Maniolas

Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte, center left, waves with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo during their visit at Tanah Abang Market on the sidelines of their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. Duterte is currently on a two-day visit to the country. AP JAKARTA—President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he spoke on Thursday about American human rights violations in the Philippines because colonizers who killed many Filipinos were now raising human rights concerns with him. US President Barack Obama was among several world leaders who listened to Mr. Duterte’s brief speech at the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Thursday. Obama earlier canceled a meeting with Mr. Duterte after the Philippine leader called him a “son of a bitch” and warned him not to discuss the deaths of thousands of suspects in the Philippine campaign against illegal drugs. Speaking to a group of Filipinos at Shangri-La Jakarta hotel during a visit to Indonesia on Friday, Mr. Duterte said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s raising the human rights issue in passing in a speech at the East Asia Summit made him ditch his prepared speech and make remarks about American human rights violations in Mindanao during colonial times. READ: Duterte: Obama, Ban mum when I raised killings during PH-US war “It’s an illegitimate statement. But me, because of the pressure to stop it, I said since human rights was mentioned, I produced a few pages with pictures in the pacification campaign by the Americans at the turn of the Read More …

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, left, glances at Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, right, at the start of 11th East Asia Summit on the last day of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and other related summits at the National Convention Center Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016 in Vientiane, Laos. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) member states to ratify the Paris Agreement on Climate Change within the year to bring it closer to force. Speaking at the Asean-UN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, Ban said that of the 10 Asean members, only Laos had ratified the Paris Agreement which relates mainly to efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigate a disastrous rise in world temperatures in the coming years. The Philippines was represented at the meeting by Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. in place of President Duterte. It was one of the mini summits taking place around the main Asean summit. Aside from the Philippines and Laos, the Asean includes Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. So far, 27 countries—together responsible for about 39 percent of global GHG emissions—have ratified the Paris Agreement. “We need 28 more countries to ratify, accounting for a further 16 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, to bring this agreement into force,” Ban said in his opening remarks. “If nine more Asean countries ratify, we will have just 19 more countries to go. I am counting on your leadership,” he told Read More …

JAKARTA, Indonesia—Convicted drug mule Mary Jane Veloso is “anxiously” awaiting President Duterte’s meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday at the Istana Merdeka in central Jakarta. Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Ma. Lumen B. Isleta said Veloso is “OK.” “My consul has gotten in touch with her… I can understand she’s [feeling] anxious about the visit of the President,” she said. She said the embassy could not squeeze in a meeting between the President and Veloso during his 24-hour visit to Indonesia because the convict’s prison is an hour’s flight away from here. Mr. Duterte is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Widodo and a state dinner later today after delivering a speech to the Filipino community at the Shangri-La Hotel. In an interview with reporters at the Philippine embassy, Isleta said “we’re always hopeful” that Veloso would finally get out of Indonesia’s death row. “There is always hope. And, of course, the President can convey the country’s appreciation and gratitude for the last-minute reprieve which is only temporary and not permanent,” said Isleta, who noted that Indonesia had never granted a full pardon to a death convict. Veloso was found guilty of drug smuggling and was temporarily spared  from the firing squad at the last minute by Widodo in April last year. Mr. Duterte said he would appeal for Veloso’s life “in a most respectful and courteous way” but he would not begrudge Widodo should he reject his personal appeal for mercy. Victim of recruiter Isleta said the Read More …

VIENTIANE—Why not rename it Office of Disinformation and Miscommunication? As if the controversy stemming from President Rodrigo Duterte’s verbal assaults on two world leaders was not enough, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) committed another diplomatic faux pas at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit here. The PCO, headed by Secretary Martin Andanar, on Wednesday issued a press release claiming Mr. Duterte would be seated between US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during the evening gala dinner. “Presidents Duterte and Obama will be seated next to each other, which expectedly, will focus all cameras on them to deliver to the world the encounter of the two,” the statement read.   READ: Duterte to sit beside Obama, Ban Ki-moon at Asean gala dinner “Incidentally, (Ban) is also seated on the other side of President Duterte,” it added. “The media from all over the world, including from the Philippines, are up in excitement as each await the event where the two leaders will possibly say something positive after the two nations mutually agreed to move the scheduled bilateral meeting to a later date.”    Disappointment But the “excitement” over the supposed meeting of Mr. Duterte with Obama and Ban quickly dissipated and turned into disappointment as the three were seated separately during the gathering at the National Convention Center. The press statement issued by Andanar’s office proved to be a bum steer, or “kuryente” in journalism parlance. The President, who wore a maroon traditional Laotian garb, was Read More …

The police detained seven Chinese nationals (four seen in this photo) after a raid at a piggery farm led to a suspected shabu laboratory beneath a feeds warehouse in Barangay Balitucan in Magalang, Pampanga. Police discovered the facility on Wednesday (Sept. 7). PHOTO BY TONETTE T. OREJAS/INQUIRER CENTRAL LUZON CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga —  As much as 468 grams of methamphetamine, 20 kilograms of suspected ephedrine, and assorted equipment used in the manufacture of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), were recovered from seven Chinese nationals who were arrested in a Sept. 7 raid on an underground laboratory in a Pampanga town. Alvin Wang, Philip Chang, Wang Shi Yu, Lieu Wang, Susan Wang, Xia Po Chang and Sonny At from Xiamen in China were caught at the piggery farm in Magalang town, where the laboratory was concealed beneath a feed mill that doubled as a warehouse. They face charges for manufacturing and for possessing narcotics. The laboratory could produce up to 100 kilograms of shabu weekly. Entrance to the underground laboratory was hidden by a large wooden chest. The piggery in Balitucan village started operations two years ago and the warehouse was built four months ago, according to village chief Marcial Alfaro. The piggery is accessible via Nueva Ecija and the North Luzon Expressway. PDEA National Capital Region Director Wilkins Villanueva said the Magalang facility are part of a network of five shabu laboratories in Luzon. Five minors found in the piggery were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.SFM Latest Read More …