Maniolas

TEODORO LOCSIN JR. INQUIRER PHOTO TEODORO “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr. has been appointed as the Philippines’ permanent representative to the United Nations, a job he takes on that will require more than the acerbic and witty charm he has wielded as lawyer, politician and journalist because of President Duterte’s avowed disdain of the New York-based institution. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Sunday said the 67-year-old Locsin told him on Saturday night he had accepted the post as the Philippines’ top diplomat in the United Nations offered to him during a meeting with Mr. Duterte at Bahay Pangarap, the President’s official residence, in Malacañang. The UN post is currently occupied by Lourdes Yparraguirre, a career official at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Yparraguirre has been in the news lately after a migrant workers advocacy group asked the DFA to send a team to the Philippine mission in New York City to look into the alleged abusive behavior of the Philippine ambassador toward her household staff. The appointment of a new Philippine representative to the United Nations comes amid Mr. Duterte’s verbal feuds with UN officials, who have expressed concern over the increasing number of alleged drug suspects being killed in the country as a result of the Chief Executive’s war on illegal drugs. Mr. Duterte has slammed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his special rapporteurs on human rights. He has also threatened to withdraw the Philippines from the United Nations. Media, politics Locsin currently hosts shows for the ABS-CBN Read More …

Released Norwegian hostage Kjartan Sekkingstad carries a backpack as he boards a plane to take him to Davao city for an audience with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 on Jolo island, Sulu province in southern Philippines. (AP Photo/Nickee Butlangan) MANILA — Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Norway’s ambassador to the Philippines Erik Forner thanked President Duterte for Sekkingstad’s safe release from the Abu Sayyaf, with Forner acknowledging Duterte’s commitment as crucial to the resort manager’s release. Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Erik Forner  said, “The President’s personal commitment even before he took office has been crucial in solving this issue.” Forner also thanked Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza for his “tireless efforts.” “I would like to express my heartfelt thank you to the President, Secretary Dureza, (Moro National Liberation Front) chairman (Nur) Misuari and his finest men who released me yesterday afternoon, got me out of captivity,” Sekkingstad said on Sunday (Sept. 18). “Also the Norwegian Embassy, the Norwegian team. My Filipino family and my family in Norway. Everybody who has helped make this release possible.” “I am very happy to be alive and free. It’s a beautiful feeling.”  SFM Latest De Lima firm on snubbing House probe into NBP drug trade Ex-TV cameraman caught with shabu at QC checkpoint Racela: Jose capable of producing big numbers every game DQ foul ‘turning point’ in UE loss to FEU, says Pumaren Recommended Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which Read More …

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Malacañang on Sunday advised Filipinos in New York “to remain calm and vigilant” after an explosion in the crowded Chelsea neighborhood. “We are deeply saddened by the New York explosion that left scores injured in Chelsea district,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement. READ: New York blast ‘intentional’ but no terror link at this point Andanar said the Philippine Consulate General in New York was closely monitoring the situation. “As authorities begin to investigate, the Philippine Consulate General in New York continues to monitor the situation closely,” he said. New York City is home to thousands of Filipino migrants and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). “We advise Filipinos living in the area to remain calm and vigilant as we wait for further developments,” Andanar said. New York authorities said at least 29 people were injured in the explosion while the cause of the blast remains unknown. RAM/rga READ: 25 hurt in possible blast in New York – fire department Latest Officials bring aid to isolated Batanes island Aguirre: Gov’t exec to link De Lima to drug money in House probe Trucks to be banned from Skyway to improve safety Journalist Teddy Boy Locsin is new ambassador to UN 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.

THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) Parliament has called on the Philippine government to “put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings” of drug suspects. The EU Parliament has also directed the EU delegation in the Philippines and the embassies of 28 European countries here to monitor rights abuses following President Duterte’s declaration of a “state of national emergency on account of lawlessness” on Sept. 3. READ: Duterte declares ‘state of lawlessness’ Mr. Duterte placed the entire Philippines under a state of national emergency after a bomb ripped through a night market in his hometown of Davao City late on Sept. 2, killing 15 people and injuring 67 others. In a five-page resolution passed on Thursday, the EU lawmakers expressed concern over the extraordinarily high number of drug suspects killed by police and vigilantes in the Philippines since Mr. Duterte launched a crackdown on the illegal drug trade upon taking office on June 30. EU members include highly developed Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal and Finland. More than 3,000 killed More than 3,000 people have been killed by police and vigilantes in the Philippines since Mr. Duterte launched his brutal war on drugs. Without directly blaming the government, EU lawmakers said they believed Mr. Duterte’s incendiary public statements encouraged mass murders involving drug traffickers and users. “President Duterte repeatedly urged law enforcement agencies and the public to kill suspected drug traffickers who did not surrender, as well as drug users,” the EU lawmakers said. Read More …

CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, Gamu, Isabela—President Duterte told the soldiers here to brace themselves for a long fight ahead against the Abu Sayyaf and other terrorists seeking to establish a radical Islamic caliphate in Southeast Asia. Addressing the troops at Camp Melchor dela Cruz, Mr. Duterte said that unlike other Moro rebels, the Abu Sayyaf was not hungry for autonomy or independence for Mindanao. “They are hungry for a fight to establish a caliphate in Southeast Asia. A caliphate is a kingdom for the Muslims,” Mr. Duterte said. He mentioned this as he spoke of pursuing peace talks with the communist and Moro rebels. The President said the problem with the Abu Sayyaf was that it would not talk with the government on what it could give to them, like schools. “It’s either the caliphate or nothing,” he said. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front was willing to talk, but he said Moro National Liberation Front founder Nur Misuari was “ambivalent.” “In my view, Nur will not commit now. He’s consolidating the forces, but he has lost control of the young men of the Moro generation, the Abu Sayyaf,” Mr. Duterte said. The President said the soldiers would have to “reinvent themselves into intelligence agents, ones who are trained in profiling,” so they could stop the Abu Sayyaf from carrying out terrorism, including attacks on urban areas. “They won’t be content with bombings in Davao. So it’s a long fight ahead,” he said. A deadly blast ripped a popular night market Read More …