VOL. 9 ISSUE 260 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017
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P 15.00 • 20 PAGES FOR POSTERITY. Ministers representing countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) pose for a class photograph during the ASEAN 2017 Labor Ministers’ Retreat held at The Marco Polo Davao yesterday. The Philippines was represented by Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III (5th from left). Lean Daval Jr.
DEMOLITION JOB Drama aimed to topple Rody from power, Andanar says By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ adlopez0920@gmail.com
“T
HE on-going political drama at the Senate was meant to destroy President Duterte and to topple his administration. ”
This was the statement made by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar on Monday in the wake of another round of what he described as a “demolition job” against the President. “Our people are aware that this character assassination is nothing but vicious politics orchestrated by sectors affected by the reforms initiated by the Duterte administration,” Andanar said. In a press conference in the Senate on Monday, the Free Legal Assistance Group presented SPO3 Arthur Las-
cañas who claimed to be the leader of the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS). Lascañas, during the press conference linked President Duterte into the drug-related killings in Davao City including the killing of broadcaster Jun Pala. He also affirmed the existence of the Davao Death Squad. But Andanar said the Commission on Human Rights, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Senate Committee on Justice have already cleared the President of extrajudicial killing and his involvement in the Davao Death Squad. “Bringing change is not an easy task. The Duterte administration has disturbed and disrupted the establishment,” Andanar added.
He also assured the public that the administration of President Duterte remain undistracted in delivering goods and services to serve the people, not just the interest of the few. Meanwhile, Senator Win Gachalian called on the Department of Justice to file perjury charges against Lascañas for lying before the Senate Justice Committee in a hearing last October 2016. In the said hearing, Lascañas denied the existence of the DDS. “The Department of Justice should immediately file perjury charges against retired SPO3 Arthur Lascañas, by admitting to lying under oath before the Senate Justice Committee during the October 2016 hearings on alleged extrajudicial killings,” Gachalian
said in a statement. He added that Lascañas has made a mockery of the solemn proceedings of the Senate and that he should be made to pay for the grave disrespect he has shown to the institution. “Personally, I find it hard to believe the incredible alternative facts that Lascañas is now asserting. After all, he was singing a completely different tune just a few months ago,” the senator pointed out. With the different testimony now he is presenting to the public, Gachalian said it is clear that there are serious doubts about the integrity and the credibility of Lascañas. “Unless Lascañas can provide actual concrete evidence to link the President to extrajudicial killings, I would not rely too much on this retired cop’s tall tales,” Gachalian said.
DOLE leads ASEAN talks on migrant workers’ rights By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ
A
S the leading agency that upholds the rights of migrant workers, the Department of Labor and Employment hosted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Labor Ministers’ Retreat and 10th Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers on February 19 to 22,
2017 in Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City. Speaking on Monday, DOLE Secretary Sylvestre H. Bello III expressed his gratitude to host the ministerial retreat saying as the chairman of ASEAN 2017, the Philippines is looking forward to the finalization of the
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