Mindanao Daily Set A (February 1, 2017)

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MINDANAO DAILY T H E P U RV E YO R O F T R U T H , J U S T I C E , A N D D E V E LO P M E N T

Volume VI, No. 201

Website: www.mindanaodailynews.com

Wednesday

February 1, 2017

Iligan City mayor out of prison, reports to work By CRIS DIAZ, Executive Editor

CAGAYAN de Oro City--Imprisoned Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia was released from detention Monday morning on orders of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Quezon City. Regencia , was detained on charges with multiple murder and frustrated murder, in connection with the attempted slaying of Rep.

Dela Rosa suspends PNP’s war on drugs

Varf Belmonte, who was ambushed on his way home a few kilometers from the Laguindingan airport in 2014. Belmonte survived, but three of his bodyguards, including an enlisted police officer was killed in the ambuscade. Based on the affidavits submitted by the police and the witnesses, Belmonte filed the murder and frustrated murder raps against

Regencia with the municipal trial court of Laguindingan, which ordered the arrest and detention of the city mayor at the Iligan City Rehabilitation Center. The RTC in Quezon City dismissed the charges after the court found out that the witness was incredible and that the arresting police officers recanted their testimonies and admitted to have reportedly planted the evidences

against Regencia. The police told the court that they planted the evidences against the witness identified as Dominador Tumala, 60, of Osmena, Zamboanga del Norte allegedly upon instructions of the higher police officials. The court also noted that Tumala has earlier denied the accusation against him and told the court that he did not know and have not met

AFP decries NPA’s ‘harassment attack’

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Monday said the implementation of Oplan Tokhang and Project Double Barrel are now temporarily stopped. This was after Dela Rosa dissolved all the anti-illegal drugs units of the PNP pursuant to the directive of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The PNP chief admitted that the President has revoked the power of the PNP to operate in connection with illegal drugs. As of Monday, Dela Rosa said, instead of the war on drugs, the PNP will now focus on war on scalawag policemen. He said this means that they are now focused on internal cleansing after the successive crimes involving policemen, particularly the death of Korean national Jee Ick Joo. Dela Rosa said the PNP will create the Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) which will investigate all policemen, especially those who were charged before but were reinstated into service Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla briefs the media on the killing of a trooper and wounding of three others in a “harassment atafter filing their tack” by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Mati, Surigao City early on Monday See suspends, page 7

P15.00

(January 30, 2017). PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PH not included in the Trump ban

“THE Philippines is not included in the Trump ban.” This is the good news announced by the Department of Homeland Security of the United States through its spokeswoman Gillian Christiensen, which was relayed by the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), a non-profit run by Filipino immigrants based in the U.S., to this writer on Tuesday. “Please help us disseminate this information to our kababayan (citizens) Green Card holders in the U.S.A.,” MHC said in an e-mail signed by MHC Executive Directors Rev. Arnedo S Valera, Jesse A. Gatchalian, and Grace Divina Valera,

MHC directors. US President Donald Trump has issued an Executive Order stopping refugee admission to the United States to protect the nation and Americans from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States. However, MHC clarified that the Philippines is not included in the ban based on the official announcement by the Department of Homeland Security. MHC has been receiving queries about the refugee ban.“To all our Kababayans, who are Green Card Holders and currently on travel outside of US, our law firm See ban, page 7

See reports, page 7

n ‘NPA in Northern Mind-

anao violates own ceasefire, attacks troops in peace mode and on rescue mission’

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday strongly condemned the series of unprovoked New People’s Army (NPA) attacks which resulted in the death of two soldiers, wounding of three and abductions of one during the past two days. In a news release, Capt. Patrick A. Martinez, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division, said the NPA in Caraga and Northern Mindanao regions launched deliberate and coordinated attacks and harassments against government troops undertaking disaster response operations and community support activities with local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies on January 30. In Bukidnon, Martinez said NPA rebels lobbed two hand grenades to military units undertaking relief

operations. He said the grenades, which landed a few meters from the evacuation center, did not explode. These rebel attacks took place in Echague, Isabela, Surigao City and Surigao del Norte, AFP public affairs officers chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said. The first incident happened Sunday when around 15 NPA rebels abducted an unarmed and civilian-clad Pfc. Erwin Salan of the 30th Infantry Battalion. The victim and some civilian volunteers just came a civic-action activity in Barangay Budlingin, Alegria, Surigao del Norte when snatched by the rebels. “He is on a legitimate, non-military activity intended to help preserve a tourist spot which is the source of livelihood for the locals of Alegria, Surigao,” See attack, page 7

n Trump presidency bodes ill for smaller nations like PH. For the Philippines, whose economy has been influenced largely by the US for many decades, this is an opportune time to rethink its economic policies and its relations not only with the superpower but with other nations that have the same interests in the Philippines as the US. Read more/p.5

Editorial: e-mail: mindanaodailynews@gmail.com • Advertising: e-mail: mindanaodaily.ads@gmail.com Contact: 0917-7121424, 0947-8935776


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