A JUNE 24-30, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426
From the Front Page
Supreme Court tied...
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MORO CONVENTION. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim (left of Pres.-elect Rodrigo Duterte) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Datu Abul Khayr Alonto (right of Duterte) shake hands. The two largest Moro groups in the country will craft a new proposal that will grant greater autonomy to Bangsamoro hoping this will finally lead to a lasting peace in strife-torn Mindanao. The “Moro convention” will allow stakeholders to provide inputs on the proposal, which will refine the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
Filipino man arrested for burglaries...
Center. He is charged with violating parole and possession of Feiss, who thanked patrol of- stolen property, drugs, and burPAGE A1 t ficers for work that helped de- glary tools. If convicted on all spend his loot on gambling and tectives connect Santiago to the charges, he could face as many burglaries. as 10 years in Nevada State drugs. Santiago is currently detained Prison. (Eric Anthony Licas/AJ“I think he would have kept going until he got caught,” said at the Clark County Detention Press)
tions in November 2014 — including DAPA and expanded DACA — which would have granted work authorization and protection from deportation to nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants. “For more than two decades now, our immigration system, everyone acknowledges, has been broken,” said the president. “The fact that the Supreme Court wasn’t able to issue a decision [Thursday] doesn’t just set the system back even further; it takes us further from the country we aspire to be.” However, opponents of the administration’s actions say the president overstepped his authority. They say sweeping changes to immigration policy require the approval of Congress because they would incur costs and consequences for numerous states. On February 16, 2015, 26 states, led by Texas, won an in-
junction blocking the president’s orders. The decision from US District Judge Andrew Hanen of Texas came just two days ahead of the DAPA program’s scheduled debut. “[Thursday’s] ruling is a victory for the rule of law and our democracy,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus in a statement. “The Supreme Court … has reaffirmed that only Congress has the power to make laws.” The court’s non-decision moves the focus of the immigration debate to the upcoming presidential elections. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has yet to comment on the Supreme Court ruling, previously proposed deporting all of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. In order to accomplish this, Immigration and Customs Enforcement would need to stop prioritizing the removal of
serious criminals in order to exponentially increase the rate of deportations, according to a New York Times report. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, who is the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has vowed not to deport any undocumented immigrants except violent criminals and terrorists, according to a report from the Washington Post. In a statement released Thursday, June 23, Clinton called Thursday’s ruling “purely procedural” and has pledged to stand by DAPA and DACA. The former secretary of state repeated her promise to introduce comprehensive immigration reform featuring a pathway to citizenship during her first hundred days in office. “These are our friends and family members; neighbors and classmates; DREAMers and parents of Americans and lawful permanent residents,” Clinton said. “They enrich our communities and contribute to our economy every day. We should be doing everything possible under the
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Duterte: ‘Zero tolerance’ on… US to China, rivals: Be calm after…
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Duterte in his hour-long speech. “You have crossed the red line... if [we] do not do something with the situation, seven years from now this country will become [entangled in] narco politics.” “Watch out. As long as I’m in government, I will not allow it,” Duterte added. The former Davao mayor plans to revamp the Philippine National Police (PNP) with his tough anticrime approach in mind. He said he will handpick “a company of policemen” whom he will give “special assignments.” Placing particular emphasis on the Philippine youth’s impact, Duterte promised that once his plans are put into action, with enough time, “the children will have the streets back to them.” “I have zero tolerance on drugs and criminality,” Duterte said. “I would never preside over the affairs of the country with a corrupt police and drugs abound destroying the lives of Filipinos.” “Corruption must stop now,” he declared. “[I really hate] corruption. It makes me sick.” Duterte also responded to criticism he received from Chito Gas-
con, chairman of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, who denounced Duterte’s “deadly methods.” Duterte, who has been panned for his anti-crime tactics, said he would just ignore Gascon. “If you know Gascon or if he is your friend, tell him I won’t follow him,” he said, adding that his administration may refuse any subpoenas issued by any investigating body, including the Office of the Ombudsman. “You tell the Ombudsman to, instead, send the subpoena to Duterte,” he added. Surge in drug-related killings Police killed 11 presumed drug dealers over the weekend, acting on the promise of Duterte’s campaign to eradicate crime in the country. Drug dealers were killed during undercover sting operations based in Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal, Bohol and Cebu, according to Philippine media reports on the morning of Monday, June 20. Many of those killed had “resisted arrest,” according to police reports. “There was a shootout between undercover police officers and drug peddlers when the men
sensed they had sold PHP500 ($10.80) worth of drugs to policemen,” Adriano Enong, Rizal police chief told the media. This weekend’s toll adds to the surge of drug-related killings that have occurred since Duterte won the presidential seat on May 9. There have been more than 40 suspects killed since then in comparison to the 39 who were killed in the previous four months. There has been speculation that suggests that police involved in the drug trade are carrying out killings of individuals who are likely to implicate them as soon as Duterte officially takes office on June 30. However, Ronald dela Rosa, Duterte’s choice for police chief of the Philippines, said in a radio interview that he would be able to determine if the “people were killed in rub-outs.” Incoming Interior Secretary Ismael Sueño said that Duterte’s promise to address the crime within the six months is achievable, but it may not be completely eradicated. “No, I don’t think we can eradicate 100 percent but we can do a considerable decrease,” Sueño
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exercise restraint and to use this post-arbitration period as an opportunity to restart those diplomatic discussions,” she said. China has said it would not recognize any arbitration decision despite calls by several Asian and Western governments for it to respect international law. Some fear Beijing may take a harder stance and take provocative actions if it comes under pressure from outside, including by the United States, to comply with an adversarial ruling. In a harsh attack on US policies in Asia, the flagship newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party on Wednesday accused Washington of seeking to turn the South China Sea “into a powder keg” and warned it not to underestimate China’s determination to defend its territorial claims. The People’s Daily cited recent combined exercises by two US Navy aircraft carrier strike groups off the eastern coast of the Philippines as a sign of US hegemony and said Washington had made a mistake in seeking to intimidate China. In making displays of military u PAGE A3
Reports quoting sources said China is planning to set aside the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
power aimed at China, the United States has “picked the wrong counterpart,” said the editorial, the contents of which are usually vetted by high ranking party officials. Competing claims US military activity, including freedom of navigation cruises near China’s man-made islands and exercises with allies, is contributing to the militarization of the region, the editorial said.
China claims almost all of the 3.5-million-square-kilometer South China Sea, including waters close to the shores of its smaller neighbors in the region. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, a crucial waterway where $5 trillion in global shipborne trade passes every year and where islets, reefs and atolls are believed to be sitting
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