June 9-12, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 47 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
Duterte rules out nationwide martial law by RALPH
VILLANUEVA ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 7, said he would not declare martial law nationwide since doing so would only divide the nation. “No, martial law is not feasible. You know, it will not work. First of all, it’s going to be a divided nation,” Duterte told reporters after inaugurating the Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2. He issued the statement days after saying that having emergency powers was not different from declaring martial law nationwide.
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USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released two images of murder suspect Matthew Martin Capiendo Luzon, one depicting him if his head were shaved.
In September 2016, Duterte issued Proclamation 55 which placed the Philippines under a state of national emergency after the Davao City bombing. On May 23, 2017, the President signed Proclamation 216, declaring martial law and suspending the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao for 60 days after the Maute terrorist group occupied some areas in Marawi City. Congress extended the military rule in Mindanao until the end of 2018. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. confirmed that there had been no discussions to NEW VILLAGE OFFICIALS. President Rodrigo Duterte strikes his signature pose with Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Presidential Adviser put the entire Philippines under martial law. for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año, DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño, “No, martial law is [only in]Mindanao,” Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino and Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President during the oath-taking ceremony of the
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newly-elected barangay officials from Central Visayas at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Thursday, June 7.
Robust PH growth seen to continue by BEN
O. DE VERA Inquirer.net
THE Philippines is expected to sustain robust economic growth in the near term although the economy remains at risk of overheating, the World Bank said. The gross domestic product is projected to grow by 6.7 percent in 2018 and 2019, before slightly slowing to 6.6 percent in 2020, the Washington-based multilateral lender said in its June 2018 Global Economic Prospects report titled “The Turning of the Tide?”
The GDP growth forecasts for the next three years were nonetheless below the government’s 7-8 percent yearly target starting this year until 2022. The economy grew 6.7 percent in 2017. The World Bank said economic growth in the Philippines as well as in Vietnam “remains robust.” However, “capacity constraints (such as high capacity utilization rates) limit further acceleration, especially in the Philippines,” the World Bank said. In April, the World Bank said the Philip-
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by AUDREY
MORALLO Philstar.com
MANILA — The Philippines will file a protest against the reported taking by Chinese coast guard of the catch of Filipino fishermen on Scarborough Shoal if the incident is “established,” a spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday, June 8. In a report by GMA News, Chinese coast guard speedboat approached the boats of Filipino The Philippines will protest China’s reported taking of Filipinos’ catch on the fishermen where its news team Scarborough Shoal “if established,” according to presidential spokesperson was also aboard. Harry Roque Jr.
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Philstar.com file photo by Val Rodriguez
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‘Boracay can be both agrarian reform, tourism area’ China warns US against provocations following B-52 flyby by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE United States is being accused of militarizing the South China Sea after two American B-52 bombers flew close to a disputed Chinese-held shoal in a show of force. The bomber flew this week over Scarborough Shoal, which China took from the Philippines in 2012, came days after U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused Beijing of “intimidation and coercion” in the South China Sea. China claims the sea as their territory,
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AJPress Infographic
Fil-Am congressional candidates advance to general election Roque: Philippines to protest Chinese California Newsom, Cox face off for governor in
Fil-Am wanted taking of Filipinos’ catch ‘if established’ in connection to Azusa murder A YOUNG Filipino-American man connected with the robbery, kidnapping, and murder of a 20 year-old in Azusa, California last month is still on the loose, said officials on Wednesday, June 6. Matthew Luzon Martin-Capiendo, a 21 year-old Fil-Am, remains wanted following the brutal beating and murder of Julian Hamori-Andrade, 20, on May 28. Martin-Capiendo’s wanted poster describes him as Filipino, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Authorities say he may have also shaved his head.
Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante
According to Agrarian Reform Secretary John Catriciones, limiting tourism to certain areas would prevent conversion of agricultural lands as these will now be covered by the government’s agrarian reform program. Philstarcom photo
BORACAY can be a land reform area without sacrificing tourism. Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John Castriciones on Wednesday, June 6, said they would still maintain Boracay as a “tourist destination.” However, they would have to limit it in the beach areas since “these are where the tourists spend time and linger. These are areas wherein they are more interested.”
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November and other primary results by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA AJPress
AFTER the 2016 election of President Donald Trump, many sought to become more involved in politics around the country. With heightened attention on immigration, the gun debate and the shifting of the partisan discourse, the urge for improving on the historically low voter turnout of midterm elections soared this year. On Tuesday, June 5, all eyes were on California, whose electorate voted on a number of government positions and districts with key races that have the potential to flip parties in the general election. In California’s primaries, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the November election regardless of party, so many of the races have candidates of the same party running against each other in November. All votes have not yet been counted as of press time, but it was a successful election for Filipino-American government hopefuls who advanced to the general election. Democratic assemblymember Rob Bonta of the 18th congressional district won 80 percent of the vote in his district, propelling him to November. Bonta, who is
originally from Quezon City, became the first Filipino-American member of the California Legislature when he was first elected to the state assembly in 2012. Twenty-six-year-old Fil-Am Kenneth Mejia, a certified public accountant, of the Green Party advanced to the general election in the race for California’s 34th congressional district, an historic win for both Fil-Ams in politics and the Green Party. Mejia faces incumbent Rep. Jimmy Gomez, a Democrat, in the general election. Mejia, who is running in the district that comprises the eastern region of Los Angeles, is running a campaign inspired by Bernie Sanders progressivism. In 2016, he quit his six-figuresa-year job in accounting and finance to run for office. Inspired by his mother’s battle with cancer, he has made quality health care, college affordability and steering clear from corporate interests cornerstones of his progressive campaign. He chose to run under the Green Party, rather than the Democratic Party, because he was inspired by the party’s 2016 presidential candidate, Jill Stein, for creating a space for jaded Sanders supporters who weren’t willing to vote for Hillary Clinton
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