Maniolas

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, and his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang stand on a podium as Vietnamese sailors from an honor guard parade during a welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace in Hanoi Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. (Hoang Dinh Nam/Pool Photo via AP) HANOI—The Philippines and Vietnam will establish a six-year action plan to boost their bilateral exchanges, including law enforcement activities to fight transnational crime and the illegal drug trade. The two countries committed to increase the exchange of people-to-people, high level and other visits, uphold bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and implement agreements they signed. The joint statement of the Philippines and Vietnam was issued on account of President Duterte’s two-day official visit, during which he met state president Tran Dai Quang and other top officials. Among the highlights of the statement was the commitment to intensify defense and law enforcement cooperation against transnational crime and the trade and trafficking of drugs in Southeast Asia. The two countries will be sharing expertise, experience and intelligence information in boosting its law enforcement cooperation. READ: PH, Vietnam reaffirm maritime, security cooperation in Duterte visit “On the various aspects of bilateral exchanges, the two Presidents agreed to establish a six-year Action Plan (2017-2022) to guide the implementation of activities in the areas of common interest under this new level of relations,” part of the statement read. The two countries will implement their signed agreements particularly the 9th Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation at Foreign Minister level to be held in the Philippines Read More …

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, reviews a guard of honor with his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. Duterte js on his first visit to Vietnam. (AP Photo/Minh Hoang, Pool) DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he and Vietnamese President Trần Đại Quang had agreed to adopt a joint measure aimed at ensuring maritime security, particularly in the disputed South China Sea. “We reaffirm commitment to maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and over flight as well as unimpeded commerce in the region, particularly in the South China Sea,” Duterte said in his arrival speech at the Davao International Airport here after his state visit to Vietnam. READ: PH, Vietnam seen to review defense cooperation in Duterte visit He said that he and  Trần, during their meeting in Hanoi, also agreed to “strengthen existing maritime cooperation mechanisms” and “adopt measures to ensure the safety and security of fishermen from both countries.” China has been accused of bullying fishermen from its smaller Asian neighbors such as the Philippines and Vietnam, who venture into the disputed territories. Despite reports of China’s bullying and its perceived threats to other claimants, Duterte said he and Trần agreed that there should be “a peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, self-restraint in the conduct of activities without resorting to a threat or use of force in accordance Read More …

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC Filipinos won’t just sit down and allow others to give them a beating. A day after President Rodrigo Duterte invited the United Nations and the European Union to probe the alleged human rights violations in his war against illegal drugs, Malacañang on Friday said the two international bodies should also expect punches from the President. “It’s not a one way ticket to the flu; kasi dapat may return ticket iyan (there should be a return ticket). Hindi naman tayo magpapabugbog na lamang (We won’t allow others to just give us a beating),” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview over radio DZMM. “Malinaw din ang sinabi ng Pangulo na pagkatapos nilang mag-imbestiga, pagkatapos nilang magtanung, si Presidente naman ang magtatanong sa kanila (The President made it clear that after they investigate, he will also ask questions to them),” he added. Amid Duterte’s invitation, Andanar said other countries should respect Philippine sovereignty. “We are a sovereign country, respect our sovereignty, the way we respect your sovereignty. Hindi naman tayo nakikialam sa mga internal affairs ng ibang bansa. Kailan ba nakialam ang Pilipinas sa European Union o doon sa Amerika o sa ibang bansa? Hindi naman tayo nakikialam eh (We never meddle in the internal affairs of other countries. When did the Philippines interfere with the European Union, the United States or other nations? We never interfere), we simply mind our own business,” he said. On Thursday, Duterte invited UN’s chief Ban Ki-Moon and Read More …

From left to right Lorence Koten, Emmanuel Arakian, Defense Minister Ryan Mizard Ryan Cudu, Lt. Gen. Mayoralgo dela Cruz and Teo Doros Kofong in a posterity photo. (PHOTO BY JULIE ALIPALA/ INQUIRER MINDANAO/ PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER) JAKARTA—Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto has called on the public to stop speculating about possible payments by the government or other parties to secure the release of Indonesian hostages in the Philippines. He said the captives’ release and their safety were of utmost priority. Following the sailors’ release, Philippine website philstar.com cited an unnamed security source as saying the captives had been set free by the Abu Sayyaf militant group after the payment of an unspecified ransom. READ: Abu Sayyaf frees 3 Indonesian hostages — MNLF “The important thing is that the sailors are now free. We don’t have to further argue about or question [the ransom payment]. Are we going to keep debating or [welcoming] their release?” Wiranto asked. Following the handover of the hostages from the Philippine military to Indonesian officials in Zamboanga, the three Indonesian sailors had been flown to Manila for medical check-ups and to complete some paperwork, under the protection of the Indonesian Embassy in Manila, Wiranto said. He added that he could not yet say for sure when they would fly home since the sailors had to first complete all the required procedures in the Philippines. Theodorus Kopong Koten, Lorens Koten and Emmanuel, the three Indonesian sailors who were on board a Malaysian-flagged fishing boat Read More …

The European Union (EU) Parliament in Brussels has directed  its delegation in the Philippines and embassies of 28 member states to monitor rights abuses in line with  state of lawlessness declared by the Duterte administration and called on the government  “ to put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings” of drug suspects. In a five-page resolution, the European lawmakers raised concern on the extraordinarily high numbers killed during police operations and by vigilante groups. READ: Yasay: Don’t lecture us on human rights EU members include highly developed countries, among them Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal and Finland. With no direct blame to the government, EU lawmakers believe that public statements of President Rodrigo Duterte on war on drugs aggravate the mass murders of drug suspects both by police and vigilante groups, now reaching more than 3,000. READ: THE KILL LIST “President Duterte repeatedly urged law enforcement agencies and the public to kill suspected drug traffickers who did not surrender, as well as drug users,” said the EU resolution issued on September 15. It added that “President Duterte publicly stated he would not pursue law enforcement officers and citizens who killed drug dealers who resisted arrest.” The EU Parliament adopted the resolution addressing the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines based on Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) signed by EU and the Philippines in 2014 to advance engagement on political, trade, security, environment and human rights issues. The agreement commits the Philippines to uphold Read More …