Maniolas

“FOLLOW your own laws, I will not interfere.” That’s what President Duterte told Indonesian President Joko Widodo when the two leaders discussed on Friday the case of Mary Jane Veloso, according to presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella. Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said in a statement that Veloso’s execution had been “indefinitely deferred.” In a hastily called news conference on Monday, Abella talked about news reports that Mr. Duterte, during his 24-hour stop in Jakarta en route home from the Asean summit in Laos, had given the go-ahead for the execution of Veloso, who was sentenced to death for allegedly smuggling 2.6 kilograms of heroin in April 2010 in Indonesia. The execution, handed down by an Indonesian court six months later, has been postponed upon intercession by Philippine authorities who wanted her to testify against her Filipino recruiter in jail in the Philippines. “The President just informed us of his actual statement and the conversation with President Widodo went like this: He said, ‘Regarding Mary Jane Veloso, follow your own laws. I will not interfere,’” Abella told reporters. Asked if the President’s remarks were tantamount to agreeing to Veloso’s execution, Abella said he did not want to make any interpretation of Mr. Duterte’s conversation with Widodo. ‘No endorsement’ “There was no categorical statement, there was no endorsement. He simply said ‘follow your own laws,’” Abella said. As to whether Mr. Duterte had sought clemency for Veloso, Abella said: “We’re not privy to those matters.” “Basically this is a clarification of the Read More …

MASSACRE OF MOROS President Duterte shows photos of the Bud Dajo Massacre of Moro people, which involved American soldiers on a counterinsurgency mission in Jolo in 1906, in questioning US criticisms of his current campaign against illegal drugs, especially extrajudicial killings. He spoke after his new appointees took their oaths of office. JOAN BONDOC PRESIDENT Duterte said on Monday he wanted U.S. forces out of his country’s south and blamed America for the restiveness of Muslim militants in the region, marking the first time he publicly opposed the presence of American troops in the country. Duterte has had an uneasy relationship with the U.S. since becoming president in June and has been openly critical of American security policies. As a candidate, he declared he would chart a foreign policy that would not depend on America, his country’s treaty ally. The U.S. military in 2002 deployed troops to train, advise and provide intelligence and weapons to Filipino troops battling the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Philippines. When the American forces withdrew in February last year, U.S. officials said a smaller contingent of U.S. military advisers would stay. Details of the current U.S. military presence in the south were not immediately available. Duterte did not mention any deadline or say how he intends to pursue his wishes. The U.S. Embassy did not immediately issue any reaction. In opposing the U.S. military presence in the southern Mindanao region, Duterte cited the killings of Muslim Filipinos during a U.S. pacification campaign in Read More …

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte joins other heads of states during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Vientiane, Laos on September 6. KING RODRIGUEZ/PPD LEADERS of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) reached out to dialogue partners in East Asia to intensify fight against human trafficking mostly people displaced by natural disasters including the Philippines. At the East Asian Summit (EAS) held in Laos, the leaders said natural disasters and conflict push people to become vulnerable to trafficking, abuse and other forms of exploitation. In particular,  EAS leaders  “noted the increase in the irregular movement of persons” and their concern for victims of trafficking facing  unique barriers such as accessing help during a crisis, such as language barriers, isolation from social support, restrictions on mobility as well as lack of access to documentation and consular services. The US Department of State has identified the Philippines as a source, transit and destination of victims of human trafficking. Last July, the US upgraded the Philippines to Tier 1 as it has become fully compliant to the global standards on measures to prevent trafficking in persons. The US issues annual reports on country situation  with tier placements signifying level of compliance with the US Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000.  Tier 1 (full compliance), Tier 2 (no full compliance but making significant efforts to comply with standards), Tier 2 Watchlist (no full compliance and absolute number of victims increasing), and Tier 3 (no full compliance, Read More …

Mary Jane Veloso. AP FILE PHOTO “Heartbreaking” was how Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan described on Monday President Rodrigo Duterte’s reported statements allowing the execution of convicted Filipino drug trafficker Mary Jane Veloso. Media reports have quoted Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as saying that Duterte had given the green light for the execution of Veloso, who was arrested at Adisucipto Airport in Yogyakarta in April 2010 for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin. “President Duterte has given the go-ahead to proceed with the execution,” Widodo reportedly said. “I have explained to [Duterte] about Mary Jane’s situation and I told him that Mary Jane [has been found guilty] for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin. I also told him about the delay in the execution during the meeting,” the Indonesian leader added. READ: Duterte okayed Mary Jane’s execution, says Indonesian presidentSought for comment, Pangilinan said in a text message: “This is heartbreaking. I am at a loss for words to describe how it has come to this.” If the report was indeed true, Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said it would convey a “stronger” message on the Duterte administration’s fight against illegal drugs. “Perhaps the Indonesian government thinks that PDU30 (President Duterte) no longer interposes any objection having been apprised with the situation by the Indonesian President, but that is only if the report is accurate and not taken out of context,” Sotto said in a separate text message. But Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto expressed doubts Duterte would allow Veloso’s execution. “The President would Read More …

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin AndanarINQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC THE SEPT. 11, 2001, terror attack on the United States has made Filipinos realize that combatting terrorism should be a shared responsibility of the government and its citizens, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said on Sunday. “This is a reminder that all of us are facing a faceless enemy, the terrorists,” Andanar said in an interview over dzRB state radio. “And we should all be one in battling this. We should all be helping each other.” He said every Filipino should take on the responsibility of helping the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police in putting an end to the activities of the Abu Sayyaf and other local terror groups. Andanar said it was unfortunate that the unimaginable 9/11 incident, which killed nearly 3,000 people 15 years ago, had “opened a Pandora’s box in terrorism.” “As a matter fact, it developed into something even worse. We now see extremists like IS. Even the Abu Sayyaf became stronger [after 9/11],” he said. Most notorious The Abu Sayyaf has been described as the most notorious local terrorist organization. It has allied itself with the late international terror chief Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network, the regional terror group Jemaah Islamiyah and recently with the sadistic Islamic State. The group has denied involvement in the Sept. 2 bomb attack in Davao City that killed 14 people and wounded 67 others. President Duterte has vowed to exact revenge on those behind the bombing in Read More …