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MARCH 21-27, 2019 Volume 30 - No. 12 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R
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Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Locsin tells China: Philippines has nothing to fear from new power by PATRICIA LOURDES Philstar.com
VIRAY
MANILA — Speaking on behalf of the Philippines in China, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. assured his Chinese counterpart that Manila is hopeful for Beijing’s rise as a new world power. The Philippines’ top diplomat met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi durNoah Domingo
ing his official visit to the country. In a speech during a joint press briefing with his Chinese counterpart, Locsin said he and Wang had a “productive meeting to take stock of what our two countrues have accomplished so far.” “I speak for my country which wants to see much to hope for, and nothing to fear from the rise of a new power,” Locsin said.
Photo courtesy of Domingo family
Locsin noted how the Philippines was “at the mercy of Western markets” during the second half of the previous century. “And along with it a new world where the ambition of one to rise higher and get richer is best advanced by helping others to rise and prosper in tandem with her,” Locsin said.
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Malacañang: ICC officials barred from entering PH if caught probing drug war
Fil-Am UC Irvine student confirmed to have died from alcohol poisoning Student’s father suspects “fraternity hazing” to be the cause as investigation continues
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Orange County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed alcohol poisoning to be the cause of death of a Fil-Am college student who was found unresponsive in January following an off-campus university fraternity party. In a statement released Monday, March 11, the sheriff’s department said that Noah Domingo, 18, died as a result of “accidental acute ethanol intoxication.” It added that
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Fil-Am arrested in PH for child pornography FILIPINO-AMERICAN Joel Aquino Pasay was arrested in Angeles City, Pampanga on Saturday, March 16, due to his indictment from the United States District Court of Nevada for child pornography charges. The U.S. court indicted Pasay on May 2, 2017, with his receipt of child pornography as it is in violation of the TItle 18 in U.S. Code 2252 (a)(2). He allegedly distributed copies of child pornography materials. He was nowhere to be found for almost two years. Manila Police District (MPD) Chief Superintendent Vicente Danao Jr. received a tip that the U.S. fugitive was initially seen along Pacheco Street, Tondo Manila. Law enforcement officials scouted the area and failed to catch him. On October 29, 2018, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) issued a deportation order for the 56-year-old in hiding. Danao said that they found him temporarily residing in Deca Homes Clark, Angeles City, Pampanga.
COMPROMISE. President Rodrigo Duterte gives a warm welcome to Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari at a meeting at the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, March 19. This was their second meeting in a month following the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), a measure creating a new Bangsamoro region in Mindanao with greater autonomy. Duterte said that Misuari warned him of war in case government fails to meet the demands of the Moro separatist group. Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante
ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda stressed the court continues to have jurisdiction over the possible crime against humanity committed during the period the Philippines was a state party to the statute. Photo from Twitter/@Int’l Criminal Court
Int’l lawyers note ‘severe’ rights violation vs PH lawyers
MALACAÑANG on Monday, March 18, said International Criminal Court (ICC) officials and prosecutors would be barred from entering the Philippines if the nature of their visit is for conducting a probe into President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. “If they say ‘We will be investigating.’ Perhaps they will be denied [entry] by the [Bureau of] Immigration,” said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a press briefing.
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by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
A PANEL of international lawyers on Monday, March 18, said there has been a “sharp increase” of rights violations against Filipino lawyers, prosecutors, and judges since the start of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. The panel included lawyers from Belgium, Italy, Japan, Korea, File photo shows Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV in a press conference at the Senate where he stayed the Netherlands and the United pending the government’s pleas to issue a warrant of arrest against him over the his revoked States, belonging to international amnesty. Philstar.com photo by Geremy Pintolo lawyers’ groups International AsAccording to the fact-finding team, this vehicle seemed to have been tailing sociation of Democratic Lawyers
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them at the Ortigas Center.
Contributed photo
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“In a stern message delivered without even once looking at the AJPress officials, the obviously outraged PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo president threatened to fire the Duterte on Tuesday night, March MWSS officials and terminate 19, threatened to sack officials the concessionaires’ contracts,” from Metropolitan Waterworks the palace spokesman said as and Sewerage System (MWSS), reported by The Philippine Daily Maynilad and Manila Water for Inquirer. Panelo shared that the meeting the water supply shortage experienced in certain areas of Metro became a “presidential monologue” since Duterte disregardManila and nearby provinces. Presidential Spokesperson ed any insights from the other Salvador Panelo disclosed to the parties noting that “he was not Manila Water Chief Operating Officer (CEO) Perry Rivera, Manila Water Chief Executive officer media what transpired during going to listen to their explanaand President Ferdinand Dela Cruz, Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez, and the 40-minute meeting between tion as to why there was a water MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco testify on Monday, March 18, during the House inquiry the president and the officials of shortage as such would be just on the water shortage in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. agencies responsible for the wa- plain excuses.” ManilaTimes.net photo by Rudy Martinez ter crisis. u PAGE A4 by NATHALIE
ROBLES
by NATHALIE
ROBLES
AJPress
LAWYERS on Monday, March 18, blocked Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s motion for partial reconsideration before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office on his sedition case over his alleged provoking comments in 2018. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Undersecretary Jacinto “Jing” Paras, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission Commissioner Manuelito Luna; lawyers Nasser Marohomsalic, Eligio Mallari and Alvaro Bernabe Lazaro were among the complainants.
The group noted that the statement issued by the senator against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on September 5, 2018, cannot be perceived as acceptable despite his position in the legislation since “he was not performing his official duty” the moment he said it. “Parliamentary non-accountability cannot be invoked when the lawmaker’s speech or utterance is made outside sessions, hearings or debates in Congress, extraneous to the ‘due functioning of the (legislative) process,” the group explained as reported by ABS-CBN News. The lawyers’ group empha-
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