Manila Standard - 2016 August 8 - Monday

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Reds told: Shun land mines

VOL. XXX • NO. 177 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2016 • WWW.THESTANDARD.COM.PH • EDITORIAL@THESTANDARD.COM.PH

DAVAO CITY―President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday told the New People’s Army to stop using land mines against government forces because it is against the Geneva Convention. He said he should not hear any information that a soldier or a civilian died because of a land mine explosion or else he would stop the peace negotiations. “This can’t go on, the land mine,” Duterte said. “You must decide now because if I hear another explosion killing civilians and soldiers, I will order the government [peace] panel to

back out from the negotiations.” Duterte said he will insist that the talks about stopping the use of land mines be included in the peace negotiations. “Stop the land mine or I will tell the government panel to get out from the talks. Either you stop it or we stop talking,” Duterte said. He made his statement even as Luis Jalandoni, chairman of the communists’ negotiating panel, said that if the Jasig-protected NDFP consultants were released and received travel documents Next page

FVR off to China for talks FORMER President Fidel V. Ramos will fly to Beijing on Monday for initial talks with Chinese authorities on the peaceful resolution of the dispute over the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China. Ramos, who was named special envoy to China by President Rodrigo Duterte, will be accompanied by his wife and former First Lady Amelita Ramos, former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan,

journalist Chito Sta. Romana and Sam Jones, his grandson who speaks Mandarin fluently. The United Nations arbitral tribunal in The Hague has ruled that there is no legal basis for China’s claim to the West Philippine Sea, but China has rejected the ruling. China continues to occupy some of the islands in the Spratlys and to drive away the Filipino fishermen fishing in the area. Ramos, 88, served as President from 1992 to 1998 and has maintained good personal ties with China even after stepping down from office. Next page

I SWEAR. President Rodrigo Duterte reveals at least 157 names of those allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade during his visit to the Naval Station Felix Apolinario in Panacan, Davao City on Sunday, August 7, 2016. Malacañang Photo

So far, 3 surface, beat the deadline By Francisco Tuyay, John Paolo Bencito and Macon RamosAraneta HOURS after President Rodrigo Duterte issued a 24-hour deadline to government officials that he tagged as protectors of the illegal drug trade, a mayor, a dismissed judge and a former mayor went to Camp Crame to deny the accusations against them. Among those who appeared before the Major Crimes Investigation Unit were Mayor Cipriano Violago of San Rafael Bulacan, former Dasmariñas, Cavite Judge Lorinda Toledo-Mupas and former Saguiran, Lanao del Sur mayor Rashmia Makabago. An unidentified politician believed to be a congressman also dropped by at the MCIU but declined to be interviewed. The first to arrive was Violago, barely seven hours after his name was mentioned by Duterte during a speech in Davao City. Next page

Next on hit list: More narco-pols

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera, Sandy Araneta and John Paolo Bencito

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday publicly named over 157 judges, mayors, police and military men allegedly involved in narcotics and vowed to release more names of lawmakers and governors in the next wave of revelations.

Soon after the President exposed his ‘list’ of narco-politicians, two gave themselves up at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to deny their involvement in the narcotics trade: Mayor Cifriano Violago of San Rafael, Bulacan (left) and former mayor Rashmia Makabago of Saguiran, Lanao del Sur. Manny Palmero and Francisco Tuyay

Cha-Cha push forges ahead, Alvarez vows HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez vowed on Sunday not to fail President Rodrigo Duterte to push for Charter change to shift the form of government to a parliamentary, federal system. “I will not embarrass and fail the President. The House of Representatives under my leadership is committed to push genuine reforms,” he said. “I will stand against politicians’ self-serving interests.” Last week, Duterte threatened to shut down Congress if lawmakers used Charter change to advance

their selfish interests. He urged the public to trust him on Charter Change. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte called on fellow lawmakers to stretch their session days to include Fridays to give them more time to study and discuss constitutional reforms. In backing five-day work week for the House, Villafuerte said a constituent assembly made up of senators and congressmen was “a faster and better option” than an elected constitutional convention.

“Due process has nothing to do with my mouth [statements]. There are no proceedings here, no lawyers,” he said in a pre-dawn speech just before he began listing them. More than 800 drug suspects have been killed by police or vigilantes since Duterte’s election on May 9, in a campaign which has attracted widespread criticism from rights groups. The President listed seven judges and over 50 current or former congressmen, mayors and other local officials whom he alleged were involved in illegal drugs. Duterte ordered their security escorts withdrawn and canceled their firearms permits, adding that they would face sanctions. Mayors on the list were stripped of their

Rody okays FM burial at Libingan PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday vowed to push through with the burial of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City despite threats of protests. Even though the Marcos years

were marked by widespread corruption and rights abuses, Duterte said that as a former president and soldier, the late dictator was qualified to be buried in the special cemetery. “I will allow him to be buried there. He is qualified to be buried

there. If other Filipinos don’t like it, fine,” he said in a pre-dawn speech to soldiers and reporters. Marcos’ family has kept his preserved body on display after he died in exile in 1989 following a popular revolt three years earlier, demand-

around 10:20 a.m. “The victims were on board a black multi-cab from Jolo and were heading toward the cell site of a telecommunications company in Bagsak, Talipao, when flagged down by the armed men,” Tan said. “They were taken going to Sitio Kaban-Kaban.” Tan said Gonzales was a technician of the telecommunications Next page

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ing that it be buried with full honors in the Heroes’ Cemetery. Marcos was elected president in 1965 and declared martial law in 1972, allowing him to rule as a dictator while he, his family and Next page

Bureau tasked to ensure fish supply ample

3 abducted in Sulu: Abu Sayyaf blamed ARMED men believed to be members of the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf on Saturday kidnapped three people in Timpook village in Patikul, Sulu, an official said Sunday. Western Mindanao spokesman Major Felimon Tan Jr. identified the victims as Shariff Julhasan Abirin, Levi Gonzales and his wife Daniella Taruc. He said they were abducted

authority to supervise the local police. Duterte also named about 100 retired or active police officers and soldiers whom he said were involved, and relieved them of duty. “If you show the slightest violence in the resistance, I will tell the police, ‘Shoot them’,” he told reporters and soldiers in Davao. He said soldiers and police should immediately surrender to their superiors while the judges should report to the Supreme Court. Duterte, who has gained widespread domestic popularity for his outspokenness, conceded that he “might be wrong” about the guilt of those he named, and that he would take full responsibility for any mistakes in the information. Next page

A military personnel passes by a signage section where former presidents of the Philippines were buried. Mr. Duterte has given the go-signal for the Marcos family to bury the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on Sept. 18, 2016.

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AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Sunday ordered the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to ensure the steady supply of fish in Metro Manila. He gave the order following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to dismantle the fish pens on Laguna Lake that are inundating the river but are Metro Manila’s main sources of fish. “While the order to dismantle the fish pens was directed at the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] secretary, the DA [Department of Agriculture] and its line agency—the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources—will be actively involved in the effort because of the order’s impact on the fish supply of Metro Manila,” Piñol said in a statement. The 911-square-kilometer Laguna Lake Next page

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