July 4-6, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 54 • 3 Sections - 24 Pages
USA
DATELINE Thousands march in Downtown LA for nationwide ‘Families Belong Together’ protest FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Fil-Am activists show solidarity for those affected by Trump’s highly-criticized immigration policies AFTER President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance policy” — which separated immigrant children from parents — sparked outrage across the country, hundreds of thousands of protesters partook in the national “Families Belong Together” march and rally this weekend, paralleling the same political outrage from the Women’s March and the March For Our Lives rallies earlier this year. In Los Angeles, a diverse gathering of thousands of activists flooded the streets of Downtown on Saturday, June 30, wielding colorful signs and shouting chants that called for the abolishing of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A rally in front of City Hall featured religious leaders, celebrities and California lawmakers who denounced Trump’s zero tolerance policy, a stringent immigration protocol that immedi-
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Duterte warns mayors: Get rid of crime, drugs or lose police control by CATHERINE
S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has warned mayors of crime-ridden cities and towns to shape up, or be stripped of control over the local police force. Speaking to reporters in Bohol, Duterte reiterated that he would rather keep his hands off jueteng or illegal numbers game operators, than let them fall to the illegal drug trade. The president lamented the supposed “nonchalant” attitude of local government units toward fighting crime and
PHILIPPINE Senator Grace Poe shared her experiences and thoughts on what it means to be a Filipino abroad during a recent visit to Los Angeles, California on Friday, June 30.
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in Bohol. “If you’re not doing anything, I will file charges against you, and I will tell Año to dismiss you,” he added. Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Friday said headquarters was ready to take control from mayors, if necessary, to solve the drug problem in towns and cities. “The president must have noticed that some local chief executives are not giving enough support to their chiefs of police in implementing programs on peace and order,” he said in a mix of
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Palace tells Joma: Go home if you want to help LOURDES Philstar.com
Sen. Grace Poe speaks of ‘Global Filipinos’ during Los Angeles visit
their alleged drug links or abuse of authority. Audit ordered Duterte reiterated his directive to interior department officer in charge Eduardo Año to conduct an audit on the performance of local government units in fighting illegal drugs and other crimes. “If you are the mayor, you are the president of your municipality. My God, how come your crime rates are high?” Duterte said in his remarks during the 25th Annual National Convention of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines
National Democratic Front founding chair Joma Sison Philstar.com photo
by PATRICIA
PH Sen. Grace Poe spoke with Fil-Ams in Los Angeles about experiences living in the U.S. AJPress photo by Rae Ann Varona
illegal drugs. “If a mayor cannot enforce law and order in their municipalities, I will just withdraw his deputization. If you cannot do your job I will remove your power over the police,” Duterte told reporters. The Local Government Code of 1991 grants mayors supervisory powers over police operations, with the local chief executive acting as the deputized representative of the National Police Commission (Napolcom). The Napolcom had stripped some mayors and a governor of supervision and control over the police because of
VIRAY
MALACAÑANG on Monday, July 2, insisted that the Philippine government was not at fault for the continuous termination of peace negotiations with communist rebels. Last week, National Democratic Front founding chair Joma Sison said that the communist group could no longer negotiate with the Duterte administration. Sison said the Communist Party of the Philippines would rather join efforts to oust the president. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that Sison cannot overthrow the government while he is out of the country. “Joma Sison, wake up, you’re dreaming. You cannot overthrow a government while you are in Europe. You’ve been there for so long, go home and live here in the Philippines,” Roque said in Filipino during a press briefing in Southern Leyte. Roque added that the government gave the communist rebels a chance when CPP leaders were freed to join peace talks in
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FESTIVAL GUESTS. President Rodrigo Duterte greets former Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. on the sidelines of his attendance at the Sangyaw Festival of Lights held in Tacloban City, Leyte on Thursday, June 29. Also in the photo are Senator Cynthia Villar and Ilocos Norte Governor Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante Imee Marcos.
Sen. Lacson wants ‘stricter’ gun control rules after ‘brazen’ Tanauan mayor slay by MAILA
AGER Inquirer.net
ALARMED by the series of killings in the country even in broad daylight, Senator Panfilo Lacson on Monday, July 2, called for “stricter firearms control measures” even before these killings “reach ubiquitous level.” Lacson, who previously headed the Philippine National Police(PNP), made the call in a statement posted on Twitter, following the killing of
Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili. The local chief executive was gunned down while attending the flag ceremony at the city hall around 8 a.m. Monday, and authorities so far believed he was shot by a sniper. “The killing of priests, prosecutors, former and incumbent local officials in broad daylight and in full view of the public can only suggest brazenness,” Lacson said. “The PNP should immediately
64% of Filipinos support Boracay closure – SWS by HELEN
FLORES Philstar.com
In this March 17 photo, Boracay residents, workers, and business operators form a human chain along the islands’s famous white beach to Inquirer.net photo show support for cleanup efforts and to appeal to the government not to shut down the island.
MANILA — Three in five Filipino adults were in favor of the government’s move to close Boracay Island to tourists for a year for full rehabilitation, a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed. The survey, taken from March 23 to 27, found 64 percent of Filipinos who agreed with the closure of the entire island to tourists, while 20 percent disagreed, for a net agreement score of +44, classified by SWS as “very strong.” Seventeen percent of the respondents were undecided.
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Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili Inquirer.net photo
BISHOP URGES FAITHFUL
‘Don’t tolerate evil’
by CATHERINE
A. MODESTO ManilaTimes.net
MANILA Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo urged Catholics to wake up and stand up against evil in the aftermath of President Rodrigo Duterte’s “stupid God” remark, as he questioned the sincerity and “openness to truth” of a four-man government panel tasked to dialogue with the Catholic Church. “I am happy that many people are now speaking out. Duterte crossed the red line when he in-
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Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo Inquirer.net photo