Manila Standard - 2016 December 02 - Friday

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IN THIS ISSUE

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VOL. XXX • NO. 293 • 6 SECTIONS 28 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Terror alert heightened Police nab 2 jihadists after failed bomb plot By Francisco Tuyay

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ERROR alert level 3 is in effect nationwide police said Thursday following the arrest of two men suspected of planting a bomb near the US Embassy in Manila on Monday.

BOMB SUSPECTS. PNP Chief Ronald dela

Rosa presents Thursday before media at Camp Crame two suspects in the planting of a bomb near the US Embassy in Manila on Monday, whom he identified as Rayson Kilala Sakdal and Jiaher Guinar. The PNP is now on ‘terror alert level 3,’ Dela Rosa says and urges the public to be vigilant. Manny Palmero

Du30 junks Martial Law; writ suspension eyed By John Paolo Bencito and F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte said he has no intention of declaring Martial Law to arrest the spate of violence and terror attacks in the country even as a Pal-

ace official said the government is now considering a “selective” suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in areas with escalated threats. ‘‘Martial Law for what? Killing people? I would rather empower every mayor, but do not use these for illegal acts because our sol-

diers will never accede to illegal orders,” Duterte said during the 3rd Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Local Government Summit on Thursday. ‘‘Martial Law to kill the Maute and other religious extremists? And then what? Their principles

will only be transferred to their children, who will always remember that their fathers were killed. If you claim that the idea to declare Martial Law came from me, that is foolishness. We already had Martial Law before. Did our lives improve? No,” he added.

By John Paolo Bencito THE besieged town of Butig in Lanao del Sur province has been cleared of terrorists from the Maute group, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Thursday. Citing a report from the 103rd Infantry Brigade, AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said Butig has been “100 percent cleared” of the Maute group.

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Rey E. Requejo

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Ex-MRT head, pal face arrest By Maricel V. Cruz THE anti-graft court has ordered the arrest of former Metro Rail Transit general manager Al Vitangcol in connection with the $30 million in graft charges filed against him by the representatives of the Inekon Group, the Czech supplier of rail cars. The Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division also ordered the arrest of businessman Wilson de Vera, Vitangcol’s co-accused in the graft cases against him. The court released the arrest warrants on Vitangcol and De Vera last Monday and recommended Next page

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Maute terrorists flee; 61 dead, says military

SolGen’s deputy in US nabbed for sex rap ONE of the 30 assistants of Solicitor General Jose Calida was arrested two weeks ago in Washington D.C. where he was attending a seminar on international arbitration, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Justice confirmed Thursday. DFA spokesman Charles Jose confirmed that the Philippine Embassy in Washington had been extending legal assistance to Assistant Solicitor General

But Communications Secretary Martin Andanar acknowledged that the selective lifting of the writ of habeas corpus remains a possibility even as he downplayed the impact of the government’s decision to place the country under terNext page ror alert level 3.

In a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa said this means the public should expect tighter security measures, particularly the setting up of random and mobile checkpoints. Dela Rosa also advised the public to be alert, vigilant and observant, but not to panic. The PNP chief said the public had nothing to worry about, despite the highest alert level. Dela Rosa has also issued orders to regional police directors to tighten security measures in major cities. In the same press conference, Dela Rosa presented two of the

JOB WELL DONE. President Rodrigo Duterte confers Wednesday the Wounded Personnel Medal on five Presidential Security Group members and a soldier who were wounded in action during his visit to the Camp Evangelista Station Hospital of the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division in Patag, Cagayan de Oro City.

UN wants own terms on EJK probe By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan UN SPECIAL rapporteurs insisted Thursday that their investigation of summary executions in the Philippines would be conducted

on their terms, not those set by President Rodrigo Duterte. In an e-mail, UN Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions Agnes Callamard said the terms of reference for fact-finding missions would be drafted by the rap-

porteurs and that the Philippines must accept these terms for the investigation to go through. “The visits of the special rapporteur, as those of all United Nations human rights special Next page

The government, he added, was clearing and fixing some of the damage caused by the fighting before allowing residents to return. The 103rd Infantry Brigade was the lead military unit in the almost six-day operation to dislodge the bandit group. The death toll has been put at 61 dead for the Maute group and 35 wounded for the government side, the military said. Next page

Leila’s ex-lover opts for police custody SENATOR Leila De Lima’s former driver and lover Ronnie Dayan may opt to remain under the custody of the Philippine National Police while covered by the government’s Witness Protection Program, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Thursday. He made the statement after Dayan was transferred to the custody of Police Chief Roland Dela Rosa in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Aguirre said he was told that Dayan still wanted to apply for WPP coverage but requested to stay in Camp Crame for his safety. Witnesses under the Witness Protection Program are normally given a safe house and security from the National Bureau of Investigation. “It’s better that he stays with General Bato [Dela Rosa] because Next page

PWDs assured of tax relief; rules firmed up By Macon R. Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz PEOPLE with disability and their families will be exempted from paying the value- added tax and other deductions following the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10754. Senator Sonny Angara, the sponsor of the bill what was enacted eight months ago, said the new law intended to ease the burtwitter.com/ MlaStandard

den of people with disability. He made his statement even as Philippine Constitution Association president Martin Romualdez said Thursday he would see to it that all establishments will comply with the new law favoring the more than 1.5-million disabled people. “The fight has just begun. Our task now is to guarantee that all beneficiaries will fully enjoy the assistance that the law is offering,” Romualdez said. Next page

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EXPANDED BENEFITS. DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo (2nd right seated), National Council on Disability Affairs Executive Director Carmen Zubiaga (2nd left seated), and Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo (right seated) sign Thursday the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law expanding the benefits and privileges of persons with disability authored by former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (2nd left standing), Pasay Rep. Emmi Rubiano-Calixto (3rd left standing), and Senator Sonny Angara (3rd right standing). With them are Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romuladez (left standing), DSWD Undersecretary Florita Villar (right standing), Transport Undersecretary Anniely Lontoc (2nd right standing) and Tahanang Walang Hagdanan president Noli Agcaoili (left seated). Ver Noveno

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