Police defend action: 'We did not intend to run over militants'

ABS-CBN (Oct 19): Police defend action: 'We did not intend to run over militants'

MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) said they did not intend to run over militants rallying in front of the US Embassy, adding that they were merely trying to remove the vehicle from the area.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Police Officer 3 Franklin Kho, who was driving the police mobile, said rallyists were trying to seize the vehicle.

"Inaagaw na ng mga rallyista yung sasakyan eh, kaya napilitan akong kunin ko yung sasakyan, kaya napaatras ko. 'Yun ang nangyari [The rallyists were trying to get the vehicle from us, so I was forced to take over the vehicle, and then I accidentally drove in reverse. That's what happened]," Kho said.

He added that if they allowed the militants to get the vehicle, then it would have been used to run over the policemen in front of the area.

"O eh kami naman ang sasagasaan nila kung nakuha nila 'to eh [They will run over us if they get the vehicle]," Kho said.

According to Kho, militants were trying to turn the police car over even when he and another policeman were inside.

He also insisted that he had no intention of running over the militants.

"Wala naman kaming intensyon na gawin sa kanila 'yun [We did not intent to run over them]," Kho said.

Protesters try to trash a police mobile patrol vehicle as they join various activist and Indigenous People's (IP) groups in a protest against the continuing presence of U.S. troops in the Philippines in front of the U.S. Embassy in metro Manila, Philippines October 19, 2016. Romeo Ranoco, Reuters

Police Senior Supt. Marcelino Pedrozo, ground commander of the Manila Police District, also insisted that they exercised maximum tolerance, but the militants did not respect the rights of the policemen.

"Sila po, hindi po nila ginamit ang kanilang dapat gawin. Hindi nila inayos ang kanilang mga hanay. Hindi nila na-kontrol ang kanilang mga hanay. So ano pong nangyari ngayon, nagkagulo. Sinong may kasalanan niyan? Sila mismo ang may kasalanan niyan. Unang-una wala po sila sa lugar, wala po silang permiso para magrally [We cannot do anything because they weren't respecting the police. They were hurting the police, they did not respect the rights of the police. We exercised maximum tolerance, but they did not do what they should do. Who should be blamed? They are at fault. They didn't have a permit to rally]," he explained.

Pedrozo added that around 30 policemen were injured in the incident, with the numbers expected to increase as they continue with their investigation.

According to Pedrozo, they did not intend to hurt militants.

"Hindi po sinasadya 'yun, binabasag po nila 'yung salamin nung ating government vehicle. Ang kagustuhan lang naman po ng pulis natin, alisin po yung mobile car sa lugar na 'yun. Hindi po talaga sinasadya kung may nasaktan [We did not intend to hurt them, they were destroying the government vehicle. What the police want was to remove the police car from the area. We did not mean to hurt them]," he said.

Activists from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and various indigenous groups were seen attacking a police mobile at the height of the protest aimed at stopping "US intervention" on Wednesday.

Police retaliated and ran over some protesters. The activists ran for safety but several people were hit by the police vehicle.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/19/16/police-defend-action-we-did-not-intend-to-run-over-militants

Duterte: No military alliance with China

From ABS-CBN  (Oct 19): Duterte: No military alliance with China



President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday clarified that he will not be forging a military alliance with China despite his seemingly friendly demeanor with the superpower.

“There will be no military alliances brokered. What I am just saying is we are not interested in adding fury to what is already a volatile world and I said that there is no such thing as allowing the missiles there. I will not allow it," Duterte said at a press briefing in China, where is doing a state visit.

He issued the statement just a week after saying he would like to make alliances that would ensure the safety and security of the Philippines.

"I do not mean to cancel or abrogate military alliances. But tanungin ko kayo [I ask you], do you still… do you, do you really think we need it? If there is a war, magka-upakan, do you think we really need America? And do we need China and Russia for that matter? Or do we need somebody?" he said in an Oct. 11 speech.

A few days after, he said he was open to joint military exercises with China and Russia.
Duterte also repeated he would no longer allow joint exercises with the US, which used to be the country's main military aid and ally.

"This will be the last. It has been programmed. I do not want my soldiers to be humiliated," Duterte said, referring to the joint war games held last week.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/19/16/duterte-no-military-alliance-with-china

Military uses water cannons against Lumad, Moro protesters

From the often pro-Communist Party of the Philippines online publication the Davao Today (Oct 18):
Military uses water cannons against Lumad, Moro protesters

A protester receives the full might of a water cannon fired at him from the Army’s national headquarters, Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City during a protest rally led by national minority alliance group SANDUGO on Tuesday, October 18. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)

 

At least 1,000 Moro and Indigenous peoples braved the water cannons of the military during a protest rally in front of the Armed Forces of the Philippines national headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo here Tuesday.

 

The protesters led by the national minority alliance group, SANDUGO, were dispersed after they slammed the gates of the office for a noise barrage.

Protesters, mostly national minorities, responded to the dispersal by throwing paint bombs towards the Army camp. One of them spray painted the word “Berdugo” (a Filipino word for butcher) on the gates.

A second water cannon was used three minutes later when the protesters tried to maintain their ranks. The dispersal try lasted for about five minutes until the protesters left for the nearby national headquarters of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame to continue their program.

No protesters were hurt in the said dispersal.

In a press release, the group scored the AFP for “sabotaging the peace talks and hindering the positive developments in the peace talks with the Moro groups and National Democratic Front of the Philippines.”

“The AFP has been violating the ceasefire with their continued military operations and harassment tactics. Paramilitary groups protected by the AFP continue to persist and wreck havoc in Lumad communities. Human right violators and killers of indigenous and Moro leaders are still not brought to justice,” said Kerlan Fanagel, a B’laan and one of SANDUGO’s convenors.

Meanwhile, human rights group KARAPATAN secretary general Cristina Palabay downplayed the dispersal, saying that the use of water cannons could not deter the protesters from fighting for their rights.

“The continuing political killings, militarization and occupation of our indigenous people’s communities and schools, from Luzon to Mindanao is simply unacceptable. They think they can stop us using water cannons, but the unwavering resistance of the indigenous as well as the Moro people shows that they will fight for their rights no matter what happens,” Palabay said.

Brigadier General Alan Martin, Army camp commander said the protesters were dispersed for vandalizing the gate and were throwing objects that threatens civilians passing by.

http://davaotoday.com/main/politics/military-uses-water-cannons-against-lumad-moro-protesters/

AFP’s ‘Oplan Tokhang’ targets NPA—Ka Oris

From the often pro-Communist Party of the Philippines online publication the Davao Today (Oct 18):
 AFP’s ‘Oplan Tokhang’ targets NPA—Ka Oris

New Peoples’ Army National Spokesperson Ka Oris (davaotoday.com file photo)

 

The New People’s Army slammed the Armed Forces of the Philippines for targeting communist guerillas in the guise of the Duterte government’s anti-drug campaign called Oplan Tokhang.

“Armed teams of the AFP carry out psywar operations where local residents are forced to participate in assemblies at the risk of being tagged as NPA sympathizers. Under the guise of the Duterte regime’s anti-drug campaign, military units conduct seminars where they slander the NPA,” Ka Oris said in a statement Tuesday.

Apart from AFP’s “sham” anti-illegal drug campaign, Ka Oris said the military are now in “a frenzied campaign to justify the hostile operations of the AFP in contempt of the indefinite ceasefire simultaneously declared by the GRP with the CPP.”

He said the military has its own publicists and trolls who are doing the rounds in radio and television stations, newspapers, social media websites “to defend and justify the hostile counter-insurgency operations being carried out under the AFP’s Oplan Bayanihan.”

Ka Oris also denounced the senseless killings of peasant leaders Jaime Saipan and Joselito Pasaporte in Compostela Valley under the command of the 10th Infantry Division in Davao.

“It is increasingly apparent that the GRP President Duterte has no control of the AFP as his orders to the soldiers to become friendly with the revolutionary forces are outrightly being disregarded.

Continuing hostilities directed against the NPA and revolutionary forces endanger the indefinite ceasefire.,” he said.

He said the people in the hinterland are restive as AFP continues to occupy civilian communities.

“We call on the Duterte regime to take immediate steps to correct the situation and ensure that all units of the AFP are pulled-out from their current forward deployment within the guerrilla zone of operations of the NPA and areas under the sway of the revolutionary forces,” Ka Oris said.

http://davaotoday.com/main/politics/afps-oplan-tokhang-targets-npa-ka-oris/

50 hurt in violent police dispersal at anti-US rally

From the often pro-Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) online publication the Davao Today (Oct 19): 50 hurt in violent police dispersal at anti-US rally

Police runs after protesters retreating towards T.M. Kalaw street after a rally in front of the US Embassy in Manila Wednesday morning. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)

 

Over 50 protesters were hurt and 29 were nabbed following a violent dispersal during a rally at the U.S Embassy here Wednesday morning.

 

Close to a thousand Moro and Lumad activists under the national minority alliance of  Sandugo led the protest rally.

The group said the protest was about to culminate when Col. Marcelino Pedroso of the Manila Police District allegedly signaled the dispersal.

“Immediately, the police released tear gas and rammed their mobile patrol vehicle through the ranks of the protesters. Police armed with truncheons also chased after the protesters from Roxas Boulevard to Kalaw Street,” the group said.

At least three protesters, including Sandugo Lead Convenor Piya Macliing Malayao, Quenilyn Gromeo of Anakbayan-PUP, and Baling Katubigan, a 61-year old Lumad woman from Kasalo, CARAGA were hit and injured by the police mobile patrol vehicle.

Sandugo claimed some 50 protesters suffered minor injuries.

Dr. Julie Nisperos, executive director of Community Medicine Foundation with four other medics who are members of Health Alliance for Democracy and Council for Health and Development were arrested by the police.

A Moro protester, identified only as “Mangulamas,”  21, from Tamontaka in Cotabato City was also reportedly nabbed by the police.

Moro people’s group Suara Bangsamoro condemned the violent dispersal of the protest.

“This protest serves to highlight the imperialist plunder, abuses, and continued domination of the United States in the country. Today, we witness how even our local security forces are keen on employing violent tactics to quell the dissent of the marginalized and the oppressed,” Jerome Succor Aba, national spokesperson of Suara Bangsamoro, said.

Aba said the handling of the Manila Police District “surpassed the water cannon incident yesterday at Camp Aguinaldo.”

“Is this how the government treats its national minorities? Is this the answer to our plea to stand up for national sovereignty and protect the interests of national minorities from the claws of Washington?” he said.

Dulphing Ogan, secretary-general of Kalumaran, said the attacks in their communities “are far worse.”

“Here in Manila, our calls are met with water cannons, and now tear gas and brute force. In our ancestral communities, the attacks are far worse: we all know of the repeated cases of murders against our kin. Everywhere we turn, we Lumads and other national minorities are brutalized,” Ogan said.

For Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sara Elago, the incident shows “how powerful the U.S. remains, even in domestic affairs, so as to be able to order the local police force to attack Filipinos just to defend their embassy.”

Elago, who was one of injured protesters, urged President Rodrigo Duterte to address the issue.

“We call on President Rodrigo Duterte, even if he is in China at the moment, to immediately address this issue and rein in his state forces. How can a president who is adamant against US intervention in the country accept that while he’s abroad, his own men are violently attacking his people, which he vowed to protect,” she said.

Duterte is on official visit to Beijing for a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The president is expected to depart Beijing for Davao City noontime Friday.

http://davaotoday.com/main/human-rights/50-hurt-in-violent-police-dispersal-at-anti-us-rally/

Duterte: No talks with China on joint exploration in West PH Sea

From Rappler (Oct 19): Duterte: No talks with China on joint exploration in West PH Sea

President Rodrigo Duterte has no plans of proposing joint exploration for oil and natural gas in the West Philippine Sea to China.

"No, I do not think that will be right," said Duterte when asked if he will bring up this plan during bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He was speaking to reporters on Wednesday, October 19, in a Beijing hotel.

Duterte said the fate of natural resources in the West Philippine Sea is not his to decide. Before making any proposal, he will seek the approval of the Philippine Congress. (READ: PH-China sea dispute may not be solved ‘in our lifetime’ – Yasay)

"If you plan to share what you have, if it is really yours, then you cannot talk about it only on your own. This has to be with the consent of Congress and everybody, every Filipino involved," said Duterte.

"At this time, I am not empowered to do that. I cannot give something and I cannot also add what has been given me," he added.

Duterte said the various branches of government in the Philippines have yet to coordinate with each other for a stance on exploration for natural resources in the disputed sea.

"There has not been any meeting between Congress and the Executive Department and even the Supreme Court. Justice Carpio has been talking a lot about it," he said.

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has said it is unconstitutional for Duterte to concede the West Philippine Sea to foreign powers. He also urged the President to allow the Philippine military to be part of joint patrols in the sea.

But Duterte said that he and his advisers have decided to talk about the West Philippine Sea during bilateral talks.

"That is the time we can come up with hard agreements. We just agreed that we will talk about the [South] China Sea," he said.

The bilateral talks, set to happen on Thursday, October 20, will yield "specific agreements" on a variety of concerns.

"I am sure as there will be disagreements also which we cannot avoid but we can maybe dispense it altogether and put it to another day," he said.

As early as his presidential campaign, Duterte had said he is open to joint exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea. A similar venture was undertaken during the administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

But under the Aquino administration, ties between the Philippines and China soured after the Philippine government filed a case against China with an international arbitration court.

The court decided in the Philippines' favor, rejecting China's "9-dash line" or its claim to 90% of the West Philippine Sea.

China rejects the ruling but has previously said it is supportive of joint exploration ventures with other claimants. Its officials have said that the sea is "big enough to be shared."

http://www.rappler.com/nation/149688-duterte-no-talks-china-joint-exploration-west-ph-sea

Lumad, Moro leaders form Sandugo

From the often pro-Communist Party of the Philippines online publication the Davao Today (Oct 18):  Lumad, Moro leaders form Sandugo

Over 3,000 Lumad and Moro activists from across the country formed Sandugo, an alliance of national minorities , on October 14 at the GT-Toyota Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)

 

Leaders and representatives of  3,000 Lumad and Moro groups from all over the country formed a national alliance called “Sandugo: Kilusan ng Moro at Katutubong Mamamayan para sa Sariling Pagpapasya” (Alliance of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self Determination) at  the GT-Toyota Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman last Saturday.

 

Organizers said Sandugo is the Filipino word for blood compact which symbolizes the unity of the various ethnolinguistic groups.

The indigenous peoples and Moro groups travelled from their respective communities to participate in the Caravan of National Minorities that culminated in a “Grand Salubongan” at the Mendiola Peace Arch in San Miguel Manila last Oct. 13.

“We are being reminded of our history in terms of our unity in our fight against colonialism and our foreign invaders. [The fight] continues up until now because the national minorities are still facing the same problems. We are being united in the same blood, in the same struggle. This is the essence of our organization, the Sandugo,” explains Amirah Lidasan of Suara Bangsamoro, one of the conveners of the said group.

Sandugo is composed of national minorities from different groups across the country, including the Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas, Suara Bangsamoro, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance , and the Kusog sa Katawhang Lumad.

“Sandugo reflects the legacy of our ancestors and the sacrifice of those who gave their lives to defend the ancestral lands, territories, identity, culture and way of life which had been threatened by colonialism,” the group said in a statement.

Beverly Longid, global coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self- Determination and Liberation said that the IP and Moro people’s fight for self determination is no longer a simple matter of fighting for territory.

“Our struggle now is no longer just about merely fighting for our ancestral lands. It has become the fight for national democracy. We are the national minorities, and the problem of state oppression is one of our unique problems, but we are also Filipinos, all facing the three basic problems of feudalism, bureaucrat capitalism, and imperialism,” Longid said.

Sandugo passed its first two resolutions, one of which was addressed to the National Democratic Front which called for a separate clause in the Comprehensive Agreement of Socio Economic Reforms for the national minorities.

NDF Consultants Maria Loida Magpatoc and Kennedy Bangibang accepted the resolution.

The second resolution, addressed to UP Diliman chancellor Michael Tan suggested to put up a “symbolic or non-symbolic kampuhan” which will become a resource for students wanting to know more about the national minorities and be a center for solidarity activities.

http://davaotoday.com/main/human-rights/lumad-moro-leaders-form-sandugo/

Scores hurt, 3 seriously, as police patrol vehicle runs over anti-US protesters' line

From InterAksyon (Oct 19): Scores hurt, 3 seriously, as police patrol vehicle runs over anti-US protesters' line



A Police vehicle rammed their mobile patrol through the ranks of the protesters.(Michael de Guzman/Philstar/InterAksyon.com)

A newly-formed alliance of national minorities said more than 50 people were hurt, including three seriously, after being rammed by a patrol car, as police dispersed their protest at the US embassy Wednesday. Among the injured was Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago. Police are probing the matter.

Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, said 29 protesters, including indigenous people, a doctor, nurse and health volunteer, and Wences Balanquit of the alternative media outfit Southern Tagalog Exposure, had been arrested and taken to the headquarters of the Manila Police District.

The embassy incident followed the dispersal of a protest staged by SANDUGO in front of Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in Quezon City Tuesday when they were bombarded with water cannon. The protest was to demand an end to the counterinsurgency campaign Oplan Bayanihan and the pullout of troops and militias from indigenous people’s communities.



The protesters in front of the US embassy before they were dispersed. (photo by Obet de Castro)

SANDUGO said the protesters were ending their program in front of the US embassy, where they voiced calls for American troops to leave the country and support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s plans to pursue an independent foreign policy, when Superintendent Marcelino Pedroso of the MPD allegedly ordered the dispersal.

“Immediately, the police released tear gas and rammed their mobile patrol vehicle through the ranks of the protesters. Police armed with truncheons also chased after the protesters from Roxas Boulevard to Kalaw Street,” the alliance said in a statement.

The Inquirer.net posted a video of that police vehicle ramming through the phalanx of ralliers. Watch the Inquirer video here.

Police to investigate, explains side

Police said they would investigate, and at the same time expressed regret over the injuries. At the same time, other officers told media the ralliers were trying to flip their patrol car over, an act that would have endangered the driver  and his passengers.
In the video, one can hear the voice of a man, presumably a rally leader, repeatedly exhorting protesters to discipline their ranks (Mga kasama, ayusin natin ang ating mga hanay!")

Bayan's Reyes said there was "absolutely no justification" for the dispersal as "the groups were preparing to leave."

SANDUGO identified three of those injured by the patrol vehicle as SANDUGO lead convenor Piya Macliing Malayao, Quenilyn Gromeo of Anakbayan-PUP, and Baling Katubigan, a 61-year old lumad woman from Caraga.

Among the injured, it turned out, was Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago.

"We express our utmost condemnation of what we can consider as a brutal police attack against the people. The national minorities, under the banner of SANDUGO, a newly-established alliance of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for self-determination, were rallying at the US Embassy to underline their plight caused by US domination in the military, political, and economic affairs of our country," said a statement from Kabataan.

The protesters "were calling for the immediate abrogation of lopsided treaties with the US, including the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, in which "agreed locations" for foreign bases directly trespass and endanger their ancestral lands. They were rallying against the US-instigated Oplan Bayanihan, which has wrought strife, conflict, and deadly militarization in their communities. They were rallying against the plunder of our natural resources by the imperialist Washington and its big foreign companies," according to Kabataan.

Photos posted on social media by rally participants showed protesters sprawled on the ground after being hit by the police vehicle. One photo showed a protester's foot pinned beneath a tire of the vehicle.

After the dispersal, the protesters regrouped and marched to MPD heaadquarters where they are as of this posting to demand the release of their arrested companions.

The national minorities, from the northern Luzon highlands to the lumad and Moro tribes of Mindanao, are in Manila for the “Lakbayan ng Pambansang Minorya para sa Sariling Pagpapasya at Makatarungang Kapayapaan.”



A Dumagat leader at the US embassy protest. (photo by Obet de Castro)

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/133487/scores-hurt-3-seriously-as-police-patrol-vehicle-runs-over-anti-us-protesters-line

Americans in country jittery over Duterte's anti-US tirades

From InterAksyon (Oct 18): Americans in country jittery over Duterte's anti-US tirades



Former US marine Richard Haulet, 64, talks to Reuters in a bar he owns, frequented by other American veterans, in Olongapo City. (photo by Kanupriya Kapoor, Reuters)

In a bar along Subic Bay owned by an American military veteran, the main topic of conversation is not the upcoming US election despite the Donald Trump coffee mugs, photographs and caps on display.

The talk is of President Rodrigo Duterte's tensions with Washington and his courting of China, which is worrying the bar's mostly American clients who have settled in the vicinity of the huge Subic Bay base, a former US navy installation.

"The biggest fear is that one day he's going to wake up and say 'everybody from the US, get out of town' and we'd have to leave our loved ones behind," said Jack Walker, a retired Marine sergeant who has lived in Olongapo, the town around the base, for five years.

For more than a century the Philippines and the United States have had a shared history of colonialism, wars, rebellion, aid and deep economic ties. That could change as Duterte's three-month-old administration re-examines the relationship.

In a series of conflicting statements, Duterte has insulted US President Barack Obama and the US ambassador in Manila for questioning his war on drugs, which has led to the deaths of more than 2,000 suspected users and pushers. He told Obama to "go to hell" and alluded to severing ties with Washington.

Then, after weeks of anti-American rhetoric, Duterte said the Philippines would maintain its existing defense treaties and its military alliances.

The comments have left Americans and US businesses in the Philippines jittery about their future, said Ebb Hinchliffe, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce.

"Every time he opens his mouth and says something negative about America, that hurts me personally ... and from a business standpoint, it's not helping," he said.

He said three trade delegations representing American technology, financial services and manufacturing companies had canceled trips to the Philippines in recent weeks.
 
At least two American companies have opted to do business in Vietnam instead "because of the president's anti-American sentiment". Hinchliffe declined to name the companies or give further details.

Most pro-US nation

The United States effectively ruled the Philippines from 1898, when it acquired the country from Spain, until recognizing its independence in 1946.

About four million people of Philippine ancestry live in the United States, one of its largest minorities, and about 220,000 Americans, many of them military veterans, live in the Philippines. An additional 650,000 visit each year, according to US State Department figures.

According to a Pew Research Centre study last year, the Philippines is the most pro-US country in the world.

A Social Weather Stations/Businessworld 3rd Quarter 2016 survey released Oct. 18 showed Filipinos reposing the greatest net trust rating in the US, at +66, and the least trust in China, at -33.

 Despite the shared history, though, the Philippines has a strong nationalistic movement that has questioned the US alliance. In 1991, the government asked Washington to vacate the Subic Bay naval facility and the nearby Clark Air Base.

But as tensions increased with China over the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, the Philippines signed an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States in 2014 that grants Washington increased military presence through rotation of ships and aircraft for humanitarian and maritime security operations.

However, Duterte has said that agreement will be reviewed and he insists that the Philippines, the third-largest Asian recipient of American military aid after Pakistan and Afghanistan, can do without assistance.

He was to leave for China on Tuesday on a state visit that could shift alliances in the region.
Philippine government officials have sought to play down Duterte's comments.

"Where the president is coming from is that he wants to encourage the Filipino people to be more independent," said government spokesman Ernesto Abella. "It's not so much an anti-American relationship as a pro-Philippine sentiment."

Still, the mood was somber at Dynamite Dick's bar in Olongapo when a Reuters reporter dropped in recently.

Edward Pooley, a former Marine colonel who has lived in the Philippines for nearly 30 years, said Duterte's words were "heartbreaking" but he remained optimistic about the bilateral relationship in the long term.

"We've always done a lot of charitable activities and ... we feel the appreciation. Don't give up on us," he said.

Mayor Rolen Paulino, who leads the city of 220,000, said his people were "pro-American" but that he supports Duterte's shift in foreign policy.

"If the president wants to invite Russia and China ... I will teach my people Russian and Chinese because we have to adapt," Paulino said.

But many in the business community have labeled Duterte's rhetoric as largely bluster and take comfort in the fact that he has yet to translate it into action.

The business process outsourcing sector -- expected to account for 9 percent of GDP this year -- remains largely optimistic about growth in the Philippines.

"Suffice to say, there are questions that are being asked because of (Duterte's) statements," said Danilo Reyes, country manager of Genpact, one of the biggest American BPO companies in the country. "But it does not really translate to actions, we continue to expand."

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/133446/americans-in-country-jittery-over-dutertes-anti-us-tirades

South China Sea looms over Duterte visit

From InterAksyon (Oct 19): South China Sea looms over Duterte visit

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte spent his first full day in China Wednesday, on a state visit that comes as he makes increasing overtures to Beijing while vocally scorning his US ally.

Since taking office on June 30, Duterte has repeatedly denounced the US and its President Barack Obama, suspended joint patrols in the South China Sea, and threatened further action, including an end to joint military exercises.

His posture is a stark reversal from the previous administration of Benigno Aquino, which took Beijing to an international tribunal over its extensive claims in the South China Sea and won a resounding victory.

Duterte initially took a hardline stance on the issue, vowing to ride a jet ski to the disputed Spratly Islands and plant his country’s flag there.

But his bravado has since softened and he has shown no sign of seeking to enforce the tribunal ruling which infuriated Beijing.

Duterte will meet top leaders including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

"Only China can help us," he told the official Xinhua news agency Monday.

He was due to meet members of the Filipino community in Beijing later Wednesday.

The Philippines is hoping, among other things, that Beijing will repeal a ban on imports of its bananas -- an economic sanction intended to punish Manila for its South China Sea stance.

The Philippines is one of several coastal nations which dispute China's claims to virtually all of the strategically vital waters. It has been a key player in the dispute, which is an issue of intense interest in both Washington and Beijing.

Tensions have risen between the US and China over Washington's "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific, a move which Beijing says is intended to contain its rise.

Duterte has said his trip will focus on promoting economic ties. Foreign affairs spokesman Charles Jose has said: "There will be a lot, I mean a lot, of business contracts that will be signed."

'Reciprocate overtures'
In an editorial Tuesday, China's nationalistic Global Times newspaper called on the government to "reciprocate Duterte's overture" by giving the Philippines access to fishing grounds near Scarborough Shoal -- a move which would imply that such rights were China's to give.

"Filipino fishermen fish on a shoestring and are unlikely to jeopardize the ecosystem of China's waters," the paper said.
China took control of the shoal in 2012 after a standoff with the Philippine navy. Manila has long claimed the feature for itself, maintaining that it controls the area's fishing rights.

China itself has been accused of doing massive environmental damage to the South China Sea by building artificial islands, some with airstrips, capable of hosting military facilities.

In another editorial Wednesday, the Global Times said Washington had treated Manila "as a pawn" and Duterte was "redesigning Philippine foreign policy based on Philippine interests".

Beijing has also enthusiastically endorsed Duterte's war on drugs, which has seen more than 3,700 people killed and led the International Criminal Court to warn that those responsible could face charges.

China, which has frequently been criticized for its own approach to drug users, "is his best partner in the anti-drug fight", the Global Times wrote.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/133491/south-china-sea-looms-over-duterte-visit

Soldiers, police uproot marijuana worth P13.7-M in Agusan province

From the Mindanao Times (Oct 19): Soldiers, police uproot marijuana worth P13.7-M in Agusan province

TROOPS of the 26th Infantry Battalion and personnel of the Loreto Municipal Police Station uprooted P13.7 million-worth of marijuana plants in two plantation sites they discovered at the outskirts of Loreto, Agusan del Sur at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

 

The team successfully uprooted a total of 29,000 fully grown marijuana plants in the first site and 26,100 plants in the second site, both located in the mountain slopes of Purok Bagul, Sitio Mactan, about 25 kilometers from the center of the hinterland Barangay Kasapa 1.

 

Loreto, a first-class municipality around 116 kilometers away from Davao City, shares boundary with Bukidnon in the west, Davao del Norte in the south and Compostela Valley in the south-east.

 

Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, the spokesperson of 4th Infantry Division, said the uprooted plants were immediately turned over to the Agusan Provincial Police Office.

 

Lt. Col. Rommel Pagayon, commanding officer of 26th IB, said the recent operation was part of the intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

 

“We have seized 4.6-M worth of shabu and arrested two drug personalities in Bunawan town in Agusan del Sur and now P13.7-M worth of marijuana in Loreto,” Pagayon said. “I could barely imagine the devastating effect of these illegal drugs if they fell on the hands of the people especially on innocent ones.”

 

He credited the close coordination among the community, police and military in recent successful operations. He said the military will even triple their efforts to reduce drug volume in their area of jurisdiction.

 

The raid was conducted right after the three-day Law Enforcement Operations Trainers Training was held at the headquarters of the 4th ID in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City.

 

For his part, Maj. Gen Benjamin Madrigal Jr., 4th ID commander, lauded the operation.

 

“This is a very big achievement considering the amount of seized marijuana could possibly destroy thousands of innocent lives,” Madrigal said. ”I urge everyone to give all the necessary information that would lead us to the location of these illegal activities.”

 

“Together, we can solve this illegal drug menace and save our next generation,” Madrigal added.

Since most of the barangays in the town are inaccessible with motor vehicles, the town is a favorite cultivation area of marijuana planters.

 

Last July 2, authorities uprooted P15.6 million-worth of marijuana, also in Barangay Kasapa 1.

On June 15, 2016, police seized P6.6 million-worth of newly harvested marijuana in the hinterland barangay of Waloe in the same town.

 

http://mindanaotimes.net/soldiers-police-uproot-marijuana-worth-p13-7-m-in-agusan-province/

Army's 56th IB remains on red alert for disaster preparedness

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 19): Army's 56th IB remains on red alert for disaster preparedness

The 56th Infantry “Tatag” Battalion, Philippine Army remains on red alert status to support local government units in their disaster preparedness efforts.

Lt. Col. Louie DS. Villanueva, Army’s 56th (Tatag) Battalion Commander, said that the privilege of the soldiers in their respective areas of assignment in Aurora province, namely Baler, San Luis, Maria Aurora, Dingalan, Dipaculao, Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag and portion towns of Laur, Gabaldon and Bongabon in Nueva Ecija, to take leave of absence are suspended to augment the local governments in ensuring the safety of the public.

"Our soldiers are in place and coordinating with the Aurora Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (MRRMOs) for possible rescue, relief, and other response operations relative to typhoon Lawin; and continuously monitoring the situation in their respective areas of responsibilities (AORs),” Villanueva said.

“This is our way of life in disaster response and humanitarian assistance that is why their privileges were suspended. All personnel should sacrifice just to ensure that the people are safe,” Villanueva said.

He also said that they are now tapping the Army Reserve Command - 307th Community Defense Center for Search and Rescue (SAR) and others as the need arises.

He said that their military assets and equipment are now on standby for rescue and humanitarian assistance.

He appealed to the public to follow the instructions of the barangay disasters risk reduction and management offices.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=932702

Pres. Duterte: ‘I am not breaking away from US’

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 19): Pres. Duterte: ‘I am not breaking away from US’

President Rodrigo Duterte has clarified that he is not breaking away from the Philippines’ old ally United States.

”The basic question of the Filipinos – I know what’s in their mind, why is Duterte breaking away from the United States? No, I am not breaking away,” Duterte said in an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) before he left for a four-day state visit in China.

President Duterte said he just want to be friendly with other countries including Asian neighbor China.

”I just want to be friendly with anybody. You do not constrain, do not restrain me from doing business with China,” he said.

The Filipino leader said he was sincere in seeking stronger alliance with China as well as with Russia, which he might also visit within this year.

”I believe in sincerity and I believe in the basic fundamentals of human sincerity,” Duterte, who said his grandfather is a Chinese, said.President Duterte said the Philippines should not be too constrained to follow the dictates of other countries.

Late last month, President Duterte said the joint US-Philippines military exercise that was held last October 7 was the last under his term.

The Philippines and the US signed Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951 and a Visiting Forces Agreement in 1998 that paved the way for the holding of annual joint military exercises or ‘Baliktan’ exercises.
President Duterte told the Beijing-based CCTV that the military exercises were ‘useless’ since the US brought their military equipment back to their country after the Baliktan exercises.

”During the military exercises, they allow us to use their equipment, their arms, their weaponry, their armaments but after the games, they get them back from us,” the President said.

”So if there is really an emergency or a sudden – with a flight of a finger – you want to assemble men, their computers, our armaments are simply not compatible. So what’s the use of going into these useless exercise when after all…” he added.

President Duterte said his pragmatic approach in establishing his own foreign policy is “the only way to move forward nowadays.”

Last Sunday, President Duterte left for Brunei for a three-day state visit and then proceeded to Beijing last Tuesday for his four-day state visit.

Next week, President Duterte is scheduled to visit Japan.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=932744

CA confirms appointments of 4 ambassadors, Executive, Defense secretaries to plenary

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 19): CA confirms appointments of 4 ambassadors, Executive, Defense secretaries to plenary

Four Philippine Ambassadors and two Cabinet Secretaries were confirmed for appointment by the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday.

These were Ambassadors to Malaysia, Charles Jose; to UK and Northern Island, Antonio Lagdameo; to Spain, Philippe Lhuiller; and to Qatar, Alan Timbayan.

Jose, who is also spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), has been with the agency for around 30 years.

Ambassador to Brunei, James Lao, however, was bypassed from his appointment after failing to provide answers to questions of some senators.

Also confirmed were Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. Medialdea was confirmed without oppositions and questions asked.

During the deliberation on Lorenzana’s confirmation, a number of senators questioned him on the issues within the agency.

One of the questions asked was whether there really was an intention to terminate the Philippine-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

President Rodrigo Duterte has previously threatened to break up ties with the US and would rather establish alliances with Russia and China. He also threatened to stop honoring the EDCA.

Lorenzana admitted that he “did not know” because the President has been issuing statements without consulting the Cabinet.

He was lauded for his honest answer.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=932633

CPP/NPA: AFP in a frenzied campaign to justify hostilities amid ceasefire

Propaganda statement posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines Website (Oct 18): AFP in a frenzied campaign to justify hostilities amid ceasefire

Ka Oris

Spokesperson

New People's Army

October 18, 2016

The New People’s Army (NPA) denounces the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for unleashing their psywar-expert publicists and trolls who are in a frenzied campaign to justify the hostile operations of the AFP in contempt of the indefinite ceasefire simultaneously declared by the GRP with the CPP.

Over the past week or so, AFP personnel have been doing the rounds of radio stations, newspapers, social media websites to defend and justify the hostile counter-insurgency operations being carried out under the AFP’s Oplan Bayanihan.

Such hostile acts include the deployment of armed soldiers in civilian communities which the AFP suspect to be supportive of the NPA. Armed teams of the AFP carry out psywar operations where local residents are forced to participate in assemblies at the risk of being tagged as NPA sympathizers. Under the guise of the Duterte regime’s anti-drug campaign, military units conduct seminars where they slander the NPA.

The AFP justifies the deployment of combat troops by insisting on serving as armed escorts of medical and dental missions or conducting their own “delivery of services” usurping the authority and initiative of civilian agencies such as the local government, local health officials and social workers.

These “delivery of services” are carried out by the AFP as part of its hostile Oplan Bayanihan operations. In doing so, the delivery of social services is being militarized by the AFP.

Combat troops of the AFP conduct intelligence operations in the hope of identifying leaders of local mass organizations and community leaders of the CPP. The presence of fully armed troops seek to taunt the people and establish their authority by force.

The NPA denounces the successive killing of peasant leaders Jaime Saipan and Joselito Pasaporte in Compostela Valley by militiamen under the command of the 10thID. In Sorsogon, alleged NPA leader Edwin Dematera and his companion Den dela Cruz were arrested while travelling in Magallanes, Sorsogon Cruz last October 4.

It is increasingly apparent that the GRP President Duterte has no control of the AFP as his orders to the soldiers to become friendly with the revolutionary forces are outrightly being disregarded.

Continuing hostilities directed against the NPA and revolutionary forces endanger the indefinite ceasefire.

The peasant masses in the areas being occupied by the AFP are increasingly restive over the failure of the Duterte regime to tame its soldiers. They want and end to the militarization of their communities. Indeed, many have been lining up to join the NPA to defend their rights.

We call on the Duterte regime to take immediate steps to correct the situation and ensure that all units of the AFP are pulled-out from their current forward deployment within the guerrilla zone of operations of the NPA and areas under the sway of the revolutionary forces.

http://www.cpp.ph/afp-frenzied-campaign-justify-hostilities-amid-ceasefire/