SEPTEMBER 15-18, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 73 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
Palace plans to issue executive order to address rising inflation by AJPRESS Amid reports of rising prices in the Philippines, Malacañang is considering an executive order drafted by economic officials to put measures in place that will curb inflation. An order to lessen the effects of inflation on basic commodities, such as certain food items, is in the works, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. “We proposed nine measures to contain inflation and a corresponding EO to get them implemented straight away – to which he (President Rodrigo Duterte)
agreed,” Pernia said in a message to Rappler on Wednesday, September 12. Earlier this month, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that inflation was at 6.4 percent in August, the highest in nine years. This exceeds the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ projections of around 5.5 to 6.2 percent. On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte said during a conversation with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo that “economic managers are working on” measures to address the issue. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. confirmed that
the economic officials drafted an executive order to be submitted before the Office of the President to which they agreed on Tuesday, September 12 during a cabinet meeting. “The economic cluster group will submit a draft executive order to the Office of the President removing administrative constraints and non-tariff barriers on the importation of fish, rice, sugar, meat and vegetables,” said Roque. Roque said that such measure would make the process of importing food more convenient and accessible. According to Department of
u PAGE A2
TYPHOON ‘OMPONG’ PREPARATIONS. President Rodrigo Duterte listens to the disaster preparedness briefing of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Ricardo Jalad inside the Operations Room of the NDRRMC Building in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City as the country braces for the onslaught of Typhoon ‘Ompong.’ Joining the president are Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Francis Tolentino, Secretary Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.
Northern Luzon bears brunt of typhoon’s wrath
USA
AUTHORITIES placed Cagayan, northern Isabela, Apayao and Abra under the strongest FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA typhoon warning, Signal 4, as residents braced for Typhoon Ompong’s landfall early on Saturday, September 15. Ompong, the strongest typhoon to hit the country so far this year, increased its speed to 30 kilometers per hour (kph) as it moved northwest, carrying sustained winds of 205 kph and Foreign-born population increases gusts of up to 255 kph, weather THE U.S. Census Bureau this week released Passengers going to Visayan islands and Mindanao are stranded in North forecasters said. Residents in coastal areas its latest American Community Survey (ACS) Port Pier because of Typhoon Ompong. data, showing that there are an estimated ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma of Cagayan, Isabela and the 4,037,564 Filipinos in the United States. The ACS estimates, made public on Thursday, September 13, are based on data collected from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017. The data show statistics on over 40 topics, including income, poverty, health insurance, by DINO MARAGAY citizenship status, among others. Philstar.com “The American Community Survey provides a wide range of important statistics MANILA – All is now well beabout all communities in the United States,” tween Manny Pacquiao and his Census Bureau Social, Economic and Housing former longtime promoter Top Statistics Division Chief David Waddington Rank Inc. said in a statement. “It gives communities the Pacquiao on Thursday, Sepcurrent information they need to plan investtember 13, took to Instagram to ments and services. Retailers, homebuilders, explain that “miscommunicafire departments, and town and city planners tion” between his camp and Top u PAGE A5 Rank led to him to threaten to sue Bob Arum’s company over non-payment of his share of revenue from the broadcast rights of his fight with Lucas Matthysse.
DATELINE New Census data shows more than four million Filipinos in the US
Ilocos provinces could expect storm surges of 2 to 6 meters above sea level, and the situation might be “potentially very destructive” with Ompong (international name “Mangkhut”) expected to dump heavy rains that could trigger flashfloods and landslides, the weather bureau said. In its advisory at 8 p.m. on Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted Signal 3 over 13 areas: Batanes, Babuyan Group of Islands, southern Isabela, Ilocos
Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, and northern Aurora, which, it said, would experience winds greater than 121 kph up to 170 kph in at least 18 hours. Signal 2 (winds of 61-120 kph) was up in eight areas: Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, southern Aurora, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, and northern Quezon including Polillo Island. Seventeen areas were placed under Signal 1 (winds of 30-60 kph): Bataan, Rizal, Metro Ma-
u PAGE A2
Pacquiao settles TV rights issue with Sen. Trillanes camp admits Top Rank, blames ‘miscommunication’ missing amnesty application
Independent judiciary balances out ICC withdrawal — US
WHILE the Philippines and the United States share the same view on the International Criminal Court (ICC), Washington underscored it has a strong and independent judicial system and recognizes that “every situation is different.” The U.S. is not a party to the ICC and has consistently opposed an international court that can hold US military and political leaders to a uniform global standard of justice. The U.S. not becoming a party to the Rome Statute was highlighted when the U.S. Department of State was asked about comments that National Security Adviser John Bolton made on the ICC and threatened sanctions against its judges if they proceed with a probe into alleged war crimes by Americans in Afghanistan. Bolton, a former ambassador to the United Nations, threatened sanctions against the ICC and blasted the court as “ineffective, unacu PAGE A5
Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum
Inquirer.net photo
u PAGE A3
DOF broaches US investors’ seeming disinterest in ‘Build, Build, Build’ MANILA — Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III confronted the United States over American investors’ seeming lack of interest in the Duterte administration’s ambitious infrastructure program. In a meeting with Assistant Secretary Manisha Singh of the U.S. State Department, Dominguez said the absence of American investors in the bidding for the flagship project to develop the Clark Freeport Zone, a former United States military airbase, indicates they “have no interest” in the Philippines’ aggressive infrastructure plan. Dominguez said some American companies have submitted bids but only for the design component of the New Clark City project, which the Philippine government sees as the nation’s next big metropolis. “Last time I spoke with [members of] the U.S.- Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III
u PAGE A3
Philstar.com photo
Duterte says no “interest” in arresting opposition senator by NATHALIE
ROBLES
AJPress
SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV’s camp admitted before the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 on Friday, September 14, that it can no longer locate a copy of the senator’s amnesty application form. Makati RTC Judge Elmo Almeda asked Trillanes’ legal counsel Reynaldo Robles to show the court a copy of the form in question. “The court needs the actual application,” Alameda ordered. The former naval officer’s camp, however, failed to show this important document before the court as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “He cannot find his copy,” Robles admitted. Alameda said that a copy of the application would serve as the primary proof that the senator has complied with the basic requirements for amnesty. The judge went on to say that “the court is not after secondary evidence.” Robles instead showed the court video footage of the actual filing of application form before a certain Col. Josefa Berbigal. The judge, however, then claimed that the said video was not authenticated. The lawyer also added supplementary evidence, such as
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV shows an application form for amnesty at a news briefing at the Senate in Pasay City last September 6. Inquirer.net photo by Grig C. Montegrand
Trillanes’ amnesty certificate, photos of the Senator holding a copy of his application form published in the Inquirer, and the memorandum to the Department of National Defense Ad Hoc Committee. Robles promised the court that they will still present additional proof to authenticate their evidence. The opposition senator’s camp planned to secure an affidavit from Berbigal, who received the application as shown in the said video. The court, in turn, asked the prosecution from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on its proof that Trillanes failed to comply with the
u PAGE A2