Maniolas

A former ranking police official on Saturday denied President Rodrigo Duterte’s new allegation against him that he was involved in drug operations in several regions. “FYI (for your information), I was never assigned to Regions 1, 2, 3, and 4 or to any juicy position or command that deals with anti-drug operations from graduation in 1982 until my assignment with Regional Anti-Narcotics Unit 7 (RANU7) based in Cebu for two years from 2000 and 2001 only,” former police chief superintendent and now Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Vicente Loot said in a statement. The statement came after Duterte, during his visit at at the headquarters of the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division in Gamu, Isabela, mentioned that Loot’s name is “all over” the final report on the alleged involvement of government officials in illegal drugs. “Kagaya si Loot sa Region 1 nandiyan ang pangalan niya. General Loot nandyan sa Region 2, Region 3, Region 4. What does that mean? Whenever he was assigned he was into drugs, that is what it means,” the President said. Loot said that since 2007 until July 2015, he no longer held command positions that conducts anti- drugs or anti-criminality operations. “The last 7 years of my career was spent purely on units of admin positions and functions and none of any anti-criminality operations, hence, I cannot promise any drug personality of any protection because I don’t command any unit involved in anti criminality operations much more with drugs,” he said. “I was just unfortunate to have 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 …

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Abu Sayyaf spokesperson Abu Ramie said Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad was readied for release since Friday night. Ramie said they were just waiting for the delivery of the P30-million ransom in exchange for Sekkingstad’s freedom. READ: Duterte spills secret: P50M paid to Abu Sayyaf Sekkingstad was one of the four people the Abu Sayyaf abducted from a marina on Samal Island in Davao del Norte. Two of his companions, Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall were beheaded separately. BACKSTORY: Abu Sayyaf: We are going to behead Norwegian hostage Hall’s Filipino girlfriend, Marites Flor was also freed in June. Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte said P50 million had already been paid for the Norwegian’s release but the Abu Sayyaf held on to him. Latest Shadow of ‘O.J. Simpson’ looms large at Emmys Self-Driving Uber officially hits the road in Pittsburgh Russia says UN meeting cancelled over US objections Daredevil successfully powers rocket over Snake River Canyon 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.

NO TO US BASES Riot cops block anti-US protesters. Marianne Bermudez The Philippines is committed to its security alliance with the United States, but objects to being lectured on human rights and being treated like “a little brown brother,” Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said in Washington on Thursday. READ: Yasay: PH ‘can’t forever be little brown brothers of America’ Speaking at a security think thank, Yasay insisted that some of President Duterte’s recent remarks had been misunderstood, straining relations with the United States, the country’s main security ally. He said the President had already explained that his call for the withdrawal of US special forces from Mindanao was only a temporary measure to keep them out of harm’s way while Filipino forces undertook an offensive against Abu Sayyaf bandits holding several foreign hostages. Mr. Duterte’s opposition to joint maritime patrols with the Americans concerned the Philippines’ “exclusive economic zone,”  and not joint patrols within 22.3 kilometers of its coast, Yasay said. The joint patrols, aimed at preserving the territorial integrity of the Philippines, “must continue, because this is our commitment to the United States,” Yasay said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank. Human rights “I am asking our American friends, American leaders, to look at our aspirations,” he said. “We cannot forever be the little brown brothers of America …. We have to develop, we have to grow and become the big brother of our own people. At the same time, Yasay rejected criticism of Read More …

Ambassador Mario de Leon giving opening remarks at the New York forum on the US presidential election. CONTRIBUTED NEW YORK CITY – Noted Filipino Americans representing the Democratic and Republican parties shared their personal views and insights on their candidates’ advocacies and political platforms at a forum on the US presidential election. “US Presidential Elections Forum: What’s in it for me?” was hosted by the Fil-Am Press Club New York led by Ricky Rillera co-organized in cooperation with the program informs candidates on issues affecting the Filipino community while promoting Filipino American participation in US and Philippine elections. Jason Tengco, representing Hillary Clinton, answers a question about Clinton’s email problem. CONTRIBUTED Loida Nicolas-Lewis and Jason Tengco represented the Democratic Party, pushing for Hillary Clinton, while former Rep. Jeffrey Coleman (GOP-PA) and Matthew Alonsozana represented the Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Attorney Carol Tanjutco of the Fil-Am Press Club moderated. Consul General Mario De Leon remarked: “There are 5.9 million Asian Americans who are registered voters in the US. In the 2012 presidential elections, Filipino Americans emerged as the sixth largest voting population by ethnicity and in 2008 and 2012, Filipino Americans helped President Obama get elected.” Members of the Fil-Am Press Club New York with Ambassador de Leon and speakers. CONTRIBUTED De Leon added: “Filipino Americans should be educated on the elections as an informed community is an empowered community.” A sizeable crowd, which included Councilman Jonathan Wong of Mahwah, New Jersey, members of the Filipino American Lawyers Association of New Read More …