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Volume 28 - No. 11 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
ma r c h 2 3 - 2 9 , 2 0 1 7
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Duterte ready to ‘give all’ to Fil-Am tapped to head civil division Trump except military alliance DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
of Justice Dept.
PresIDeNt Donald trump is eyeing a filipino-American attorney to lead the civil division of the Department of Justice (DoJ), according to various reports. If confirmed by the senate, george Conway — who is the husband of senior White house counselor Kellyanne Conway — would be tasked with defending the administration in its legal battles, including the controversial travel ban, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal. the president’s revised travel ban against six predominantly muslim nations has been blocked by federal judges in hawaii and maryland earlier this month. on friday, march 17, the DoJ filed papers in federal court in maryland in an effort PAGE A3
PH assures the US of friendship, cooperation by Dana
SioSon AJPress
PhILIPPINe President rodrigo Duterte expressed his openness to enhance the country’s relationship with the United states amid the seemingly tense ties caused by human rights
concerns in connection with his controversial war against drugs. Duterte, who has been highly critical of former U.s. President Barack obama, said that he is “okay” with his new counterpart, President Donald trump. “President trump and I are okay and
I can assure him also of our friendship basted obama and his administration and cooperation. We have no problem for condemning the government’s there,” Duterte told the filipino com- campaign against illegal drugs and munity in Naypyidaw during his state the alleged human rights violations. visit to myanmar on sunday, march since Duterte took office, the Phil19. ippine National Police (PNP) has rethe Philippine leader, who took of- corded nearly 8,000 deaths, which fice in July last year, constantly lamPAGE A2
PH House Speaker mulls impeachment case against Robredo
PH loses millions in US, EU grants, trade agreements over human rights issues the accusations of human rights violations may have cost the Philippines to lose millionsworth of grants from the United states and trade agreements with the european Union, the Philippine Department of Interior and Local government (DILg) said on tuesday, march 21. In December last year, the millennium Challenge Corporation (mCC), a U.s. poverty reduction agency, said that it has “deferred a vote on the re-selection of the Philippines for compact development, subject to a further review of concerns around rule of law and civil liberties.” After a $434 million package in 2011, mCC said it withheld its second aid due to “significant concerns around rule of law and civil liberties.” “the United states has not renewed its millenPAGE A3
by Dana
SioSon AJPress
VICe President Leni robredo could be removed from her post for allegedly undermining President rodrigo Duterte’s administration before the international community, according to house of representatives speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. PAGE A2
STATE VISIT. President Duterte and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha taste an array of local fruits during a state dinner at the Government House in Bangkok on Tuesday, March 21. Leaders of the Philippines and Thailand have vowed to strengthen defense and economic cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to work together to address common concerns. Malacañang photo
Members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) led by founding chairman Dante Jimenez flash the thumbs down sign on Vice President Leni Robredo. ManilTimes.net photo by Bob Dungo Jr.
Forbes: Henry Sy richest Filipino, Palace chides NY Times report for Bill Gates world’s top billionaire ‘well-paid hack job’ report on Duterte by AJPress
wealthiest individuals in the Philippines. sy and his family had a net sm Investments Corporation founder henry sy topped the worth of $12.7 billion, ranking 2017 ranking of American busi- 94th worldwide in the magazine’s ness magazine forbes’ list of the 2017 Billionaires List published
by Dana
SioSon
on monday, march 20. AJPress Coming second in the PhilipmALACAñANg on Wednespine ranking is Jg summit holdings’ John gokongwei Jr. with a day, march 22 criticized the New net worth of $5.8 billion, followed York Times (NYT) for what it PAGE A3 described a “cynical and unfair” report about Philippine President rodrigo Duterte. In its article entitled “Becoming Duterte: the making of a Philippine strongman,” the NYT recounted Duterte’s life from his early childhood to his more than
two decades term as Davao City’s mayor, and later as the country’s president. “President rodrigo Duterte relishes the image of killer-savior. he boasts of killing criminals with his own hand. on occasion, he calls for mass murder,” read the NYT report, authored by richard Paddock. In his piece, Paddock described Duterte as a “child of privilege PAGE A4 Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella
Demand for PH office spaces remain strong amid Trump’s protectionist policies Property consulting firm JLL reports BPO industry drive market by Dana
SioSon AJPress
There were three more Filipinos on Forbes’ billionaire’s list this year than last year.
the demand for office spaces in the Philippines will continue to grow despite uncertainties in the business process outsourcing (BPo) sector likely caused by United states President Donald trump’s protectionist stance, according to property consulting firm Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL). During the Asia Ceo executive Philstar.com photo by RP Ocampo
forum on tuesday, march 21, JLL’s Asia-Pacific Ceo Anthony Couse said that the BPo industry were still the main drivers of office rentals in the Philippines, notwithstanding trump’s pronouncements to restrict the outsourcing of products and services to generate more jobs for Americans. “Demand side for office remains very strong. Particularly here in manila, the BPo industry
continues to drive the office market,” manila times quoted Couse in its report. Couse projected that the Philippines will continue to experience strong demand for its office inventory for the next three years, citing the country’s ability to weather global headwinds. taking note that the Philippines is the second fastest growing PAGE A3