Manila Standard - 2017 February 22 - Wednesday

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BUS CRASH WAKE: CHED BANS SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Higher Education on Tuesday suspended all field trips and educational tours in private and state universities and colleges after 14 students from the Bestlink College of the Philippines perished in a bus accident in Tanay, Rizal Monday.

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The commission en banc agreed to ban such activities until a thorough investigation of the incident was completed. Commissioner Prospero de Vera III also recommended a review of guidelines and policies on field trips and educational tours. XPERIENCE•XCELLENCE•XCITEMENT Under a 2012 CHED memo, universities and colleges are reFLAMING EPITAPH. Students of the private-run Bestlink College of the Philippines in Novaliches, Quezon City, light candles and offer prayers at the school campus lobby Tuesday for the quired to report to their respective

14 students and one driver who died Monday in a bus accident in Tanay, Rizal, 60 kms away from the school (facade inset). Manny Palmero

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 12 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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XPERIENCE•XCELLENCE•XCITEMENT

China draws Asean flak

Regional bloc airs concern over sea ‘militarization’ By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

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HE foreign ministers of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nation want China to dismantle weapon systems stationed in the disputed South China Sea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Tuesday. Most Asean members have expressed “grave concern” over the weapon systems and seek to prevent China’s militarization of the region through a legally binding code of conduct, Yasay added. Over the past years, China has claimed some parts of the disputed South China Sea particularly the Philippine-owned-reefs-turned-

islands in the Kalayaan Group of Islands (Spratlys) where Beijing has installed a weapons system. Yasay said during a meeting of the foreign ministers, most expressed strong concerns over recent developments in the South China Sea, noting that an escalation would raise tensions and erode trust and confidence in the region. Next page

Tokhang estopped: SC’s 2nd amparo out By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a second writ of amparo with a protection order in favor of the family of an alleged drug pusher who was among the thousands who had been killed in the government’s war against illegal drugs. The high court granted the plea sought by Christina Macandog-Gonzales, the widow of Joselito Gonzales who died

of multiple gunshot wounds in Antipolo City on July last year. The Temporary Protection Order from the Court overs the family of the victim. Among the respondents in the petition were Interior Secretary Ismael Sueño, Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, Chief Supt. Valfrie Tabian, Senior Supt. Adriano Enong and Supt. Simnar Next page Semacio Gran.

ENGAGING THE WORLD. Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. fields media questions during a news conference on the outcome of the Asean Foreign Ministers Retreat Tuesday at the Shangri-La Hotel in Boracay—part of the Philippines’ chairmanship of Asean for 2017 themed ‘Partnering for Change, Engaging the World.’ PNA

Plunder raps vs Napoles upheld By Rey E. Requejo

Napoles will not be released despite the solicitor general’s deciA SUPREME Court decision on sion to reverse her conviction in Tuesday meant alleged pork-bar- a serious illegal-detention case. The high court on Tuesday rel scam mastermind Janet Lim-

sustained the Ombudsman’s decision indicting Napoles before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the anomalies over the Next page

Lascañas flip-flops —Palace By John Paolo Bencito and F. Pearl A. Gajunera

‘PH growth to leapfrog in 2050’

$1-k bribery tall tale or oust plot?

By John Paolo Bencito

By John Paolo Bencito

WITH its steady growth, the Philippines could make the biggest gains by the year 2050 and become the 19th most powerful economy in the world, the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers report says. The report, entitled “The Long View: How will the global economic order change by 2050?” says the Philippines will make the second highest leap in its GDP from 2016 to 2050 based on its Purchasing Power Parity or PPP Next page rankings.

COMMUNICATIONS Secretary Martin Andanar insisted Tuesday that a “confidential intelligence report” said reporters had been offered $1,000 to attend a press conference in which a former policeman accused President Rodrigo Duterte of heading the Davao Death Squad when he was still mayor of Davao City. Andanar said this was part of a plot to destabilize the administration, even though Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzano

THE Palace said Tuesday the allegation by a former policeman that President Rodrigo Duterte was behind the vigilante-style killings of the Davao Death Squad when he was still the city’s mayor was part of an attempt to oust the Chief Executive. In a press briefings, Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella also cast doubt on the credibility of retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas, who had testified before the Senate last year that the DDS did not exist, then recanted his testimony this week. “Based on how he performed as a witness, he seems rather discredited,” Abella said. “In 2016, he denied certain things and in 2017, he flip-flops.” He said the Palace would no longer respond to Lascañas’ allegations. “If these are really, truly valid,

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IT’S THE ECONOMY. President Rodrigo Duterte is flanked by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (left) and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez II while presiding over the first meeting Monday of the National Economic and Development Authority Board in Malacañang.


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