in many parts of the world.

Electric vehicles have been around in the country since 2008. The country started with electric jeepneys that plied the Makati Green Route.

QEV said one of the main reasons for the slow uptake of electric vehicles was the lack of supporting charging infrastructure.

To address this, QEV set its sights to establish the first EV charging infrastructure network in the Philippines.

Pilipinas Shell, through parent firm Royal Dutch/Shell Group, has put up electric vehicle charging stations, mainly in the Netherlands and Great Britain.

“With electric cars increasing in popularity and the fast transition of car fleets from combustion engines to electric, Shell is making the bold move to quickly adapt in an ever changing automobile market,” QEV said.

QEV worldwide aims to promote a sustainable solution for healthier, cleaner cities by reducing the amount of carbon emissions in the air brought about by transportation.

“With the growing problem of climate change, QEV seeks to spearhead the green electro-mobility movement in emerging countries such as the Philippines,” it said.

The Two companies signed the agreement in the presence of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

“You come up with a better, safer vehicle for the public. Drivers will earn more so it’s a win-win for all,” Cusi said.

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Payoneer to give personalized service for larger businesses

Payoneer is planning on giving personalized services for larger businesses in the Philippines following an increase of their growth in the country.

Most of Payoneer’s growth came from the local freelancing market, particularly in the online outsourcing market.

The financial services company specializes in cross-border B2B payments, a useful means for freelance workers to get paid by their clients from other countries.

Payoneer, which just launched last year, currently has 200,000 users in the Philippines, of which an estimate of 60,000 Filipinos subscribed to them this year. Worldwide, the company has around 4 million users.

Although they have seen tremendous growth this year, Payoneer does not want to stop from there. Miguel Warren, the firm’s regional head of Southeast Asia for Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, said the company saw the need to cater to larger businesses and that it was going to be vital for their continuous growth.

But in order to be effective, Warren said they would need to meet the different needs of these companies.

“What’s also very important is for us to start targeting the larger business, which will take a more personalized touch,” he said. “That’s what our local team has been working on with these businesses. We’re giving a face to the country and we’re enabling personalized service that should make them more comfortable in using our service.”

That principle of offering personalized services can be seen in their Payoneer Plus, a new service that is somewhat specifically tailored for online outsourcing sectors and business process outsourcing (BPO), an industry that has played a major role in the economic growth of the Philippines.

Warren described Payoneer Plus a “very inclusive service” where subscribers can customize it. It is also intended for those who are handling large-scale transactions.

“Payoneer Plus is not a one-size fits all [solution], it can be customized to suit the needs of either a solo entrepreneur who has a lot of international clients or a BPO with 150 to 200 employees,” he said.

Payoneer has seen exponential growth both in the payment volume and the number of active monthly users in the Philippines. They had an increase of 359 percent year-to-date in payment volume and 375 percent in the number of people logging in to their services every month.

And because of this, they have decided to position Payoneer Philippines as a “regional hub to work with countries in Southeast Asia, as well as certain countries in South Asia, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.”

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7 in 10 Filipinos worried about selves, neighbors becoming EJK victims – SWS

This comes after the Social Weather Stations found that half of Filipinos don't believe cops' 'nanlaban' line and that 6 in 10 Pinoys believe drug suspects were killed despite already surrendering

MANILA, Philippines – In every 10 Filipinos, 7 are worried that they themselves or someone they know will become a victim of an extrajudicial killing (EJK), the Social Weather Stations (SWS) found in their second quarter survey.

From June 23 to 26, 2017, the research group asked 1,200 Filipinos: "Gaano po kayo nangangamba na kayo o sino mang kilala ninyo ay maging biktima ng [EJK] (How worried are you that you or anyone you know will be a victim of EJK)?"

The SWS defined EJK as pagpatay sa isang tao na walang pahintulot ng batas (the killing of a person without legal basis). (READ: In the PH drug war, it's likely EJK when...)

They found the following:

    41% are talagang nangangamba (very worried)
    32% are medyo nangangamba (somewhat worried)
    13%% are medyo hindi nangangamba (not too worried)
    14% are talagang hindi nangangamba (not worried at all)

According to the polling organization, the results vary a little across regions with 70% in Luzon, 77% in Visayas, and 75% in Mindanao saying they were worried.

The same goes for Metro Manila, where 73% of respondents said they were troubled they or their neighbors would be killed without due process.

Dispelling accusations of bias, the SWS said their survey was not commissioned and reported that their results have a ±3% margin of error for national, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao percentages.

Why the fear?

The fear does not come as a surprise as killings have indeed risen ever since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office, especially vigilante-style killings which leave victims shot dead or dumped in the streets. (READ: Except for killings, all crimes drop in Duterte's 1st year)

This also comes while the Philippine National Police (PNP) remains unrelenting in its campaign against illegal drugs and criminality, already claiming the lives of 3,850 suspects who fought back in police operations.

About these deaths, the SWS found that half of Filipinos do not believe that the killed fought back ('nanlaban'), while 6 in 10 Pinoys think police killed drug suspects despite the suspects already surrendering.

To allay the public's fears, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos announced Friday, October 6, that there has not been a single case of extrajudicial killing under the Duterte administration.

This count, however, was based on EJK being defined as killings committed by "state and non-state forces" to silence, "through violence and intimidation, legitimate dissent and opposition raised by members of the civil society, cause-oriented groups, political movements, people’s and non-governmental organizations, and by ordinary citizens."

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Sniper fire kills soldier in Marawi

MANILA – A soldier was killed by sniper fire in strife-torn Marawi City Friday, yet another death on top of 155 state troops slain in the protracted battle against Islamic State-linked terrorists.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. said the unnamed soldier was killed in an encounter Friday morning, highlighting risks that government troops face amid closer combat with terrorist forces.

This even while the military believes the enemies have been significantly weakened as troops regained control of more areas in the conflict zone.

“Early this morning, we had an incident when we were operating in an area and incurred another casualty through a sniper fire,” Padilla said in a news conference in Malacañang.

“And it’s a sad development because we were expecting that as we engaged more in these remaining areas and have better control of the peripheral areas in and out of this area, we’d be able to minimize that.”

Padilla said the battle zone has been reduced to about 7 hectares, with an estimated 40 hostages still trapped in the area where as many terrorists are known to remain.

“This will be the subject of our operations in the next few days and this is the reason also why we have not given out,” he said.

As of Thursday, a total of 955 people, mostly suspected terrorists, have been killed since clashes erupted on May 23.

It has also displaced more than 200,000 residents from the city and thousands more from nearby towns, and left the once bustling urban center in ruins.

The battle in Marawi has been raging for four months, and the military has expressed confidence that the crisis would soon be over even as it did not give a definite timeline.

Padilla echoed newly installed Army chief Maj. Gen. Rolando Bautista’s estimate that the Marawi crisis may be over before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit takes place in November, an event set to gather world leaders, including United States President Donald Trump.

“Ine-expect namin na hindi na po ito tatagal at aabot pa doon sa pagdaraos ng ating hosting ng ASEAN,” Padilla said.

“And hindi lang po kami talaga nagbibigay ng eksaktong petsa o ng eksaktong araw kung kailan po natin masasabing ganap nang... na tapos na ang bakbakan diyan sa Marawi,” he added.

Government has kickstarted plans to rehabilitate the war-ravaged city.

The terrorist upheaval prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to place the entire Mindanao under martial law until the end of the year, saying local terrorists were aiming to establish an Islamic State province in the Philippines.

He promised to lift martial rule in the region as soon as the area is declared clear of hazards, especially of improvised explosive devices.

The emergence of groups pledging allegiance to Islamic State has been considered the biggest security problem to face the year-old Duterte administration.

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Coup plot ‘confirmed’

THE Reds and other lawless armed groups in Mindanao are planning to destabilize President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.

“Most of them are Reds and the armed elements in Mindanao,” Major Gen. Restituto Padilla told reporters yesterday in a Palace briefing.

Padilla’s confirmation came two days after Duterte said the communists and the “yellows,” or organizations connected with the Liberal Party (LP), have formed an alliance to oust him.

Asked about the involvement of the President’s political opponents, Padilla said, “there may be but I am not privy to this information yet.”

Duterte earlier said the LP and the communist rebels were uniting to remove him from the presidency.

“The President has access to more information than we do. Because most of our agencies submit to the President information. And we submit to him as well what only comes from our part,” Padilla said.

“So we do continue to monitor the security landscape, and that includes other areas not only in Mindanao but the entirety of the archipelago,” he added.
   
Duterte’s political foes were not the only one planning his removal from office, according to Padilla.
   
“So far, kung ang ibig sabihin ng ating mahal na Pangulo ay ‘yung pagpa-plano, meron po kaming nakikita na iba. At hindi lang naman po ‘yung oposisyon ang ano dito. Kaya ang binabantayan po talaga ng Armed Forces ay ‘yung mga armadong grupo,” he said..
   
He said groups against the President may be forming an alliance to remove the chief executive.
   
“Because the groups that are against government are not only individuals. Kasi kaya nga groups, madami ‘yan. And it may not be farfetched that one or two of them may be also assisting other groups that are against government,” he said.
   
Padilla also said that the NPA’s objective is actually to take over the whole Philippines.
   
Duterte had shelved peace talks with the Reds over their continued attacks on government forces.

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Globe lauded by Palace for contributions to PH internet connectivity

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — President Rodrigo Duterte commended Globe Telecom on Friday, September 22, for the company’s continuing efforts to improve internet connectivity in the country through the 250-million USD SEA-US submarine cable system that the company recently launched to provide faster internet transmission, more efficient connectivity, and greater network resilience for Mindanao and the rest of the country.

In his speech delivered by Sec. Martin Andanar during the launch, President Duterte expressed his gratitude to Globe for choosing Davao City as the host of the SEA-US cable system.

“The Southeast Asia – US Cable System will definitely reinforce the capacity and resiliency of our information infrastructure, leading to improved communication capacities, better access to basic services, increased competitiveness, and smarter cities,” he stated.

Improved Internet Services

 For the past years, the Philippines has lagged behind in terms of internet connectivity speed. According to the survey results from the UK based company OpenSignal, the Philippines’ “overall speed” from November 26, 2016 to January 31, 2017 was the second slowest among a list of 87 countries. However, this is being addressed by Globe through aggressive deployment of leading edge network technology and commercial operations of the SEA-US cable system.

The 14,500 kilometer SEA-US cable connects to five territories namely Manado (Indonesia), Davao (Philippines), Piti (Guam), Oahu (United States) and Los Angeles (United States). As Globe Telecom’s first direct connection to the United States, it offers faster transmission from the data provided abroad. This results in more stable and faster internet connections for businesses and households in the Philippines.

“The Globe SEA-US Cable system will enable businesses to thrive and prosper with 1st world internet connectivity at cost-efficient rates in support of the government’s efforts to make the Philippines become globally competitive,” Globe President and CEO, Ernest Cu states.

The cable is connected to the Globe landing station in Barangay Talomo, Davao City and uses the latest 100 gigabits per second transmission technology to deliver an additional 20 terabits per second capacity. This added capacity addresses the exponential demand for bandwidth in the country.

Cu adds, “This will make our network future-ready in anticipation of our customers’ growing bandwidth requirements.”

Economic growth for the PH

“Over the years, the internet has become an important medium that we use to provide access to services and opportunities, improve the country’s competitiveness and drive economic growth,” said President Duterte.

“For this reason, the public and private sectors must work together and collaborate more in developing our country’s information infrastructure… I encourage the private sector to do the same and join this administration in ensuring that our people can harness the power of the internet to realize their full potential,” he said further.

With the SEA-US cable’s undersea placement, the Philippines can expect a reduced dependence on international cables that go through Japan and North Asia, but also an internet connection that can deliver superior service despite the occurrence of natural disasters. In fact when the recent super typhoon hit Hong Kong, Globe Telecom’s network was able to provide uninterrupted internet connection to its corporate and individual customers in spite of the damages caused by the calamity.

An undeterred connection like this will definitely allow local businesses to further thrive and develop in the constantly-changing landscape of technology. And this in effect, will help in the increase of economic growth within the country.

Senior Vice President for Globe Enterprise Group, Peter Maquera explains, “The SEA-US cable system will augur well for businesses in Davao City. It will attract more players from major trade and industry centers in Mindanao region and expand more BPO spaces – which means the creation of more jobs in the service sector and more livelihood opportunities not only the people of Davao but also for neighboring cities and municipalities.”

A Worthy Investment

Globe Telecom has invested an approximate 80 Million USD on this new cable system. And with the annual investment used for LTE deployment of 700 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, and 2600 Mhz frequencies, internet subscribers and local business owners can anticipate markedly improved internet speeds in their homes and offices in the near future.

The SEA-US cable system was built by a consortium of seven international telecommunications companies which includes Globe. Globe Telecom is also a member of an international consortium of telecommunications and technology companies operating the Southeast Asia-Japan Cable (SJC) system which links seven territories. It has also made investments in the East Asia Cable system (EAC), Asia Pacific Cable Network-2 (APCN2), Tata Global Network–Intra Asia cable system (TGN-IA), the City to City cable system (C2C), and is interconnected with major Trans-Pacific Cable systems that encompass the Unity, Tata Global Network-Pacific, (TGN-P) and the Japan-US Cable Network (J-US).

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Philippine Airlines agrees to pay P6 billion in aviation fees

Philippine Airlines also commits to 'keep all transactions updated and current' with the aviation and airport authorities

MANILA, Philippines – Flag carrier Philippine Airlines said on Friday, October 6, it will pay the government 6 billion pesos ($117 million) after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to cut off its access to Manila airport over alleged unpaid landing and other fees.

Duterte had given the airline a Friday deadline to pay arrears.

"The (Department of Transportation) has accepted the offer of PAL to pay in full the six billion-peso claims of the (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines/Manila International Airport Authority," a joint statement said.

"One of the overriding reasons why PAL agreed to settle is to manifest its trust and confidence in President Duterte's administration," the statement said.

The airline also committed to "keep all transactions updated and current" with the aviation and airport authorities, it added.

On September 26 Duterte said he had told PAL chairman and billionaire Lucio Tan: "You are using government buildings, airport, you have back debts for the use of the runway that you have not paid.

"I said, 'You solve the problem yourself. I will give you 10 days. Pay it. If not I will close it down. No more airport'."

Previously state-owned PAL was sold off in 1992, and the government said the fees were waived when the airline was government-owned.

Despite an increase in low-cost competitors, PAL still has the largest fleet in the Philippines and is the only local carrier to fly to North America and Europe.

In June it said it planned to increase its fleet serving smaller islands in the archipelagic nation.

PAL's parent company, PAL Holdings, suffered a net loss of 501 million pesos for the three months to June due to higher fuel costs and aircraft lease charges.

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WALA RAW KONEK | Duterte’s creation of anti-corruption body not linked to President’s intent to file impeach raps vs Morales – Panelo

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal adviser on Friday denied that the chief executive’s issuance of an order creating an anti-corruption body was prompted by his political dispute with Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

“This executive order has been in the oven for so many months…It has nothing to do with the declaration of the President that he wants this ombudsman impeached,” Salvador Panelo told reporters.

Panelo is referring to Executive Order No. 43 creating the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, which was signed for the President on Oct. 4 by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. A copy of the EO was made available to the media on Oct. 5.

The day that Medialdea signed the order for Duterte was also the same day when the President said he would lead the move to oust the Ombudsman by filing an impeachment complaint against her because he believed that Morales was part of an conspiracy to expose the allegedly fake documents about the fist family’s supposed hidden wealth.

“(W)e will file an impeachment case against her and I would tend to believe that she was part of the conspiracy, ito…itong fabricated papers ni…[the fabricated papers of],” the chief executive said last Oct. 4, referring to the documents held by Antonio Trillanes IV that allegedly contained information about Duterte and his family’s bank transactions amounting to over P2.2 billion.

The President made the pronouncement of filing an impeachment complaint against Morales after the Ombudsman last Tuesday, Oct. 3, rejected Duterte’s offer for her to step down with him.

On Sept. 28, six days before the EO creating the commission was signed, state-run PTV aired an interview with the President, who said that he would set up a commission to investigate the “partial” and “corrupt” office of Morales.

“Pag hindi ninyo imbestigahan sarili ninyo, ako ang magset-up ng [If you don’t investigate yourselves, I would be the one setting up a] commission to investigate you as a President with investigating powers,” Duterte said.

The President made the announcement of his plan to create the commission days after the Office of the Ombudsman announced that it was investigating the alleged hidden wealth of Duterte and his family.

On Friday, Oct. 6, Panelo said Malacañang was looking into the possibility of questioning before the Supreme Court the Office of the Ombudsman’s investigation into the wealth of the Duterte family.

“The subject matter of investigation are acts allegedly committed by this President when he was mayor so how can you, how can you do that?…How can there be an abuse with respect to the acts committed by the then mayor? Wala [Nothing]. Hindi naman abuse of power as president eh [It’s not an abuse of power as president],” said Panelo.

Last Thursday night, Duterte reiterated his offer for Morales to step down with him.

“I dare you, we do that. Hinahamon ko kayo [I am challenging you]. If you are really honest. Tutal you have been there for several years, including me. Why don’t we just resign?” the President said.

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Left, yellow alliance? Duterte ‘weaving tall tales’

In a statement on Friday, October 6, members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives deny President Rodrigo Duterte’s allegations the 'left' and 'Bayan' had allied with the 'yellow' in trying to kick him out of office

MANILA, Philippines – Legislators who used to identify themselves as supporters of the change President Rodrigo Duterte once promised criticized the former Davao mayor for “weaving tall tales as a prelude to a crackdown on his critics and the opposition and nationwide martial rule.”

In a statement on Friday, October 6, members of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives denied Duterte’s allegations that the “left” and “Bayan” had allied with the “yellow” in trying to kick him out of office.

By “left” and “Bayan,” Duterte was presumably referring to a coalition of different progressive groups in the country, represented by the Makabayan bloc in the House.

Bayan Muna is a member of the coalition.

“Yellow,” meanwhile, refers to the once-ruling Liberal Party (LP), which is now mainly part of the opposition.

In a press conference on October 4, Duterte was asked about a supposed “tactical alliance” of the Liberal Party, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales. Duterte’s said the two female officials were “a part of the program of the left.”

“But what is really very clear is iyong left pati – ang kaalyado ng left is a…ng mga Bayan is the… mga, iyong mga ‘dilaw’. Na gusto nila ako paalisin dito sa Malacañang. Oh ‘di – bigyan mo akong panahon magbalot… ahh basta-basta na lang tayo,” he said.

(But what is really very clear is that the left and, the left is allied with Bayan, and the yellows. They want me out of Malacañang. Give me more time.)

In a statement signed by all 7 legislators who belong to the Makabayan bloc, they said that this was simply not true, pointing out that the bloc did not join groups associated with the Liberal Party, even if they stood for the same things.

When the Makabayan bloc left the majority, for instance, it formed its own independent minority instead of joining an existing, LP-dominated independent bloc. The bloc and its allied groups also did not join “Tindig Pilipinas,” a coalition of groups, most of them LP associated, when held activities recently.

On September 21, the two groups noticeably picked two very different venues to stage protests – the “left” in Luneta and the LP-associated groups, at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

“Duterte has only himself to blame for the widening and deepening dissent and the rising of tens of thousands and millions against his tyrannical rule. It seems that Duterte is weaving tall tales as a prelude to a crackdown on his critics and the opposition and nationwide martial rule,” said the bloc.

ACT Teachers Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Gabriela Representatives Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate, Anakpawis Representative Ariel Casilao, and Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago comprise the bloc.

“Nonetheless, whatever color of the political spectrum whether they be Red, Yellow or whatnot, we are being compelled by present circumstances and the march of history to fight separately, and/or jointly, the tyranny of the US-Duterte regime,” the legislators said.

While the Makabayan bloc has left the House majority, some of its members and officials are appointees of Duterte. Two of those appointees – Judy Taguiwalo and Rafael Mariano – have since been rejected by the Commission on Appointments.

The bloc said that Duterte needs to listen to outcry against “extra-judicial killings, tyranny, and endemic corruption,” lest he finds himself in the same situation as the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was ousted from power through the People Power Revolution.

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