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w w w. a s i a n Volume 28 - no. 21 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
.com T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r
June 1-7, 2017
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House, Senate pass resolution supporting Mindanao martial law by Dana
SioSon AJPress
exPressing its “full support,” both the house of representatives and the senate said it found “no reason” to revoke Philippine President rodrigo’s recent implementation of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in mindanao. on Wednesday, may 31, the house adopted resolution no. PARADE OF TANKS. A column of tanks transported by the Philippine Navy gunship BRP Tarlac 1050, which supports the Philiparrives in Iligan City to support troops in Marawi City. Government security forces have pine president’s move. “resolved by the house of killed 89 terrorists during more than a week of fighting in Marawi City but the gunmen are still offering strong resistance with stolen weapons and ammunition, the military said on representatives, to express its Wednesday, May 31.
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Inquirer.net photo by Richel Umel
PEACE PANEL. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte engages in a discussion with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and other MILF officials including Implementing Panel Chairman Mohair Iqbal, Bangsamoro Transition Commission Chairman Ghazali Jaafar, Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces Chief of Staff Sammy Al-Mansoor, and Bangsamoro Supreme Court Chief Khalifa Nando during a meeting in Davao City on Monday, May 29. Joining the President, meanwhile, are Presidential Adviser on Peace Process USec. Nabil Tan, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Año, BGen. Earl Baliao of the AFP, Capt. Nichols Driz of the Philippine Navy, GPH Implementing Panel Chairperson Irene Santiago, and OPAPP ASec. Ma. Cecilia Papa. The MILF has agreed to work with the government in establishing safe zones for residents fleeing fighting in Marawi City. Malacañang photo
DFA assures int’l community: No martial law abuses by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com
USA
DATELINE Members of Congress continue efforts in reuniting families of DOJ: Napoles tags Filipino veterans Trillanes, De Lima, Drilon in pork scam from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
Janet Lim Napoles
ContinUing the effort to honor filipinos’ efforts during World War ii, members of Congress have introduced new legislation to expand immigration for families of filipino veterans. the filipino Veterans family reunification Act — introduced by senator mazie hirono (D-hawaii) and representative Colleen hanabusa (D-hawaii) — sets out to speed up the visa process for children of filipino WWii veterans. similar to the filipino WWii Veterans Parole program, this bill seeks to bring family members of these veterans to the U.s. after decades of separation. But rather than just
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Fil-Am nabs Hawaii GOP chairmanship fiLiPino-AmeriCAn shirlene De La Cruz ostrov, who recently retired as a colonel in the U.s. Air force, was elected chairwoman of the hawaii republican Party (goP) at a convention on the island of Kauai on may 13. ostrov’s election is significant in a number of ways. she is the first filipino to lead a state organization of one of the major political parties in America. she was fighting the entrenched establishment of the republican Party in hawaii who had put up an incumbent state legislator, Andria tupola, as their candidate. As ostrov was told, “if this were a beauty contest, you would win hands down.” she won 265 to 111 because of good strategists, like miriam hellreich, republican national Committeewoman for hawaii. they conducted a grassroots operation among the delegates. the majority of the goP in hawaii also wanted
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Inquirer.net photo
by Dana
SioSon AJPress
DetAineD businesswoman Janet Lim napoles is preparing to file a case against three opposition senators in connection with the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance fund (PDAf) anomaly, according to Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre ii. in an interview with ABs-CBn’s “Umagang Kay ganda,” Aguirre disclosed that napoles’ lawyer stephen David told him that her camp would soon file a complaint before the Department of Justice (DoJ) against “prominent personalities” who allegedly benefitted from the so-called pork barrel scam. Among the senators napoles implicated in the scam were Antonio trillanes iV and Leila de Lima,
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mAniLA - Protection of human rights is guaranteed under martial law proclaimed by President Duterte in mindanao, foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told the diplomatic corps. “may i assure you that the President and the government remain steadfast in the commitment to uphold the Philippine Constitution and ensure that efforts to enforce peace and order are done with due regard to the laws and preservation of our people’s constitutional rights,”
Cayetano said in his opening remarks at the briefing. “in other words no abuses,” he said. Cayetano also explained the legal basis for and the objectives of martial law in mindanao, which Duterte imposed hours after the maute group took over parts of marawi City. the terrorists killed several civilians, took hostages and burned buildings. Duterte himself announced shortly after returning from moscow that he would not tolerate abuses as security forces began their operation to retake marawi, Cayetano stressed.
he also emphasized that despite the martial law, democratic institutions like the courts and Congress remain open. “however due to actual rebellion, terrorism and the presence of isis on Philippine soil the declaration of martial law in mindanao became a necessity,” he added. Questions raised by representatives of embassies and international organizations during the diplomatic briefing, Cayetano said, were focused on the duration of martial law, its scope, and on the capabilities of the maute
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Duterte hits back at Chelsea Clinton: Did you slam your father’s affair? by Dana
SioSon AJPress
PhiLiPPine President rodrigo Duterte hit back hard at former United states’ first daughter Chelsea Clinton over her criticisms against his recent rape remark. in a speech during the Philippine navy’s anniversary on Wednesday, may 31, Duterte made reference to former U.s. President Bill Clinton, Chelsea’s father, who had an affair with monica Lewinsky, a White house intern, in 1998. “i will tell her (Chelsea), when your father, the president of the
United states then, was screwing Lewinsky and the girls there in the White house, how did you feel? Did you slam your father?” Duterte quizzed. “i repeat. When President Clinton was f*cking Lewinsky, what was your statement or your reaction?” the Philippine president asked again. earlier, Chelsea criticized Duterte in her social media account when he said that he would take responsibility for crimes committed by soldiers, even rape, during the
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Chelsea Clinton
US embassy notifies citizens of stricter security measures by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com
mAniLA - the U.s. embassy in manila has informed American citizens of increased security measures in metro manila, including possible checkpoints, following attacks by the maute group in marawi City. in a message to its citizens, the embassy said it received information that the Philippine government had placed the Philippine national Police (PnP) on full alert throughout the metropolis. TIGHT SCREENING. A police officer checks the identity of a resident against a chart with it stated that a unit of the Armed forces images of “local terrorists” at a checkpoint in Iligan City. The city was placed placed under of the Philippines (AfP) has been deployed a temporary lockdown amid fears that members of the Maute Group may enter the city to Quezon City to assist the PnP with sedisguised as civilians.
ManilaTimes.net photo
curity operations such as random checkpoints, security patrols and police visibility operations. “the PnP advises that this is a precautionary measure in light of the declaration of martial law in mindanao and not related to any specified terror threat information directed toward metro manila,” the embassy said. the embassy reminded American nationals of the most recent Worldwide Caution, dated march 6, 2017, which indicates there is an ongoing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.s. citizens and interests abroad, including the Philippines. extremists have targeted sporting
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