De Lima hits out at ’abuse of power’ By Macon RamosAraneta
VOL. XXX • NO. 188 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2016 • WWW.THESTANDARD.COM.PH • EDITORIAL@THESTANDARD.COM.PH
NO LAUGHING MATTER. Senator Leila de Lima (right) asks PNP Director General Ronaldo dela Rosa questions relating to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs during the public hearing Thursday jointly conducted by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs as well as the Committee on Civil Service Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, Health and Demography, National Defense and Security, Youth and Finance. Lino Santos
‘Economy fastest growing in Asia’
Next page
Crisis averted as China ship sails away A CHINESE Coast Guard ship sailed 73 to 100 nautical miles within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone near the Scarborough Shoal off Masinloc, Zambales, recently, and an official said Thursday that had been normal in the past―but not anymore. “With the new Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, it has been established that [that area] is part of our exclusive economic zone,” Coast Guard Chief William Melad said. “We can now go there and fish anytime we want.” Melad was reacting to questions about a report about the Next page
6.7%
5.9%
THE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has shouldered the expenses of overseas Filipino workers who were laid off and stranded in the oil-rich country. The Saudi Arabia embassy announced that King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has provided SR 100,000,000 or P1.2 billion to provide the OFWs housing, food, sanitary and health services, and free airline tickets to those who want to fly home. Roughly 11,000 Filipinos are among tens of thousands of work-
7%
5.6% 5.2% 4.0%
Q1 2015
Q1 2016
PHILIPPINES
CHINA
VIETNAM
INDONESIA
3.5%
Q2 2015
D
AVAO CITY—Boosted by a robust performance from the industry and services sectors, the economy expanded seven percent in the second quarter, making it the fastest growing in Asia so far, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday.
The second quarter expansion brought growth in the first half of the year to 6.9 percent. Economic and Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said the growth in the first six months made it likely that the economy could hit the government’s fullyear target of six percent to seven percent, despite the usual slowdown in the second half of an election year. Pernia also said the smooth transition to a new administration and assurances that there would be consistency and continuity in macroeconomic policies are like-
Scandal’s her own doing, says Duterte By John Paolo Bencito and Macon RamosAraneta
ly to keep business and consumer confidence strong. The second quarter growth was faster than economists predicted, giving a boost to President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to attract more investment and speed up infrastructure spending. The seven percent growth was higher than the median estimate of 6.6 percent in a Bloomberg survey of 21 economists and beat the first quarter’s 6.8-percent expansion. Duterte is seeking to relax business restrictions and cut taxes in a
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday kept up the attack on Senator Leila de Lima, saying she had only herself to blame for the scandal that has befallen her. “[De Lima] created the scandal, she know she’s a public official -- but she kept on making scandals herself [when she was chairperson of the Commission on] Human Rights, and doing the same as secretary of Justice,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters during a visit at Camp Sinsuat in Maguindanao. “[You’re in] public office, De Lima -- your life is an open book,” he added. On Wednesday, Duterte said De Lima had links to drug syndicates inside the National Bilibid Prison through her driver-lover,
Next page
Next page
Killings no reason for UN to meddle in drug war PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday hit out at “stupid” United Nations’ criticism of his controversial crime war that has claimed 1,000 lives, warning the global body not to interfere. The political outsider, who swept to a landslide election victory in May largely on a pledge to kill tens of thousands of criminals, said he would continue his anti-drug crackdown despite mounting criticism, including from UN chief Ban Ki-moon. “Why would the United Nations be so easily swayed into interfering in the affairs of this republic? There are only 1,000
S Arabia comes to aid of crisis-stricken OFWs By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan
7%
6.8%
MALAYSIA
POLICE Chief Roland dela Rosa on Thursday heeded a senator’s call to appoint a qualified civilian to head his agency’s Internal Affairs Service. Senator Grace Poe, during a joint-committee hearing, repeated her call on the PNP to appoint a civilian as head of its IAS, saying a number of policemen were reportedly also involved in the illegal drug trade. Dela Rosa made his decision even as three soldiers died
PH GDP GROWTH
THAILAND
Senator proposes, PNP chief takes heed
By Gabrielle Binaday
SENATOR Leila De Lima on Thursday lashed out at President Rodrigo Dutere for abusing and misusing executive power when he accused her of being an “immoral woman” and an “adulterer” for having a married man—her driver, as a lover and as a collector of drug money. “I don’t think the Constitution has ever contemplated such abuse of power on such scale, as it assumes every President to conduct himself in a manner befitting the office he holds,” said De Lima. “It seems that this is not the case for this President,” said De Lima of Duterte who also had recently picked up a fight with Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno. A visibly upset De Lima said words could not express what she was feeling right now. “I guess no one can, because no one has ever been attacked in such a manner by no less than the highest official of the land, until now,” she said Next page
ers affected by financial troubles at the kingdom’s major construction firms. “Their salaries have not been paid, some of them for as long as eight months,” Iric Arribas, charge d’affaires at the Philippine Embassy said. “It turned into a humanitarian crisis.” Workers were unable to renew their residency permits, meaning they could not leave the country and could not access their bank accounts, he said. Some living in company accommodation “did not have food”, Arribas added. Next page twitter.com/ MlaStandard
(killed),” he said at an event marking the 115th anniversary of the police force. Ban Ki-moon in June condemned Duterte’s apparent support for extra-judicial killings, saying they were “illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms”. The UN’s anti-drugs office also this month said it was “greatly concerned” by reports of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users in the Philippines. The UN has made “a very stupid proposition”, Duterte said, warning them not to meddle in the country’s politics. Next page
13 Reds get bail to join Oslo talks AT LEAST 13 detained consultants of the communist National Democratic Front have been granted bail to allow them to join the resumption of the peace talks between their group and the government in Oslo on Aug. 20. The fishermen’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas praised their release on Thursday. “Peace is in the air and we can smell it,” group spokesman Fernando Hicap said in a statement.
facebook.com.ph/ manilastandard
Next page
S
GOV’T TABLOID. The bi-monthly publication Mula Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa is now off the press, with an initial printing of 5,000 copies to be distributed free through the Philippine Information Agency with Communications Asst. Secretary Mon Cualoping as editor in chief. The tabloid’s maiden issue banners President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against illegal drugs. Pearl Gajunera
First, tabloid; next, TV show THE Presidential Communications Office on Thursday finally announced the launching of the government’s new tabloid ahead of its planned national broadcast of President Rodrigo Duterte’s
thestandard.com.ph
TV show. “Ladies and gentlemen, while the TV show is not yet ready, we are still preparing the studio in Malacañang. Please welcome the Mula Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa tab-
loid,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar told reporters in Davao City. Masa is to be published bimonthly with an initial print run of Next page
Missed your copy of Manila Standard Today? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com