Maniolas

Despite the bloody clash between government troops with Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters and other armed groups in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao last January 25, Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende assured Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario that Norway remains fully committed to the peace process in Mindanao. In a press statement on Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Brende expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in the Mamasapano clash, which left 44 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force troopers and 18 MILF fighters dead. The DFA said Brende expressed hopes that the pursuit of peace in Mindanao would continue despite the recent tragedy. For his part, Del Rosario thanked Brende for expressing sympathy to the victims of the Mamasapano bloodbath. The DFA chief also expressed appreciation for Norway’s role in the International Monitoring Team (IMT). Norway is a member of the IMT for the Philippine Government-MILF peace talks and sits as vice-chair of the Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB) in charge of the decommissioning process of the MILF forces and arms. It is also the third-party facilitator for the peace talks between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front. Del Rosario assured the Norweigan official that the Philippines will continue its efforts to fully implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, while “being fully committed to finding justice for the slain police officers.” Maritime sector Meanwhile, Del Rosario also relayed the government’s appreciation for Norway’s technical assistance in ensuring the Read More …

The Philippine government is standing firm on diplomacy despite a US military official’s statement that China is preparing to use military force in disputed areas in the South China Sea. At a press briefing on Friday, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Philippines is determined to settle its territorial dispute with China through international arbitration. “Hindi natitinag ang posisyon ng ating pamahalaan hinggil sa pangangailangan na pairalin ang isang rules-based approach sa pagharap sa mga usapin sa West Philippine Sea o South China Sea,” Coloma told reporters in Malacañang. The Palace official was reacting to a statement made by US Navy Captain James Fanell, the outgoing intelligence chief of the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet, that China “has been and continues to prepare to use military force” in the South China Sea. The Philippines and China have been engaged in a territorial dispute over parts of the South China Sea , which Manila calls the “West Philippine Sea,” over the past years. The Philippines claims that the disputed territories are part of its exclusive economic zone under the international law. China, meanwhile, is asserting its historical claim over the area through the “nine-dash line.” Last year, the Philippines brought its territorial dispute with China before the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. Beijing, however, has rejected the arbitration proceedings, repeatedly insisting on bilateral talks to settle to issue.  Coloma further said that the Philippines will continue to push a code of conduct with China and other Southeast Asian countries to resolve Read More …

Two associate justices may have opined that President Benigno Aquino III should answer for the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), but Malacañang said Friday that the majority ruling did not impute liability on anyone for the controversial spending mechanism. “The government maintains that any interpretation regarding the DAP should be based solely on the main decision of the Supreme Court (SC),” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement. He added that the SC’s modified ruling on the DAP stated that “authors are presumed to have acted in good faith.” Earlier this month, the high court partially granted the executive’s motion for its earlier DAP ruling, which struck certain acts under the spending mechanism as unconstitutional. In its modified decision, the SC allowed “the funding of projects, activities and programs that were not covered by any appropriation in the General Appropriations Act.” Aside from this, the high court also said that only the DAP’s authors, not the proponents and implementors of the projects, could possibly be held liable for unconstitutional acts. The majority ruling did not identify who the DAP’s authors were. In their concurring opinions to the DAP ruling,  Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Arturo Brion however said that Aquino and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad should be held liable for economic stimulus program. Quoting Abad, Coloma further said SC “upheld the application of the doctrine of operative fact, which re-states presumptions of good faith and regularity.” The doctrine of operative fact would dictate that all the plans and projects Read More …

(Updated 10:32 a.m.) The Senate investigation on the deadly Mamasapano encounter that took the lives of 44 elite cops has started on Monday morning.  Former Philippine National Police chief General Alan Purisima, and at least four cabinet officials attended the hearing.  The Senate hearing was led by the committee on public order and dangerous drugs, chaired by Senator Grace Poe.  In her opening statement, Senator Poe said that the resource persons should answer the hanging questions on command and control issues, combat operations and intelligence, training of police forces, and equipage of forces.  “In the assumption that there was good intelligence…. why did the PNP employ a small number of forces?” the neophyte senator said. “Were our police troops equipped with appropriate weapons and other equipment needed for such kind of operations?” she added.  Poe also challenged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s sincerity to achieve peace. “I believe the MILF should commit to specify time frame to clear the area of BIFF forces together with government forces.” Present at the hearing  Among the resource persons present at the hearing were:  Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II Secretary Teresita Deles, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Justice Secretary Leila De Lima Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, peace panel chairman ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman PNP OIC Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin Justice Secretary Leila De Lima Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr.  Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of 6th Read More …