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ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE w w w. a s i a n j o u r n a l . c o m
w w w. a s i a n Volume 24 - No. 23 • 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 16-22, 2017 Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
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Palace: ‘Pres. Duterte healthy, just resting’ DATELINE USA by ROSETTE
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
ADEL
Philstar.com
Filipina urgently needs bone marrow donor
MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday, June 15 dismissed speculations on President Rodrigo Duterte’s health amid his absence in the public eye. “The president is well,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said when asked if Duterte is sick.
Asian American Donor Program encourages minorities and mixed heritage to join national registry
Abella reiterated that Duterte is just resting but refused to provide a definite time when the president would be seen in public again. He also denied social media reports that Duterte is currently in Davao. The presidential spokesperson said Duterte is just taking his time in Malacañang. “The president needs [rest]. You
have to consider that he has been on the road for at least 23 days regarding fulfilling his martial law supervisions. It has been really brutal so we have to allow him this kind of rest,” Abella said. “He’s taking some time off to to rejuvenate,” he added. Asked if the president has seen a doctor lately, Abella said he was not
OAKLAND – Lisa Marie Evangelista, a 31year-old Filipina woman who lives in Sacramento, is in a literal fight for her life. Lisa is a speech language pathologist and works at the U.C. Davis Medical Center. On Dec. 27, 2016, she was diagnosed with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, a rare and aggressive blood cancer. She needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. Lisa’s sister is a 5/10 or half match. However, doctors prefer Lisa find a 10/10-donor match. To find a perfect match, Lisa needs a stranger to step forward and help save her life. Lisa has partnered with the Asian American Donor Program to find a donor similar to her genetic makeup. A bone marrow transplant, which is needed soon, is Lisa’s only hope for her long-term survival. A committed 10/10 marrow-matching donor must be located to have a successful transplant. Since Lisa is of Filipino, a matching donor will also need to be of Filipino or Asian descent. PAGE A4
privy to the matter but he said he is sure that he has already consulted an expert. Alejano slams Duterte’s absence from public Meanwhile, Duterte’s critic, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, urged Malacañang to issue a regular update on Duterte’s health as he cast doubts PAGE A2
Government forces are getting closer to ending the offensive against terrorists occupying Marawi City, but would no longer set deadlines, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Wednesday, June 14. Inquirer.net photo
SC ends oral arguments on petitions against Duterte’s martial law
Appeals court rules against President Trump’s travel ban
by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
Three-judge panel uses president’s Twitter against him PRESIDENT Donald Trump and his administration faced yet another defeat in the federal courts this week over his controversial executive order that bans travel from six predominantly Muslim nations. On Monday, June 12, the San Francisco-based United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the president was overstepping his authority with this ban, which would suspend U.S. entry to more than 180 million nationals and 110,000 to 50,000 refugees from the six countries. “The President’s authority is subject to certain statutory and constitutional restraints,” the threejudge panel wrote in the court’s ruling. “We conclude that the President, in issuing the Executive Order, exceeded the scope of the authority delegated to him by Congress.” “The Order does not offer a sufficient justification to suspend the entry of more than 180 million people on the basis of nationality. National security is not a ‘talismanic incantation,’” the PAGE A2
PUBLIC PRESENCE. President Rodrigo Duterte arrives at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Thursday, June 15. His absence from public view in the past few days has fueled speculations about the state of his health. Malacañang on Thursday doused speculations that Mr. Duterte was sick, saying he was taking “some time off to rejuvenate” after spending 23 days on the road to oversee the implementation of martial law in Mindanao. Malacañang photo
Tillerson: US ‘proudly stands’ with PH in combating terrorism
THE Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, June 15, ended its oral arguments on the petitions seeking the nullification of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in the entire Mindanao. A closed-door session concluded the three-day oral arguments, as per the request of Solicitor General Jose Calida. Present in the internal meeting were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces Chief of PAGE A2
Injured Filipinos in London fire received treatment MANILA — Filipinos injured in a blaze that ran through a 24-story apartment tower in London have received medical treatment, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, June 15. The Philippine embassy in London earlier confirmed that a number of Filipinos were among those who were hurt in the fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower. “A number of them are in the emergency shelters at St. Clement’s Church, the St. Francis of Assisi Church and the Portobello Rugby Club on Walmer,” the embassy said in a statement. The DFA said that the injured Filipinos were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries. PAGE A2
by AJPRESS THE United States this week has reaffirmed its support for the Philippines in its efforts to combat terrorism. In a message for the commemoration of the Philippines’ 119th Independence Day on Monday, June 12, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that Washington “proudly stands” with the Philippines in its anti-terrorism operations in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, Mindanao. PAGE A3
Former Speaker de Venecia eyes interfaith DOT scraps ad campaign contract, encourages public for ideas dialogue to ease tensions in Mindanao by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
Philippine Foreign Affairs’ Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue Jose de Venecia
PHILIPPINE Foreign Affairs’ Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue Jose de Venecia is pitching the prospect of an interfaith dialogue to reduce tensions in Mindanao. In a television interview on Monday, June 12, de Venecia said the interfaith dialogue will play a “very vital” role in achieving peace despite differences in culture and ideologies. The interfaith dialogue, according to de Venecia, is the “best meeting place for Christians and Muslims,” particularly in addressing the crisis in the war-torn city of Marawi in Lanao del Sur, also called the Muslim Capital of the Philippines, which is predominantly PAGE A3
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is now reversing its course after initially defending the integrity of the accused “copycat” “Sights” tourism commercial developed by McCann Wordgroup Philippines. In a press conference held June 15, the DOT has announced the termination of their contract with McCann. It also said that they are considering filing legal charges and are expecting for a public apology over the negative feedbacks the department has been receiving. “In the midst of the controversy, the DOT expects a public apology from McCann over the negative feedback the depart-
Screengrab of the “Sights” DOT tourism video
ment has been receiving ow- 2014,” said the DOT Assistant ing to the glaring similarities Secretary, Frederick Alegre. between McCann’s ‘Sights’ ad “We learned this afternoon and South Africa’s ad released in PAGE A2