Maniolas

President Rodrigo Duterte reviews an honor guard with his Vietnamese counterpart Tran Dai Quang during a welcome ceremony at the presidential palace in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Sept. 29. AP The White House is “smart enough” to weigh on the verbal attacks of President Rodrigo Duterte against the United States, a businessman and economic expert said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Duterte launched fresh tirades against US President Barack Obama, saying he could “go to hell.” “It’s his manner of speaking, right? It’s his expressionism. He doesn’t mean for Obama to go to hell, right? It’s just the way he talks, right?” Peter Wallace told reporters in a Palace briefing. READ: Duterte to Obama: Go to hell! “I’m not sure that the foreign community will ever be able to understand it but I think people in the US government will, right? I think the people in the White House are smart enough to know that what he’s saying is not what he intends,” he added. Wallace, an Inquirer columnist, believes Duterte only wanted an “equal partnership” with its allies. “I don’t see him as trying to divorce himself from America. That would make no sense, right? He’s just trying to establish an equal partnership and that’s a different thing,” he said. READ: Action, not words The businessman said the public should not take Duterte’s words literally. “The way he talks is not the way in which he thinks,” he said. Wallace said the President only wanted to be “a truly independent country.” “He’s Read More …

A view of the new international airport terminal outside Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 17. AP ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan—The capital of Turkmenistan, a country largely closed to outsiders, has opened a $2.3 billion terminal at its international airport in the shape of a flying falcon. The terminal, whose roof in profile resembles a bird with spread wings, adds to Ashgabat’s vast array of idiosyncratic buildings. The terminal that officially opened on Saturday is designed to process at least 1,600 passengers every hour. Strict visa regulations in Turkmenistan mean relatively small numbers of tourists and businessmen ever visit the isolated, energy-rich Central Asian nation. In 2013, the Guinness World Records recognized Ashgabat as having the greatest density of marble-clad buildings—estimated at more than 540. Many official buildings are noteworthy for literal or eccentric designs. The state publishing house, for example, is in the shape of a book. Latest Ochea nails game-winner as Adamson stuns Ateneo Perasol rues UP’s inability to close out games amid 0-3 start Repatriation of Libya workers lifted; deployment still banned–DFA Death toll rises to 15 after typhoon lashes China, Taiwan Recommended Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER View Comments For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.

Philippine permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva Cecilia Rebong said President Rodrigo Duterte had never empowered police authorities to “shoot to kill” any individual suspected of drug crimes after the UN high commissioner for human rights criticized the rising summary killings in the Philippines, which is backed by the administration’s war on drugs. READ: Duterte urges public to kill drug dealers The Department of Foreign Affairs said Ambassador Rebong delivered the Philippine statement on Wednesday at the second day of 33rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council in response to the speech of UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. She said the Philippine leader’s marching order to police was that they have the right to defend themselves when their lives are endangered when drug suspects violently resist arrest. READ: UN hits Duterte for ‘lack of understanding’ of human rights bodies Rebong emphasized that the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs had the overwhelming support of the Filipino public. She said the war on drugs was “being waged under the leadership and direction of President Rodrigo Duterte, with a firm adherence to the rule of law, due process, and human rights principles.” Rebong also said the anti-illegal drug war was unparalleled in Philippine history for its level of tenacity. “The Chief Executive, in his inaugural speech, affirmed in no vague language his respect for human rights and the rule of law,” said Rebong in his speech before delegates at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Read More …

President Rodrigo Duterte addresses delegates of the Asean Business and Investment Summit, a parallel summit in the ongoing 28th and 29th Asean summits and other related summits on Sept. 6 in Vientiane, Laos. AP VIENTIANE—Perfect. This was how President Rodrigo Duterte described his inaugural attendance as the Philippines’ head of state at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit here, which ended on Thursday. The President answered questions from the media as he was entering the main hall of the National Convention Center for the closing ceremony of the three-day conference. “Perfect,” Mr. Duterte briefly replied about his debut in the regional bloc’s annual conference. “Good,” he said when asked regarding his condition. The 71-year-old Chief Executive failed to attend the Asean leaders’ meeting with the United States and India in the morning. Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza said the President was not feeling well. Latest Obama: Arbitral ruling should help clarify South China Sea claims 169 gov’t execs in Cagayan surrender to police, admit drug ties Mapua eliminates EAC in heated affair American traders:  Duterte words, drug slays may harm PH-US ties Recommended Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER View Comments For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.

Associated Press November 21st, 2015 10:08 PM President Barack Obama waits for the media to leave after he spoke at a US-Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Nov. 21. Obama is in Malaysia where he joins leaders from Southeast Asia to discuss trade and economic issues, and terrorism and disputes over the South China Sea. AP KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Ten Southeast Asian heads of state and nine world leaders, including President Barack Obama, are meeting in Malaysia to discuss trade and economic issues. Terrorism and disputes over the South China Sea are also on the agenda. (All times local.) 9:30 p.m. The United States and Southeast Asian nations have pressed their call for freedom of navigation and overflight in the disputed South China Sea, in a veiled rebuke to China. China has come under heavy criticism for recently transforming disputed reefs into islands in aggressive actions that have set off alarms in the region. Following an annual regional summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday, the US and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations also pressed for the peaceful resolution of the territorial conflicts “without resorting to the threat or use of force.” This is standard language that Washington and its allies have used against China’s increasingly assertive stance in the disputed waters. The joint US-Asean statement, however, did not mention China by name. 9:15 p.m. President Barack Obama has met with Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong of Laos on the sidelines of a regional summit in Read More …