MARCH 23-26, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 20 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
Former PH gov’t officials sue China’s president before ICC
USA
DATELINE Fil-Am who mailed explosives to political officials, Trump critics pleads guilty FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
CESAR Altieri Sayoc Jr., the FilipinoAmerican man from Southern Florida who was accused of mailing pipe bombs to numerous political figures and Trump critics last year, Cesar Sayoc Jr., the suspect in the bombs pleaded guilty mailed to various Democratic officials in on Thursday, October 2018, pled guilty this week. March 21 in Photo courtesy of federal court in the Broward County Sheriff Manhattan. Sayoc, 57, was arrested and charged late October after he sent improvised explosive u PAGE A4
New report: Filipinos at greatest risk for heart disease, stroke NEW research shows that the risks of death from heart disease and stroke vary among Asian American subgroups, with the Filipino, Indian and Vietnamese populations facing the greatest risk. Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on Wednesday, March 20, the study examines the years of potential life lost due to cardiovascular diseases among the six largest Asian American subgroups compared to non-Hispanic whites. Asians make up the fastest growing racial/ ethnic group in America, increasing 72 percent between 2000 and 2015 — from 11.9 million to 20.4 million. By 2050, the American Asian population is predicted to grow to 41 million, according to the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan research group tracking demographics and other data. “Usually researchers combine Asian subgroups in studies, masking what might be important health differences,” said Latha Palaniappan, M.D., M.S., study author and professor of medicine at Stanford University u PAGE A5
menting a “systematic plan to control” the contested South China ManilaTimes.net Sea (West Philippine Sea) and violating the rights of Filipino fishers. TWO former government ofFormer Foreign Affairs secreficials have accused before the tary Albert del Rosario and former International Criminal Court (ICC) ombudsman Conchita Carpio-MoChinese President Xi Jinping and rales, in their “communication” other Beijing officials of imple- dated March 15, accused Xi and by DEMPSEY
Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and former DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario Inquirer.net photos
REYES
other Chinese officials of “committing crimes within the jurisdiction” of the ICC. The communication to ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda was filed two days before the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, u PAGE A2
ICC case vs Xi won’t affect PH-China ties – Duterte PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, March 21, expressed confidence that the good relations between the Philippines and China would remain intact despite the filing of a complaint against Chinese President Xi Jinping by former Philippine government officials. “I’m sure it won’t [affect our ties]. The Philippines is a democratic country and anybody can bring a suit against anybody. But whether or not it would prosper, or whether or not we have the jurisdiction, that’s something else,” Duterte said Former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario and former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales filed a “communication” before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 15, accusing Xi and other Chinese officials of committing “atrociously inhumane actions in the South China Sea and within Philippine territory.” Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Army’s anniversary celebration in Taguig City, Duterte said he welcomed the filing of the case. u PAGE A2
MARAWI HEROES MEMORIAL. President Rodrigo Duterte skims through the names of the fallen heroes engraved on the Marawi Heroes Memorial after leading its unveiling at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on Thursday, March 21. Accompanying the President is Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Benjamin Madrigal Jr. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez
Sandiganbayan approves Estrada, Pork imports to PH may Napoles plea to dismiss plunder charges carry African swine fever by NATHALIE
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
ROBLES
AJPress
THE Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Wednesday, March 20, granted the motion for leave of court that allowed senatorial candidate Jinggoy Estrada and plunder convict Janet Lim Napoles to file a demurrer to evidence over the multibillionpeso “pork barrel” scam. “After a careful examination of the totality of the evidence u PAGE A2
Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Janet Lim Napoles
Inquirer.net photos
A TOP Philippine veterinarian has warned that the deadly African swine fever (ASF) virus may enter the Philippines through products like pork dumplings being sold by Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen to their local counterparts in the West Philippine Sea. Dr. Eugenio Mende, president of the Philippine Veterinary Drug Association, on Wednesday, March 20, gave the warning during the Senate committee on agriculture and food hearing that focused on the possible entry of African swine fever in the country. According to Mende, there is a possibility that the u PAGE A4
No formal renegotiation set for Mutual Defense Treaty by NATHALIE
ROBLES
AJPress
A UNITED States State Department official said there has yet to be a request to renegotiate the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the U.S. and the Philippines. This comes despite recent calls for amending the 1951 treaty. Patrick Murphy, State Department Principal Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia, told reporters that “there is no request from either side to renegotiate the treaty.” He added, “That said, we have frequent discussions and talks in appropriate channels with appropriate mechanisms on a regular Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (middle) takes a look at a UH-1 helicopter engine, which was among the spare parts donated by Japan, during the blessing and turnover ceremony at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Tuesday, March 19. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon basis about the treaty.”
Earlier this week on Wednesday, March 20, Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that he would hold exploratory discussions on the mutual defense treaty (MDT) with a senior defense official from the United States. Lorenzana met U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Joseph Felter on Thursday, March 21, to “open discussions on what is in the Philippine-U.S. MDT.” The Philippines’ defense secretary clarified that it was a mere proposal to discuss the content of the 1951 agreement between the two countries. He explained that they have yet to draft a lineup of what the discussion would
be about. “It is only exploratory talks, there is still no talking points there. We only wanted to know what they think about our proposal to open up for discussion what is in the Mutual Defense Treaty,” Lorenzana said as reported by The Philippine Star. A U.S. vessel commanding officer stated the importance of the 68-year-old agreement among the military forces of both countries as he noted that “sharing contributes to regional security and stability, reinforces our partnership and enhances interoperability.” During the U.S. Navy warship port call in Manila, USS Chief Lieutenant Commander Freder-
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