Maniolas

MANILA, Philippines–Japan has no intention of waging war under its new security policy that will see its military defend the country and its allies if they are under attack. Tetsuro Amano, Japanese deputy chief of mission and consul general in Manila, gave that assurance following the reinterpretation by the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan’s pacifist Constitution that expanded the role of the Japanese military. Last week, Japan’s Cabinet approved a resolution that allowed the country to exercise its right to collective self-defense, a move that has given a broader role for the Self-Defense Forces (SDF). In essence, the resolution allows the SDF to help allies like the Philippines and the United States even if Japan itself is not under attack. It came amid tensions between Japan and China over a territorial dispute in the East China Sea, where both countries claim a group of uninhabited islands called Senkakus by the Japanese and Diaoyus by the Chinese. “We do not want to wage any war,” Amano said, stressing that Tokyo actually aims to help keep the peace in the region under its new security policy. Philippine support In a talk with the Inquirer last week, Amano was thankful to the Aquino administration’s continued statements of support for Japan’s new security policy. It was during Abe’s meeting with President Aquino in Tokyo last week that the Japanese government announced the new security policy. Malacañang said it would support any action that would move toward promoting peace in the region. Read More …

Months after accusing Misamis Occidental Rep. Jorge Almonte of sitting on the Freedom of Information bill, DIWA party-list Rep. Emmeline Aglipay commended her colleague Sunday for “greatly improved performance” as chairman of the House public information committee even though the deliberations on the proposal are still moving at a snail’s pace. Aglipay said at a youth forum on the FOI bill that she’s happy with Almonte’s performance as committee chair in recent months because he has become amenable to holding technical working group (TWG) meetings on a frequent basis. “I used to call him the biggest hurdle to the passage of FOI bill but it’s a different story now… The fact that we’ve been holding TWG meetings regularly, I think that’s a very positive development. I commend the chairperson for that,” she said. Last January, Aglipay criticized Almonte for failing to set meetings for the consolidation of the various FOI bills filed at the 16th Congress. The TWG needs to consolidate at least 24 FOI bills. In October last year, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat offered to chair the TWG in case Almonte was too busy, but Almonte insisted he can handle the TWG himself. The TWG met for the first time on February 6. It has yet to come up with a consolidated version of the FOI bill. Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat said the group recently finished discussing the contentious provisions in Section 7 of the proposed consolidated FOI measure, which list the exemptions to the public access of information. Read More …

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the families of those who died in the G.V. Florida bus crash last February, and the crash survivors will engage in a dialogue this week on the Court of Appeals’ decision to lift the six-month suspension that the LTFRB imposed on the bus line. “We are expecting a dialogue with them this week,” Lei Jimenez, widow of comedian Tado Jimenez, told GMA News Online in a phone interview on Sunday. Tado Jimenez was one of the 14 people who were killed in the crash. The talk will also include the board’s move to elevate its appeal to the Supreme Court, she noted. “Okay na sa amin na nagsampa ng appeal ang LTFRB sa Supreme Court. Nagpapasalamat nga kami at ginawa ng LTFRB ‘yun,” survivor Dino Dimar told GMA News Online in a separate phone interview. The Office of the Solicitor General has asked the Supreme Court to clarify the LTFRB’s authority to suspend bus franchises as the appellate court lifted the six-month suspension order against G.V. Florida. “Sana lang ‘yung Florida tulungan naman ‘yung ibang victims na hindi pa nila napapanagutan,” Dimar pointed out. In a press conference last month, some survivors and families of those who died disclosed that they have yet to be contacted by the bus company, months after the incident in Bontoc that killed 15 people and wounded 32 individuals. Those who have not received any assistance are Karina Javier, Annemiek Verwegen, Chat Baranda, and Mariel Baja. — BM, Read More …

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile had a brief reunion of sorts Sunday afternoon after former President Fidel  Ramos paid him a visit. Ramos visited Enrile at the Philippine National Police General Hospital, GMA News’ Rida Reyes reported. The two had joined forces in 1986 to oust then President Ferdinand Marcos and install Corazon Aquino – incumbent President Benigno Aquino III’s mother – into office. In a report on GMA News TV’s “News TV Live”  Ramos said they talked about the senator’s condition. “He is not especially joyous… his room is small and can accommodate only two visitors… but he is okay. Sabi niya, ‘lilipas din ito’,” Ramos said referring to Enrile’s disposition.  Earlier Sunday, Enrile was brought to a Makati City clinic anew for a post-operative eye checkup. On Saturday, Enrile underwent a procedure to address macular degeneration, which could lead to blindness if not treated. The 90-year-old senator had been detained at the PNP General Hospital since Friday after surrendering there. He faces graft and plunder charges over the P10-billion pork barrel scam. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — More than 200 Filipinos are languishing in jails in China for drug-smuggling offenses, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The PDEA has said that almost three-fourths of the number are women caught transporting illegal drugs there. Of the 220 Filipinos held in China jails as of May this year, 161 are women while 59 are men. PDEA Director General undersecretary Arturo Cacdac Jr. warned Filipinos on the recruitment, arrest, detention and conviction of Filipinos being used as drug couriers. In a statement, Cacdac lamented the alarming rate of Filipinos arrested for drug trafficking in Guangzhou province, China. “Do not accept offers to become drug mules even if they are very tempting,” the PDEA director general said. According to Cacdac, almost half of the 220 Filipinos caught in China for drug smuggling were detained in Guangzhou. Most of them were sentenced either with death with a two-year reprieve, life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment while the others’ cases were still pending or under investigation. He reminded Filipinos anew that mere possession and transportation of illegal drugs would net harsh penalties in foreign countries, especially in China. “Be vigilant of the modus operandi of drug syndicates. Before you know it, you are already caught in the web of drug trafficking activities,” he said. Meanwhile, the PDEA expressed hope that member agencies of Task Force Drug Courier, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, National Bureau Read More …