July 19-21, 2017 Volume 27 - No. 58 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages
USA
DATELINE US offers 2 spy planes in Marawi operation FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE United States has offered the Philippines two surveillance planes in aid of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) operations against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-inspired militant groups in Mindanao. The two Cessna 208 planes will be given to the Philippine government in two weeks, said U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim on Tuesday, July 18. The planes will be used to assist the AFP’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Kim expressed that the U.S. is deeply worried with the ground situation in Marawi City, adding that the American government will also be contributing to the rehabilitation of the war-torn city. He added that American troops are currently deployed in Mindanao under a mutual defense treaty between the two countries. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said U.S. troops have always been present in Mindanao and were only asked to move to
US Congress to conduct hearing on PH’s drug war by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
THE Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States House of Representatives is set to conduct an inquiry into Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs this coming Thursday, July 20. Citing figures from the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Commission emphasized the reported 7,025 drug-related killings since he assumed presidency in July 1 last year until January 21 of this year. Duterte’s campaign to eradicate drug problem in the Philippines is among his major electoral promises. The drug war, however, has earned heavy criticism from different local and international human rights groups for allegedly caus-
ing thousands of summary deaths—which Duterte’s administration has vehemently denied. “Although extrajudicial killings have been a major human rights concern for some time, in its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016, the Department of State recognized that such killings increased sharply over the last year,” the commission said in a statement posted in its official website. The Philippines, as a treaty ally, has been receiving U.S. assistance, which includes both counterterrorism and counternarcotics support to the PNP. The Commission, however, said that Duterte’s drug war and its tagged summary killings “raise questions about how the Unit- Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is ed States should balance its concerns for pro- thanked by Ellecer Carlos (right), visiting spokesman of I-Defend PH coalition, for sponsoring
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S. 1055 the Philippine Human Rights Accountability and Counternarcotics Act, during their meet and greet last June 26 at the Hart Senate Office Building. Photo by Eric Lachica
Alvarez: House to give smooth approval of martial law extension
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REPEAL & REPLACE WATCH
5 ways the Senate GOP health bill could change your health plan options ONE of the fiercest complaints about the Affordable Care Act is that it imposed a government mandate on consumers to purchase coverage with a broad and specific set of benefits — including maternity care, mental health treatment and limits on out-of-pocket costs — whether they wanted those benefits or not. More choice is always better, critics argued. But what if choice trumps protection? With the latest Senate bill — drafted solely by Republicans and now in limbo, even collapsing, as four GOP Senators have now expressed opposition — that question is again at the heart of the debate and central to the potential changes for consumers. “I think choice is great when it comes to buying cell phones or pizza slices,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown
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by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
GIVE PEACE A CHANCE. President Rodrigo Duterte does the peace sign with members of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels during the turn over of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang Palace on Monday, July 17.
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to extend his martial law declaration in Mindanao is likely to get approval from Congress without much difficulty, according to House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday, July 18. Alvarez made the remarks in a radio interview days before the House and the Senate convene in a Special Joint Session this coming Saturday, July 22, to discuss the military rule’s possible extension. “Wala, sa tingin ko ano, tuloy-tuloy lang ito (I think it would sail smoothly),” Alvarez told DZMM. Earlier in the day, Duterte, in a letter read by his spokesperson, requested Congress to extend his Proclamation
Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez
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Justices’ recusal prompts re-raffle of Imee Marcos, ‘Ilocos 6’ petition by ROSETTE
ADEL
the case. “This omnibus petition was MANILA — The Supreme re-raffled because of the inhibiCourt will re-raffle the petition filed tion of the member in charge,” by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imelda Jo- SC spokesperson Theodore Te sefa “Imee” Marcos and the six said in a press briefing on Tuesdetained employees of the pro- day, July 18. “The chief justice and Associvincial government after some justices inhibited from handling ate Justice Andres Reyes Jr. also Philstar.com
recused themselves,” he added. A report from The Star also indicated that Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta also inhibited from voting on the petition but Te said he has no information on that yet. Te said no reasons were cited
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CA junks $2-billion claim of Despite criticism, Duterte still finds a role model in FVR Marcos human rights victims President Rodrigo Duterte chats with former President Fidel V. Ramos during the launching of the latter’s book, ‘Make Change Work,’ at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday, July 17. Malacañang photo by Alfred Frias
by JENNIFER
SORIANO
vice and “respect” the criticisms the former president throws against him. ON some rare occasions, Presi“I respect your criticism. I acdent Rodrigo Duterte can be soft cept your advice and maybe I will toward his critics and their harsh mimic your role as president beremarks. fore,” Duterte said Duterte, in his speech during “You can continue criticizformer president Fidel Ramos’ ing me, sir,” the chief executive book launching on Monday, July added. 17, said that he “accepts” the adRamos gave Duterte a t-shirt AJPress
with the words, “Follow me,” the motto of Fort Benning in Georgia, where the former president finished his special military courses. “I will follow you, just like what the shirt says,” Duterte said. “Only difference is that, I am not a military man. But love of country, patas tayo, sir (we are just on the same level). I would say that I
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by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
nand Marcos of about $2 billion worth of compensation. THE Court of Appeals (CA) has In its July 7 decision, the CA’s junked the petition of a group 12th Division upheld the earlier seeking the enforcement of a decision of Makati City Regional 1995 United States district court Trial Court (RTC) which disdecision awarding the supposed missed the case seeking the enhuman rights victims during the forcement of the foreign ruling. term of late strongman FerdiThe petition was filed by a
group led by retired Judge Priscilla Mijares, Former Human Rights Commission Chairman Loreta Ann Rosales, movie director Joel Lamangan, Hilda Narciso, and Mariano Dimaranan. The CA decision, penned by Associate Justice Normandie
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