Attacks feared on other cities By Francisco Tuyay and Sandy Araneta PHILIPPINE National Police Chief Ronaldo Dela Rosa said the perpetrators of Friday’s deadly attack at a night market in Davao City might launch another attack, but said that all major cities were prepared for any eventuality. Dela Rosa said they expect the terrorists responsible for the blast in President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown were waiting for a chance to pull off another assault. “Because of the incident in Davao, all major cities must be prepared. We don’t want to be panicky, [but] it is better to be sure because we have an ongoing operation [against the Abu Sayyaf],” Dela Rosa said. At least 10 people died on the spot when a powerful homemade bomb ripped through several tents full of people at a night market on Roxas Avenue at 10:30 p.m. Friday. Four other blast victims died in the hospitals after sustaining shrapnel wounds. Some 67 others were wounded. On Saturday night, President Duterte called a command conference in Davao City attended by top security officials, including Dela Rosa. Although no specifics were provided, Dela Rosa said the meeting considered how groups such as the Abu Sayyaf or drug syndicates might be seeking a way to ease the government pressure against them. In a briefing after meeting top police officials in Davao region, Dela Rosa said the perpetrators of the night marNext page ket attack may hit other major cities.
VOL. XXX • NO. 205 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph
IN MEMORIAM. A national flag is placed among flowers as residents offer prayers for bomb blast victims at a night market, during a memorial at the site in Davao City, on September 3, 2016. AFP
‘Wipe out the ASG’ Duterte vows tit for tat, calls on nation to brace for reprisals Sino envoy ‘Lawlessness’ plan preceded blast summoned to explain shoal base By Sandy Araneta
By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte has asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to summon the Chinese Ambassador after seeing surveillance photos presented by the Defense department showing what appeared to be construction of a military base on Scarborough Shoal. In a Cabinet meeting in Matina Enclaves in Davao City, Sunday, Duterte said he was displeased when Defense Secretary Delfin Next page
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte had planned to declare a state of lawlessness even before the deadly Davao City bombing last Friday night, which left more than a dozen dead and over 60 wounded, his chief legal adviser said Sunday. “That was not the trigger,” said Presidential Legal Adviser Salvador Panelo in an interview on radio dzBB. “Actually, [the declaration was in the] planning stage,” Panelo said, adding that a draft of the proclamation had already been prepared. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, in fact, had prepared several drafts, and the final one was supposed to be released
Sept. 4 or 5. The reasons for the declaration, he added, were the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, terrorism and the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf. With 98 percent of all barangays affected by drugs, each user and pusher was a “potential killer,” Panelo said. “President Duterte said he does not believe if you’re a user, you’re not also a pusher. If you’re a user, you need medication. But if you are not rich, you need to be a pusher so that you could afford to buy. The poor needs to sell in order to earn because they have no money to buy illegal drugs. That’s how bad the problem is because these are potential killers,” he said. Panelo said criminality contin-
ued despite the reported drop in the crime rate. He also said acts of terrorism, like those carried out by the Abu Sayyaf, were not just simple crimes, because they are aimed at sowing fear around the country. These social conditions convinced Duterte to use the Armed Forces, through his order, to assist the Philippine National Police in its security operations. “The President is looking on the extent of the problem. If this could be done without that, we will do it ... but when there was a bombing, there really was a need to declare [the state of lawlessness] because this would stop the violence,” said Panelo. “The PNP cannot do this alone,” he said. Next page
St. Teresa, 20th century Church icon VATICAN CITY, Holy See—Pope Francis on Sunday declared revered nun Mother Teresa a saint in a canonization mass at St Peter’s square. “For the honor of the Blessed Trinity... we declare and define Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to be a saint and we enroll her among the saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole Church,” the pontiff said in Latin. Next page
ST. TERESA. A devotee of Mother Teresa offers a prayer at the Holy Redeemer Parish Church in Quezon City. The nun from Calcutta was canonized as saint during a Mass in Vatican on Sunday. Manny Palmero
Shanghai dangles $100-b infra aid SHANGHAI―Despite the ongoing tensions over the West Philippine Sea, Shanghai authorities have assured the Philippines of being “impartial” in helping out on the major infrastructure projects under the $100-billion Asian Infrastructure Investments Bank financing by the China-led financial institution. The assurance came after Sen-
ate President Aquilino Pimentel III claimed he does not share the enthusiasm expressed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez about the country being a founding member of the AIIB. The Duterte administration may have to decide whether to forgo the opportunity or cash in on the $100-billion financing facility under AIIB not later than
Drug lords face probe inside NBP
December this year. Shanghai Development and Reform Commission Director Guo Yu said that, since the focus of China was “outward,” it would be beneficial for the Philippines to be a member of AIIB. “China’s and the AIIB’s priority is outward, to help developing countries with their major
ORIENTAL Mindoro Rep. Rey Umali said Sunday hearings could be conducted inside the New Bilibid Prison to question the inmates on the proliferation of illegal drugs there during the stint of Senator Leila de Lima as Justice secretary. “I’m not discounting the possibility of conducting it in the
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WEATHER
6-magnitude earthquake jolts Mindanao
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration spotted a low pressure area (LPA) near Batanes on Sunday. Pagasa said in its 5:00 a.m. weather advisory that the LPA was located 465 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes. PNA It also pointed out the south-
TAGUM―A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake shook parts of Mindanao on Sunday, briefly panicking residents, the government volcanology office said. But the civil defense office said there were no initial reports of damage or casualties. The US Geological Survey put twitter.com/ MlaStandard
the magnitude at 5.9. While some areas of Mindanao experienced just slight tremors, those closer to the epicenter about 850 kilometers south of Manila reported more serious shaking with people fleeing outdoors for fear their houses might collapse. “I was inside my room when
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the shaking started, which lasted for almost a minute. I felt dizzy so I rushed outside,” said radio broadcaster Richard Grande in the town of San Francisco near the epicenter. The Philippines lies on the socalled Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide. AFP
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By Sandy Araneta and Funny Pearl Gajunera
D
AVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to crush the Abu Sayyaf Group Saturday, even if he has to engage mercenary groups like the feared Nepalese Gurkhas.
Residents light candles and place flowers as they offer prayers for bomb blast victims in Davao City . AFP
“You started this. I wanted to talk to you but you leave me with no choice,” Duterte said, addressing the terrorist group directly during a meeting with national security officials in Matina, Davao City just a few hundred meters from his residence. The meeting with national security officials and several Cabinet members started at 11 p.m. and ended at 4 a.m. Duterte called on the nation to prepare for reprisals from the terrorist group similar to the Davao
DRUG WAR IN NUMBERS
1,011 killed in police operations
15,000 arrested
679,112
houses visited under Oplan Tokhang
85
PNP personnel tested positive for illegal drugs (From July 1-September 4) Data from PNP
City bombing as the government pressed its campaign to wipe out the kidnap-for-ransom gang. “I am calling on the nation to prepare for reprisals. There will be sacrifices to be made but we have to address this problem once and for all,” Duterte said. The Abu Sayyaf Group, which identifies itself with the Islamic State, generates funds by taking hostages, both local and foreign, and demanding a ransom for their release. Hostages whose families Next page
Narco-pols list up for expansion INTERIOR Secretary Ismael Sueno said Sunday his department was set to complete a list of narco-politicians in its bid to boost its campaign against illegal drugs. He said he had ordered his department’s task force to validate the list of not only provincial, municipal and city officials but also of village officials linked to illegal drugs. He said those in the list must turn themselves in. The Interior department had recently expressed alarm over the disclosure of the Philippine National Police in Central Luzon that there were 10 mayors and vice mayors from the area, including from Nueva Ecija, in the list of narco-politicians that Duterte would soon reveal. In Lucena City, police claimed that two suspected drug pushers were killed Sunday night when they sensed they were in the middle of a police buy-bust operation Next page
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