Manila Standard - 2017 May 25 - Thursday

Right thing to do, says Congress

MAUTE KILLS 9 CIVILIANS, FREES 107 INMATES

By Francisco Tuyay

By Macon R. Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo CONGRESS may extend the proclamation or suspension of martial law for a determined period of time if the rebellion shall persist and public safety requires it upon the initiative of the President, senators said Wednesday, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III also said Congress, voting jointly, may also revoke such a proclamation by a vote from a majority of all its members.

As provided by the Constitution, Congress must await the President’s report, which must be sent within 48 hours of the proclamation, in which he will justify the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law Tuesday night for 60 days following the

VOL. XXXI • NO. 100 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

NINE civilians were executed by the Islamic State-inspired Maute group while at least five soldiers and two policemen were killed and 33 other people were wounded in ongoing clashes in Marawi City.

Residents of Sitio Moncado in Barangay Kadilingan discovered the corpses of the nine civilian victims, who were reportedly stopped by members of the terrorist group when they passed by one of the checkpoints set up by the Maute Next page group.

Rody: Martial law in entire PH if...

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By John Paolo Bencito

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday he may place the entire country under martial law if threat of terrorism for Islamic Stateaffiliated groups spill out from Mindanao, where he has suspended the writ of habeas corpus.

“If I think that the ISIS has already taken a foothold also in Luzon, and terrorism is not really far behind, I might declare martial law throughout the country to protect the people,” Duterte said after his official trip to Russia was cut short on Wednesday.

“The government may consider [expanding] the covered areas of martial law in the event that members of the Maute group and other ISISaffiliated terrorists seek sanctuary or expand their terroristic activities in the Visayas and Mindanao,” he said. “[While] we are still in the state of emergency, sporadic skirmishes with the Maute group continues, showing the group’s capability to sow terror and unleash harassment and inflict destruction not only in Lanao del Sur but also in other parts of Mindanao and even in the Visayas.”

He said he might also suspend the EXODUS. Resident fleeing from Marawi City, where the Maute who had declared allegiance to the Islamic State rampaged through the southern city, are cramped on a truck as they traverse a traffic gridlock near a police checkpoint at the entrance of Iligan City in Mindanao on May 24, 2017. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte warned that martial law would be ‘harsh’ writ of habeas corpus in the Visayas, Next page

and like a dictatorship, after imposing military rule on the southern island to combat Islamist militants. AFP

Airports, metro on full alert vs terror

DND denies lapses in intel; probe sought

By Joel E. Zurbano and Sandy Araneta

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday night said there was no lapse in intelligence that allowed Maute group terrorists to go on a rampage in Marawi City, but admitted that some of the reports they received were not properly appreciated.

“We knew they were there, and in fact, there was this big firefight somewhere in Piagpo and in the mountainous area surrounding it.

I don’t think there was a lapse of intelligence; it’s just the appreciation of the intelligence that was lacking,” Lorenzana told reports in Moscow.

The military said fighting started when combined government

OFFICIALS in Metro Manila and the country’s airports are on full alert for terrorist activity in the wake of the Maute Group’s attacks on Marawi City in Mindanao, even as the National Capital Region Police Office said there was “no clear and present danger” of such in the nation’s capital.

Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada—the country’s 13th President—on Wednesday ordered the Manila Police District to double security around Malacañan Palace and around Next page

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon RamosAraneta

forces on Tuesday raided a house where Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, previously reported as badly wounded a few months back, was believed to be hiding.

At around 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, a joint operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police was launched in Marawi City to capture Hapilon, but security forces were apparently caught off guard by more than 100 Maute group members who took over vital installations in the area.

In a press briefing, Lorenzana said the Maute group was receiving “small amounts of funding” from international groups.

“That’s why they asked [Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon] Hapilon to transfer to expand their base,” he said.

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Foreign nations warn vs travel to Mindanao

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

MOORE, 89. Sir Roger Moore, suave superspy who starred in seven James Bond films among them ‘Live and Let Die’ and ‘Octopussy,’ passed away on May 23, 2017 in Switzerland after a short battle with cancer. He was 89. The British actor was knighted in 2003 for his charity work as goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Children’s Fund. AFP

FOLLOWING the imposition of martial law in Mindanao, several countries have issued travel warnings and called on their citizens traveling to Mindanao to be vigilant or defer going there if possible.

That came to pass even as United States ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Marawi.

“My sincere condolences to the friends and families of the police

officers and soldiers who lost their lives in Marawi in the name of democracy,” Sung said.

The US Embassy in Manila said it was aware of the martial law declaration and was monitoring the situation.

In its advisory, the US Embassy temporarily suspended all travel to Mindanao pending a better understanding of the situation there.

“While the US Embassy has no information that the event in Marawi City represents a direct threat to US citizens or US interests in the Philippines, we Next page

LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS. President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech upon arrival at Naia Terminal 2 with his official delegation. Duterte said his government will put an end to the Mindanao problem as he called on the Maute group to ‘lay down your arms and surrender.’ Eric Apolonio

Trump hails Duterte’s war on drugs WASHINGTON--US President Donald Trump praised his President Rodrigo Duterte over his immensely polarizing drug war, which has killed thousands of people, reports said Tuesday.

During an April 29 call that focused mostly on North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile program, Trump congratulated

Duterte on doing an “unbelievable job on the drug problem.”

Trump also extended an invitation for “good man” Duterte to visit the White House “anytime you want to come,” before the two leaders are set to meet in the Philippines in November.

“Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what

a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that,” Trump said, according to a transcript made by the Philippine government and released by The Washington Post and The Intercept.

Duterte responded by saying drugs are the “scourge of my nation now and I have to do something to preserve the Filipino nation.” Next page

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THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Security policy update sought

By Nash B. Maulana DAVAO CITY—The government will update the country’s national security policies and laws to cover the administration of the citizens’ identification or ID system, the centralized ownership registration of guns, cellular phone numbers and internet connections and domains, an official has said.

In a press conference here Sunday night, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the security sector was also looking into the national security laws of the countries with cultural and religious diversity, such as Malaysia, which has been implementing its Internal Security Act or ISA since 1987.

In comparison, the 90-year old Commonwealth Act remains the original basis of the Philippine National Security Program and, partly, Republic Act 9372, the Human Security Act of 2007 that is also known as the Anti-Terrorism Act.

DND...

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Lorenzana confirmed three people were killed in the clashes after the terrorists occupied a hospital and a jail, and burned down buildings, including a Catholic Church.

A priest and several churchgoers were taken hostage by gunmen, reports said.

In contrast to Lorenzana’s assessment, Senator Panfilo Lacson said the Maute group attacks were made possible by a failure of intelligence.

Lacson said he was baffled how a huge number of armed terrorists were able to enter Marawi City at the time when the Philippine National Police was conducting operations against Hapilon, who was spotted in the area with 15 followers.

Senator Gregorio Honasan, on the other hand, said there was a “failure to coordinate” by local leaders.

“We must understand that the local government units are the convergence points for this.... We need to harness the informationgathering capability and reporting systems that are in place so that we can be more proactive,” he said.

A former deputy governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao told a TV interview that members of the Maute group had infiltrated Marawi City days before the attack on Tuesday.

Maute...

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Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman said the Maute group also freed 107 inmates from the Malabang District Jail and the Marawi City Jail.

The attack prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in Mindanao on Tuesday night to arrest the terrorists and stop the violence there.

The initial reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo said among the fatalities were six soldiers, including an officer, and two policemen.

However, Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, spokesman of the Army’s Western Mindanao Command, said three soldiers and one policeman were killed while 10 were wounded.

In other developments: • The Islamist militants battling security forces in Marawi have taken hostages, including a local priest, the Catholic Church said Wednesday after Duterte declared martial law to combat the gunmen.

“Father Chito Suganob and others were in the Cathedral of Our Lady Help of Christians when members of the Maute fighting group forced their way into the Cathedral, taking with them Fr. Chito and others as hostages,” Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.With AFP, Vito Barcelo, Lance Baconguis and F. Pearl A. Gajunera

News

Russia ready to arm PH—Rody

By John Paolo Bencito

“They are also ready. I said, we are waiting. I need firearms, I need soft loans because we are a very poor country,” Duterte said upon his arrival after cutting short his trip following the Marawi attacks.

“Where’s your list. He did it three times. I’m very happy.

Maybe that’s an indication that ... he never said no.”

Duterte’s meeting with Putin was scheduled for Thursday but was brought forward to Tuesday

night due to his declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

“I came [to Moscow] to secure your support and to confirm our friendship,” Duterte told Putin.

Duterte expressed regret that he had to leave Russia early after “ISIS units occupied the province [Mindanao], and there are still fighting and clashes there.

“Of course, our country needs modern weapons. We had orders in the United States, but now the situation there is not so smooth, and in order to fight ISIS with their units and factions, we need modern weapons,” Duterte told Putin.

Before his arrival in Russia, Duterte signaled his interest in buying small arms, helicopters

Rody:...

reporting that gunmen burned a Catholic Church and other buildings.

“Our fellow Filipinos, do not be too scared,” Duterte said from Moscow, where he had just begun an official visit that he abruptly ended to fly home and deal with the crisis.

Duterte vowed to be ruthless in quelling the terrorism threat in Mindanao.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella announced Duterte’s decision at a press briefing in Moscow.

“The President has called me and asked me to announce that as of 10 p.m. Manila time, he has already declared martial law for the entire island of Mindanao,” he said.

“Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra has clarified that this is possible given the existence of a rebellion in Mindanao based on Article VII, Section 18 of the Constitution. This is good for 60 days,” he added.

As a result of this measure, curfew will be in effect in Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga City, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Jolo, Sulu.

The President is set to submit to Congress a written notice of his decision to declare martial law with both chambers, voting jointly if they will be revoke Duterte’s 60-day suspension.

The President named Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Eduardo Año as the chief implementor of martial law in the country, with his term as AFP chief extended for another six months. Civilian authority, meanwhile, will come from Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dur-

ing martial law.

Duterte said that the open defiance and violence happening in Marawi City must not continue.

“Government must put an end to this. I cannot gamble with ISIS because they are everywhere.

And, you know what is happening or you must be very aware of what happened in the Middle East,” Duterte said.

In an interview, Lorenzana said that Duterte has thought of declaring martial law as early as November to combat ISIS. Some members of the Cabinet advised the President against doing so, however.

Duterte said that martial law in Mindanao will be “harsh” and will not be different from the time of President Ferdinand Marcos.

“Let me just tell everybody that I have declared martial law for Mindanao. How long? Well, if it will take a year to do it, we’ll do it.

If it’s over within a month, I will be happy. But martial law is martial law. So those of you who have experienced martial law it will not be any different from what President Marcos did. I’ll be harsh,” Duterte said.

“I have to do it to preserve the Republic of the Philippines.”

Duterte also suggested that the measure, which is to last for 60 days, may be extended even further.

Under the Constitution, the President may only declare martial law in cases of invasion or rebellion and when the public safety requires it. The period under martial law can only last for 60 days.

The Supreme Court may also review, in an appropriate proceeding filed by any citizen, the sufficiency of the factual basis of the proclamation of martial law or

the suspension of the privilege of the writ or the extension thereof, and must promulgate its decision within 30 days from its filing.

A state of martial law does not suspend the operation of the Constitution, nor supplant the functioning of the civil courts or legislative assemblies, nor authorize the conferment of jurisdiction on military courts and agencies over civilians where civil courts are able to function, nor automatically suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

Marcos’s two-decade rule ended in 1986 when millions of people took to the streets in a famous “People Power” revolution.

“Martial law of Mr. Marcos was very good,” Duterte said.

Duterte said his own version of martial law meant security forces could conduct searches and arrest people without warrants.

He also said there would be curfews for some provinces in Mindanao.

The fighting in Marawi erupted on Tuesday afternoon after security forces raided a house where they believed Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the infamous Abu Sayyaf kidnap gang and Philippine head of IS, was hiding.

The United States regards Hapilon as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists, offering a bounty of $5 million for his capture.

More than 100 gunmen responded to the raid by burning buildings and conducting other diversionary tactics, Lorenzana said.

Photos posted on social media by residents showed the gunmen walking through the streets of Marawi and placing black flags that looked similar to those used

by IS. Lorenzana said on Tuesday

In the House, lawmakers led

by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday rallied behind President Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

Alvarez said the President’s declaration on martial law was the right thing to do, noting that safeguards are provided under the 1987 Constitution.

“As a Mindanaoan I fully believe that the declaration of the President has basis,” Alvarez told reporters.

Alvarez noted that under the Constitution the President has the authority to put any area of the country under martial law or even the entire Philippines if necessary for the safety of the public.

Alvarez said there is no need for Congress to convene in a joint session if there is no stiff opposition to the declaration.

Under the Constitution, there is a need for Congress to convene on the matter if lawmakers will either revoke the declaration or extend martial law.

Alvarez said that while the violence erupted only in Marawi City, terrorist groups are likely lurking in other areas of Mindanao and possibly in other areas of the country too.

“I think [the terrorists] are everywhere. I am sure everywhere in Mindanao and if not in the entire Philippines,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez also allayed concerns over possible abuse of authority as

a consequence of the declaration of martial law.

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said the attack by members of the ISIS-inspired Maute terror group in Marawi City was due to an intelligence failure.

Suarez also supported the President’s martial law declaration in Mindanao, adding that Mr. Duterte has no ulterior motive and that such declaration was intended to avoid further chaos and anarchy.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, House committee on rules chairman, said the House is ready anytime to approve the martial law declaration.

Fariñas also advised his colleagues to stay in Manila for possible convening of Congress in a joint session.

Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison blamed the local officials in his province, accusing some of them of protecting the Abu Sayyaf.

“I renew the call for Senate inquiry on the alleged connivance between Sulu local officials and the ASG so that we will be able to neutralize not only the terrorists but also their protectors and coddlers,” Arbison said.

Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, Camarines Sur Rep. Lray Villafuerte, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers and Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting also backed the dec-

laration of martial law.

“The quick and decisive moves taken thus far by the President is a clear signal to all that the government is on top of the situation and is capable of--and determined--to protect the citizenry and businesses by stopping lawless elements from further spreading fear and violence in the South,” Villafuerte, House committee on national defense vice chairman, said.

Abu said the people should rally behind President Duterte’s decision to place Mindanao under martial law to finally solve terrorism and other security concerns in the South.

“The political will and the strong determination of the Chief Executive will bring us to peace and progress. He is only for the protection and preservation of the republic, nothing more. Let’s pray for the safety of our brothers and sisters in Marawi City and Mindanao and the immediate resolution of this crisis,” said Abu. Barbers, House committee on dangerous drugs chairperson, said “it’s high time for authorities to shift from being reactive to taking proactive measures. Numerous people, both civilians and members of the military, have been injured in the current onslaught and in other recent terror attacks,” he said. With Sandy Araneta, Rio N. Araja, Vito Barcelo and Lance Baconguis

Airports...

central business district and its environs “to remain calm and vigilant” in the face of the ongoing conflict in the south. “It should be business as usual in the country’s financial center,” she said in a statement.

While NCR Police Director Oscar Albayalde said there is no clear and present danger from the terrorists currently operating in Mindanao, he noted security forces in the capital “can’t be complacent” and thus ordered all police units “to be on their toes 24/7.”

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USSIA is ready to provide all modern weapons to combat the ISIS-inspired Maute group, President Rodrigo Duterte said after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin before being forced to return to the Philippines.

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as he ordered the Navy to block terrorists from crossing the waters separating the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Remember that this is not [aimed at] law-abiding citizens.

We are the least of your worries,” he said.

Duterte said that the series of terrorist acts committed by the Maute group “resulted in the loss of lives of our citizens including policemen and soldiers.”

The President also said civilians may take up arms if their lives are in danger.

“But if you confront government...my orders are... to enforce the law. And anyone caught possessing a gun and confronting us with violence, my orders are shoot to kill,” Duterte said.

“I will not hesitate to do it. My human rights is different. It is an institutional theory, which we will reserve and observe.”

Duterte said abuses will not be tolerated under martial law.

“The courts are open. But anyone now holding a gun, confronting government with violence, my orders are spare no one. Let us solve the problem of Mindanao once and for all,” he said.

On Tuesday night, Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao, home to about 20 million people, after gunmen who had declared allegiance to the Islamic State group rampaged through Marawi City.

At least three security force personnel died on Tuesday as they battled the militants in Marawi, a mainly Muslim city of about 200,000 people, with authorities

Right...

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siege by the Maute gang of Marawi City.

Pimentel, who was in Moscow with the President, also cut short his visit and issued a statement condemning the acts of terror in Marawi City.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said they will find out from the President’s report the factual basis of such declaration.

“I will request that the senators be given a separate briefing on what are the circumstances that led to the declaration. I think that would be useful so that we could fully understand the premises or the basis, because we get conflicting reports like, I heard the AFP spokesman say that everything is under control. If it’s under control, why was martial law declared?

We don’t want to come to any conclusion until, at the very least, we get a report as required by the Constitution,” said Drilon.

Although Congress has the power to revoke the declaration, Drilon said there must be a factual basis for this decision.

Senator JV Ejercito said he would vote on whether to revoke or extend the declaration based on “the welfare and interest of Mindanaoans and the people of the Republic of the Philippines.”

Foreign...

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encourage US citizens to review personal security plans, avoid large crowds and gatherings and remain vigilant at all times,” the embassy said.

The embassy also said that its advisory issued on March 6, 2017, which indicates there is an ongoing threat of terrorist action against US citizens and its interests abroad, including the Philippines, would remain in effect.

“Extremists have targeted sporting events, theaters, markets, mass transportation systems including airlines, and other public venues where large crowds gather,” the embassy said.

“Crowded nightclubs, shopping malls, buses and popular restaurants have also been targets. US citizens should be mindful of the importance of taking preventive measures to ensure their safety and security while traveling and residing in the Philippines‎.”

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the city to prevent “a spillover of the attack in Marawi.”

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, who chairs the NCR Regional Peace and Order Council, also directed Metro Manila’s security forces “to intensify security efforts to thwart any attempts to sow terror in the capital region.”

Makati Mayor Abigail Binay also appealed to residents in the

and jets from Moscow to fight the drug war and the insurgency.

While Washington used to supply weapons to Manila, Duterte had previously said procuring arms from the United States might be challenging because the US was heavily criticizing the alleged human rights abuses in his country.

“Of course, cooperation in the military-technical field is possible,” Putin told Duterte at the Kremlin.

Putin said Russia and the Philippines had “many promising areas of interest” to cooperate on, adding that the package of documents to develop bilateral ties would be signed Wednesday.

“We have many promising areas of interest including power engineering, transport infrastructure, energy and, of course, militarytechnical cooperation,” Putin said.

“Our employees and colleagues did a good job and prepared a whole package of documents. Your ministers will remain here [in Moscow] and tomorrow this package of documents, which is aimed at the development of our ties, will be signed,” Putin told Duterte.

Putin also expressed his condolences over the killing of two soldiers and one police officer after the Islamic State-aligned Maute Group occupied parts of Marawi City. night that many gunmen were hiding in buildings as snipers, making it difficult for security forces to combat them.

There were no reports of fighting on Wednesday morning, although it was unclear if the militants were still in the city or had escaped into nearby mountains and forests that they have long used as hideouts.

Authorities did not give any updates on the whereabouts of Hapilon.

The Abu Sayyaf has kidnapped hundreds of Filipinos and foreigners since the early 1990s to extract ransoms. The United States lists it as a terrorist organization.

Security analysts say Hapilon has been trying to unite Filipino militant groups that have professed allegiance to IS. These include the Maute group, which is based near Marawi.

The Maute group has engaged in repeated deadly battles with the military over the past year.

Muslim rebels have been waging a rebellion since the 1970s for an independent or autonomous homeland in Mindanao, with the conflict claiming more than 130,000 lives.

The main Muslim rebel groups are involved in peace talks with the government.

But the Abu Sayyaf, Maute and other hardline groups are claiming they want to set up an Islamic caliphate in the south for IS, security analysts say.

The US and other Western governments warned this month that terrorists were planning to kidnap foreigners in tourist hotspots in the western and central Philippines, adding to longstanding advisories of abduction threats in Mindanao.

With AFP, PNA

Trump...

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In an apparent dig at his predecessor Barack Obama--who had canceled a bilateral meeting with Duterte after the Philippine president insulted him--Trump then said: “I understand that and fully understand that and I think we had a previous president who did not understand that.”

Police have reported killing about 2,700 people since Duterte took office at the end of June and immediately launched his war on drugs.

Unknown assailants have killed more than 1,800 others, while about 5,700 other violent deaths are under investigation, according to police data.

Partly in response to American criticism, Duterte has loosened the Philippines’ traditionally strong ties with its ally.

Duterte has instead embraced China, which has supported his drug war and sought to deepen economic ties by providing billions of dollars’ worth of investments and aid to the Philippines.

A transcript of Trump’s phone conversation with Duterte released by US media Tuesday showed that the American leader called North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un a “madman with nuclear weapons.”

A White House readout of the April 29 call characterized it as a “very friendly conversation.” Days after the conversation, Trump said publicly that he would be “honored” to meet with Kim. But in the call, Trump hinted at a possible dramatic escalation on the Korean Peninsula.

“We can’t let a madman with nuclear weapons let on the loose like that. We have a lot of firepower, more than he has, times 20 -- but we don’t want to use it,” the US leader said, citing “two nuclear submarines” the Pentagon sent to the area last month. AFP

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THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Misuari to face criminal charges at Sandiganbayan

By Maricel V. Cruz

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HE Office of the Ombudsman has filed six criminal charges against former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Nur Misuari at the Sandiganbayan over the alleged fraudulent procurement contracts amounting to P115.22 million 16 years earlier.

The cases filed against each of graft and malversation Misuari consist of three counts of public funds thru falsifica-

tion of documents.

The prosecution also ordered the arrest of Misuari without bail for the three malversation cases given the huge amount involved although it asked the anti-graft court to set bail bonds amounting to P30,000 for each of the graft charges.

The co-defendants in all six charges were Director Leovegilda Cinches, chief accountant Pangalian Maniri, supply officer Sittie Aisa Usman—all of the Department of EducationARMM. DepEd -ARMM accountant

Alladin Usi was charged in two counts each of both offenses while ARMM resident auditor Nader Macagaan, and private individuals Cristeta Ramirez of CPR Publishing and Lolita Sambeli of White Orchid Printing and Publishing House were each named co-accused in one count each of the same charges.

The Ombudsman, through its prosecutor Modesto Onia Jr. and assistant special prosecutor Jorge Espinal, said the procurement contracts were divided into three separate transactions, the first dated Dec. 21, 2000 involving

P31 million worth of “information technology package;” another dated July 24,2001 for P46.26 million worth of “multi-media information technology package;” and the last one dated September 2001 worth P37.96 million worth of “educational materials.”

The prosecution said all three purchase orders were dubious as investigators found no evidence to prove that actual deliveries took place.

It said all defendants caused undue injury to the government and so were held liable for the graft cases.

Japan my last foreign trip —Duterte

By John Paolo Bencito DESPITE martial law now in place in Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte said he will push through with his last foreign trip to Japan by June.

“I have to go to Japan. That plane is very expensive. I’ll look for another cheaper way of going there. Naano na eh, napuno na. But this will be my last. I won’t travel anymore after this,” Duterte said after his trip to Russia was cut short this week.

Citing fatigue, Duterte said that he won’t be pushing with his other trips to other countries for the meantime.

“Pagod na talaga ako. [I’m really tired]. But the last is Japan and if I sign anything there for the execution of somebody, I will say done in Japan this 7th day of June.”

Duterte will be leaving the country from June 5 to 7, where he is expected to talk during the 23rd International Conference on the Future of Asia at Tokyo.

DDB chief fired over ‘numbers’

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday fired Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman Benjamin Reyes for citing a different figure on the number of drug users, which contradicted the President’s “four-million” drug addicts backed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

In a speech after his trip from Russia was cut short after declaring martial law in Mindanao, Duterte said Reyes is not the “implementor of the law” after he gave a figure of only 1.8-million drug users in the country.

“And I would like to put to task publicly this Reyes. You know five years ago, Santiago who was the PDEA chief gave us a figure of three million,” Duterte said. “What Reyes is giving as chairman of Dangerous [Drugs] Board ... that’s 1.8 [million].

What I have been telling everybody, that there’s about four-million drug addict,” he said. “And here comes a chairman, you’re fired today get out of the service.

You do not contradict your own government. You’re there not… you’re just a civilian member of a board,” he added.

During a human rights forum at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, Reyes cited the 2015 Nationwide Survey on the Nature and Extent of Drug Abuse in the Philippines conducted by the DDB, the policymaking body of the government on drugs, released late last year which showed that the number of drug users were only at 1.8 million, but it could reach as high as three million based on the margin of error, still significantly lower than the newest estimate.

In an earlier interview, Reyes said the discrepancies are valid because of different bases.

SCENES OF A SIEGE. Residents flee from Marawi City

on Wednesday after armed members of the ISIS-inspired Maute terror group invaded the city even as policemen check evacuees aboard a van at a checkpoint at the entrance of Iligan City in Mindanao. At right, members of the Special Operation Group of the Philippine Coast Guard board a military truck which will travel via a military boat to Marawi City to augment the government troops in the area. Norman Cruz /Lance Baconguis/AFP

Duterte’s satisfaction rating stays at ‘very good’

By John Paolo Bencito THE public satisfaction with President Rodrigo Duterte stayed “very good” in the latest Social Weather Stations survey despite the significant drop in satisfaction on the President’s response towards defending territorial rights, fighting crime, providing jobs, “ensuring that no family will ever be hungry” and fighting inflation.

The First Quarter 2017 Social Weather Survey, conducted among 1,200 respondents found 75 percent of respondents “satisfied” with the national government, nine percent “dissatisfied” and 16 percent were “undecided.

The administration’s net satisfaction ratings remained “excellent” level in Mr. Duterte’s bailiwick, Mindanao, at +79, hardly moving

from the +78 in December 2016. Net scores stayed “very good” elsewhere: +67 in the Visayas, nine points more than December’s +58; +62 in Metro Manila, also nine points more than the preceding survey’s +53; and +60 in “Balance Luzon,” edging up four points from +56 in 2016’s final quarter.Net satisfaction with the President’s performance shot high at +66, classified by the SWS as “very good” which was five points higher than the “very good” +61 in December 2016.

The same survey found that the Duterte administration got a “very good” score in one subject, “good” ratings in 10 and “moderate” in four other good governance indicators.

The latest survey, conducted from March 25 to 28 has sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages.

Charges against me ‘ridiculous’—Aquino

By Rio N. Araja FORMER President Benigno Aquino III denied on Wednesday any involvement in the multimillionpeso Priority Development Assistance Fund.

He dismissed accusations linking him to the misappropriation of pork barrel funds of several senators and members of the House of Representatives.

“That [allegation] is very absurd,” Aquino said.

He said it was too impossible for him to have received commissions or kickbacks from lawmakers who had diverted their pork barrel funds to ghost foundations since he was with the opposition bloc when the scam took place.

He maintained that Janet Lim Napoles, alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind, should not be allowed to turn state witness.

“This person (Napoles) was at the center of all of these issues. She coordinated the connivance as to how the PDAF happened so how difficult it is to think that she could be a state witness,” he said.

But as far as the camp of Napoles is concerned, her lawyer Stephen David said she learned the scheme to siphon congressional funds to fake nongovernment organizations from then Budget secretary Florencio Abad.

Abad, however, said he “never dealt with Napoles in any manner, much less through an agent or a middleman.”

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Pitfalls

W

E MUST laud the decisiveness by which President Rodrigo Duterte cut short his trip to the Russian Federation upon hearing that the Maute Group, which had pledged allegiance to the international terror network ISIS, had laid siege to Marawi City in Lanao del Sur. He did not hem and that what is going haw and immediately on are “isolated inci-

declared martial law in Mindanao.

As of press time, the extent of harm done to city residents is yet unknown.

What is known, however, is that to claim

Adelle Chua, Editor

dents”—as the police are wont to do—would be foolhardy. Terrorism is upon us, and the black flag of the ISIS being mounted by the Maute Group in areas they have conquered, is

proof of that.

You can never truly act on a problem unless you acknowledge that it is there.

The thought of the President rushing home to personally attend to the crisis, and the sound of his voice promising to be harsh to the terrorists, were reassuring. Mr. Duterte said he would be a useless leader if he were incompetent and incapable of keeping order in the country. He would not allow the country to go to the dogs, he said.

But this is where he opens himself to speculation.

For example, he warned the enemy to be ready because they had forced his hand to declare martial law. If he felt it was necessary, he said, he would expand the coverage of martial law to Visayas and then to the whole country.

But talk of martial law still jars our collective memory.

Mr. Duterte also talked about how terrorism was linked to the drug trade—a ref-

erence that could have been mentioned another time. As it is, the manner in which the drug war is being fought remains a contentious, divisive, unresolved issue.

People’s imagination runs wild especially in a crisis. It does not help that the police, to whom Mr. Duterte himself promised protection as they carry out the campaign against illegal drugs, are perceived as abusive and arbitrary in their acts, emboldened

by their chief’s unconditional support.

Certainly there is an enemy to be contained here. Let us not allow our zeal to confuse ourselves on who it really is. The adversary is the terrorists who have no other objective but to sow fear and chaos in their perverted minds.

Filipinos of whatever religion, political bent or social status should unite against this common foe, instead of turning against each other during these precarious times.

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

Martial law in Mindanao

talk to him right before he flew back home in a huff?

Occam’s Razor will not allow such a complicated scenario. More likely than not, the Maute perpetrated their attacks on a Marawi hospital and other installations, causing massive panic and evacuations, because Duterte was about to meet Putin—in order to embarrass the Philippine leader while he was away on his important trip.

Who set up the Maute, who are known (like their terroristic brethren the ASG) to accept huge wads of cash for their work? Somebody who would benefit from the attacks and Duterte’s embarrassment, that’s who.

Which leads us directly to “Cui bono?” And that “cui” is definitely not the jet-lagged Duterte, who spent exactly 24 hours in Moscow and nearly two days in a plane coming and going.

AFTER repeated pronouncements over the past several months from the President himself, he has finally done it—declare martial law in the whole of Mindanao from, of all places, Moscow. This was perhaps triggered by the ongoing clashes in Marawi City where a group of armed men from the Maute group entered the City apparently to provide assistance to a beleaguered group of Abu Sayyaf under their leader Isnilon Hapilon.

As of this writing, the picture is still not clear as to the circumstances of the clashes.

Maybe in the coming days, the public will learn more.

The apparent ease of the Maute group to penetrate an urban center of 200,000 people raises some concerns, more so because in the past several weeks, the government has scored accomplishments in the fight against the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf.

With this penetration of the city, it would appear that the strength of the Maute group has not diminished. If this is the case, the problem in Mindanao could be a lot more serious than the public has been made to believe.

Just a few days ago, an Army battalion was deployed in Davao City to augment security provided by the police. It is not known whether this has any connection with the fighting that is going on in Marawi City or just a coincidence. But if the situation is indeed deteriorating, then the government should inform the public accordingly.

Although this martial law will last for 60 days, the question that everyone probably wants to ask is, was the declaration necessary, given the vast powers of the presidency? Could it not have been possible for the President to tackle the problem with his current powers without resorting to Martial Law? Under Martial Law, the writ of habeas corpus is suspended and warrantless arrests can be made.

To many who are old enough to remember the martial law years of President Ferdinand

Turn to A5

Turn to A5

Who backed Maute?

LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES OCCAM’S (or Ockham’s) Razor, the philosophical principle which states that the simplest explanation is probably the most correct, is very likely in play here. That, and the axiom of “Cui bono,” which postulates that whoever stands to benefit the most from a crime is at the head of the line in the search for its perpetrators.

The politicians—together with their principals and their various lackeys—ho are critical of President Rodrigo Duterte had a field day yesterday accusing the government of masterminding the terrorist crisis in Marawi City while the Chief Executive was in Moscow, of all places. According to this fantastic theory, the ac-

tion of the ISIS-inspired Maute Group was planned by the Duterte administration to give the president an excuse to declare martial law in Mindanao.

The accusation followed an earlier narrative gleefully spread by the same group of politicians asking where Duterte was while Marawi was being besieged by Maute terrorists waving the dreaded black ISIS flag. When it became clear that Duterte would be cutting his historic trip to the Russian Federation short in order to address the crisis personally, they shifted to the more conspiratorial theory that the President himself had staged the crisis.

In other countries that have been attacked by ISIS and its affiliates (and wannabe ISIS affiliates like Maute and the Abu Sayyaf Group), the citizenry is immediately galvanized into action and united in purpose. Such

is the power of terrorism to simultaneously unite and horrify that the world community itself unconditionally sympathizes with the victims and offers all sorts of assistance.

The terrorists were set up by those who would benefit from the attacks and Duterte’s embarrassment.

In the Philippines, opposition politicians think nothing of using a terrorist attack to further their partisan agenda. Like fu-

neral parlor owners, they see only good in having the bodies pile up, because it gives them the opportunity to earn their ghoulish living.

But even the most cursory examination of the events of the past three days immediately explodes this “Duterte did it” theory being propounded by the Yellows. Let’s begin with Duterte leaving with a 300-member delegation for his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Why on earth would Duterte haul himself—and his biggest delegation of Filipino government officials and businessmen to go abroad so far—halfway around the world to meet a man he has always said he admires if he was only preparing an alibi for when the Maute attacked Marawi? And why would he cut short his trip when he hadn’t met Putin yet, even if he did convince the Russian leader to

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on Tuesday, May 23. This after the Maute Group and Aby Sayyaf terrorists laid siege in Marawi City. The Constitution allows the declaration of martial law; Section 18, Article VII says the President can do it when there is invasion or rebellion, or when public safety requires it.

The proclamation also meant the President must cut short his trip to Russia.

There are certain caveats and conditions attached to the provision.

A reading of said provision says that martial law can only last for 60 days. It also says that within 48 hours of the proclamation, the President must submit a report, in person or in writing, to Congress.

Congress, voting jointly, by a vote of at least a majority of its members in regular or special session, may revoke such proclamation and the President shall not set this aside.

Upon the initiative of the President, Congress may, in the same manner, extend such proclamation or suspension for a period determined by Congress if the rebellion shall persist and if public safety should require it.

Note this, though: If Congress is in session—now it is not—it shall, within 24 hours following such proclamation convene in accordance with its rules without the need for a call.

Another caveat: The Supreme Court may review, in an appropriate proceeding, and upon filing by a citizen, the sufficiency of the factual basis of the proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. The Supreme Court must promulgate the decision on this within 30 days from its filing.

Yet another caveat: The state of martial law does not suspend the operation of the Constitution, nor supplant the functioning of civil courts or legislative assemblies, nor authorize the conferment of jurisdiction on military courts and agencies over civilians where civil courts are able to function, nor automatically suspend the privilege of the writ.

Malacañang must also note that any person thus arrested or detained shall be judicially charged for rebellion or offenses inherent in or directly connected with such rebellion.

During the suspension of the privilege of the writ, any person arrested or detained shall be judicially charged within three days. Otherwise, he should be released.

Why so many caveats and conditions?

The 1987 Constitution was reactionary. The charter, often called the Cory Constitution, was drafted by delegates she had handpicked to ensure that what happened in 1972 would never happen again.

In other words, we now have a toothless martial law.

As a lawyer, I believe these conditions are for the good of all. *** But what does martial law mean for Mindanaoans? Will it be business as usual, or will local government operations be suspended? Will it affect Christian areas like Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City and Zamboanga City.

I ask these questions because martial law throughout

Mindanao could mean takeover of the Christian-dominated provinces and cities by the Armed Forces. Thus, it will hamper civilian life and daily business, It must be noted by the Duterte administration that martial law under Marcos meant the suppression of rights and basic freedoms. Abuse of power by the military and the police could lead us to something that the Duterte administration has not bargained for.

Another thing: Is the imposition of martial law only the beginning? I ask this question because there are also other wars that President Duterte is waging—like the war on illegal drugs, criminality and corruption, all of which are ongoing. *** Another collateral issue brought about by the declaration of martial law in Mindanao is the Duterte government’s move for peace with Muslim secessionists like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.

Will the peace process be put on hold? Santa Banana, that is quite a problem for President Duterte!

We should note that the breakaway group of the MILF, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, is also at war with the government. And since the Abu Sayyaf terrorists are co-opted by Misuari’s MNLF in the province of Sulu, the declaration of martial law would extend to all rebel movements in Mindanao.

And how about the com munist party? Is it covered by martial law? *** Those imple m e n t i n g the AntiDistracted Driving Act, like the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metro Manila Development Authority and the PNP Night Patrol Group have finally come to their senses. They suspended the law not only because both Houses of Congress wanted it suspended, but because there is universal outcry against the confusion arising from it.

My gulay, at the start, only the use of cellphones and other electronic gadgets were outlawed. And then even religious items on dashboards were going to be prohibited!

We need a public hearing to clarify what exactly the AntiDistracted Driving Act wants to do. *** Clearly, President Duterte failed to read the Holy Bible.

Jesus told the disciples after receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit: “Whatever sins you forgive shall be forgiven, and whatever sins you retain shall be retained.”

The President, in an attempt to pursue his anti-Catholic stance, said in an interview with Russian media that he would ask forgiveness from his sins directly from God. He said he could not see why people would tell their sins to a priest, who is also human.

Does he not realize that priests are representatives of Christ? Despite his dislike for the Catholic Church which he says has become irrelevant, he must be told that Christ himself said the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The sacrament of reconciliation, like the sacrament of marriage, is still sacrosanct.

Martial law is toothless under this Constitution.

A5

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Filling in the gaps

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Caveats and conditions

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

OVERSIGHT DANILO SUAREZ BEING debated in the plenary of the House of Representatives is the first package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), House Bill No. 5636, the substitute bill of House Bill No. 4774 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN). The tax reform aims to shift the tax burden to the rich and subsidize the poor by putting more taxes on consumption rather than on income.

I have previously expressed my support to the bill in theory.

I, however, have reservations with respect to its practical as-

pects and implementation.

The Department of Finance pushes for the passage of the original bill to reduce budget deficit and to generate enough revenue for infrastructure and social services. I think that the original features of this bill are quite ambitious, while the provisions of the substitute bill are more feasible.

The substitute bill basically aims to lower personal income taxes of the compensation earners, expand the value-added tax (VAT) base, and adjust the excise tax rates for fuel, automobiles, and sugar, among other measures. On the first year of its implementation, the government is estimated to earn P82.3 billion in revenue, which is 47 percent lower than the P157.2 billion as estimated

from HB 4774.

Corollary to the lowering of personal and corporate income taxes, the government would be compensating for its loss by raising excise tax rates and introducing new “consumption taxes.” It has always been my stand that for the first two years of the CTRP’s implementation, there should be a “revenue neutral” status quo, wherein the government should only spend what it would earn.

The weakness of the system lies in the tax collection inefficiency of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs, which are responsible for generating 90 percent of the government’s revenues. Furthermore, we overlook the existing laws that once implemented effectively, could possibly address

the problems in our tax system.

As an example, we have the Republic Act 9335 or the Lateral Attrition Law, which has been there since 2005 but has not been fully implemented. This law aims to provide penalties and rewards for the officials of the BIR and the BoC based on their performance.

Crafting a new measure as a superior approach to the problem cannot solve the problem as long as inefficiency and corruption in tax administration persist. Failure to address these issues in tax administration would only hold the proposed tax reform vulnerable, no matter how attractive its features are. Therefore, before pushing for new tax policies, we must fill the gaps of our existing tax system.

Terror in Marawi DAESH-INSPIRED terror is coming closer to our doorsteps each day.

This fact is underscored by the ongoing conflict in Marawi City, coming the day after the bomb attack on the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.

Both the concert bomber and the Marawi attackers—the Maute group—are said to be members of, or influenced by, Daesh (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria).

The other day, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police conducted a joint operation to capture Maute leader Isnilon Hapsilon.

The Maute (Abu Sayyaf militia) engaged in a firefight with government troops. In the ensuing battle, the Cathedral of our Lady Help of Christians in the city was torched, as was Dansalan College, and the black flag of the terrorists was raised at Amai Pakpak hospital, as seen in photos

Martial...

From A4 Marcos, this will surely bring back dreadful memories of those years.

Let us remember, though, that Mindanao is not the entire country. Mindanao even in the best of years has always been a problem. In spite of the fact the majority of our AFP personnel are deployed there, government has not been able to exercise full control over the island. This is one reason why so many armed groups are able to operate there with impunity. Today, instead of the three traditional armed groups like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf, two have been added with the entry of the Maute group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

These are only the Muslim groups. If the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army is included together with private armies, the problem becomes a lot bigger.

Who...

From A4 *** One of the most curious incidents was the presence in Marawi City of Liberal Party Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino a few days before the Maute siege.

I’m not saying that “Bambam” Aquino, who became senator by impersonating his dead uncle Ninoy, was in Marawi to make sure everything was in place for the terrorist attacks—but if the Yellows can accuse Duterte of planning a terror strike with absolutely no evidence, then Aqui-

posted on social media.

The conflict has escalated to the point that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte imposed martial law upon the entire island of Mindanao.

Two things are most significant here: The terror attack, and the declaration of martial law.

First, the terror attack. There is no room for a terror group in our country. To know that there are Filipinos who have pledged their allegiance to Daesh is horrifying. Such an organization has no other purpose than to overthrow the present society and impose through terrorist tactics the inhumane, cruel, and repressive regime of Daesh in the Philippines.

To serve their foreign masters and curry their favor, the Maute will most likely adopt the same terror tactics Daesh uses, including bombing events with huge crowds such as the one at Ariana Grande’s concert, which was attended mostly by children and teenagers.

Is this what we want for our people—to live in fear? For the machinery of society to grind to a halt, as people refuse to leave their homes to study,

work, play? For the economy to crumble and the country be plunged into a dark age it never suffered in its history, but that we see unfolding now in Iraq every day? Maute and other terror groups like it must be eradicated to prevent this. The AFP and PNP are doing their duty in Marawi right now, and keeping the rest of us safe, for which we salute them.

Second, the declaration of martial law. Do government troops have the situation under control? Has Hapsilon been captured? There isn’t much news coming out of the conflict area, because troop movements must be kept secret from the enemy. Did Duterte impose martial law on Mindanao because our soldiers and police are out of their depth, or because it would be easier for them to manage the situation under such a law?

One of the most painful lessons we learned from the Marcos years is the martial law can be used to commit and justify atrocities against the people, who are the ones caught in the crossfire between government and rebels. The law provides a 60-day period for martial law,

yet Duterte, in a video posted

by Mocha Uson, clearly said it could remain in place for a year. And why the whole of Mindanao? Is this really necessary?

At the moment the situation is too fresh and events are still developing. Many things are still uncertain, among them the safety and condition of the people of Marawi and the government troops trying to protect them. What we can do right now is rally the rescue and relief groups and stand by to deliver food, necessities, and medical help when the time comes.

As we have seen from the Manchester bombing and all other Daesh-led or –inspired attacks that preceded it, it is not easy to fight terror. But we can do it, and nipping the Maute terror group in the bud now will prevent it from growing any further and causing more harm and devastation in the future.

Many presidents before President Du30 have attempted and tried in many ways to solve the problem but the Mindanao problem persist to this day.

President Marcos, for instance, looked at the problem as something political that could not be solved by armed conflict. This is the reason why we have the Tripoli Agreement. He also coopted the traditional politicians but the fighting continued.

President Cory Aquino also signed many agreements with Nur Misuari. President Fidel Ramos believed in negotiations but added economic development into the mix. He believed that a peace deal coupled with sustained economic development to provide jobs and opportunities would divert people’s attention from fighting.

President Estrada embarked on an all-out war and had the MILF running. The Armed Forces was able to retake all territories controlled by the MILF. Unfortunately for him, his tenure was cut short by almost four years. We therefore cannot judge whether his ap-

proach to the problem could have been successful.

Meanwhile, not much effort took place with the administration of Presidents Gloria Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino. In fact, during the term of President Arroyo, the Maguindanao massacre took place with the murder of more than 50 people, mostly journalists. It was allegedly masterminded by the political kingpin and warlord Andal Ampatuan Sr. The trial of those involved is still ongoing.

With Noynoy Aquino, we saw many raids by the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf like the one in Zamboanga City and the nowinfamous Mamasapano encounter where President Aquino took an active role.

One of the reasons for the election of President Duterte was the belief that he, being from Mindanao, understands the problem there better than anyone and therefore stands a better chance of solving it.

With this Martial Law declaration in Mindanao together with the state of lawlessness already existing throughout

the country, he has now taken the most extreme measure.

Since it will last only 60 days, this step must be a short-term solution to an age-old problem.

Whether he will be successful is of course another matter. We would hope that there will be a plan of action that will cover the 60 days. Otherwise, the whole exercise would fail.

I have always believed that the long-term solution to the Mindanao problem is the strengthening of all government institutions supported by a professional, competent and well-equipped Police and Armed Forces so that government can function as it should. But to those who have lived there all their lives, order is better established through the barrel of a gun.

It is a complex problem. I hope that the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao will not have a long-term negative effect on our economy or make the problem worse. And that its short-term negative effect on tourism and branding of the country would disappear rapidly.

no’s presence in Marawi is a bit more substantial.

Then, Vice President Leni Robredo got into the act, attending a security briefing at the military headquarters shortly before Duterte arrived yesterday. Nobody appointed Robredo caretaker of government while the president was away, of course, and she certainly has shown no prior interest or aptitude in counter-terrorism; but there she was, suddenly “taking charge,” even when it became clear that Duterte was returning—or perhaps to cover her tracks if she is accused of being

in league with the Yellows in setting up the Maute.

Then there was the aforementioned outcry from the Yellow camp of Aquino and Robredo about Duterte’s supposed absence during a crisis and its later morphing into a denunciation of the president for fabricating an excuse to declare martial law. If that’s not a coordinated followup attack, like the impeachment, the ICC filing and Leni’s videotaped speech before a UN body, I don’t know what is.

(A famously pro-Yellow newspaper even uploaded five photographs supposedly depicting the

carnage in Marawi, which were later proven by Cebu-based media personality Mike Acebedo Lopez to have been taken four years earlier in Cotabato. The photos were later taken down with profuse apologies—but not before they had circulated on the Internet for hours.)

The coming days will probably show, when the proper investigating bodies start conducting their work, who really backed the Marawi terror attacks. If Duterte is found to have planned them, well, he’s even more Machiavellian than anyone has ever given him credit for.

Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. FB: Jenny Ortuoste / Twitter: @jennyortuoste, @gogirlracing (sports) / IG:@ jensdecember, @artuoste (art)

News

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 Standard A6 TODAY Manila

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CA bars deposition vs Veloso’s recruiters

S’bayan affirms Abalos’ graft case

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has affirmed the graft case earlier filed against former Commission on Elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of service vehicles for the agency in 2003.

In an eight-page resolution issued last May 18, the anti-graft court denied Abalos’ motion for reconsideration seeking the reversal of its February 2, 2017 ruling.

The February ruling junked Abalos’ motion to junk the case leveled against him, alleging inordinate delay in the investigation and violation of his right to speedy disposition of his cases.

Prosecutors accused Abalos of giving undue advantage or preference to Toyota Pasong Tamo Inc. in the procurement of two Toyota Revo VX 200 worth P1,711,418.19 noting that the transaction did not undergo the required public bidding.

They said that Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act does not allow shopping or canvassing as a mode of purchase when it comes to motor vehicles.

Two Comelec officials, Finance Services Department former director Eduardo Mejos and administrative officer Aileen Maqueda were identified as principal witnesses against the former poll body chairman.

Abalos had said his rights to due process of law was prejudiced as it took eight years for the investigation to conclude the preliminary hearing.

But the court said the motion did not contain a notice of hearing which made it inadmissible.

“It is settled that without a notice of hearing, a motion should be considered a mere scrap of paper that does not merit the attention of the Court,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“Clearly, movant merely assumed that the investigation started in October 2008. No supporting document or paper was submitted to support such assumption,” the court said.

HE Court of Appeals has permanently barred death convict Mary Jane Veloso from testifying in the criminal cases against her recruiters from her detention cell in Indonesia.

T

In a resolution dated May 22, 2017, the CA’s Eleventh Division through Associate Justice Ramon Bato Jr. issued a writ of preliminary injunction enjoining the Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court, Branch 88, from facilitating the taking of Veloso's deposition or affidavit.

“After a painstaking evaluation of the parties’ arguments, taking into account the pertinent law and

jurisprudence, it would be more prudent for this Court to grant the petitioners’ prayer for preliminary injunction in order to maintain the status quo ante which the case is being judiciously studied and to preserve the rights of the parties during the pendency of the instant petition,” the resolution said.

The CA ruled that Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija RTC

ONE RANK HIGHER. The newly-promoted generals and vice admirals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines join a photo session with the powerful members of the Commission on Appointments led by San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora (2nd from left) on Wednesday, May 24, shortly after their confirmation to one rank higher at the Senate in Pasay City. Ey Acasio

proceedings last April 27.

But the recruiters argued in their petition before the CA that the deposition would violate Section 14(2), Article III of the Bill of Rights in Constitution, which required that they confront Veloso face-to-face.

Sergio and Lacanilao said the previous administration was only constrained to file cases against them in convincing Indonesian authorities to stall Veloso’s execution.

The two also reiterated their denial of the allegation that they were part of an international drug syndicate that preyed on Veloso, claiming that they were arrested and prosecuted “in order to give a public impression, particularly to Indonesia, the fact that the accused were under arrest.”

Warehouse

Variety

Estimated Volume (in bags of 50 kg)

YELLOW CORNGRAINS

Minimum Bid Price per kg (P/kg)

92,807

GID Aglayan GID Maramag GID Kalilangan GID Wao

P 13.73 per kg

965 4,591 31,508 55,743 WHITE CORNGRAINS

5,486

GID Aglayan GID Kalilangan

P 14.05 per kg

120 5,366

Sale shall be 5,000 bags minimum except for GID Aglayan and GID Maramag where bid shall take all actual stock volume, ex-warehouse including container and on “As-Is-Where-Is No Selection” basis.

To qualify, all interested bidders must be: a.

NFA registered and licensed corn users such as poultry and hograisers, feedmillers, cornmillers, and;

b.

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) registered or licensed as corn users and processors

Documentary and Eligibility Requirements: 1.

Letter of Intent to participate in the Auction;

2.

Valid and Current NFA Registration and License as poultry and hog raisers, corn millers, feed millers and;

3.

Valid and Current BAI Registration and License as registered corn user and processor;

4.

Valid and Current Mayor’s Business Permit where the prospective bidder’s principal place of business is located;

5.

Valid and current Registration Certificate:  SEC for Corporation;

of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act No. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

4.

Only Bids from Bidders who passed the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents entitled, “ITB”. The Bidder with the Lowest Calculated Bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine the responsiveness of the bid submission to the technical and financial requirements of the project. The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated And Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the VMC and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00am-11:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm (Monday to Friday) starting May 25, 2017.

6.

The VMC will hold a Pre-bid Conference for this bidding activity on June 05, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the Pre-Bid Conference. Those who have not purchased the bidding documents may act as observers and submit written queries, subject to the guidelines as stated in the IRR of RA 9184.

7.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount as follows:

 CDA for Cooperatives A duly notarized authorization, in case of representative

Bid documents governing the Auction may be purchased by interested pre-qualified bidder upon payment of a non-refundable bidding fee of Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00) to the NFA Cashier at NFA Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City.

Offer must be accompanied by Bid Security equivalent to 10% of the total amount of the bid price in the form of Cash/ Cashier’s or Manager’s check payable to NFA issued by a reputable commercial bank in Cagayan de Oro City.

The schedule of activities is as follows: Date/ Time Submission of Pre-Qualifying Documents

2.

Issuance of Bidding Documents to pre-Qualified bidder

consistency in the legal position of government agencies.”

Calida made the statement after Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and House justice committee chairman, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali filed House Bill 5233 seeking to abolish the PCGG and OGCC and transfer all its authorities and responsibilities to the OSG, whose head will have the rank of a Cabinet secretary.

The proposed measure, which will become the OSG charter, proposes to authorize the Solicitor General to grant immunity from criminal prosecution to any person who provides information or testifies in any investigation previously conducted by the PCGG or future cases investigated by the OSG involving ill-gotten wealth.

Appearing before the House committee on justice, Calida maintained that the OSG has been representing the government in ill-gotten wealth cases since the PCGG's creation. Rey E. Requejo

business proposal through social media.

Kamano informed the victim that they will send the latter THE National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday said a package full of money as capital in their business. The vicoperatives of NBI-CyberCrime Division arrested a Nigerian tim was also instructed to open a new e-mail address so they can monitor the package. A photo of the package was likewise national for alleged online scam in a mall in Manila.

The suspect, who was ar rested in an entrapment sent to prove that the transaction was real.

Moreover, the suspect told the victim that she will receive the operation, was identified as Joseph Kamano, also known as Sayid Barkat and Henry Soma. According to the female package after paying the processing fee of the documents for the victim who refused to be identified, Kamano offered her a package such as certification of ownership, payment of taxes for three years, signing of documents, and for the delivery of the package at the victim’s house.

Republic of the Phillippines Convinced of the scheme presented by KaDepartment of Health mano, the victim paid the suspect a total of National Capital Regional Office P949, 610.00 through bank and money transfer.

VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER The victim, however, did not receive the BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City package. Kamano even called the victim and Telefax No. 294-4625 asked her to pay another P240,000.00 for the Email addressvmc_bac@yahoo.com delivery charge. When the victim learned about INVITATION TO BID the modus operandi of the suspect, she sought PROCUREMENT OF VARIOUS LABORATORY SUPPLIES CY 2017 the assistance of the NBI. PUBLIC BIDDING NO. VMC-2017-012 Under strict orders from NBI Director Dante 1. The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC), through the General Appropriations Act/Income CY 2017, intends to apply the sum of Philippine Currency: Twenty Two Million Six Gierran to promptly act on the matter, NBI-CCD Hundred Thirty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Eighty Four Pesos and 10/100 Only operatives, on the aforementioned date, together (PhP 22,638,584.10) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments for the Procurement of VARIOUS LABORATORY SUPPLIES CY 2017 under PB No. VMC-2017with the victim, conducted the entrapment opera012. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. tion resulting in the arrest of Kamano.

2. The VMC now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the procurement of the aboveKamano will be charged before the Office captioned package. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, entitled “Instructions to Bidders”. of the Prosecutor of Manila for violation of 3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nonRepublic Act 315, or estafa. discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)

 DTI for sole proprietorship;

1.

THE Office of the Solicitor General on Wednesday backed a proposal in the House of Representatives seeking to abolish the Presidential Commission on Good Government and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel and transfer all its authorities and responsibilities to the OSG. Solicitor General Jose C. Calida said the proposed abolition of the two agencies would result in a leaner, cleaner government bureaucracy which would effectively address the people's urgent needs.

“Consolidating the legal services under the Office of the Solicitor General [OSG] will eliminate redundant, duplicative and overlapping functions since the OSG, OGCC and PCGG only serve one client—the Republic of the Philippines,” Calida said, in a statement. “The integration of the functions of the OGCC and PCGG will promote the use of alternative dispute mechanisms, avoid protracted court litigations, and encourage

By Sandy Araneta

NOTICE OF AUCTION OF 2017 LOCALLY PROCURED CORNGRAINS

6.

appellate court said.

Associate Justices Manuel Barrios and Renato Francisco concurred with the ruling. The CA granted the petition filed by Veloso’s detained recruiters, couple Ma. Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, who are facing qualified human trafficking before the RTC. Prosecutors wanted to take Veloso’s testimony to bolster the cases against her recruiters, which the government has pursued to save her from death row in Indonesia where she was convicted of drug trafficking.

In a ruling in August last year, the RTC allowed the taking of Veloso’s deposition from the Indonesian jail by the Philippine consulate in the presence of the judge and set the

NBI nabs Nigerian for online scam

The NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY (NFA), Region 10, Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City wishes to announce that it will conduct AUCTION of its 2017 LOCALLY PROCURED WHITE CORNGRAINS (WGN) AND YELLOW CORNGRAINS (YGN) STOCKS as follows:

Bukidnon

Branch 88 Judge Anarica Castillo-Reyes committed grave abuse of discretion in ordering the deposition of Veloso in Indonesia where she has no jurisdiction. It also pointed out that depositions are not allowed in criminal cases and that court rules require parties to face each other during trial.

“Deposition is not meant as a substitute for the actual testimony of a party or witness in open court.

Necessarily, unless restrained or enjoined, the taking of Mary Jane’s deposition upon written interrogatories during the pendency of this case will cause grave and irreparable injury to the petitioners as it will adversely affect their right to have merits of their petition passed upon by this Court,” the

PCGG, OGCC abolition backed by chief govt lawyer

Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY Region 10 Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City (08822) 7332215/ (088) 8552721

Province

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Venue

May 25 – June 1, 2017 Working days 8:00 - 12:00 AM / 1:00 - 5:00 PM

3.

Pre-Auction conference

June 1, 2017

9:00 AM

4.

Auction proper/ Deadline for Submission of Bids

June 1, 2017

1:30 PM

5.

Opening of Bids

June 1, 2017

1:31 PM

P1 - P1,000,000.00 – P1,000.00; P1,000,001.00-P5,000,000.00 – P5,000.00; P5,000,001.00-P10,000,000.00 – P10,000.00;

3F, NFA R-10 bldg, Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City

P10,000,001.00-P20,000,000.00– P15,000.00; P20,000,001.00-above – P25,000.00;

The method of payment will be in cash, manager’s check, bank guarantee or surety bond. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity; Provided, that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

Pre-Auction and Auction for unsold stocks shall be conducted every Wednesday at 9:00 AM and 1:31 PM, respectively, thereafter until the volume is exhausted or the Auction is terminated.

8.

For further information, please refer to REGION X AUCTION COMMITTEE, 2F, NFA-X bldg., Baloy, Cagayan de Oro City with telephone nos. (088)8552721, (08822) 732215, fax no. (088)8552723.

Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before June 19, 2017, 10:00 AM at the VMC BAC Secretariats’ Office.

9.

Bid Opening and Eligibility Check will be on June 19, 2017 at 10:00am. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late submission of bids will not be entertained. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the prescribed form, amount and validity period.

NFA Region 10 reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to waive any formalities or defects found therein and to annul the bidding process and reject all bids at any time prior to contract award without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders and to accept only such bids most advantageous to the government.

10. The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariats’ Office, Valenzuela Medical Center, Annex Building, 2nd Floor, Padrigal St., Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625

JAIME S. HADLOCON Assistant Regional Director Chairperson –Auction Committee

Manila Standard – May 25, 2017

(SGD) JOSEPH T. NOCOM, MD, FPOA Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee (MS-MAY 26, 2017)

Monsoon season is here—Pagasa

By Rio N. Araja THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration announced on Wednesday the start of the southwest monsoon.

Robert Sawi, weather forecasting section head, however, clarified it is not yet the onset of the rainy season but the southwest monsoon was at its weak stage marked by an intensity of winds between 20 kilometers per hour and 30 kph.

The early morning and afternoon rainshowers and thunderstorms had indicated the start of the southwest monsoon, or “hanging habagat," in the past days.

According to Analiza Solis of the Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section, there are still no indications on the onset of the wet season.

Pagasa said the onset of the rainy season is marked by the start of a five-day period usually in April, May, June or July with a total rainfall of 25 millimeters or more within three consecutive days having at least one millimeter of rainfall per day.

From May 1 to May 23, the country’s rainfall situation was “way below to below normal rainfall conditions.” The wet season is forecast to start between May 28 and June 8, Pagasa said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Volleyball star Ho is NGO ambassador

By Peter Paul Duran WE all know Gretchen Ho as the feisty volleyball star back in her collegiate years.

More recently, she’s seen under the bright lights of broadcast media, reporting at the sidelines. But now, the former Ateneo Lady Eagle is taking on a more meaningful role away from the volley court.

Child-focused international organization World Vision has named Gretchen as its newest Ambassador for Health and Nutrition after a formal contract signing recently at the NGO’s office in Quezon City.

Ho was chosen as she “embodies health and nutrition” and that she can “empower and inspire people to action,” the Organization says.

Known for her active lifestyle as a star athlete, Gretchen is also an advocate of healthy living and proper nutrition.

“I’m honored that I was given this opportunity to aid in World Vision’s advocacy programs and activities,” she said. “Nutritious food and clean water should be readily

PH tossers debut vs Japan in Asian tilt UST-KAMENOGORSK, Kazakhstan—Philippine representative Rebisco-PSL Manila buckles down to work on Thursday against Japan at the start of the Asian Women’s Club Championships at Boris Alexandrov Sports Palace here.

National team coach Francis Vicente said Japan, which normally has an import it hardly uses, would be a suitable opponent for the Filipinas, who are here to tune up for the August Southeast Asian Games.

“One of the models we are looking at is that of Japan because of its speed and discipline,” said Vicente of the squad backed up by Rebisco, Asics, Grand Sports and Turkish Airlines. “We will be out there fighting with all we’ve got.”

The team worked on foot and leg drills at the lobby of the Shiny River Hotel because it was drizzling all Wednesday morning which sent temperatures to drop to 14-degrees from Tuesday’s high 30 degrees.

The Filipinas also had practice Tuesday night, hours after a tiring flight from Manila, although it hardly showed in the faces of the team whose core will form the SEA Games squad.

Morale is high for the team, which will be led by 6’5” Jaja Santiago who, despite being just 21 years old, is easily the most decorated player here, including stints in last year’s FIVB World Clubs held in Manila.

“We are ready for the competitions,” said Santiago of Philippine Superliga’s Foton. “We know this is a tough competition, but we are excited to go out there and play against the best teams.”

Match will be at 10:30 a.m.

(12:30 p.m. Manila time).

Thailand and Iran collide next at 1:30 p.m. local time, to be followed by Vietnam-China tussle at 3:30 p.m. Host Kazakhstan sees action against Chinese Taipei at 7 p.m. following the opening ceremony.

The Philippines will face Vietnam on Friday before rounding up its Group B games facing China on Saturday.

Rachel Anne Daquis is team skipper of the club also made up of solid A-listers like Mika Reyes, Aby Marano, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Denden Lazaro and Kim Fajardo. Also making up the team are Bia General, Lourdes Clemente, Maika Ortiz, Gen Casugod, Ces Molina, Aiza Pontillas and Rhea Dimaculangan.

available for everyone, but the sad truth is that health and nutrition remain a privilege that marginalized communities cannot afford. I’m giving my full support to World Vision by raising awareness on these issues and helping the cause.”

Gretchen now joins the ranks of World Vision Ambassadors, including Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Bianca Gonzalez, Ogie Alcasid, Sam Concepcion, Marc Nelson and many others.

Meanwhile, World Vision will be celebrating 60 years of “Caring for Children and Building Sustainable Communities” in the Philippines and as part of the celebrations, the childfocused agency will hold the annual charity running event World Vision Run 2017 in Cebu on July 16 at the Cebu Business Park.

The run aims to provide sustainable livelihood projects in Sogod, Cebu. This includes the establishment of nine Community-Managed Savings and Credit Association groups, construction of a multipurpose building, and provision of livelihood start-up kits.

WILSON BASKETBALL CAMP. Sports Resources Inc., the exclusive distributor of Wilson in the Philippines, opened the 2nd module of the Wilson Basketball Camp at The Upper Deck Sports Center along Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City. Like the first module (in photo) which was attended by close to a hundred participants, the camp will run for 3 weeks, 8 sessions with mini tournaments and 3x3 plays where participants can apply their gained skills using the latest Wilson basketball which is designed and engineered to respond to speed of the game and enhance shooting, ball handling and grip for players. The camp is in partnership with Motivation Builds Champions, headed by coach AC Marquez, Sherwin Hipolito, with former PBA Player Khasim Mirza. Wilson, an industry-leading international sports gear brand, has been actively involved in the promotion of various local and international sporting events for many years now. Its products, including the Wilson Basketball, are available at leading sports retail and department stores such as Toby’s Sports, Olympic Village, CSI, Gaisano, All Shoppe Vista Mall and SportMart. MBC is an organization composed of Basketball enthusiasts committed to develop an elite, competitive and strong basketball program that teaches the characters of dedication, teamwork, self-discipline and sportsmanship. It organizes Basketball Clinics that motivates and teaches kids the fundamentals and joy of the sport.

For updates on Wilson events, visit their FB Page: WilsonSportsPH, or call 651-7777 Loc. 839.

Carlos leads PH Masters by 1 J OBIM Carlos rode on a blistering frontside charge to cushion the impact of a shaky windup, carding a four-under 68 and wresting a one-stroke lead over American Nicolas Paez and Nathan Park of Australia at the start of the ICTSI Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club yesterday.

Marvin Dumandan used his power to the hilt and produced six birdies but he stumbled with two bogeys and a double-bogey to settle for 70 and a share of fourth with Fil-German Keanu Jahns and Japanese Genki Okada and Seiji Yanagisawa while Tony Lascuña led eight others with 71 as the field struggled on soggy fairways of the military layout due to overnight rain.

Carlos took advantage of receptive greens and rattled off four straight birdies from No. 6 coming out of a rain delay for a tournament-best opening 30. But the former amateur hotshot wavered at the back and fumbled with bogeys on Nos. 11, 15 and 16 before birdying the par-5 closing hole to save a 38 and a 68.

“I had a fantastic start. I got to spots where I wanted and the

greens were soft after the rain in the mid-morning,” said Carlos, back in the groove after his game took a downswing following a playoff loss to Clyde Mondilla at the Manila Masters at Eastridge last year.

The early starters cashed in on good scoring condition but struggled after the downpour with most opting to play cautious to avoid falling into the rough areas of the tree-lined layout with just 15 players turning in under-par scores despite playing preferred lies.

Paez hit an odd eagle on No. 2 then closed out with three birdies in the last six holes to negate a bogey-bogey mishap from No. 12 for that 69, while Park blew a four-under card at the front with

bogeys on Nos. 11 and 13 and needed to birdie the 18th to stay in joint second in the P2 million event sponsored by ICTSI. Paez relied on his caddy’s tactic to gun down that eagle on the par-5 11th, which used to be the course’s No. 2, then fought back from back-to-back bogey mishaps from No. 12 with three birdies in the last six holes at the back, including a 25-footer on the ninth, for a 33-36.

“My caddy actually suggested it,” said Paez of his eagle feat where he used a wedge off the tee to 60 yards, hacked a driver from 278 yards to within eight feet off the cup and made the putt. “I thought it could be done.

When I hit it, I knew it would be

World Slasher Cup set

Alfred Nazareth and Atty. Art De Castro pit their gamebirds during the press conference of the World Slasher Cup. They are joined at the stage by (from left) Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental Katarina Rodriguez, Bb. Pilipinas Grand International Elizabeth Clenci, Bb. Pilipinas International Mariel De Leon, and Bb. Pilipinas Universe Rachel Peters, Bb. Pilipinas Supranational Chanel Olive Thomas, Bb. Pilipinas Globe Nelda Ibe.

OVER 200 entries from different countries will vie for the crown of World Slasher Cup 2—the premier cockfighting derby in the country and most prestigious all over the world starting Thursday until May 31 at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Frank Berin, who won the solo championship title of the January edition of 2017 WSC, will try to score back-to-back victories against local competitors Magna Lim, Gary Tesorero, and Jun Durano.

Berin’s entry, NEJ Sebastian, will also have to face foreign contingent who includes Roger Roberts (Georgia), Tim Fitzgerald (Utah), Greg Saludares, Kini Kalawaii, and Butch Cambria (Hawaii), and more than 200 local and foreign participants.

Berin, who topped the January edition of 2017 World Slasher Cup, as well as the team of Lim, Tesorero and Durano face a formidable lineup of more than 200 local and foreign participants.

The foreign contingent include Roger Roberts (Georgia), Tim Fritzgerald (Utah), Greg Saludares, Kini Kalawaii

and Butch Cambria (Hawaii), Cesar Ancayan, Rene Medina, Jorge “Goy” Goitia, Mike Formoso and Zaldy Sandoval (California), Richard Harris and Wilber Le Blanc (Louisiana) Owen Medina and Peter Elm (Guam), Greg Berin and Rene Penalosa (Australia), Bel Almojera (Florida), Matthew Dunne (Alabama), and Soan Sogianto (Indonesia).

Americans James and Charles Wolf, Ken Graham, Larry Whitehead and Johnny Moore complete the cast.

The first 100 or more entries of WSC 2 will have the 2-cock eliminations today and another 2- cock eliminations for the next 100 or more entries will happen the following day.

Meanwhile, cockfighting fans may get the 2017 World Slasher Cup: 9-Cock Invitational Derby 16- disc DVD boxed set starting Thursday inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum or order online at www. worldslashercup.ph.

World Slasher Cup 2 is supported

by Petron, Thunderbird, Excellence Poultry and Livestock Specialists, and Pitegames Media.

Huge field gears up for Regent 5150 Triathlon in Subic ORGANIZER of the Regent 5150 Triathlon brace for a record field clashing for top honors in the local version of the world’s largest Olympic distance triathlon series, which stages its third edition on June 4 in Subic Bay. Six hundred forty entries have so far entered in the main event while around 300 have registered for the side event Sunrise Sprint, a short distance race series put up by the organizing Sunrise Events, Inc. last year, with the roster expected to swell 10

days before the event.

For details and listup, visit regent.5150philippines.com.

Sam Betten headlines the elite field in the men’s pro division with the top 6-4 Aussie triathlete gunning for a threepeat against the likes of fellow Aussies and veterans Ben Allen, the 2016 Australian ITU Cross Triathlon champion and a former XTERRA As-Pac titlist, Mitch Robins and Dan Brown.

American Iain Alexandridis, a consistent top 10 Ironman 70.3 finisher, is

also in the hunt in the 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run event sponsoored by the country’s leading snack manufacturing company.

Focus will also be on the women’s pro side with veteran campaigner and bemedalled triathlete Dimity-Lee Duke, also of Australia, Hungarian Anna Eberhardt, and Kerry Mulholland and Annelies Jeffries, also both from Down Under, disputing the crown won by absentee Amelia Watkinson of New Zealand last year.

Pocari takes on Air Force, targets 2nd semis seat in PVL POCARI Sweat shoots for the second and last outright semis berth as it tangles with cellar dweller Air Force today at the close of the double-round elims in the Premier Volleyball League at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Lady Warriors should have no problem going for their seventh win in 10 games and making it two-in-row against the Jet Spikers, whom they swept in the first round last May 6.

a great shot.”

Lascuña also found the course tougher, hitting just three birdies while dropping two strokes on the par-4 15th when he drove into the trees, falling to joint eighth at 71 with Elmer Salvador, Paul Echavez, Albin Engino, Francis Morilla and Japanese Joichiro Kawada.

Cassius Casas, the last winner of this fabled event in 2000, had a one birdie-one bogey round to lead the even par scorers, including former champion Robert Pactolerin, Rufino Bayron, Mhark Fernando, Zanieboy Gialon, Rolando Marabe Jr., Joenard Rates, Nilo Salahog, Joseph Suarez, Koean Kang Chon Coo, Eric Gallardo and Dino Villanueva.

Coach Rommel Abella is also expected to try out new combinations he could use and rely on when the going gets tough in the Final Four of the tournament organized by Sports Vision although the defending champions will miss reinforcement Edina Selimovic, out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury she suffered in their last game against Creamline last weekend where she hammered in 10 kills

Games today 10 a.m. – Air Force vs Café Lupe (men’s) 1 p.m. – Air Force vs Pocari Sweat (women’s) 4 p.m. – Power Smashers vs BaliPure (women’s) 6:30 p.m. – Creamline vs Perlas (women’s)

and scored four blocks.

Gametime is at 1 p.m.

BaliPure gained the first automatic semis entry with a comefrom-behind 25-20, 23-25, 19-25,

25-18, 15-7 victory over Creamline late Wednesday, hiking its output to a league-leading 7-2 card.

The Water Defenders close out their elims campaign against the Power Smashers (5-4) at 4 p.m.

Despite the setback, its sixth against only three wins, Creamline remains in the semis hunt since the other four teams, including the Power Smashers, Perlas (5-4) and Air Force, will still play in a roundrobin quarterfinals with their elims

records scratched.

The top two will join the outright semifinalists with the No. 1 seed taking the No. 4 team and the Nos. 2 and 3 squads clashing in a pair of best-of-three duels. The winners will dispute the crown in another best-of-three affair.

Creamline and Perlas duel at 6:30 p.m. in a tune-up for their quarters campaign where every game will count in their respective semis bids.

The event will also feature the Alaska Ironkids Philippines, featuring the country’s future triathlon stars on June 3 at the WOW Recreation and Activity Center/Remy Field.

Inspired by its successful inaugural last year, the Sunrise Sprint, a 750m swim, a 20k bike and a 5k run, will again be held for beginners wanting to immerse themselves into triathlon racing, a tri warrior who has been off the circuit and out to make a comeback or simply a triathlon enthusiast.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

Sports

Kyrie Irving (2) of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against the Boston Celtics in the second half during Game Four of the 2017 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. AFP

Irving, James carry Cavs L

OS ANGELES—Kyrie Irving and LeBron James combined for 76 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers battled to a 112-99 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday to move within one game of a place in the NBA Finals.

The win gives Cleveland a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and leaves them firmly on track for a third consecutive NBA Finals showdown against the Golden State Warriors.

Cleveland, stunned by Boston in Game 3 after romping two blowout wins in the opening two games of the Eastern Conference series, looked to be heading for another shock as the Celtics

Far Eastern, PCU score similar wins DEFENDING champion FEUNRMF-Gerry’s Grill and Philippine Christian University fashioned out similar convincing victories in the 2017 MBL Open basketball tournament at the fully air-conditioned FEUNRMF gym in Fairview.

Fil-German Glen Gravengard made his presence felt from the long court and Clay Crellin and Moustapha Arafat asserted themselves in the shaded area as FEU-NRMF outgunned UNTV Cup champion Philippine National Police, 95-73, for its fourth win in five matches.

Gravengard, one of the talented newcomers seeking to land a spot in the coming PBA Draft, hit five three-point shots on the way to a game-high 25 points for the Tamaraws of manager Nino Reyes and coach Pido Jarencio.

Crellin, who earned MVP honors while leading FEU to the title against Emilio Aguinaldo College in last year’s MBL Open, added 15 points.

Arafat had 13 points, including several breakaway dunks late in the game and the outcome already settled.

PCU rode on a torrid secondhalf shooting anchored on Mike Ayonayon and Yves Sazon to frustrate MLQU-Victoria Sports, 76-47, for a 3-1 record in the tournament sponsored by Smart Sports, Starbread, Dickies Underwear, Ironcon Builders and Gerry’s Grill.

Ayonayon poured 22 points and Sazon added 18 points for the Elvis Tolentino-mentored Dolphins, who bounced back from a disappointing 71-77 loss to Colegio de San Lorenzo- V Hotel last Saturday.

dominated the first half.

Boston powered into a 29-19 first quarter lead and maintained their 10-point cushion through to half-time, leading 57-47 at the break.

But as tension among Cleveland’s home fans mounted at the Quicken Loans Arena, it was left to Irving to ride to the rescue with a sensational, momentum-changing display in the third quarter.

Irving piled on 21 points in the third period as Cleveland turned their 10-point half-time deficit into an 87-80 lead at the end of the third quarter. Irving eventually finished with 42 points.

“Coming out at half-time, I just wanted to be aggressive and lead my guys and leave it all out there on the floor,” Irving said.

“We understand the goal out here and we want to accomplish something bigger than ourselves.

It’s going to take a full 48-minute game to do it.”

James, determined to bounce back after a poor 11-point haul in Game 3, then steadied the Cleveland nerves in the fourth quarter, bringing the Cavaliers home for the win as Boston’s brave effort

came up short.

James, who finished with 34 points, was joined in double figures by Kevin Love, who scored 17 points with 17 rebounds and five assists.

James, Irving and Love were the only three Cavs players to make double digits.

‘The kid is special’ But it was Irving who was the undeniable star of the show for his spellbinding third quarter masterpiece that transformed the game.

“The kid is special,” James said.

“He was just waiting for an opportunity to blossom. I’m just happy and blessed that when I decided to come back that I was able to help him blossom.

“I’m just happy to be able to sit

back, with four fouls, and see him do what he’s always been built to do.

He was born for these moments.”

Love meanwhile revealed that the Cavaliers had not panicked at half-time when they trailed by 10.

“We’ve been in that position before,” Love said. “It’s just an effort all around. We’ve got a lot of guys with a lot of playoff minutes who’ve been in situations like that before.

“But while I can sit here and say that, Kyrie Irving was very special tonight.”

Boston, missing the injured Isaiah Thomas, had four players in double figures, with Avery Bradley scoring a leading 19 points.

Game 5 takes place in Boston on Thursday. AFP

NLEX notches 1st win

By Jeric Lopez FINALLY. NLEX was able to barge into the win column, upsetting skidding Alaska, 100-92, after trailing big in the first half to have some positive vibes in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Before fouling out late in the game, Wayne Chism finished with 22 points and six rebounds to show the light for the Road Warriors, while finally getting some much needed help from his teammates.

NLEX, which is already out of contention for quite sometime, is winless no more as it improved to 1-9 with a game left in its schedule.

On the other hand, the Aces still couldn’t find their groove, losing their fifth straight after starting the tournament with four straight wins. They fell further to 4-5, just half-a-game ahead of Phoenix for the No. 7 spot.

This loss endangered Alaska as the teams below it are now on the outside looking in.

The Road Warriors, with the game hanging in the balance, ended the game with a bang, unleashing a 14-5 finishing kick to shock the Aces after trailing 86-87 down the stretch.

Juami Tiongson and JR Quinahan each had 16 markers to help NLEX’s cause.

Coming out of the gates with guns blazing, Alaska zoomed ahead to a double-digit lead right away to take control just a few minutes into the game, taking a sizeable 18-5 cushion in the opening quarter and headed the second with a 35-18 separation.

Unlike its previous nine assignments, NLEX for a change, kept its cool and slowly but surely clawed its way back in the game to give itself a chance in the payoff period.

Corey Jefferson took gamehigh honors with 36 points and 20 rebounds, but was unable lead his team to victory.

The scores: NLEX 100 - Chism 22, Tiongson 16, Quinahan 16, Alas 11, AlHussaini 9, Mallari 7, Monfort 6, Soyud 5, Rios 4, Lastimosa 2, Baracael 2, Ighalo 0, Taulava 0.

ALASKA 92 - Jefferson 36, Manuel 17, Abueva 12, Casio 10, Racal 5, Banchero 3, Thoss 2, Enciso 2, Exciminiano 2, Mendoza 2, Pascual 1, Cruz 0, Galliguez 0, Hontiveros 0.

Quarterscores: 18-35, 5148, 76-75, 100-92.

Muros-Posadas, 5 others evacuated from Marawi

By Peter Atencio RETIRED track star Elma Muros Posadas and her husband Jojo were among six coaches evacuated from Marawi City Wednesday following Tuesday’s siege of the place by the Maute rebel group, Philippine Sports Commissioner Ramon Fernandez confirmed.

National Training Director Marc Velasco invited the six national coaches there for a five-day clinic and seminars involving local coaches and young athletes. The activities at the Mindanao State University, however, were cut short.

“They’re safe. They have been evacuated from Marawi to Iligan,” said Fernandez.

Reports revealed that rebels occupied a portion of the

school premises, which also served as the billeting area of the coaches and Philippine Sports Commission personnel that joined them.

Muros-Posadas and the coaches joined Philippine Sports Institute assistant director Henry Daut in the trip to Marawi City.

Velasco is currently monitoring the arrival of the contingent to Manila.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared Martial Law for 60 days in Mindanao following the siege.

In Davao City, PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said the Mindanao Children’s Games 2017 will go on as scheduled.

It is scheduled to open today at the Rizal Park of Davao City and culminate on Saturday.

Ramirez said this during

the opening ceremonies of the Barangay Sports Education Lecture Series.

The one-day seminar for barangay sports leaders was a prologue to the Mindanao Children’s Games 2017.

“This is aimed not only to encourage interest in sports for health but also to foster peace,” said Ramirez.

The project is under the Sports for Peace program of the PSC, which is very timely given the present security problems in Mindanao, according to agency officials.

Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte informed the PSC that they have heightened security measures for the city.

But she affirmed that the Children’s Games will push through.

GOLF LEADER. Jobim Carlos hits his drive on No. 10 at the start of the ICTSI

Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club Wednesday. Carlos rode on a blistering frontside charge to cushion the impact of a shaky windup, carding a four-under 68 and wresting a one-stroke lead over American Nicolas Paez and Nathan Park of Australia. Story on A7

Responders, Cavaliers take opener

Revenue Collection Management Group Deputy Commissioner Ret. Gen. Natalio Ecarma III (left) and PNP Special Action Force P/Supt.

Dexter Vitug (right) meet at center court as UNTV President and CEO Dr. Daniel S. Razon holds the basketball for the ceremonial toss of the UNTV Cup Executive Faceoff basketball tournament.

THE Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Department of Justice clinched important wins on opening day of the UNTV Cup Executive Faceoff last Sunday at the Pasig Sports Center.

In the curtain raiser, the PNP Responders continued their dominant performance from the Season 5 finals series as they crushed the Bureau of Customs Transformers, 82-37.

Three players scored in double figures for the Responders as they zoomed to a 19-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and continued to build on the lead throughout the game.

SAF P/Supt. Dexter Vitug led the way for PNP with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal.

Meanwhile, the AFP Cavaliers

figured in an upset victory over the Senate Sentinels, 88-69, in the second game.

The Sentinels consistently led throughout the first three quarters anchored on Senator Joel Villanueva’s big 28-point performance and even brought the lead to as much as 12 two times before the Cavaliers turned on their pressure defense in the fourth to turn the tide and secure the win.

Brig. Gen Gener Del Rosario played a pivotal role in AFP’s upset win with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals.

In the final game, the DOJ Boosters gained an all-important 56-50 win over the Judiciary Magis.

The Justice Boosters weathered a joint 30-point output from Judi-

ciary’s one-two punch of Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez and Floridablanca Pampanga Presiding Judge Wendell Ramiterre with their balanced offensive attack.

Lipa City OIC City Prosecutor Nonilon Tagalicud had an impressive, all-around performance of 12 points, 5 rebounds, 6 steals, 4 assists and a block to carry the Justice Boosters to victory.

The UNTV Cup Executive Faceoff is an offseason basketball tournament and the brainchild of UNTV President and CEO Dr. Daniel S. Razon for high-ranking government officials aged 40 years old and above.

The Champion will receive a grant of 1 Million Pesos for their chosen beneficiary.

Business

BDO, Seven Bank seal partnership B3

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

B1

CebuPac suspends ME flights

By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU Pacific Air announced on Wednesday the suspension of three flights to the Middle East which are no longer commercially viable.

Cebu Pacific said it would suspend its service to and from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; and Doha, Qatar starting June.

The airline will fly the last of its four-times-a-week service from Manila to Kuwait on June 13 and its Kuwait-Manila flight on June 14, 2017.

The thrice-weekly ManilaDoha-Manila route will have its last flight on July 1, while Cebu Pacific’s last flight from Manila to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia will depart on July 2.

The Riyadh-Manila flight will leave on July 3.

“The entry of Cebu Pacific into these markets benefitted passengers with lower fares and more choices. Of late, other carriers have aggressively added more flights, which has resulted in substantial oversupply of seats and fares that are so low, hence making the routes unsustainable,” Cebu Pacific vice president for corporate affairs JR Mantaring said.

“We have to continuously review our routes to ensure their viability. At this point, it makes more sense for us to re-deploy the aircraft used for our Riyadh, Doha and Kuwait service to routes where we can further stimulate demand and sustain our low fare offers,” he said.

Cebu Pacific will retain its other long-haul services to and from Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Sydney, Australia, with a view to increasing frequencies to these destinations in the future.

The airline also flies to 24 other international destinations across Asia and USA; as well as 37 domestic destinations.

“Passengers affected by the suspension of CEB service in Doha, Riyadh and Kuwait are being contacted,” Cebu Pacific said.

APEC TRADE MINISTERS. Top trade officials from the member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation refined themes and

priorities to be discussed at the Apec Economic Leaders’ Week in November 2017. Representing the Philippines at the 23rd Apec Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Hanoi on May 20 to 21, 2017, Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez (second row, fifth from left) presented the importance of Apec’s sustainable and inclusive growth strategy, citing the Philippine government’s thrust to include the micro, small and medium enterprises in the value chain of bigger companies. With Lopez are trade ministers from other Apec economies.

Martial law concerns sink peso to 50 a dollar

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE peso tumbled to 50 per US dollar Wednesday, the lowest in six weeks, as financial markets reacted negatively to President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao and Moody’s Investor Service’s downgrade of the credit rating of China.

The peso lost P0.17 to close at 49.995 against the greenback Wednesday from 49.82 Tuesday.

It was its weakest level since it settled at 50.08 a dollar on April 7, 2017. Volume turnover reached $582 million Wednesday, higher than $572 million Tuesday.

The peso touched the 50-level per greenback in the afternoon before settling at 49.995 at the close.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said

the local currency’s weakness and underperformance―relative to other Asian currencies― was a combination of the martial law declaration and Moody’s downgrade of China.

“Financial markets impact likely to be limited and calm likely to return after the initial reaction. The problem is that markets are also affected by the surprise Moody’s credit rating downgrade of China by one notch this morning,” Cuyegkeng said.

Cuyegkeng said the country’s solid macroeconomic fundamentals would sustain economic growth and provide needed support to the peso.

“We believe that favorable Philippine economic fundamentals would remain intact and would keep growth in line with an expected higher trend growth of 6.5 percent during this administration [from 6-6.2 percent in the previous administration],” he said.

“Investor interest in that part of Mindanao would likely be affected but government’s lead through infrastructure spending and programs in Mindanao would likely offset overall private sector prudence and cautiousness for that area,” he said, adding that “fundamentals would take hold and support the peso.”

Moody’s, one of the major credit rating agencies in the world, downgraded China’s

long-term local and foreign currency issuer ratings by one notch to A1 from Aa3, citing expectations that its financial strength would decline in the years ahead.

Moody’s also said China was facing the challenges posed by slowing economic growth and rising financial risks due to soaring debt. China is one of the Philippines’ biggest trading partners in the region.

President Duterte declared the entire island of Mindanao under Martial Law after heavy fighting broke out between government troops and alleged members of the terrorist Maute group.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the declaration of martial law might result in some transitory or temporary cautiousness, “but in the end I think it will lead to a positive impact on sentiment.”

By Alena Mae S. Flores

AIG MARKS 85TH YEAR. AIG Philippines Insurance Inc. celebrated its 85-year legacy of providing insurance solutions to the Filipino community in an anniversary event held at the Rigodon Ballroom of The Peninsula Manila Hotel on May 4, 2017. Shown are AIG Philippines president and chief executive Mark Lwin (left) with Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa.

THE Energy Department convened an interagency task force to secure energy facilities in the wake of the ongoing atrocities in Marawi City.

“I have written a letter of request to the Secretary of National Defense to help us secure energy facilities [power plants, transmission tower, distribution facilities, oil depots etc.] in Mindanao and other vulnerable areas nationwide,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said it was closely monitoring power supply in Mindanao following the lockdown and the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. National Grid said in a statement that as of Wednesday, its Mindanao operations and maintenance was under normal operations.

It said power from Agus 1 hydro plant to Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative feeder remained normal but currently, only 5 megawatts were being drawn compared to the normal 12-MW loading.

“There is a monitored tripping affecting Marawi City caused by a disturbance at our Mindanao State University load-end switching station,” the company said.

“The rest of Mindanao is experiencing normal power supply. So far, NGCP personnel are secure. NGCP is preparing its contingency plans for the next 60 days,” the company said.

Meanwhile, National Grid said it continued talks with the Department of Information and Communications Technology. DICT Undersecretary Denis Villorente and other officials were given a tour of National Grid’s Dasmariñas substation by National Grid chief administrative officer Anthony Almeda.

The visit follows previous coordination meetings in support of the national broadband program.

Ongpin hopeful of Xi-Duterte energy deal in South China Sea ONE of the most prominent tycoons in the Philippines is increasingly optimistic that President Rodrigo Duterte can strike a deal with China to share oil and gas deposits in a disputed part of the South China Sea. “At some point a commercial deal will be made that will enable us to develop the prospect,” Roberto Ongpin, whose company Atok-Big Wedge Co. Inc. holds a minority stake in a gas field in the

INDEX

Closing May 24, 2017

8500 8000 7500

DoE convenes task force to secure power facilities

By Cecilia Yap

PSE COMPOSITE

South China Sea, said in an interview on Thursday. “It will be astronomical.”

Since taking power last year, Duterte has sought to improve ties with China that deteriorated under predecessor Benigno Aquino. The two countries agreed to work out “mutually acceptable approaches” to the South China Sea at formal talks that began last week, an early step toward reaching a deal to exploit what may be the Philippines’s largest gas field.

Ongpin has a history with Duterte: He was forced to sell his Philippine gaming assets after the president targeted him in a crackdown on online gaming. Still, Ongpin said he believes the Philippine leader’s approach toward the world’s secondbiggest economy is moving in right direction.

“There’s no way you can bump heads with China,” he said by phone.

Ongpin said his company now owns 20 percent of Forum Energy Ltd., which has a 70 percent stake

in the Sampaguita gas field west of the Philippines’ Palawan province.

The discovery is estimated to contain 11.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to a third-party assessment commissioned by PXP Energy Corp. PXP owns 80 percent of Forum.

Atok-Big Wedge shares rose 3.2 percent as of the noon break in Manila, poised for its biggest gain since May 11. The stock has risen 29 percent this year against the benchmark Philippine stock in-

dex’s 14 percent advance.

That’s more than four times the 2.7 trillion cubic feet of reserves in Malampaya gas field, the largest in the Philippines, which currently fuels several power plants and generated hundreds of billions of pesos worth of royalties for the government. Supply from the Malampaya gas field will last only until 2024, prompting the Energy Department to consider importing liquefied natural gas to ensure stable supplies. Bloomberg

7000 6500 6000

7,837.82 25.68

PESO-DOLLAR RATE Closing MAY 24, 2017

45.00 46.50 48.00 49.50

CLOSE

51.00

HIGH P49.930 LOW P50.000 AVERAGE P49.968 VOLUME 582.400M Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, May 24, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

49.7850

Japan

Yen

0.008947

0.4454

UK

Pound

1.296600

64.5512

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128411

6.3929

Switzerland

Franc

1.024695

51.0144

Canada

Dollar

0.740028

36.8423

Singapore

Dollar

0.719321

35.8114

Australia

Dollar

0.747400

37.2093

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655196

132.1889

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266674

13.2764

Brunei

Dollar

0.716743

35.6831

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.029055

1.4465

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.5558

Euro

Euro

1.118500

55.6845

Korea

Won

0.000889

0.0443

China

Yuan

0.145159

7.2267

India

Rupee

0.015415

0.7674

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.232992

11.5995

New Zealand

Dollar

0.701000

34.8993

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033184

1.6521 Source: PDS Bridge

IN BRIEF Phoenix acquires Petronas PH unit

INDEPENDENT oil player Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. said Wednesday it acquired the local unit of Petroliam Nasional Berhad or Petronas, the national oil company of Malaysia.

Phoenix corporate secretary Socorro Ermac Cabreros said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the company’s board of directors approved the execution of a memorandum of understanding with PDB (Netherlands) B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petronas Dagangan Berhad for the 100-percent share acquisition of Petronas Energy Philippines Inc. and Duta Inc. The planned acquisition is subject to the approval of the Philippine Competition Commission.

PEPI is primarily engaged in the business of selling liquefied petroleum gas in cylinders for household and commercial use and LPG in bulk for industrial use and autogas, an environment-friendly alternative fuel for vehicles. ”The proposed acquisition of PEPI and Duta strategically supports the company’s expansion in operation as well as product lines,” Phoenix said.

PEPI was incorporated on June 20, 1995 and registered with the Board of Investments as a pioneer industry for bottling and marketing of LPG in the Philippines.

NREB seen extending hydro, biomass perks THE National Renewable Energy Board will likely endorse the extension of the installation target for run-of river-hydro and biomass projects by two to four years, giving them more time to avail of the feed-in tariff rate, an official said Wednesday.

NREB chairman Jay Layug told reporters at the sidelines of the Power & Electricity World Philippines 2017 Forum that the final decision would come from the board regarding the extension.

NREB is the implementing agency of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, which grants the feed-in tariff incentive to renewable energy developers.

The government set an installation target of 250 MW for run-of-river hydro and another 250 MW for biomass power projects. Of the approved allowable capability, only 144.8 MW of capacity were able to get FIT incentives for biomass and 28.6 MW for run-of-river hydro as of end-2016.

Alena Mae Flores

B2

Business

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Insular’s net income rose to P4.9b in 2016

By Julito G. Rada INSULAR Life Assurance Co. Ltd., the largest Filipino-owned life insurance company, said Wednesday consolidated net income in 2016 jumped 179 percent to P4.9 billion from a year ago, lifted by gains from shares of stocks and properties, investment income and earnings of associates.

“2016 was our best year so far in terms of reinforcing our stability and financial strength. We are number two among 30 life insurance companies in terms of net income and net worth. And in terms of assets, we are number three,” Insular Life chief executive Nina Aguas said in a statement.

Consolidated revenues rose 25 percent last year to P25 bil-

lion, while consolidated total assets went up 22 percent to P129 billion from P106 billion in 2015.

Consolidated member’s equity or net worth surged 70 percent in 2016 to P40.3 billion from P23.7 billion in 2015. The increase in member’s equity was attributed to the gains in the market value of equity holdings and higher net income.

The insurer’s premium income, however, was slightly lower than the previous year.

“While we posted monthly increases in new business premium production for eight consecutive months and also increased its renewal premiums, we were not shielded from the volatile market conditions that caused a sharp drop in single premiums,” Aguas said.

Market gains; URC, Melco lead advancers

S

TOCKS rose for a fourth day, following a positive lead from the US and Europe, tempered by the declaration of martial law in Mindanao to suppress violence in Marawi City.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 25 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 7,837.82 Wednesday as three of the six sectoral indices advanced. The bellwether was up 14.6 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also gained 9

points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 4,671.49, on a value turnover of P5.9 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 97 to 94, while 45 issues were unchanged.

Eight of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by food manufacturer Universal Robina Corp. which climbed 3 percent to P170 and casino op-

erator Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corp. which went up 2.5 percent to P9.10.

President Rodrigo Duterte said martial law in the southern region of Mindanao could last a month or a year, as he vowed it would be similar to the late Ferdinand Marcos’s dictatorship. “If it would take a year to do it, if it’s over within a month, then I’d be happy,” Duterte said in a video posted online by the government.

The security issue initially affected market sentiments, but investors looked overseas for inspiration. Most Asian markets traded higher Wednesday. Shanghai recovered from early selling fueled by Moody’s decision

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS AG FINANCE 4.01 ASIA UNITED 49.8 BANK PH ISLANDS 105.8 BDO UNIBANK 120 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.42 CHINABANK 36.8 COL FINANCIAL 16.14 EAST WEST BANK 24.55 IREMIT 1.7 MANULIFE 800 MEDCO HLDG 0.68 METROBANK 88 NTL REINSURANCE 0.72 PB BANK 15.4 PBCOM 25 PHIL NATL BANK 68.4 PHIL STOCK EXCH 238 PHILTRUST 111.5 PSBANK 89.5 RCBC 60 SECURITY BANK 215.4 SUN LIFE 1,650 UNION BANK 86.3 VANTAGE 1.17

4.01 49.9 106 121.4 1.5 37 16.3 24.95 1.7 800 0.71 89 0.73 15.4 25.45 68.4 241 111.5 89.5 60.55 217.6 1,650 86.3 1.19

3.8 49.3 105 120 1.42 36.25 16.14 24.5 1.7 775 0.68 87.95 0.72 15.4 25 67.8 237 111.5 89.5 59.5 215 1,650 81.55 1.17

3.9 49.6 105.9 121 1.45 36.95 16.3 24.95 1.7 775 0.71 89 0.73 15.4 25.45 68.2 241 111.5 89.5 60.4 216.4 1,650 84.55 1.18

118,000 37,400 1,203,980 1,385,480 342,000 458,700 28,300 1,405,700 39,000 380 5,724,000 2,142,170 28,000 115,000 2,800 378,120 1,630 140 10 583,120 217,370 100 28,110 23,000

470,910 1,853,080 126,929,839 167,578,516 496,330 16,897,325 460,338 34,787,165 66,300 299,650 3,946,480 190,369,887 20,310 1,771,000 70,810 25,789,612 386,476 15,610 895 35,119,525 46,989,354 165,000 2,391,039.50 26,960

1,258,180 -15,698,882 -55,377,368 -14,420 11,352,510.00 13,105,435 79,250 -7,000 65,207,418.50 -2,508,624 -8,909,757.50 -15,427,024 -165,000 237,795 -

INDUSTRIAL ABOITIZ POWER 39.55 AGRINURTURE 6.05 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.85 ALSONS CONS 1.47 ASIABEST GROUP 22.45 BASIC ENERGY 0.27 BOGO MEDELLIN 100.1 CEMEX HLDG 7.42 CENTURY FOOD 17.2 CIRTEK HLDG 23 CNTRL AZUCARERA14.34 CONCEPCION 71.75 CROWN ASIA 1.93 DEL MONTE 11.4 DNL INDUS 12.78 EEI CORP 10.4 EMPERADOR 6.95 ENERGY DEVT 5.99 FIRST GEN 19.52 FIRST PHIL HLDG 70.45 GINEBRA 13.3 HOLCIM 14.8 INTEGRATED MICR 9.6 IONICS 1.58 JOLLIBEE 201 LMG CHEMICALS 4.47 MANILA WATER 32 MAXS GROUP 19.76 MEGAWIDE 19.12 MERALCO 276 MG HLDG 0.243 PANASONIC 6.08 PEPSI COLA 3.36 PETRON 10.42 PHINMA 11.46 PHINMA ENERGY 2.1 PHX PETROLEUM 9.68 PHX SEMICNDCTR 1.95 PILIPINAS SHELL 67.8 PRYCE CORP 5.85 PUREFOODS 297 RFM CORP 4.7 ROXAS HLDG 3.35 SHAKEYS PIZZA 13.32 SWIFT FOODS 0.146 TKC METALS 1.44 UNIV ROBINA 165.1 VICTORIAS 4.04 VITARICH 1.7 VULCAN INDL 1.07

39.95 6.27 0.87 1.64 22.7 0.27 110 7.67 17.48 23.3 14.7 74 1.94 11.42 12.84 10.52 6.96 6.02 19.74 71 13.3 14.8 9.6 1.76 206.8 4.5 32 20.2 19.86 281.2 0.247 6.1 3.37 10.58 11.46 2.1 9.98 1.98 67.8 6 297 4.7 3.4 13.48 0.149 1.44 170 4.3 1.97 1.1

39.5 5.99 0.83 1.47 21.75 0.26 100.1 7.21 17.06 23 14.34 71.75 1.92 11.32 12.78 10.34 6.68 5.96 19.4 70.1 13.3 14.76 9.4 1.55 201 4.42 31.5 19 19.1 275 0.241 6.06 3.36 10.26 11.44 2.08 8.8 1.94 67.05 5.8 291.2 4.7 3.35 13.26 0.146 1.38 165 4.04 1.65 1.07

39.85 6.27 0.83 1.6 22.1 0.27 110 7.64 17.48 23.3 14.7 74 1.92 11.42 12.8 10.44 6.93 6 19.74 71 13.3 14.76 9.5 1.75 206.2 4.45 31.85 19.8 19.6 277 0.247 6.06 3.37 10.52 11.44 2.09 9.5 1.94 67.05 6 291.2 4.7 3.35 13.4 0.149 1.39 170 4.3 1.95 1.1

1,213,800 5,531,100 907,000 4,046,000 16,700 6,910,000 20 9,718,600 871,200 195,300 3,600 273,920 1,213,000 52,700 2,368,900 2,323,300 2,368,900 4,194,000 2,637,300 207,440 64,000 230,800 3,671,100 7,933,000 290,890 275,000 193,500 1,258,900 3,138,800 831,480 1,270,000 101,400 125,000 9,239,900 10,300 1,077,000 20,259,800 550,000 1,106,210 4,000,500 2,760 156,000 32,000 440,000 140,000 81,000 2,578,070 33,000 57,285,000 119,000

48,320,690 34,149,200 769,560 6,349,260 375,970 1,833,650 2,101 73,207,469 14,975,388 4,503,250 52,452 20,269,630 2,333,560 600,678 30,326,680 24,222,644 16,354,099 25,075,615 51,733,006 14,686,533 851,200 3,410,714 34,844,729 13,263,200 59,706,086 1,220,510 6,165,220 24,860,237 61,723,968 232,194,302 307,900 616,742 421,180 96,833,980 117,838 2,245,290 191,969,825 1,071,350 74,518,451 23,603,873 819,662 733,200 108,280 5,871,608 20,470 113,440 435,632,732 135,340 106,310,510 129,760

-17,176,975.00 5,940,296 -300 132,500 33,787,945 11,636,028 1,004,180 7,744,752 -4,585,518 39,130 1,651,642 -4,069,310 572,173.50 -854,806 4,429,995 -461,870 18,946,154 -266,555 -4,255,758 -23,518,552 -20,672,872 36,700 252,760 -25,000,586 -30,888 -145,600 -81,546,845 -22,429,745 -378,600 -795,960 -126,900 2,299,608 -6,950.00 300,274,421 86,520 -6,256,860 -

HOLDING FIRMS ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS

0.37 76.45 15.22 1.23 6.18 0.335 0.33 872 8.2 13.68 7.75 0.199 1,214 7.59 84.4 1.04 7.12 16 6.59 0.059 2.09 108.9 3.09 787.5 1.45 309 0.285 0.209

0.365 75.6 14.9 1.13 6.12 0.325 0.325 866 8.14 13.44 7.68 0.198 1,185 6.92 82 1.02 7.08 15.82 6.48 0.057 2.05 107.2 2.94 776 1.41 307 0.285 0.209

0.37 76.2 15.22 1.2 6.18 0.335 0.33 870 8.2 13.5 7.75 0.199 1,185 7.35 84.4 1.03 7.1 16 6.53 0.058 2.06 108 3.03 780.5 1.42 308 0.285 0.209

1,790,000 1,031,020 11,947,800 912,000 27,100 3,280,000 980,000 165,800 1,610,500 8,061,100 134,500 80,000 140,185 378,600 1,162,550 1,921,000 1,031,500 1,427,200 20,244,000 69,950,000 369,000 129,610 331,000 237,670 1,290,000 2,010 10,000 10,000

660,950 78,450,538 181,104,866 1,089,130 167,168 1,076,550 320,600 144,220,080 13,184,653 109,045,954 1,034,186 15,850 167,336,100 2,686,053 97,437,096 1,990,090 7,322,080 22,817,616 132,249,423 4,036,230 761,020 13,974,604 997,280 185,500,150 1,850,950 619,026 2,850 2,090

23,542,682.50 -30,922,082 -48,244,175 4,735,397.00 63,447,820 -202,510 -65,377,810 -110,280 -14,263,904.50 -6,254,165 -3,617,904 -67,185,762 2,850 -20,650 3,946 3,010 21,925,910 928,570 -101,616 -

NAME

OPEN

0.365 76 15.02 1.13 6.12 0.325 0.33 868 8.2 13.5 7.7 0.198 1,206 6.94 82.6 1.03 7.12 15.84 6.55 0.057 2.09 108.9 3.02 787 1.42 309 0.285 0.209

PROPERTY 8990 HLDG 6.5 A BROWN 1.19 ARANETA PROP 2.22 ARTHALAND CORP 1.29 AYALA LAND 37.85 BELLE CORP 4.19 CEBU HLDG 5.27 CENTURY PROP 0.5 CITY AND LAND 1.08 CITYLAND DEVT 1.39 CROWN EQUITIES 0.156 CYBER BAY 0.52 DOUBLEDRAGON 50 EMPIRE EAST 0.69 EVER GOTESCO 0.16 FILINVEST LAND 1.65 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.04 IRC PROP 1.02 KEPPEL PROP 4.1 MEGAWORLD 4.4 MRC ALLIED 0.36 PHIL ESTATES 0.33 PHIL REALTY 0.72 PRIMEX CORP 3.99 PTFC REDEV CORP 28.9 ROBINSONS LAND 23.8 ROCKWELL 1.72 SHANG PROP 3.3 SM PRIME HLDG 32.75 STA LUCIA LAND 0.99 SUNTRUST HOME 0.89

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

5.46

5.49

5.35

5.46

6,834,000

37,260,632

18,869,675

17.6 43.75 1.6 0.52 0.046 5.88 9.78 0.087 2 99.3 9.57 8.88 2.59

16.54 43.45 1.55 0.5 0.044 5.61 9.39 0.084 1.96 98.5 9.57 8.52 2.59

17.3 43.6 1.6 0.5 0.045 5.86 9.54 0.086 1.99 99.25 9.57 8.85 2.59

568,700 20,600 6,000 3,085,000 8,600,000 33,300 11,328,900 29,620,000 1,437,000 263,030 100 106,200 2.59

9,850,470 898,910 9,550 1,551,450 386,800 190,190 108,940,001 2,523,790 2,839,520 26,052,730 957 912,362 5,000

84,256 -826,500 -28,050 -31,667,676 74,600 -4,786,194.50 145,916.00 12,950

980 2,016 6.18 16.36 2.82 3.67 101 12.58 8.94 0.182 1.38 3.67 17.2 4.01 4.31 9.1 3.69 2.56 11.5 5.38 3.1 170.2 8.71 1,620 1.57 0.4 43.5 84.1 5.8 2.64 1.12 2.1 3.6 0.67 5.38

980 1,990 6.07 16.1 2.74 3.6 99.2 12.2 8.8 0.181 1.33 3.56 16.06 3.95 4.25 8.37 3.63 2.52 11.5 5.3 3.1 170 7.59 1,602 1.54 0.4 42.5 83 5.73 2.52 1.1 2.1 3.46 0.62 5.3

980 2,016 6.08 16.36 2.82 3.63 99.8 12.58 8.91 0.181 1.38 3.67 16.9 3.96 4.31 9.1 3.65 2.53 11.5 5.38 3.1 170 8.71 1,615 1.57 0.4 43.1 83.5 5.79 2.61 1.11 2.1 3.57 0.65 5.38

100 17,850 633,600 62,900 2,622,000 22,000 1,709,360 41,900 312,200 5,850,000 153,000 33,000 15,800 673,000 258,000 13,122,300 3,370,000 1,034,000 4,200 2,400 5,000 2,910 7,676,300 75,890 11,424,000 380,000 226,200 1,458,010 79,000 6,750,000 4,122,000 4,000 3,684,000 8,232,000 2,304,200

98,000 35,724,135 3,873,743 1,021,828 7,331,530 80,170 171,510,766.50 511,650 2,773,469 1,059,270 205,990 117,860 265,704 2,672,620 1,105,050 117,210,940 12,341,560 2,622,300 48,300 12,812 15,500 494,710 62,896,463 122,316,475 17,862,850 152,000 9,683,205 121,915,417.50 453,223 17,533,490 4,554,340 8,400 13,102,640 5,282,790 12,358,954

2,915,740 446,016 179,270 96,757,138.50 15,096 249,780 176,670 829,500 145,350 1,797,138 -6,946,310 -258,406 -10,250,186 -50,426,865 576,370 -5,393,110 3,179,291.50 -159,120 162,260 -2,417,740 62,240 3,263,925.00

VISTA LAND

6.5 1.23 2.31 1.29 38.95 4.25 5.31 0.51 1.09 1.47 0.158 0.53 50 0.7 0.16 1.66 1.05 1.04 4.11 4.5 0.375 0.35 0.74 3.99 28.9 24.3 1.73 3.3 33 0.99 0.89

6.39 1.13 2.22 1.27 37.6 4.16 5.27 0.5 1.08 1.34 0.156 0.52 49 0.69 0.155 1.64 1.01 1.01 4.1 4.35 0.35 0.325 0.7 3.85 28.9 23.75 1.71 3.25 32.5 0.98 0.87

6.43 1.18 2.29 1.29 38.95 4.2 5.28 0.51 1.09 1.43 0.158 0.53 49.7 0.7 0.156 1.66 1.03 1.03 4.11 4.48 0.37 0.35 0.73 3.87 28.9 24 1.73 3.29 32.8 0.98 0.89

SERVICES 2GO GROUP 17.4 ABS CBN 43.45 ACESITE HOTEL 1.55 APC GROUP 0.52 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.045 BERJAYA 5.65 BLOOMBERRY 9.41 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.086 CALATA CORP 1.96 CEBU AIR 99 CENTRO ESCOLAR 9.57 DFNN INC 8.88 DISCOVERY WORLD FAR EASTERN U 980 GLOBE TELECOM 2,000 GMA NETWORK 6.17 GOLDEN HAVEN 16.1 HARBOR STAR 2.82 IMPERIAL 3.6 INTL CONTAINER 100.8 IPEOPLE 12.22 IPM HLDG 8.94 ISLAND INFO 0.181 ISM COMM 1.33 JACKSTONES 3.57 LBC EXPRESS 16.06 LEISURE AND RES 4.01 MACROASIA 4.26 MELCO CROWN 8.8 METRO RETAIL 3.66 NOW CORP 2.56 PACIFIC ONLINE 11.5 PAL HLDG 5.36 PAXYS 3.1 PHIL SEVEN CORP 170.2 PHILWEB 8.08 PLDT 1,620 PREMIUM LEISURE 1.57 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.4 PUREGOLD 42.8 ROBINSONS RTL 84.1 SBS PHIL CORP 5.74 SSI GROUP 2.64 STI HLDG 1.1 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.1 TRAVELLERS 3.53 WATERFRONT 0.64 WILCON DEPOT 5.38

MS 792,800 8,320,000 744,000 7,781,000 7,538,600 3,101,000 32,400 3,781,000 8,000 1,245,000 2,140,000 469,000 136,970 18,000 370,000 10,931,000 7,156,000 651,000 20,000 39,120,000 52,580,000 2,110,000 25,837,000 388,000 400 792,300 81,000 180,000 4,563,600 3,291,000 134,000

5,102,044 9,791,970 1,696,630 9,973,150 289,664,295 13,020,770 171,058 1,901,740 8,650 1,745,370 334,420 245,980 6,801,617 12,430 57,660 18,049,360 7,366,340 662,130 82,100 173,897,400 19,083,600 702,600 18,546,370 1,502,810 11,560 19,031,650 140,080 589,250 149,670,620 3,236,190 117,770

-2,123,535 -3,000 -501,260 92,916,870 3,278,190 -174,500 1,535,867 3,100 4,268,150 61,200 40,080 -82,100 74,349,950 1,577,680 5,713,870 -6,920 64,127,585 -

MINING & OIL ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PETROENERGY PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING TA PETROLEUM UNITED PARAGON

0.0032 1.95 5 11.72 2.1 0.9 0.4 8.93 2.45 0.255 0.19 0.195 0.011 0.011 1.83 6.25 2.28 0.96 0.011 0.011 5.78 0.013 9.14 3.42 158.8 2.66 0.0087

0.0033 1.95 5.25 13.4 2.1 0.91 0.405 8.94 2.5 0.26 0.191 0.199 0.011 0.012 1.83 6.38 2.4 0.97 0.011 0.011 6.1 0.013 9.15 3.42 160.4 2.66 0.0087

0.0032 1.86 4.95 11.72 2.1 0.89 0.4 8.39 2.37 0.25 0.19 0.192 0.011 0.011 1.8 6.1 2.14 0.95 0.011 0.011 5.75 0.012 8.97 3.25 158.6 2.65 0.0087

0.0033 1.89 5.05 13.4 2.1 0.89 0.4 8.91 2.5 0.25 0.19 0.199 0.011 0.012 1.82 6.38 2.21 0.95 0.011 0.011 5.86 0.013 9.05 3.35 158.8 2.65 0.0087

100,000,000 13,206,000 183,000 700 23,000 1,181,000 180,000 1,000 3,834,000 590,000 1,550,000 920,000 59,600,000 168,100,000 16,000 911,800 300,000 241,000 5,400,000 26,000,000 2,794,700 4,900,000 299,400 2,248,000 1,827,780 40,000 2,000,000

320,300 25,050,670 934,306 8,500 48,300 1,059,110 72,250 8,656 9,288,090 148,600 294,520 177,180 655,600 1,891,200 29,030 5,785,848 678,300 230,770 59,400 286,000 16,416,932 63,400 2,702,627 7,532,890 290,605,859 106,080 17,400

-240,000 1,060,570 -7,092 36,250 -25,280 2,550 22,000 1,789,624 -169,370 -619,760 70,139 -698,420 20,330,245 -

PREFERRED ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF F FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PF PREF 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

43.75 508.5 520 107 105 112.3 114.5 525 5.83 1.08 108 1,029 1,019 105 77 81 76.25 78.2 80.45 79 78 78.75

43.8 517 520 107 105.5 112.3 114.5 525 5.83 1.08 108 1,029 1,019 105 77.1 81 76.35 78.2 80.45 79 78.4 78.75

43.75 508.5 512 107 105 112.3 114.5 512 5.8 1.07 108 1,029 1,017 105 77 81 76.2 78.2 80.45 77.2 78 78

43.75 517 513 107 105 112.3 114.5 512 5.8 1.07 108 1,029 1,017 105 77.1 81 76.35 78.2 80.45 77.2 78.4 78

13,200 12,030 9,730 90 48,600 690 20,000 3,600 1,262,100 50,000 4,000 3,060 665 480 40,890 40,610 28,500 95,100 1,000 42,400 34,150 129,400

577,535 6,134,410 5,022,100 9,630 5,103,035 77,487 2,290,000 1,843,850 7,322,720 53,510 432,000 3,148,740 676,705 50,400 3,148,541 3,289,410 2,173,425 7,436,820 80,450 3,308,680 2,668,760 10,131,851

573,160 -2,249,880 -

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

2.26

2.28

2.21

2.27

153,000

345,490

-

SME ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

4.05 6.2 8.2

4.16 6.21 8.2

4.01 6.18 7.94

4.1 6.21 8.1

153,000 166,100 1,461,600

622,610 1,029,671 11,804,711

310,000 1,461,271

129.8

129.1

129.8

2,960

382,987

-

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF 129.1

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

14,563,765

INDUSTRIAL

161,579,606

HOLDING FIRMS

131,092,608

PROPERTY

209,709,740

SERVICES

137,990,492

MINING & OIL

396,528,837

GRAND TOTAL

1,053,249,093

VALUE 1,935.40 (up) 4.08 688,694,015.45 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,221.47 (up) 128.91 1,756,672,388.51 HOLDING FIRMS 7,939.94 (down) 15.23 1,243,652,875.01 PROPERTY 3,578.85 (up) 32.04 SERVICES 1,614.51 (down) 5.77 868,895,680.27 MINING & OIL 12,621.99 (down) 88.37 961,057,617.93 PSEI 7,837.82 (up) 25.68 364,497,655.85 All Shares Index 4,671.49 (up) 9.33 5,897,313,807.52 Gainers: 94; Losers: 97; Unchanged: 45; Total: 236

to cut China’s credit rating on worries about its growing debt mountain.

The ratings agency said its downgrade on the world’s number two economy was prompted by the likelihood of a “material rise” in debt throughout the economy and as potential growth slows.

Beijing has tried to address a toxic brew of unregulated and risky lending, which is increasingly seen as a threat to global financial stability.

But analysts are unsure about leaders’ willingness to push on with the reforms since huge borrowing has been a key driver of the growth on which the Communist Party relies for political legitimacy.

China’s economy grew last year at its slowest pace in a quarter of a century and there are expectations it will continue to ease in coming years.

“It is a psychological blow that China will not take kindly to and absolutely speaks to the rising financial pressures in China,” Christopher Balding, an associate professor at the HSBC School of Business at Peking University in Shenzhen, told Bloomberg News.

The ratings cut was the first

by Moody’s since late 1989 when it assessed the impact of the Tiananmen Square crackdown on China’s trade with the world.

With Bloomberg, AFP

Holcim expands cement capacity

By Jenniffer B. Austria CEMENT manufacturer Holcim Philippines Inc. said its production capacity is expected to reach 10 million metric tons by the end of the second quarter, strengthening its position as the leading cement company in the Philippines.

Holcim Philippines chief operating officer Sapna Sood said in an interview the debottlenecking of existing cement facilities would add 2 million MT to the group’s existing cement output in the second quarter.

“We certainly had a project where we were looking at all of that safety, debottlenecking. That is near completion.

To be completed at the end of this quarter. We will be at 10 million [MT),” Sood said.

Holcim Philippines operates four cement plants in La Union, Bulacan, Misamis Oriental and Davao.

The expansion of the cement capacity through debottlecknecking started in 2015 with target spending cost of $40 million. The move is in line with the expected rise in demand for cement given the government’s thrust to build various infrastructure projects across the country.

“When we look at the country and the infrastructure that is coming in and the commitment that they are making in infrastructure, it is pretty exciting for the country and the industry,” Sood said.

Sood said while the company had no immediate plans to build a new cement plant, Holcim Philippines planned to offer various solutions to help in the implementation various infrastructure projects “So for us now, it’s about understanding what the administration is committing to in terms of infrastructure and then presenting our solutions in a way that will benefit that and make it faster. That’s one of the things that everyone is looking for is faster cementation,” Sood said.

Business

B3

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

BDO, Seven Bank seal partnership

By Julito G. Rada

B

DO Unibank Inc. sealed a strategic partnership with Japan’s Seven Bank Ltd. to strengthen its remittance business.

BDO said in a statement Wednesday the partnership would cover an international money transfer service to the Philippines, allowing customers to easily transfer money from Japan to the Philippines just by downloading “Seven Bank International Money Transfer” ap-

plication on mobile phones.

The service complements BDO’s own remittance facility done through BDO Remit.

With BDO Kabayan Savings, OFW beneficiaries can receive and withdraw money sent from abroad.

It also features Cash Pick-up

Anywhere where beneficiaries can claim money at more than 8,000 locations nationwide including from over 1,100 BDO branches; BDO Remit counters inside SM malls; rural banks and pawnshop partners.

“One of the challenges encountered by Filipino workers in Japan is not being able to visit banks and remittance centers during daytime because of their work schedule. But with the new alliance with Seven Bank, Filipinos can start to send money to their loved ones back home through a mobile app anytime, anywhere,”

BDO said.

BDO is a consistent Top Remittance Bank awardee of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

BDO’s remittance network began its presence in Japan by establishing a BDO Remit office in Shinjuku in May 2016. The alliance with Seven Bank will enable BDO to reach customers beyond Shinjuku/Tokyo area and various prefectures of Japan.

“Once Seven Bank’s ‘International Money Transfer App’ is launched, customers will be able to conveniently and easily remit funds to BDO Unibank accounts

24/7 just by using their mobile phones. The partnership will indeed allow for more time-friendly and less effort means of sending money, leaving no worries for our kababayans in Japan,” BDO said.

Japan, the world’s third largest economy, is among the leading sources of OFW remittances.

Records show that as of 2016, OFWs in Japan totaled 243,662.

Seven Bank said in a statement the two banks “which both share the same service philosophy of providing customer convenience, will continue to discuss and explore ways to come up with im-

proved financial services for both Filipino customers in Japan and the Philippines.”

Seven Bank is a Japanese bank specializing in ATM services that was created in 2001 in response to requests from Seven-Eleven customers for in-store ATMs. Since it began operations in 2001, Seven Bank has kept a consistent focus on its customer viewpoint in offering ATM services that can be accessed “anytime, anywhere, by anyone, and with safety and security” and in creating new services that build on those ATM services.

Capitol Hills furor; Mighty’s bonanza SHAREHOLDERS of Capitol Hills Golf and Country Club Inc. in Balara, Quezon City are facing an uphill battle in their favorite pastime.

Unable to play their game, they also have not received any benefit nor payment from the club through the liquidation of the property assets.

One exasperated shareholder has asked the Security and Exchange Commission to shut down the operation of the club for allegedly negotiating with developer Ayala Land Inc., despite the lapse of the country club’s business permit seven years ago.

Shareholder and lawyer Rainier Madrid of law firm Madrid Danao & Carullo asked the corporate regulator to issue a ceaseand-desist or closure order against CHGCCI for continuing its business despite the expiration of its corporate life on January 25, 2010, and deny any possible re-incorporation of the company.

CHGCCI operates a 23-hectare golf course along Capitol Hills Drive in Balara, Quezon City, which is reportedly being eyed by property developer Ayala Land.

Madrid Danao & Carullo noted in its letter to the SEC dated May 15, 2017 that CHGCCI as of January 25, 2010 no longer had any legal personality to continue the business for which it was established as mandated by the Corporation Code.

CHGCCI was incorporated on January 25, 1960, with a term of 50 years that expired on January 25, 2010. No amended articles of incorporation extending its corporate term have ever been filed, documents from the SEC also show.

The Quezon City Business Processing and Licensing Office earlier issued a separate cease-and-desist order against CHGCCI related to its business permit on May 11, 2017.

The Corporation Code states that every corporation whose charter expired by its own limitation or is annulled by forfeiture should not continue as a body corporate for three years. The same corporation should settle and close its affairs, dispose of and convey its property and distribute the assets, and cannot continue the business for which it was established.

“Yet for the past seven years since January 2010, CGHCCI has failed to fully liquidate its assets to the grave damage and prejudice of its shareholders. Instead, CHGCCI continues to operate as a golf and country club to the extent of even incurring loans from Ayala Land Inc. in the guise of ‘preserving its assets’,” Madrid Danao & Carullo said.

The law firm claimed CGHCCI to date continued to bill monthly membership dues as part of its business operations.

“Worse, the current ‘board of liquidators’ of CHGCCI appear to be nominees and/or dummies of ALI who have failed to fully liquidate the assets of CHGCCI in an apparent strategem to enable ALI to ultimately take over and own CHGCCI’s remaining valuable asset—its 23-hectare golf landholdings,” the law firm said.

Treasure-trove The government may have discovered a treasure-trove in Mighty Corp. The Bureau of Internal Revenue has so far estimated that the cigarette company owes the government P36.5 billion in tax payments, which could further balloon if the BIR makes good its threat to file to more cases against the homegrown tobacco company.

The figure could easily rise to P40 billion, if the new tax cases are lumped with the ones already filed.

But with just P36.5 billion, the government could readily build 54 drug rehabilitation centers at P674 million each that could house a total of 27,000 drug dependents.

The amount could erect additional hospitals and schools President Rodrigo Duterte initially wanted to build in Mindanao.

He could practically pepper the entire country with hospitals and schools with P36.5 billion and much more, when the total tax due reaches the vicinity of P40 billion.

He can build 1,200 two-story public hospitals with a 25-bed capacity worth P30 million each, or 60,800 classroom buildings worth P600,000 each.

The initial estimate of P36.5 billion is practically 32.8 percent of the P111.26 billion allocated for the Philippine National Police to hire more personnel and procure firearms and equipment in the war on drugs and criminality.

The amount is also 68.5 percent higher than the P25-billion outlay for improving the country’s capabilities to counter terrorism.

It can construct 521 road projects that span 58,873 kilometers worth P70 million per 11.3 kilometers. It can erect 2,000 flood mitigation walls which measure 457,600 lineal meters of concrete revetment.

It can employ an additional 137,200 teachers with a salary of P19,000 per month and provide medical care to 2.5 billion patients with diabetes and hypertension.

The amount, in addition, can achieve the ideal ratio of one nurse per barangay twice over by hiring a total of 63,826. The tax claim is also 47 percent of P78.2 billion allocated to the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program, which targets 4.4 million eligible beneficiaries in 2017.

Such tax amount is likewise 68.5 percent higher than the P25billion outlay for improving the country’s capabilities to counter terrorism.

The government’s tax claim is staggering that it even eclipses the projected initial tax take of P31.4 billion from the motor vehicle excise tax reform bill. It is almost half of the P82-billion projected fresh revenues from the new Tax Reform Bill version pushed by the House ways and means and supported by the Finance Department.

Mighty’s alleged tax evasion to the tune of P36.5 billion, thus, will go a long way in building additional schools and infrastructure projects and improving hospitals.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or business@manilastandard.net or extrastory2000@gmail.com

METROBANK-CHINA DEAL. Metrobank signs a strategic cooperation framework agreement as the Philippine partner bank of state-

owned Export-Import Bank of China, the largest Export Credit Agency in the world, for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, China. The agreement includes the pledging of a $900-million credit line to Metrobank, the largest ever given to an Asean commercial bank, to facilitate cooperation between Chinese and Philippine companies. Shown are (from left) Metrobank corporate banking group head Antonio Ocampo Jr., Metrobank China Limited deputy chairman Guixian Lin, Metrobank president Fabian Dee, Eximbank vice chairman and president Liu Liange, Eximbank general manager of international department Xu Yan and Eximbank general manager of corporate banking department Zhu Canzhang.

China commits P10b for Kaliwa Dam project

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales liters per day and a 27.7-kilomeMETROPOLITAN Waterworks and Sewerage System administrator Reynaldo Velasco said Wednesday the Chinese government committed P10 billion to help fund the Kaliwa Dam project in Quezon province.

Velasco said the financing for the project would now be in the form of official development assistance loan, instead of a publicprivate partnership scheme.

“It is already under ODA. We are just waiting for the approval of Neda [National Economic and Development Authority]. Hopefully within the year, we will finish the bidding process,” Velasco said at the sidelines of the Water Security Forum Series 4: Averting a Crisis organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines at New World Hotel in Makati City.

The Kaliwa Dam project which has a total cost of P18.75 billion is located at Barangay Pagsangahan, General Nakar and Barangay Magsaysay, Infanta, in Quezon province.

The project involves the construction of a dam with a discharge capacity of 600 million

ter raw water conveyance tunnel with a design capacity of 2.4 million liters per day.

Velasco said the funding for the first phase of the project, the New Centennial Water SourceKaliwa Dam Project, was submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority on Jan. 17 this year.

The Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee confirmed the financing shift of the project from PPP to ODA on March 21.

“We have the opportune time under this administration to push for the Laiban and Kaliwa flagship dam projects that will include the possible rehabilitation of the Wawa Dam,” Velasco said.

Velasco earlier said the MWSS board was hopeful that Laiban Dam would be implemented during President Duterte’s term.

The dam would act as a catch basin as well as flood control mechanism to moderate the flow of runoff surface water and prevent sudden flooding in Metro Manila’s lower reaches and environs, he said.

PH, China sign 6 investment deals

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippines and China signed six investment projects including a $550-million hydropower project during the Guangxi-Philippines Business Matching Seminar for Entrepreneurs Wednesday in Makati City.

The seminar, hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Trade Department, served as a venue for more bilateral agreements between the Philippines and China.

“There will be more agreements aside from the six projects signed earlier. We don’t have the total estimated amount yet, but not everything can be

quantified in terms of peso and sales,” said PCCI chairman emeritus Francis Chua.

The projects include a logistics agreement, where both China and the Philippines agreed to undertake network nodes building and freight routes.

It also involves an agreement with the private sector for the export of laterite nickel ore to China by Carrascal Nickel Corp. via the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port Group Co. Ltd. The Philippine company will supply no less than 1.5 million tons of laterite nickel ore to subordinate companies designated by the Port Group.

The $550-million power project signed between China Ener-

gy Engineering Group Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau Co. Ltd. and Philippine energy company Coheco Badeo will push for the creation of a 500-megawatt pumped storage hydropower project in Kibungan City, Benguet.

Also signed were agreements on direct charter flights between Nanning, China and Manila and a framework for strategic cooperation in tourism signed between JTLC Group Company and Guangxi Tourism Development Group Co. Ltd. Chinese investments into the Philippines will allow the Chinese investors to maximize the country’s strengths in trading with the rest of the world.

Foreign aid: conditions that are not conditions

The reason advanced by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte for its rejection last week of a 250 million euros ($278 million) grant from the European Union – (“Human rights were mentioned,” according to EU ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen; “interference with the internal policies of the Philippines,” according to the presidential spokesperson) has brought to the forefront of public discussion the issue of conditionality in foreign-aid giving.

When may a passage in a foreign-aid agreement be properly regarded as a condition for the giving and acceptance of the aid? Stated more succinctly, when is a claimed ‘condition’ a condition, and when is it not so?

A lawyer who is well-grounded in both commercial law and international law is bound to say in the practice of international

aid giving the only provisions that may be regarded as conditions are those that relate to the use and disposition of the aid, which may come in the form of concessional loans or outright grants (as in the case of the EU’s $287 million). The provisions that may be characterized as conditionalities include those that require the regular and timely submission of audit reports, the hiring of consultants and the prudent proportionality between operating expenses and capital spending. These are provisions that impact directly on an aided program’s prospects of success. They may properly be called conditions.

This is not the case with aidagreement provisions that do not directly relate to the operation of a foreign-aid program.

Such provisions cannot properly be called ‘conditions.’

It is well known that the Duterte administration, through the Department of Finance (DOF) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), has rejected the

EU grant on the basis of its criticism of the campaign of extrajudicial killing (EJK) associated with Mr. Duterte’s war against illegal drugs. Duterte has used profane language against the EU. “The Department of Finance (has recommended nonacceptance) …… of grants from the EU that may allow it to interfere with the internal policies of the Philippines,” presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella has declared. Carlos Dominguez III has said that the EU grant “would involve a review of (the Philippines’) adherence to the rule of law.”

Does this country’s adherence or non-adherence to the rule of law or the EU’s interference or non-interference with the internal policies of the Philippines have a close connection with the success or failure of EUaided projects? Is it likely to impact directly on the projects? Of course not. Therefore, they cannot be called ‘conditions.’

If they must be regarded as ‘conditions’ at all, they should be termed external conditions.

Non-fulfillment of an external condition is hardly an acceptable basis for rejecting an offer of external assistance. It has no direct bearing on the operation of the projects covered by the assistance.

Adherence to the rule of law and protection of human rights are not mere conditionalities of a grant or a concessional loan.

They are part and parcel of an orderly international society.

They form part of the fabric of civilization as we know it.

The government of this country must have recognized that fact when it adhered to the 27 international conventions cited by the EU mission to the Philippines. One of those conventions embodies the obligation of adhering UN members to enhance and protect the human rights of their citizens.

When talking about its rejection of the $278 million grant, the Duterte administration should refrain from speaking of EU ‘conditions’ unless it is referring to ‘conditions’ imposed on, and accepted by, all civi-

Ray S. Eñano, Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

B4

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

Business

Moody’s lowers China’s rating

B

EIJING―Moody’s on Wednesday slashed China’s credit rating for the first time in almost three decades citing concerns about the country’s rising debt and slowing growth, but Beijing rejected the downgrade as “inappropriate.”

The move comes as China tries to clean up a toxic brew of unregulated and risky lending that for years has fueled the economy’s spectacular growth, though some analysts doubt Beijing’s willingness to quit its debt addiction.

“The downgrade reflects Moody’s expectation that China’s financial strength will erode

somewhat over the coming years, with economy-wide debt continuing to rise as potential growth slows,” the agency said.

China’s total outstanding credit surged to 260 percent of gross domestic product by the end of 2016 and the International Monetary Fund has warned that a debt crisis in the country could “imperil global financial

stability.”

The government has trimmed its 2017 growth target to around 6.5 percent after it expanded 6.7 percent in 2016, the slowest growth rate since 1990.

China’s 13th Five-Year-Plan released in 2016 announced an average annual growth rate of above 6.5 percent for 2016-2020.

But Moody’s said it expects China’s growth potential to decline to close to five percent over the next five years, citing diminishing investment, an accelerated fall in the working age population and a continuing dip in productivity.

The finance ministry rejected the assessment, saying Moody’s had used an “inappropriate”

method to assess the risks facing the economy.

“It over-estimated the difficulties that the Chinese economy is facing,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added that the government’s debt ratio in 2016 was 36.7 percent, lower than major market economies, and that the “expansion of the scale of government debt has been effectively controlled.”

Shanghai and Hong Kong stocks ended the morning lower following the downgrade.

“The downgrade will certainly affect China negatively,” Liao Qun, Hong Kong-based chief economist of Citic Bank International, told AFP.

“The direct impact is that this would make China’s debt financing more difficult and the financing cost would also rise. “This is like throwing cold water when everyone is optimistic about China’s economy.”

But Liao said the move “makes no sense” because China’s growth has improved from last year and the threat of trade protectionism from US President Donald Trump’s administration has subsided.

Moody’s cut the long-term local currency and foreign currency issuer ratings to A1 from Aa3, the first reduction since late 1989 as it assessed the impact of the Tiananmen Square crackdown on China’s trade with the world. AFP

China’s Geely set to buy 49% of Proton MALAYSIAN conglomerate DRB-Hicom Bhd. agreed to sell a 49.9 percent stake in its unprofitable carmaker Proton Holdings Bhd. to Chinese billionaire Li Shufu’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Geely will also buy a 51 percent stake in British sports-car maker Lotus Cars from Proton and the two parties expect to sign a final agreement before the end of July, the Chinese company said on Wednesday.

DRB-Hicom is still negotiating on the transaction price, after reaching agreement on a ballpark figure, Group Managing Director Syed Faisal Albar said at a press conference in Putrajaya.

The Chinese automaker, which acquired Sweden’s Volvo Cars in 2010, said the agreement lays the foundation for it to explore synergies with Proton and Lotus in areas such as research and development, manufacturing and marketing.

Geely will seek to transform the two carmakers, and aims to build Proton into the most competitive brand in Malaysia and a leading nameplate in Southeast Asia.

“With Proton and Lotus joining the Geely Group portfolio of brands we strengthen our global footprint and develop a beachhead in Southeast Asia,” Geely’s Chief Financial Officer Daniel Li said in the statement. “We also aim to unleash the full potential of Lotus Cars and bring it into a new phase of development, thanks to our experience accumulated through Volvo Car’s revitalization.”

Proton, controlled by Malaysian tycoon Syed Mokhtar AlBukhary’s DRB-Hicom, was set up in 1983 by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to steer the Southeast Asian nation’s industrialization plan. The agreement marks the end of a lengthy sale process for the carmaker, which had to seek a foreign partner as part of conditions for a government rescue loan.

For Geely, the purchase comes about seven years after it bought Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Co. for $1.5 billion.

An investment “would allow Geely to move into the Asean market efficiently with a ready-made after-market network, which otherwise would take years,” said Jochen Siebert, the Singapore-based managing director of JSC Automotive Consulting, referring to the grouping of Southeast Asian nations. “Li Shufu probably knows that the European, US, Japanese and Korean markets are not good targets for a new player, while Asean could become the next big thing.”

Bloomberg

Group Managing Director of DRB-HICOM Berhad Syed Faisal Albar (second from left) and Executive Vice President and CFO of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Daniel Li (Li Donghui) (second from right) shake hands as Malaysia’s Minister of Finance II Johari Abdul Ghani (center), Vice President International Business of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Victor Yang (Yang Xue Liang) (right) and Group Director Corporate Strategy Planning and Business Development of DRB-HICOM Berhad Khalid Abdol Rahman (left) look on after a signing of agreement ceremony in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur on May 24, 2017. Chinese auto giant Geely on May 24 announced it was taking a 49.9 percent stake in Malaysia’s troubled Proton as well as a 51 percent share in British sports car brand Lotus. AFP

Opec close to extending oil deal OPEC and its allies were close to an agreement to extend their oil-production cuts for another nine months as they seek to prop up prices and revive their economies.

While ministers gathering in Vienna still planned to discuss other options―a shorter deal for six months or curbs lasting for the whole of next year― consensus was building around an agreement that runs through March 2018.

“At this moment, I think we have an agreement do nine months,” Algeria’s Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa told reporters in Vienna on Tuesday. “But tomorrow perhaps we’ll have another proposition.”

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and 11 non-members agreed last year to cut output by as much as 1.8 million barrels a day.

The supply reductions were initially intended to last six months from January, but the slower-than-expected decline in surplus fuel inventories prompted the group to consider an extension. The most influential members of the deal, including Russia and Saudi Arabia and Iraq, have publicly backed supply curbs lasting until March 2018 to finally clear the glut.

“Not everybody” is on board yet for nine months, Kuwait’s Oil Minister Issam Almarzooq told reporters Tuesday, before leaving his country for Vienna. Kazakhstan and Iran are among the nations not to have expressed a view in public.

A committee of six Ope and non-Opec nations charged with ensuring successful implementation of the cuts will meet on Wednesday morning to study the merits of a 12-month extension, in addition to the six and nine-month durations already discussed publicly, according to delegates familiar with the matter. No participant in the agreement has publicly backed another 12 months.

Representatives of Kuwait and Oman said the group isn’t considering deeper cuts.

If Opec maintains its April crude production of 31.8 million barrels a day throughout the rest of the year, the decline in oil stockpiles will accelerate, according to the International Energy Agency. Bloomberg

Ford shakeup underscores Detroit’s technology dilemmas

By Luc Olinga NEW YORK―Ford’s decision to oust its CEO is the latest sign of how Silicon Valley technology firms are shaking the foundation of the American auto industry.

The removal of Mark Fields after just three years at the helm― and his replacement by an auto industry outsider―followed a precipitous decline in Ford shares, amid concerns the 114-year-old US giant isn’t on top of the challenges facing the industry, especially new technology.

For example, Ford won’t introduce an autonomous vehicle until 2021, later than some rivals.

“It seems as if most companies don’t know what the future of mobility is,” said Jessica Caldwell, director of industry analysis at Edmunds.com.

“They know there is a big business coming in the future, but no one has the crystal ball to say this is the right strategy.”

Is Detroit going to remain at the forefront of manufacturing cars, or will it become more of an outpost to technologists in Silicon Valley?

The traditional players― General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler―don’t seem to have a clear answer.

Meanwhile, companies like Alphabet, Apple, Uber and Tesla are pushing hard on autonomous technology.

Supporters of autonomous vehicles tout the technology as a way to reduce accidents and traffic jams. While the costs are high, they could be shared by multiple users.

“The Fields exit demonstrates that Ford Motor Company and, by extension, the Detroit three automakers, haven’t communicated as well as some other companies on their successes in moving to-

This file photo taken on January 24, 2017 shows Ford CEO Mark Fields (right) speaking to the press with Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne (center) and General Motors CEO Mary Barra following a meeting of automakers with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washingon, DC. AFP

ward autonomous vehicles,” Jack Nerad of Kelley Blue Book said.

Acquisitions and tech partnerships Ford and GM are working on developing their own self-driving cars and have made investments of billions of dollars to acquire artificial intelligence and technology to detect obstacles.

The auto giants also have opened research centers in Silicon Valley, hired hundreds of engineers and adopted a more tech-centered vocabulary, referring to the future of “mobility,” not just cars.

In contrast, Fiat Chrysler has collaborated with Waymo, Alphabet/Google’s self-driving car project, testing the technology on the Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

Waymo also has a partnership with ride-sharing company Lyft, of which GM is a main shareholder.

Uber also is testing autonomous vehicles, while Apple has received permission from the state of California for testing as well.

“Nobody knows the right path,” said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst at Autotrader.

“You can’t tell if the technologies will be profitable.”

The Big Three’s advantages include immense manufacturing infrastructure, extensive marketing know-how, nationwide sales and services networks, and robust research and development staff.

These assets also are costs, Nerad said.

“On the other hand, tech companies, with comparatively little investment in manufacturing, have much less to be concerned about as they push the envelope on self-driving tech,” Nerad said.

Adding to the challenges facing the conventional car companies is a slowing US auto market after a multi-year boom following the 2008 financial crisis.

Haunted by history The automakers also live with bad memories from the period that led to bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler, which was bought

by Fiat.

Ford avoided bankruptcy, but undertook a massive restructuring that involved thousands of job cuts and plant

closures.

At the time, the US automakers faced withering criticism for misreading the effects of soaring oil prices that caused US consumers to turn away from sport utility vehicles and other large, gas-guzzling models.

“The criticism for the Big Three in 2008 was that they kept manufacturing big cars even when the price of oil was skyrocketing,” Caldwell said.

“Ford and GM and Chrysler don’t want to be under that criticism again” if the market turns sharply in favor of autonomous cars.

Much of the pressure from investors is due to the rise of electric-car maker Tesla, which has become a Wall Street darling in spite of its meager production, although even company founder Elon Musk said the share price is inflated.

Tesla’s two vehicles in commercial production, the Model S and Model X, have an “Autopilot” system, which permits the vehicles to perform most operations on its own.

Tesla is neck-and-neck with GM as far as market capitalization, having swept passed Ford.

The new players have thrown down the gauntlet, and now the “Big Three” have no choice but to respond, analysts said.

But it isn’t clear yet exactly how much of the future of the industry will be autonomous.

And if autonomous does take over, “Are the tech companies preparing to build and market cars and/or transportation?”

Nerad asked.

“Or will they find it more appealing and profitable to supply the conventional auto makers with autonomous driving technology?” AFP

Taguig gets HR award via CSC THE Civil Service Commission has awarded the Human Resources Management Office of the Taguig City government for its consistency in meeting the city employees’ needs.

The department received a certificate for reaching Maturity Level 2 in two Human Resource systems—Performance Management and Rewards and Recognition—under the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management or PRIME-HRM. Several agencies participated and were evaluated by CSC, but only 66 qualified for the award.

Of the 17 local government units in Metro Manila, only Taguig and Manila received the recognition.

Taguig joined the likes of the Office of the President, Senate, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in receiving the Maturity Level 2 award.

City Personnel Officer Jeanette Clemente said the recognition means the city government managed to comply with all the requirements mandated by the CSC under the HR systems.

“This validates that the programs we implemented are beneficial and truly cater to the needs of our employees,” Clemente added.

Taguig City was given the award for the programs it laid down such as “Parangal sa mga Natatanging Lingkod Bayan” recognizing outstanding employees, and the “Salamat, Paalam” program which gives honor to retiring employees.

The first is in the Performance Management category, and the second, in the Rewards and Recognition category.

Clemente also disclosed that the HRMO is now currently aiming for two other systems—Recruitment, Selection, and Placement, and Learning and Development— to reach the Maturity Level 2.

“We’re trying our best to continue developing our existing programs and try creating new ones which will not only focus on our employees’ excellence but will also improve their personalities, skills and professionalism,” the City Personnel Officer added.

Beginning 2015, Clemente said the CSC has started assessing the readiness of LGUs and other agencies with regards to the PRIME-HRM. Joel E. Zurbano

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor Roger M. Garcia, Assistant Editor jimbo.gulle@gmail.com mslocalgov@gmail.com THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

BEAUTY QUEENS. Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez—a former Binibining Pilipinas International winner—hands over a cash reward to Miss Philippine National Police 2017 titlist Area Ray Paciencia (right) for representing Eastern Visayas in the recent Gandang Pulis 2017 beauty pageant. Paciencia is also a first-year law student at the Don Vicente Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation College of Law in Tacloban City. Ver Noveno

Makati removes tons of trash W

By Joel E. Zurbano

ORKERS of the Department of Engineering and Public Works in Makati City have collected 700 metric tons of solid waste and silt during its massive declogging operations on the drainage system in various barangays since January.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the men from the DEPW led by its chief engineer Elmer Acuesta noted their operations to date have covered some 70,359 linear meters of drainage in 22 barangays in the city’s two legislative districts.

The mayor has directed the DEPW to continuously imple-

ment massive declogging operations throughout the city as part of the flood mitigation efforts of the city government.

“We must make sure that our drainage system would be able to function well and flow freely even during heavy rains, particularly in flood-prone barangays,” Binay said.

Also on the mayor’s orders, the DEPW has been conducting clearing operations at the Estero Tripa de Gallina easement in Brgy. San Isidro in February, April and May, where they dismantled 89 illegal structures and hauled 200 metric tons of scrap materials and garbage.

“We have to be vigilant and make sure that easement zones near our waterways remain free of illegal structures and informal settlers. Let me remind concerned barangay captains of their duty to strictly monitor these areas within their jurisdiction and maintain the improvements done by our city engineering department,” Binay said.

Last May 15 and 16, the DEPW cleanup operations in

Calatagan Creek in Brgy. Palanan hauled out 12.5 metric tons of solid waste from a 200-meter portion of the creek.

From its declogging operations conducted since January, the DEPW has hauled almost 386 metric tons of debris and silt from a total length of 47,766 linear meters of drainage in 11 barangays in the first district.

These include Poblacion, Pio del Pilar, San Antonio, La Paz, Sta. Cruz, Valenzuela, Palanan, Tejeros, Kasilawan, Carmona, and Olympia.

In District 2, its operations on 22,593 linear meters of drainage in 11 barangays yielded 347 metric tons of solid waste. Covered were barangays Guadalupe

TAKING time off his busy schedule, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada paid his respects to a local police operative who was killed in an anti-drug operation at the Islamic Center last Friday.

Estrada also visited the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center to check on the condition of another policeman who was injured in the operation. He gave the policemen’s families a total of P150,000 in cash assistance.

“Our policemen risk their lives everyday to battle criminals and illegal drugs, a difficult job we often take for granted. I cannot thank them enough for their sacrifices,” Estrada said after visiting the wake of SPO2 Randy Marlon Lebrilla at the Manila Police District headquarters in UN Avenue.

After exchanging a few words with Lebrilla’s brother Ronel, Estrada gave the family P100,000 in cash assistance. He

said Lebrilla’s death “will not be in vain” as the city government and the MPD will continue its war against drugs.

“We shall not stop in our campaign to rid our city of drugs.

SPO2 Lebrilla gave up his life for this,” Estrada stressed. “Drugs destroy our youth, destroy the family, destroy our nation.”

At Chinese General, Estrada met Lorna Pineda, the wife of PO1 Mark Pineda, 26, who sustained gunshot wounds in the same operation. He offered her P50,000 in aid.

The hospital will also shoulder all the policeman’s medical expenses, including medicines, according to CGHMC president and chief executive officer Dr. James Dy. “All policemen injured in the line of duty are free of charge in this hospital, including professional fees, medicines, everything,” Dy said. “Policemen’s work is very risky.”

By Jun David

SEED LIBRARY. Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan (center) is briefed by Tublay Municipal Agricultural Officer

Jefrey Sotero (right), Karren Hilario (left), coordinator of the Benguet Association of Seed Savers, and Tublay Mayor Armando Lauro on the importance of organic farmers setting up a repository of organic vegetable seeds for their long-term use and storage. Dave Leprozo Jr.

Herbert grants cash incentives to top QC students

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday granted cash incentives to all top-three students in the city’s 96 public elementary schools.

The city government has set aside P5.7 million to cover the cash incentives, he said.

This school year, the grant of cash rewards is 50 percent more than what the city government has provided in previous years,

Bautista added.

The Division of City Schools and the QC school board coordinated efforts for the distribution of the incentive in time for the school opening in June.

Under the city’s incentive program, students graduating at the top of their class will be provided with a P10,000 cash reward; the No. 2 student will receive P6,000; and the third-placed student, P4,000.

Bautista said the release of the

Nuevo, Pinagkaisahan, Pitogo, South Cembo, Guadalupe Viejo, Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Comembo, Pembo, and Rizal.

Creeks under close monitoring by DEPW include Amorsolo, Maricaban, Medina, PNR, Makati Diversion Channel, Tripa de Gallina-Bangkal and Calatagan, Camachile, Sanzibar, Sta. Clara, Balisampan, San Jose, Pateros, Pinos, Ayala, and San Lorenzo.

Also being monitored are waterways in Brgys. Singkamas, Kasilawan, and Carmona in District I. In District 2, under close watch are the streets Maya, Zyris and Paloma in Rizal, Charlie and Target Range in Pembo, and 21st Avenue in East Rembo.

Navotas awards 22 more scholars

Erap visits 2 cops, gives P150k in aid

By Sandy Araneta

C1

cash incentives would give the students and their parents the chance to shop for school supplies and uniforms ahead of the opening of classes on June 5 for public schools.

Quezon City hosts the largest school-age population in the country at 1.03 million children aged 3 to 21.

Meanwhile, advocates of electric motorcycles in Quezon City lauded Mayor Bautista for giving the innovative transport mode a chance to prove its viability.

“Mayor Herbert Bautista gives value to the positive contribution of e-trikes in our transport system.

That’s why he’s very supportive to this initiative,” District 1 Councilor Olivere Belmonte said.

Bautista through the Department of Public Order and Safety started rolling out the “e-trike” service in April for a two-month trial run.

“The city government is eyeing to replace smoke-belching vehicles, such as the two-stroke

engine tricycles,” said Jerry Foronda, Department of Public Order and Safety’s senior transportation regulation officer.

Five e-trikes out of the 20 units donated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency are involved in the trial run.

A full roll out of the 20 units will depend on the results of the trials.

An inter-agency committee will review the first 30 days of the test run of the e-trikes from Quezon City Hall to Maginhawa Street.

TWENTY-two Navoteños were granted free education to schools of their choice under the “NavotaAs” Scholarship program of the city government.

Free schooling will be given to 19 secondary public school students and three public school teachers after successfully passing the examinations and interviews for the grant.

Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco said it is the local government’s aim “to fully support and uplift the standard of living of Navoteño students and teachers through quality education.”

The NavotaAs High School Scholarship is open to deserving Grade 6 public school pupils who recently graduated from the elementary level.

They will received a stipend of P18,000 for the entire school year to defray expenses for transportation, food, and book allowances.

The NavotaAs Teacher Scholarship, meanwhile, is for teachers from the elementary and secondary levels who want to take masteral degree. Those chosen mentors will received P75,000 per year for their tuition, transportation, food, and book allowances. A research grant will also be provided for their thesis.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 6th JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 54- BACOLOD CITY

TODAY

MARIA CRISELDA CAROGRANDGAIGNAGE, Plaintiff,

C2

LGUs

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

CIVIL CASE NO. 16 - 14770

-versusANANIAS CARO, JR., AND JECELLY TAN, JEFFREY TAN, JR., CRIS JAMES VARGAS AND MARY CAROLINE VARGAS, HEIRS OF MARIA CECILIA P. CARO, Defendants, x--------------------------------------------------x SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION WHEREAS, on July 26, 2016, Plaintiff filed a Complaint for Judicial Partition with Prayer for Inventory and Accounting: WHEREAS, on January 26, 2017, Plaintiff, through counsel, filed a Motion for Leave to Serve Summons by Publication; WHEREAS, on January 31, 2017, the Hon. Eduardo S. Sayson, Presiding Judge, Branch 54 of this Court issued an Order granting the same; NOW, THEREFORE, Defendant, Ananias P. Caro, Jr. is hereby summoned and required to file with Branch 54 of the Regional Trial Court of Negros Occidental, 6th Judicial Region, Bacolod City, his Answer to the Complaint filed against him in the instant case within sixty (60) days from date of last publication of this Summons, serving a copy thereof to the Plaintiff. Upon failure on their part to do so, aforesaid Plaintiff will take judgment against him by default and may demand from said Court the reliefs prayed for in the Complaint.

Let this Summons together with the Complaint be published by the Plaintiff at her expense in a national newspaper of general circulation once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks. Likewise, Plaintiff shall, at her expense, deposit a copy of this Summons as well as the Complaint, in the Bacolod Post Office postage prepaid and by registered mail, addressed to Defendant at his last known addresses.

SO ORDERED. Bacolod City, Philippines, February 7, 2017. (signed) GIA L. ARINDAY Clerk of Court V

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 6th JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH _______ BACOLOD CITY -o0oMARIA CRISELDA CAROGRANDGAIGNAGE, Plaintiff, -versusANANIAS CARO, JR., AND JECELLY TAN, JEFFREY TAN, JR., CRIS JAMES VARGAS AND MARY CAROLINE VARGAS, HEIRS OF MARIA CECILIA P. CARO, Defendants, x------------------------------------------------x

CIVIL CASE NO. 16 - 14770

For: JUDICIAL PARTITION WITH PRAYER FOR INVENTORY AND ACCOUNTING

Congested Calabarzon jails see 30 inmates die

By Roy Tomandao

C

AMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—Thirty inmates have died in the congested jails of the Calabarzon region from January to May 16, 2017, or an average of six persons a month, regional police records revealed.

Calabarzon police records showed the deceased inmates suffered from high blood pressure and respiratory diseases owing to the overcrowded conditions in the jails.

About 20 of the inmates died in jails in Cavite, while 10 were in Laguna, police added.

In addition, 556 inmates re-

gionwide are sick—377 from Cavite, 150 from Rizal, 23 fron Laguna, and three each from Batangas and Quezon, records also showed.

Calabarzon Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Ma O Aplasca recently met with the judges and fiscals in the region to find a solution to jail over-

crowding, appealing to them to speed up the issuance of commitment orders to decongest the jails.

Police records show there are 4,958 drug users and pushers jailed in 240 lock-up cells across the region, whose total capacity is for 3,371 inmates only.

The judges and fiscals reportedly told Aplasca that as much as they would want to, they cannot just issue the orders as the provincial jails across Calabarzon are also beyond capacity.

In an earlier statement, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Regional Director Serafin Barreto said that as of April, there are 135,052 inmates in 466 BJMP

IN BRIEF

COMPLAINT COMES NOW, Plaintiff, through the undersigned counsels, to this Honorable Court, most respectfully states: THE PARTIES 1. Plaintiff Maria Criselda Caro Grandgaignage (hereinafter “Maria Criselda” for brevity) is of legal age, married, born a Filipino citizen and now a Belgian citizen, and a resident of Fortsteenweg 36, 2970 s-Gravenwesel, Belgium and for purposes of this action, she may be served with orders, decision, notices, and other judicial processes through her counsels at their addresses indicated on page 4 of this Complaint; 2. Defendant Ananias P. Caro Jr.,is of legal age, Filipino citizen, and a resident of 10312 Sandlewood lane, Northrige, California, 91326, U.S.A., 3. Defendant Jecelly Tan is of legal age, Filipino, and a resident of 384 E, Adela Street, San Miguel, Manila; Defendant Jeffrey Tan, Jr. is of legal age, Filipino and a resident of 22 Atok Street, Brgy. Sto. Domingo, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City; Defendants Cris James Vargas and Mary Caroline Vargas are Filipinos of legal ages and residents of Farmacia Caro Building, Lacson Street, Bacolod City.

THE CAUSES OF ACTION 4. Plaintiff Maria Criselda and Defendant Ananias Caro, Jr., and the late Maria Cecilia P. Caro are the only children and only heirs of the late EulaliaDe la PazCaro, who died on November 14, 2014 at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila, without a will and leaving no debts. A copy of the Certificate of Live Birth of Plaintiff Maria Criselda is hereto attached as Annex “A” and made an integral part hereof. A copy of the Certificate of Death of Eulalia de la Paz Caro is hereto attached as Annex “B” and made an integral part hereof.

5. After the death of Eulalia De La Paz Caro, her child Maria Cecilia Caro died single on January 21, 2015, and was survived by her children namely: Defendants Jecelly Tan, Jeffrey Tan, Jr., Cris James Vargas and Mary Caroline Vargas; 6. At the time of her death,Eulalia De la Paz Caro, who was a widow, left personal properties, as follows:

DepEd: Put tribal customs to good use

a. Bank deposits Bank

Account No.

Estimated Amount

Metrobank Account No. unknown P 50,000.00 Metrobank 079 707953029 4 P 50,000.00 Metrobank 079 7079 53366 8 P 75,000.00 Metrobank 079 7079 53379-0 P 75,000.00 BPI 001 323 2515 48 P 50,000.00 the exact amounts of the same are yet to be determined. b. Vehicle - Toyota Hi-Lux Black double cab 2.5 4D. c. Drugstore business – Farmacia Caro, renamed by Defendants as Farmacia E.D. Caro, located at Lacson Street, Bacolod City, in front of the Corazon Locsin Memorial Regional Hospital.

7. Aside from the aforementioned properties leftby Eulalia Caro when she died, after her death, out of the funds of her estate, a house and lot was bought on July 14, 2014, the location and the certificate of title are to be determined or brought to the Court for inventory and accounting by the Defendants as explained in the succeeding paragraphs.

8. By virtue of the laws on Intestacy, the Plaintiff, Defendant Ananias P. Caro, Jr. and the children of Maria Cecilia P. Caro each own One Third (1/3) of the properties left by Eulalia De La Paz Caroincluding the properties bought out of the funds of her estate, the children of Maria Cecilia P. Caro collectively owning 1/3 of the estate; 9. The estate of Eulalia De La Paz Caro remains undivided until this time and it will be to the best interest of all heirs that the same be partitioned judicially.

10. Since the death of their mother on November 14, 2014 and up to now, Plaintiff has been requesting the Defendants to partition the above-mentioned estate properties so that she could get her 1/3 share, but defendants refused to do so; 11. Defendants Ananias Caro, Jr. and Defendants Cris James Vargas and Mary Caroline Vargas, heirs of Maria Cecilia Caro, are the ones who are in possession of the estate properties, including the house and lot purchased out of the estate funds, keeping the bank accounts and managing the drugstore business left by Eulalia De La Paz Caro; 12. The total value of the estate properties is not less than Five Million Pesos (P 5,000,000.00); 13. There is an urgent need to submit an inventory of the estate properties, including the fruits, interest and income thereof, as well as to render an accounting, to effect an accurate distribution and partition among the heirs, who are the Plaintiffs and Defendants in the case; 14. Hence, Plaintiff is availing the aid of the Honorable Court to order the Defendants Ananias Caro, Jr., Cris James Varas and Mary Caroline Vargas to submit an inventory of the properties of the estate of Eulalia Caro, including its fruits, and to render an accounting; 15. In addition, petitioner seeks the aid of the Honorable Court to direct the partition of the estate properties in accordance with the laws on intestate succession pursuant to Section 1, Rule 69, Section 1, Rule 74 of the Rules of Court and the Ruling of the Supreme Court in the case of Spouses Maria Butiong and Francisco Villafria, substituted by Dr.Ruel B. Villafria, Petitioners, versus Ma GraciaRinozaPlazo and Ma. Fe RinozaAlaras, Respondents, G.R. No. 187524, August 5, 2015.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, PREMISES CONSIDERED, Plaintiff respectfully prays of this Honorable Court that after due notice and hearing, an ORDER be issued: 1. Declaring the Plaintiff and the Defendants heirs of Eulalia Caro; 2. Ordering the Defendants Ananias Caro, Jr, Cris James Vargas and Mary Caroline Vargas to submit an inventory of the estate properties of the late Eulalia Caro; 3. Ordering the Defendants Ananias Caro, Jr., Cris James Vargas and Mary Caroline Vargas to render an accounting of the estate properties, its fruits, income and interests of the money in the banks belonging to the estate, to include an accounting of the assets and income of the drugstore Farmacia Caro from the time Eulalia Caro died until the present; 4. Ordering the partition of the estate properties in accordance with the laws in intestate succession so that petitioner can get her one-third (1/3) share in the estate of Eulalia De La Paz Caro.

Petitioner also prays for such other reliefs and remedies consistent with law, justice and equity Bacolod City, May 16, 2016. (signed) JOY B. BARBASA-ALBA Co-Counsel for the Plaintiff Room No. 6, 2nd Floor, LD Centre 7th – Lacson Streets Bacolod City Roll of Attorneys No. 39598 IBP No. 1008496 1/08/2016 PTR No. 6351188 1/11/2016 MCLE Compliance No. V-0001344 Until April 14, 2019 (signed) ELIAS A. GATANELA, JR Co- Counsel for the Plaintiff Room No. 4, 2nd Floor, LD Centre 7th – Lacson Streets Bacolod City Roll of Attorneys No. 45552 IBP Lifetime Member No. 08536 PTR No. 6344633 / 1-6-2016/ Bacolod City MCLE Compliance No. V-0001391 Until April 14, 2019 VERIFICATION I, MARIA CRISELDA CARO GRANDGAIGNAGE, of legal age, Belgian and a resident of Fortsteenweg 36, 2970 s-Gravenwesel, Belgium state under oath that I am the Plaintiff in the above-entitled case and I have caused the filing of the instant complaint; I have read the allegations and contents therein and I declare that the same are true and correct based on my own personal knowledge and based on authentic documents.

CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING This is to certify under oath further that I have not filed a similar case or a case with the same issues with any other Court, quasi-judicial body or government agency and to the best of my knowledge, no such action or claim is pending therein; that if I should thereafter learn that a similar action has been filed or pending therein, I shall report that fact within five (5) days therefrom to the Court or Agency wherein the original pleading and sworn certification contemplated have been filed, in compliance with the Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 04-94.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name this 14thday of May 2016 atsGravenwesel. (signed) MARIA CRISELDA CARO GRANDGAIGNAGE, A f fi a n t CONSULTATE GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINES ANTWERP - BELGIUM --------------------------------------------ACKNOWLEDGMENT BEFORE ME, PETER VAN BOGAERT, Consul General a.h. of the Republic of the Philippines, at the City of Antwerp, Belgium, duly commissioned and qualified on this 14th day of the month of May 2016, personally appeared the following person: NAME: MARIA CRISELDA CARO (copy Belgian passport + I.D. attached) BORN: FEBRUARY 25, 1960 PASSPORT: Nr: EJ835537 DATE OF ISSUE: MAY 15, 2013 PLACE OF ISSUE: SCHILDE (BELGIUM) known to me and known to be the same person who executed the foregoing documents and acknowledged the same in his free act and voluntary deed.

This instrument consisting of five (5) pages, including the page whereon the acknowledgment is written, has been signed by the party and witnesses and related to a COMPLAINT. For the contents of the foregoing document, the Consulate General of the Philippines at Antwerp, Belgium, assumes no responsibility.

WITNESS MY HAND AND SEAL, at the place and on the date first above written.

May 18, 25 & JUNE 1, 2017

(signed) PETER VAN BOGAERT Consul General a.h.

jails nationwide, or a congestion rate of 558 percent.

In some jails, the rate is worse, like in Biñan City Jail, which has 602 inmates in lock-up cells that have a holding capacity of only 22, or a congestion rate of 2,635 percent.

The same condition is noted in the Cabuyao City Jail with 2,516 percent over capacity, Imus City Jail with 2,215 percent, and Santa Rosa City Jail with 2,212 percent.

Aplasca also appealed to the local government units in Calabarzon, particularly those that are chartered cities, to appropriate funds for the construction of additional jails.

FIRE SAFETY. Firefighters make some points to children who participated in a fire safety seminar last Friday during the Kiddie/Junior Fire Marshal Summer Camp 2017 at the CCP Complex in Pasay City. Lino Santos

3 dead, 18 hurt in jeepney fall LEGAZPI CITY—Three persons died while 18 others were injured after the passenger jeepney they were riding fell into a 30-meter ravine along the Maharlika National Highway in Matnog, Sorsogon on Tuesday afternoon, the Police Regional Office in Bicol or PRO5 reported Wednesday.

Sr. Insp. Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, PRO5 spokesperson, said the jeepney with plate number EVU-783 was traversing the highway along Sitio Colonia, Barangay Hidhid in

Matnog town around 4:30 p.m., when its driver lost control of the brakes along a curved portion of the road.

She said the jeepney crashed into the steel railings on the side of the road before plunging down the ravine.

Calubaquib said Josefa Hilao, 78, and Judy Hilao, 60, both from Barangay Pagtabunan, Matnog town; and Bermalet Alcantara, 32, of Tabaco City, Albay, died on the spot, after they were pinned down inside the wreckage of the jeepney.

She said the 18 injured passengers were rushed to the Medicare and Community Hospital and Sorsogon Provincial Hospital, both in Sorsogon City, and the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital in this city.

Jeepney driver Joey Garalde now faces a case of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and multiple physical injuries, according to the Municipal Police Office in Bulusan, Sorsogon, which held the driver in custody. PNA

Miners’ retirement age now at 50

By Butch Gunio THE Social Security System has reduced the age for optional and technical retirement of both surface and underground mine workers from the previous retirement age of 55 years old to 50 years old.

This was in compliance with Department of Labor and Employment Department Order No. 167 S-2016.

SSS president and chief executive officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said the new policy reduced the optional retirement to 50 years old and the technical or compulsory retirement to 60 years old for both underground and surface mine workers.

“We deemed it necessary to include both underground and surface mine workers to ensure that social security protection is given to all kinds of mine work-

ers. We understand the danger of their work and we want them to enjoy the fruits of their hardearned money as early as possible,” said Dooc.

The Department Order is DoLE’s implementation of Republic Act 10757, which amends Article 302 of Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines.

Based on the guidelines, surface mine workers include only mill plant workers, electrical, mechanical, and tailings pond personnel. Underground mine workers are those employed to extract mineral deposits underground, or whose workplace is beneath the ground.

To qualify for the SSS retirement benefit, the surface or underground mine worker must have paid at least 120 monthly contributions prior to the semester of retirement. If the mine worker will retire at the age of

RA Form No. 10.1 (LCRO)

Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Palawan Municipality of Sofronio Española NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that LAVELYN S. TALAN has filed with this Office a petition for change of first name from LAVELYN AGUSTINA to LAVELYN in Certificate of Live Birth she was born on August 15, 1965 at Bo. No. 13, Piddig, Ilocos Norte and whose parents are JUANITO G. SALVADOR and BENILDA A. TAGUDAN. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than 16th day June 2017.

(MAY 25 & JUNE 1, 2017)

(SGD) MYRNA M. DOCTO-MAGALLANES Municipal Civil Registrar

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late ROSALINDA ARRE SAN MATEO has been extrajudicially settled among her heirs as per Doc. No. 120, Page No. 25, Book No. 566, Series of 2017 of Notary Public Atty.

Ruben T.M. Ramirez with CY-2017. APPT No. M-23(Until Dec 31, 2017) of Makati City.

(MS-MAY 25, JUNE 1 & 8, 2017)

50, he should ensure that he has stopped working.

“If the mine worker-member chooses the optional retirement of 50 years old, he must be separated from employment or has stopped working at the time he files his claim. Otherwise, he will not be allowed to file for retirement benefit or if his retirement claim is already granted, it will be suspended by SSS,” said Dooc.

The mine worker should also have been employed and certified as underground and surface mine workers by his employer who must be duly registered with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. The certification must also include the workers position title and his job description.

At the time of filing for retirement claim, the mine worker must have worked for at least five years, whether continuous or accumulated prior to the semester of retirement.

But the actual date of retirement should not be earlier than April 27, 2016—the date of effectivity of the reduced retirement age.

“We hope that with this new policy, the SSS will be able to extend the benefits that our members need as early as possible. We want our mine workers to feel that we care for them and we want them to enjoy the money they saved with SSS,” said Dooc.

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya —The regional director of the Department of Education in Cagayan Valley recently challenged indigenous peoples in the province to put their cultural practices and customs to proper use to promote understanding, appreciation, respect, and peace among residents here.

“While we should teach various cultures as a way of life in schools, we challenge our teachers to become instruments to correct these customs, which are no longer appropriate, and put them in proper place,” said Dr. Estela Carinio, DepEd regional director for Cagayan Valley.

She said the authenticity of cultural and traditional practices should be guided by proper teaching in schools since not all cultural knowledge can be taught without the IPs performing their sacred rituals.

“This will require huge expenses of those who would want to actually practice their own customary traditions. These expenses should instead be used for other educational requirements of the children,” Carinio said.

Among the expensive cultural practices of the tribes are the “Ngilin” of the Ibalois and other tribes, which requires the butchering of pigs from courtship to marriage, including settlement of misunderstandings and personal grudges between and among the tribal folk. Ben Moses Ebreo

Ferrer lauds GenTri ‘Brigada’ volunteers GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite—The spirit of volunteerism is alive in the newest city of the Philippines during the weeklong Brigada Eskwela 2017 held from May 15 to 21, with strong public and private partnership.

Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer led the volunteer effort with the private sector, teachers, students and parents in cleaning, painting, and fixing public elementary and high school rooms in preparation for the June 5 opening of the 2017-2018 school year.

Ferrer also turned over paint and cleaning materials to all public schools in the city together with younger brother Cavite 6th District Rep. Luis ‘Jon Jon’ Ferrer IV, Cavite Councilor’s League Federation president Kerby Salazar, General Trias Provincial Board Member Felix “Jango” Grepo, and city councilors.

As part of its preparations for the incoming school year, “Team GenTri” recently opened the fourstorey, 16-classroom building at Pamayanang Maliksi in Pasong Kawayan Dos, and the four-story, 20-classroom building at Gov. Luis Y. Ferrer Jr Senior High School in Pasong Kawayan II, sponsored by Pagcor.

The city government is also finishing the two four-story, 16-classroom buildings in Gov. Ferrer High main campus this August and similar buildings for Santiago National High in Barangay Santiago and Gov. Ferrer High Annex in Buenavista I.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

World IN BRIEF Montenegro ready to join Nato PODGORICA, Montenegro―Montenegro’s Prime Minister Dusko Markovic did not mince his words when Russia last month announced a ban on imports from the Balkan country’s biggest wine maker.

“It is clear that the decision is in the context of [Montenegro’s] Nato membership,” he said, pointing out that Russian citizens had “lost an opportunity to consume the best wines”.

On May 25, Markovic will sit on the leaders’ table at a Nato summit in Brussels and a few days later, his country of 620,000 people should formally become the alliance’s 29th member.

The process has riled Moscow, which has long considered Montenegro’s predominantly Slavic Orthodox population to be within its sphere of influence.

But the accession is expected to pass without the chaos that some had feared on the streets of the ex-Yugoslav republic, where Nato membership remains a divisive issue.

In 2015, news of Montenegro’s accession spurred sometimes violent protests in the capital Podgorica, organized by pro-Russian opposition parties.

Much of the skepticism stems from Nato’s bombing of Serbia and Montenegro in 1999 during the Kosovo war.

But after Montenegro declared independence from Serbia in 2006, closer ties with the West were hotly pursued by former premier Milo Djukanovic, who dominated the country for a quarter century until stepping down at the end of last year.

Russian Senator Alexey Pushkov wrote on Twitter that the military value of Montenegro was “zero”.

But according to Srdjan Vucetic of the Center for International Policy Studies, “its political and strategic import is considerable”.

“Viewed from the Kremlin... any gain for Nato is a loss for Russia,” he wrote. AFP

Criticized for tactics in cafe siege SYDNEY―Police underestimated the threat posed by a self-styled Islamic cleric during a Sydney cafe siege and took too long to storm the building, an inquest found Wednesday, but it absolved them of blame for two deaths.

The findings into the December 2014 tragedy that shocked Australia followed intense scrutiny of New South Wales state police tactics, which have been blasted by the families of those who died.

Despite his criticisms, coroner Michael Barnes made it clear that Iranian-born Man Haron Monis, a “vicious maniac”, was solely responsible for what unfolded at the Lindt cafe in the city’s financial hub.

“I cannot stress too heavily that the deaths and injuries that occurred as a result of the siege were not the fault of the police,” he said. “All of the blame for those rests on the shoulders of Man Monis.

“He created the intensely dangerous situation. He maliciously executed Tori Johnson.

“He barricaded himself into a corner of the cafe and his actions forced police to enter the cafe in circumstances where the risk of hostages being wounded or killed was very high.”

Monis, 50, began the siege in the upmarket chocolate cafe early on December 15, 2014, taking staff and customers hostage for 17 hours while armed with a pump-action shotgun.

It ended after he shot dead 34-year-old cafe manager Johnson. AFP

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

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Britain on top terror alert M

ANCHESTER― Britain ordered soldiers to key sites on Wednesday after going on maximum alert for fear of an imminent new terror strike following a suicide bombing at a pop concert in Manchester.

CABINET MEETING. French Minister of State for Gender Equality Marlene Schiappa arrives to attend the weekly cabinet meeting on May 24, 2017, at the Elysee Palace in Paris. AFP

WHO meeting refuses to admit Taiwan GENEVA―Despite impassioned pleas from several countries, the World Health Organization’s annual assembly refused Monday to even discuss admitting Taiwan to the meeting, under pressure from China.

Self-governing Taiwan, which China sees as a renegade province awaiting reunification, has been invited to attend the WHO’s main annual meeting as an observer every year since 2009, but this year it did not receive an invitation.

Relations with China have become increasingly frosty since Taiwan’s Beijing-skeptic President Tsai Ing-wen took power almost a year ago and China has sought to block the island from a string of international events.

In an interview with AFP Sunday, Taiwanese Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said he was “very, very disappointed” to

be excluded from the meeting.

Representatives from 11 of WHO’s 194 member countries, including Nicaragua, Paraguay and Belize, put forth a proposal on Monday―the first day of the assembly―to put offering Taiwan permanent observer status onto the agenda.

But the assembly decided without a vote to reject the proposal, leaving the issue off the agenda. Pro-Taiwan protesters were demonstrating in front of the UN as the gathering was under way.

Robert Browne, the health minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines which was among the countries behind the proposal, warned that “the exclusion of Taiwan erodes the credibility, integrity and effectiveness of this important assembly.”

His counterpart from Palau, Emais Rob-

erts, agreed, asking the assembly how he could be permitted to represent the 17,000 citizens of Palau at the meeting “while we ignore the 23 million people in Taiwan.”

But China hailed the decision to leave Taiwanese observer status off the agenda, insisting that was Beijing’s decision alone.

“Taiwan is part of China. Questions regarding Taiwan are China’s internal affairs,” the Chinese representative at the meeting said.

Under Tsai’s Beijing-friendly predecessor Ma Ying-jeou, a cross-strait agreement was reached allowing Taiwan to sit in on the World Health Assembly as an observer.

Today “the political foundation for Taiwan China to participate in the assembly this year is not there anymore,” the Chinese representative said Monday. AFP

Security services believe the suspected bomber, Salman Abedi, was likely to have had help from others in staging the massacre that killed 22 people, including one girl aged just eight.

Interior minister Amber Rudd said the 22-year-old had been on the radar of the intelligence community before the attack late Monday at a concert by US pop star Ariana Grande.

Security services were trying to piece together the last movements of Abedi, a Briton of Libyan descent, amid media reports he had traveled recently to Libya and possibly Syria.

Rudd declined to give any further information about Abedi but told BBC radio: “It was a devastating occasion, it was more sophisticated than some of the attacks we’ve seen before, and it seems likely―possible―that he wasn’t doing this on his own.”

The minister said she was “not surprised at all” that the attack had been claimed by the Islamic State group, but said there was no information yet to confirm the extremist organization’s active direction.

Prime Minister Theresa May placed the country on its highest level of terror alert― ”critical”―for the first time since June 2007, following an attack on Glasgow Airport.

The last time troops were deployed on British streets was after an airliner plot in 2007.

Troops will fan out at sites such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster and foreign embassies in London to free up armed police for anti-terror duties.

May said a new attack “may be imminent” but the authorities stressed that the soldiers would remain under police command.

“This is a temporary arrangement in order to respond to an exceptional event,” Rudd said.

The attack was the deadliest in Britain since July 7, 2005 when four suicide bombers inspired by Al-Qaeda attacked London’s transport system during rush hour, killing 52 people.

A Polish couple living in Britain were confirmed among the Manchester victims, along with 15-year-old Olivia Campbell, whose mother had issued heartrending appeals for help when her daughter was still listed as missing.

Next to a photograph of Olivia, Charlotte Campbell wrote on Facebook: “RIP my darling precious gorgeous girl Olivia Campbell taken far far to soon go sing with the angels and keep smiling mummy loves you so much.”

A total of 59 people were taken to hospital, many with life-threatening conditions.

Twelve of them were aged under 16.

British media said Abedi was born in Manchester and that his Libyan parents had fled the regime of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Police on Tuesday staged an armed raid on a Manchester address believed to be where Abedi lived, carrying out a controlled explosion to gain entry after arresting a 23-yearold man as part of the investigation.

Abedi was reported to be a former business student who dropped out of university and turned to radical Islam.

Britain’s best-selling newspaper The Sun carried pictures Wednesday of eight-yearold Saffie Rose Roussos, who was killed in the attack, and of Abedi under the words “PURE” and “EVIL” respectively. AFP

Lawyer was force-fed medication, says wife BEIJING―When human rights lawyer Li Heping returned to his home in Beijing after a two-year incarceration, his wife did not recognize the frail white-haired man standing in her hallway.

“He is only 46 years old, but I thought he was an old man,” Wang Qiaoling told AFP. “He had lost 15 kilograms (33 pounds) and looked completely different.”

Wang, speaking on Li’s behalf because she said he remains under strict police control, alleges her husband was force-fed medication and sometimes chained for long periods during his detention in the neighboring city of Tianjin.

Best known for defending blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng, Li also represented members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual sect, environmentalists and victims of forced eviction.

The Beijing Global Law Firm partner was detained by police during the so-called “709 crackdown” in the summer of 2015, when some 200 legal staff and

activists were rounded up.

He was released earlier this month after a court handed him a three-year suspended sentence following a secret trial, convicting him of inciting subversion of state power.

In a 2014 photo, Li appeared youthful with plump cheeks and jet black hair. But in a video of Li emotionally reuniting with his wife and their daughter, he looked gaunt with thinning, grey-white hair.

Shortly after his arrest, “a doctor from the police investigation team told him he needed blood pressure medicine. My husband has never had blood pressure issues and told the doctor he didn’t want it, but he was forced to take the pills six days a week,” Wang said.

The side effects made “his muscles hurt, his vision blurred and he had trouble thinking clearly... He was kept drugged until shortly before his release,” Wang said. AFP

PHOTOCALL. From left, US actress Kirsten Dunst, Australian-US actress Nicole Kidman and US actress Elle Fanning pose on May 24, 2017, during a photocall for the film ‘The Beguiled’ at the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. AFP

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THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 advertise@thestandard.com.ph

ARGENTINA DAY

What do Argentines celebrate on the 25th of May?

By JR Padlan

¡H

ola! ¿Que tal?

Today is Independence Day for Argentina and all over the world, Argentinians are celebrating the creation of the country’s first government and constitution. Just as Filipinos commemorate the Philippines’ independence from Spanish rule on June 12, Argentinians celebrate their freedom from the colonial Spaniards on May 25, after a series of events that would later be called the May Revolution.

The seeds of independence The May Revolution was a series of political and social uprisings that took place in Buenos Aires in May, 1810.

Buenos Aires was then the capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that spanned the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and parts of Brazil.

The uprisings resulted in the ouster of then Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros.

A week after, the first independent government of Argentina, La Primera Junta, was established, bringing the nation one step closer to its independence. In line with the said celebration is Argentina’s commemoration of the declaration of its independence on the 9th of July.

In 1502, European explorers, led

by Amerigo Vespucci arrived in Argentina. Later in 1534, the northern part of Argentina was given to Pedro de Mendoza who built the Port of Santa Maria del Buen Ayre in 1536—which is known today as the city of Buenos Aires.

In 1808, during Spain’s Peninsular War, King Ferdinand VII of Spain abdicated while the Virreinato del Río de la Plata, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros, controlled Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia and Paraguay.

In order to try and maintain stability, the Viceroy concealed the news. Inevitably the colony found out, causing unrest amongst the Buenos Aires population.

The revolutionary events began on Friday the 18th of May 1810 as word reached the colony about what happened to the King. The people concluded if there was no King, then there shouldn’t be a Viceroy and Cisneros was soon ousted.

One week later, on Friday, the 25th of May 1810, La Primera Junta was established as the first local government.

The legacy of the May Revolution lives on today, with many landmarks and monuments built to honor the events.

National Day Every 25th of May, people in Argentina flock to the streets and participate in various activities to celebrate May Revolution Day or Dia de la Revolucion de Mayo.

Revolution Day is a national holiday and the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires is the center of the festivities. The plaza is a huge town square in the heart of the city where the revolutionary junta took power forming the country of Argentina in 1810.

On National Day it becomes a venue for events like public speeches, marches, concerts, public rallies and meetings.

Argentinean flags are also displayed everywhere, and people dress in the national colors of white and blue. The sun symbol in the flag commemorates the appearance of the sun in the cloudy skies.

Speeches from government leaders are held and followed by concerts and various festivities. The festival kicks off during the afternoon and continues through the night with music, food and other activities. The music offers a lot of different genres like tango, folk, and rock. For a large period of time during the day, public transportation is free for all festival goers.

Facts and figures about Argentina Argentina Capital: Buenos Aires Motto: “En unión y libertad” (In Unity and Freedom) A federal republic in the southern portion of South America.

Has an area of 2,780,400 km2 (1,073,500 sq mi) Is the eighth-largest country in the world (the second largest in Latin America) Largest Spanish-speaking country.

It encompasses immense plains, deserts, tundra, and forests, as well as tall mountains, rivers, and thousands of miles of ocean shoreline.

The country’s name comes from the Latin word for silver, argentum. Argentina is a great source of valuable minerals.

Famous Argentines Pope Francis is the 266th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, a title he holds ex officio as Bishop of Rome, and sovereign of Vatican City.

• He chose Francis as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere and the first Pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III, who reigned in the 8th century. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina’s provincial superior of the Society of Jesus.

María Eva Duarte de Perón was the second wife of Argentine President Juan Perón (1895–1974). She served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. A popular figure

among the Argentine masses, she was affectionately called Evita, and was the subject of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

The musical was later made into a movie, starring Madonna in the title role.

Lionel Andrés “Leo” Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He is considered the best player in the world and regarded by many as the greatest of all time. Messi is the only player in history to win five FIFA Ballon d’Or awards, four of which he won consecutively. He is also the first to win three European Golden Shoes.

• With Barcelona he has won eight La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and four Copas del Rey, among other trophies.

• Both a prolific goalscorer and a creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most official goals scored in La Liga (349), a La Liga season (50) and a club football season in Europe (73), as well as those for most assists made in La Liga (137) and the Copa América (11). He has scored over 500 senior career goals for club and country.

Rosa María Juana Martínez Suárez, known by her stage name Mirtha Legrand, is an Argentine actress and television

presenter, and is the twin sister of Silvia Legrand, another legendary actress.

With a 72-year career, Legrand is one of the most popular entertainment figures in Argentina.

Marcelo Hugo Tinelli, who was born in Bolívar, Buenos Aires Province, is an Argentine TV host, media producer and businessman, best known as the host of the TV show ShowMatch broadcast on Argentina’s El Trece. He is one of the iconic figures in Argentine television.

Juan José Campanella is an Argentine television and film director, writer and producer. He is a prominent figure of cinema in his country, and achieved worldwide fame with the release of The Secret in Their Eyes (2009).

Valeria Raquel Mazza is an Argentine model and businesswoman. She is the first Latin American supermodel. Mazza rose to prominence in the 1990s and became a household name after appearing in the

cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue of 1996, alongside Tyra Banks.

Carlos Gardel, who was born Charles Romuald Gardès, was a French Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor.

Together with lyricist and long-time collaborator Alfredo Le Pera, Gardel wrote several classic tangos and became one of the most prominent figures in the art of Argentinian tango.

José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras, simply known as José de San Martín, was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America’s successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire who served as the Protector of Peru. Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes, in modern-day Argentina, he left his mother country at the early age of seven to study in Málaga, Spain.

Emanuel David “Manu” Ginóbili Maccari is an Argentine professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also a member of the Argentine men’s national basketball team. He is one of only two players, along with Bill Bradley, to have won at least a EuroLeague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal.

Vaccines help protect you against infections such as shingles, pneumonococal disease, influenza, HPV and hepatitis B.

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

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Life HEALTH & WELLNESS

F

OR over 50 years, vaccination has saved more than a billion lives and prevented countless illnesses and disabilities. In the modern times, the first vaccine-preventable disease targeted for eradication was smallpox with the World Health Organization (WHO) coordinating the global eradication effort. The effort was a success and the last naturally occurring case of smallpox occurred in Somalia way back in 1977.

However, vaccine-preventable diseases haven’t gone away and the viruses and bacteria that cause illness and death still exist and can be passed on to those who are not protected by vaccines.

Here are 5 reasons why you should get yourself vaccinated: Vaccines will help keep you healthy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccinations throughout your life to protect against many infections not just during your childhood years.

When you skip vaccine, you leave you r s el f v ulnera-

Why VACCINATION is

IMPORTANT

ble to illnesses such as shingles, pneumococcal disease, influenza, and HPV and hepatitis B, both leading causes of cancer.

Contrary to myths, vaccines won’t give you the disease they are designed to prevent. You cannot “catch” the disease from the vaccine. Some vaccines contain “killed” virus, and it is impossible to get the disease from them.

Others have live, but weakened, viruses designed to ensure that you cannot catch the disease.

Even young and healthy people can get very sick, too. While infants and the elderly are at a greater risk for serious infections and complications in

many cases, vaccine-preventable diseases can strike anyone.

Getting vaccinated is a lot cheaper than treatment. Vaccines may be expensive, but it is less costly than getting treatment for a disease. An average influenza illness can last up to 15 days, typically with five or six missed workdays.

Adults who get hepatitis A meanwhile can lose an average of one month of work.

Dengue treatment also could take weeks or even months before full recovery.

Vaccination can save your life. Vaccine-preventable infections are dangerous.

Every year, approximately 50,000 US

Watsons offers several kinds of vaccinations for flu, pneumonia and cervical cancer in its select stores

adults die from vaccine-preventable diseases in the US. In addition, vaccines are as important to your overall health as diet and exercise. Just like eating healthy food, exercising, and getting regular checkups, vaccines play a vital role in keeping you healthy. Vaccines are also one of the most convenient and safest preventive care measures available. Data from many different medical investigators also state that vaccines are among the safest products in all of medicine.

Getting yourself vaccinated is now even more convenient and you don’t have to go to the hospital and endure the long waiting times.

Watsons for example, now offers several kinds of vaccinations for flu, pneumonia and cervical cancer. Recently, the retail chain also announced the availability of the new dengue vaccine in its select stores all over the country.

To ensure safety, physicians will administer all vaccinations.

“As part of our commitment to improve the lives and health of Filipinos by making health care more accessible to them, we decided to offer dengue vaccination in our select stores nationwide. Dengue is a recurring epidemic in the country, that’s why we recognize the importance of protecting Filipinos against this deadly disease through the vaccination,” says Watsons Trading Health Director Danilo Chiong.

The dengue vaccination was launched in the country by the Department of Health (DOH) together with the Department of Education (DepEd), and later on was made available in medical clinics last year.

Now, Watsons is the first retailer to offer it in the Philippine market.

Continued on D2

Bad lifestyle habits increase colon cancer incidence THE Philippines now has the fastest increase in mortality rate for colon cancer incidences in the world, in both male and female.

This was recently revealed by gastroenterology experts from the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology (PSG), to raise awareness among Filipinos about colon cancer, urging them to get screened for the said disease.

The alarming finding is one of the results of the study entitled “Global Colon Cancer: Incidence and Mortality” undertaken last year and recently published in Gut, an international gastroenterology journal.

In the Philippines, colon cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer for both sexes, after breast, lung, liver, and cervix. It is the fourth leading cause of death overall. According to the most recent statistics of World Health Organization’s (WHO) foremost cancer research and statistics project, GLOB-

OCAN, there were 4,901 deaths of the 8,553 incidences of colorectal cancer in Philippines in 2012, which means that more than half of those diagnosed have died from the disease.

Worldwide, colorectal cancer accounts for about 8 percent of cancerrelated deaths, with 774,000 deaths occurring in 2015, according to WHO. The estimated number of patients that will be affected by colon cancer is 2.2 million with 1.1 million deaths annually by 2030.

Westmont Pharmaceuticals, a division of Unilab, partners with PSG, in building consciousness for colon cancer, its symptoms, diagnosis and treatments available for Filipinos.

But most Filipinos do not hold colorectal cancer in the same page as other types of cancer like lung, bone or skin.

“Our trust rests on information dissemination. By doing such, we can

actually lessen or curtail the rise of patients developing colorectal cancer and over the next few years, we hope that we will actually see this effort, we will actually see a drop in the prevalence of cancer,” said Dy, who is the president of the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology (PSG).

Colorectal cancer has both modifiable and non-modifiable risks—factors that can be controlled or uncontrolled by the patient. Dr. Judith GapasinTongco, first vice president of the PSG, said that family history, diet and age have a role to play in the propensity of acquiring the disease.

“Now there are some people who are at risk of developing colon cancer— those who are 50 years old and above, has a family history of the disease, smokers, alcohol beverage drinkers, obese, and those who have a diet in processed meats, high in fat and very low in fiber.

Lastly, those with inherited genetic mu-

tations,” said Gapasin-Tongco

Prevention is best

Colon cancer, like breast cancer, is highly preventable for as long as the patient involves himself as much as possible in its prevention by ensuring a healthy lifestyle, and regularly going for medical check-ups, even before turning 50. Apart from this, people who have a high risk of developing the disease must always be on the lookout for lifestyle changes like changes in stool.

“You must also take into account the small but noticeable changes in your body to look out for signs of not only colorectal cancer, but of other diseases as well. For example, how often you stool per week—you observe if there are changes, say, from daily to weekly, including the shape and features of the stool itself. We must always be on the lookout for red flags because this is the first step in determining the dis-

ease. There are a lot of signs, too, but lifestyle changes are the more frequent findings,” said Dr. Denis Ngo, board member of the PSG. According to Dy, the recommended age for screening for colorectal cancer is 50—this is the age when the appearance of polyps increases.

Dy explained that the when the polyps have become a full-blown cancer, the common treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, modalities which are also used to treat other forms of cancer. But preventing colorectal cancer is the best strategy and best achieved through colonoscopy where a tube with a camera is inserted into the digestion tract to look for abnormal tissue or tumors. These small growths can be removed without the need for surgery. This may be the reason why in some countries, at least in the United States where screening is Continued on D2

Life

D2

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

O

NE hundred diabetic kids from the patient support groups namely Rainbow Camp, Phil. Society of Pediatric Metabolism and Endocrinology Camp (PSPME), Philippine Center for Diabetes Education Foundation Inc. (PCDEF), Dialysis PH and the Diabetes Association of Camp Crame Inc. gathered at the health and wellness fair held at SM Megamall’s event center on May 16.

Participants of the event took part in a half-day program promoting better nutrition and lifestyle. The event was held to showcase a day in the life of a Type 1 diabetes patient through a series of activities and presentations from health, fitness and nutrition partners that seek to create awareness on the effective ways to fight diabetes and to correct misconceptions surrounding it.

Kapuso host and “Kuya ng bayan Tonipet Gaba” hosted the whole day event while celebrity nutritionist and diet and fitness guru Nadine Tengco gave a presentation on creating healthy meals.

Nadine who is known to be a diet coach to the stars showed the audience how to prepare healthy and nutritious meals.

According to her the common misconception about diabetes is that when the doctor says diet, it’s about losing weight; but it’s actually about regulating what you eat and the eating habits because food is not an enemy but a solution.

Bounty Fresh, Sunnywood Rice, Jertie’s Kitchen, Nestle Fitnesse, Parkour and Curves were among the health partners who had booth set up in the area.

Diabetes Nurse Educators had an insulin area as well where participants and even other mall goers were able to have their blood sugar test.

FIGHT DIABETES

through health and wellness According to Cheska Villanueva and Gina Javier, both Type 1 diabetes patients and members of Rainbow Camp, “Anyone can fall victim to Diabetes. Diabetic or not, we should all stand as one in our fight against it. The key is maintaining healthy lifestyle, discipline and taking the step towards achieving and maintaining blood sugar control”.

While the prevalence of diabetes continues to soar, medical experts and health organizations agree that there are still a lot to be done in terms of creating awareness on prevention and care of diabetic patients. Through the Health and Wellness Fair, organizations from private, business and health sectors gathered to make sure that despite the challenges, diabetic patients are still able to live a full life and it starts by taking the step towards achieving and maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle. The whole day health and wellness fair ended with an Art Attack activity where each participant posted their pledges and messages to inspire them more in continuing their fight against diabetes.

Diabetic kids join the health and wellness fair that promotes better nutrition and lifestyle

Diabetes is a serious, chronic metabolic disease characterized by an increase in blood sugar levels associated with long term damage and failure of organ functions, especially the eyes, the kidneys, the nerves, the heart and blood vessels.

According to a recent study by the World Health Organization, diabetes is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the Philippines.

Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, one form of diabetes is Type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes.

It is often referred to as “juvenile”

Nutritionist Nadine Tengco (right) demonstrates how to prepare healthy and nutritious meals

diabetes, because it usually develops among children and teenagers, though it can develop at any age.

With Type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks part of its own pancreas.

Typically, a person with Type 1 diabetes treats the disease by taking insulin injections. Through insulin injection, glucose can now be brought to the body’s cells. This treatment is an exacting balancing act, as it hinges on many factors including food, exercise, stress and emotional and general health.

Glowing skin even in summer heat

Exterior design of the soon to rise Dorm and Sports Complex for De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Blazers varsity teams and scholars

A new home for athletes and scholars to rise in Benilde Campus A BRAND new home will soon rise for members of the Blazers varsity teams and scholars of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), with the construction of the Dorm-Sports Complex.

The recent groundbreaking ceremony was attended by DLS-CSB President Brother Dennis Magbanua FSC, Board of Trustees Chairman Nestor Jardin, Board of Trustees members Brother Michael Valenzuela, Mayo Ongsingko, and Arthur Gindap, Chancellor Robert Tang, Dean for Student Life Norie Ador Dionisio, and Center for Sports Development Director Stephen Fernandez.

Also present during the event were Blazers Basketball Team Head Coach Tyrone ‘TY’ Tang, 2016 Rio Olympian

and Benilde Business Management Student Hidilyn Diaz and alumnae Taekwondo Olympian Kirstie Elaine Alora and Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong. The building that will rise on a 4,196.8 square-meter lot on San Isidro corner Dominga Streets, near Taft Avenue, will include several athletic facilities for basketball, volleyball, badminton, and swimming. It shall also house studios and training rooms for taekwondo and other martial arts, a gym for weight and endurance training, and physical therapy amenities.

On the other hand, the dormitory will serve as the quarters of academic, athletic, and deserving scholars, and even out-of-town transient guests, such as visiting professors, lecturers, exchange

students, and alumni.

“With the growing student population in Benilde, which also includes our scholars, there is a real need to provide a new abode for them,” said Dionisio.

“This place is envisioned to become more spacious, nurturing, and to facilitate the holistic development of our Benildean scholars.”

Dionisio added, “Despite the very challenging times in the education sector due to K to 12, Benilde still manages to prioritize its commitment to improve and uplift the general condition of our students through its provision for the new Dorm and Sports Building. They say when we dream, let us dream big.”

The complex is expected to be completed in 2018.

Why...

administration of the dengue vaccine through school-based immunization approach with the aim to administer vaccination to about one million Grade 4 pupils enrolled in public schools in several regions of the country aged 9 years old and above.

As of February 2017, the vaccine has been approved in 14 countries where dengue is endemic including Singapore, Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines.

The dengue vaccine has also gotten the endorsement of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Philippine College of Physicians.

Besides the health risks, dengue also has an impact on public health costing billions of pesos of tax payers money with treatment costing tens of thou-

sands in pesos per patient.

The dengue vaccination, to be taken in three doses at 0 - 6 - 12 months interval, can protect the individual from all four strains of the dengue virus. This can be administered to people aged 9 to 45 years old.

The dengue vaccination is the latest addition to the vaccines offered by Watsons. It will cost P4000 per dose or P12000 for all three doses, which is a reasonable price given the high incidence of dengue and high cost of treatment in the Philippines.

The scheduled dengue vaccination is on Oct 29, 2017 (second dose) and April 29, 2018 (third dose), also on Nov. 12 (second dose), May 13, 2018 (third dose).

This will be available in more than 100 stores nationwide.

From D1

Leading multinational pharmaceutical company and an expert in the development of vaccinations, Sanofi Pasteur created the first vaccine against dengue, Dengvaxia. The vaccine took more than 20 years to develop and has been thoroughly tested, based on WHO’s guidelines. Studies of the vaccine included more than 41,000 people and were carried out in 15 countries including the Philippines. A committee of independent experts, also recommended

by WHO, reviewed the results.

In the Philippines, the DOH together with DepEd launched the much awaited

LET your skin shine and glow amidst the heat that the summer brings as Flow Spa makes your pamper day even more refreshing and relaxing.

Soothe your facial skin while enjoying a relaxing and nourishing treatment using a marine based line all the way from France, Algotherm. This treatment utilizes seaweed extracts and other marine ingredients that brings visible results even from the first try.

Stimulate the skin with the traditional salt scrub that cleanses the pores thoroughly for a smoother skin, followed by a mixture of Aloe Vera and other conditioning nutrients to further moisturize the skin. Release the tension from your neck down to your back with

a back massage that will surely take the stress away.

Enjoy all of these with Flow Spa’s Glowing Summer Skin package, at P5,000, for a two-hour relaxing pamper day that will bring a different kind of radiance for your skin, only until this April.

Flow Spa is located on the 22nd floor of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila with its treatments starting at P1,800.

Flow Spa is not exclusive to the Hotel’s in-house guests. It is open daily from 9 a.m to 12 midnight.

For more information, call (02) 720 7777 or book online via www.marcopolohotels.com or email: manila@ marcopolohotels.com.

Flow Spa at Marco Polo Ortigas helps you get that summer glow with its pamper package

Bad...

From D1

advocated, the incidence of colorectal cancer is starting to drop.

“Colon cancer doesn’t begin as cancer immediately; it starts with pre-malignant precursors called polyps. If left attended, these polyps grow over time, eventually becoming cancer. For young people, the risk is low, but they are not immune to it,” said Dy.

Reluctance

This colorectal cancer awareness month, the challenge now is to get people to take their gastrointestinal health seriously and to create a campaign, which would inform and educate people about colorectal cancer as not an-

other type of cancer.

Filipinos, especially the younger generations, are less concerned about their diet and their lifestyle, and this is reflected on a small number of Filipinos actually dedicating time going for yearly medical check-ups and followups, this is in addition to the fear of the procedures of colonoscopy itself.

“Most people tend to be reactive— they will only act when they feel that there is a change in how they feel. The problem is, early stages of colorectal cancer is symptom free, and as such, the individual must be proactive in taking steps to catch colorectal cancer before becoming full-blown and too difficult to cure. More people should be aware about it, and more people should know how lifestyle affects it,” Dy said.

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

Chef Claude Tayag HOSTS LIFESTYLE’S

‘Chasing Flavors’ E

XPLORE authentic Filipino food with one of the Philippines’ leading culinary artists, Chef Claude Tayag, as he takes viewers to discover the colorful variety of local cuisine in Chasing Flavors, premiering on Lifestyle (SkyCable ch. 52) on Saturday.

The well known Kapampangan chef will probe the origins of Filipino’s iconic dishes from region to region, one dish at a time, and will attempt to answer what makes each dish unique and outstanding in its own right.

Featured dishes include adobo, paksiw, sinigang, kilaw and sisig, pancit, lechon, cured meats, stews, inihaw, salted dried fish, gata, gulay, panghimagas, and rice in the coming episodes.

Chef Claude is a self-taught culinary expert, known to have uplifted Kapampangan cuisine through Bale Dutung (Wooden House), his abode turned restaurant located in Angeles City, Pampanga, serving traditional local dishes. Aside from his kitchen know-how, he is also an accomplished painter, sculptor, furniture designer, and a food and travel writer.

Broadcast journalist Ces Drilon joins “Chasing Flavors” as its executive producer. This is her first foray in the lifestyle, culinary and heritage genre.

“The show is a fascinating look into the origin and evolution of our most well-loved dishes. For

Top Chef Duels" hosts Gail Simmons and Chef Curtis Stone

New cooking show on Sony

Self-taught kitchen master and one of the country's leading culinary artists Chef Claude Tayag

instance, it explores the possibility that our humble adobong pusit may have influenced the iconic paella en su tinta of Spain. It is also a joy to work with Claude Tayag and make culinary discoveries with him,” shares Ces. Embark on a culinary expedition on Lifestyle TV and find out the best eats in the country with

“Chasing Flavors,” airing Saturdays at 9PM, Sundays at 12:30 p.m., Mondays at 2 a.m., Tuesdays at 7 p.m., and Wednesdays at 11 a.m.

Lifestyle is available on SKYcable channel 52. For updates, follow Lifestyle on Facebook (facebook.com/lifestyletvph), Instagram and Twitter (@lifestyletvph).

Lifetime’s month filled with fantastic thrills LIFETIME gives viewers even more reasons to stay glued to their TV screens as hit series return, an anticipated spin off premieres and a thrilling inside look into pop legend Michael Jackson’s dramatic life fulfill entertainment dreams this June.

MasterChef Australia is back for its ninth season and is more exciting than ever as a fresh group of home cooks tackle the most grueling changes. Get ready for more international guest chefs and bright new talents as MasterChef Australia Season 9 premieres on June 19, and airs Monday to Friday at 8 p.m. with an encore at 11 p.m..

Fresh spin-off Married At First Sight: Second Chances follows Married at First Sight season three favorites David Norton and Vanessa Nelson, as they get another shot at finding love. Witness their journey as the show premieres, 9:30 on June 19.

Zoo, the drama series based on James Patterson’s bestselling novel, returns 10 p.m. on June 19 for its third season. It’s the year 2027 and the human population continues to dwindle while an equally devastating threat rises in the form of unstoppable lab-made creatures, hell-bent on destroying mankind.

Lifetime marks the death anniversary of the king of pop, Michael Jackson, in the anticipated television special Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland, 9 p.m. on June 25. Revealing first hand the devotion Michael had to his children, and the hidden drama that took place during the last two years of his life, this insightful presentation is told through the eyes of the world star’s trusted bodyguards Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard.

More great films follow, including A Surrogate’s Nightmare on June 10 at 9 p.m., featuring the story of a woman who offers to act as a surrogate mother for her sister. Everything goes well until a dark

past catches up and threatens to tear her world apart.

In High School Lover, airing June 17 at 9 p.m., a 17-year old girl meets Hollywood’s “It” guy, and goes against her father’s wishes to continue being with him. She soon realizes that his adoration is turning into a dangerous obsession.

And finally, catch the newest episodes of Hoarders Season 9 and witness hoarders try to overcome their compulsive collecting, from historic farm supplies to plants, on June 2, Friday at 9 p.m.

Lifetime™ is available on SKYCable Ch 65 and Lifetime™ HD Ch 199; Cable Link Ch. 223; Dream Satellite Ch 28; Destiny Ch 44.

A contestant in the 9th season of "Master Chef Australia" preparing a dish that decides her fate in the show

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, May 25, 2017

ACROSS 1 Same as above 6 Longest river 10 Claims 14 Bad smells 15 Sufficient, in verse 16 Light tan 17 Old keepsake 18 Yahtzee need 19 Detergent 20 Kind of toast 21 Featuring 23 Hot Springs st.

25 Mao — -tung 26 Cry of dismay 29 Spouse 32 Rudely sarcastic 37 Collected sayings 38 Not apt to bite 39 Wooer 40 Alberta rodeo (2 wds.)

43 Laid low (2 wds.)

44 Grease job 45 Beaded shoe 46 Military unit 47 Grey of Westerns 48 Classroom sound 49 Paul Anka’s “— Beso” 51 Canape topper 53 Pronounced incorrectly

58 Artist Edouard — 62 Nasty 63 Town near Des Moines 64 Loos or Ekberg 65 Linoleum measurement 66 Good names, for short 67 Undersized pups 68 Student’s purchase 69 McClurg of sitcoms 70 T-bone DOWN 1 Frosh’s digs 2 — fixe 3 Turnpike fee 4 Primitive, often 5 Movie award 6 Mr. Beatty et al.

7 Monogram pt.

8 Find 9 Pitchers 10 — Arnaz 11 PC symbol 12 Boast 13 Have a late meal 22 Start up again 24 Retail giant 26 Ritzy boat 27 Walking — — 28 Hard-to-find

guy 30 Beth and Jo’s sister 31 Physicist Nikola — 33 Tweak 34 Inventory list 35 Extinct birds 36 Build 38 Hosiery shades 39 One-edged sword 41 Sentimentality 42 Large cask 47 Went fast

48 Oil source 50 Be merciful 52 Bradley and Sharif 53 Muck 54 Holly genus 55 Bench or chair 56 French Legion headgear 57 To be, to Ovid 59 Muse count 60 Wonder Woman’s friend 61 Job to do 62 Dye container

SONY Channel brings back all the best culinary talents on television in the new reality competition show Top Chef Duels on Sony Channel.

The cooking competition pits 18 winners, finalists, and fan favorites from the past seasons of Top Chef and Top Chef Masters in a culinary showdown of gastronomic proportions.

Every episode features two chefs competing against each other in three rounds of head-to-head challenges designed to test their skill, speed, and creativity.

The third challenge determines who moves on to the grand finale, where the top chef wins the grand prize of $100,000.

Hosted by celebrity chef Curtis Stone, the 10-episode series will also have as celebrity judges actress Shailene Woodley, musician Pink, actor Adam Samberg, and many more Top Chef Duels airs weeknights at 7:55 p.m. on Sony, available on SKYCable Channel 35, Destiny Cable Channel 62, Cignal Channel 120, G Sat Channel 48, and Cablelink Channel 39.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017

American pop star Britney Spears

BRITNEY

in PH for ‘Piece of Me’ concert

From left: Showbiz anchor Iya Villania and GMA Network news pillars Vicky Morales, Mike Enriquez, and Mel Tiangco

Gloria Romero (center) and the cast of "Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko"

KAPUSO NETWORK B

ROADCAST leader GMA Network has steadily improved its nationwide TV ratings lead over ABS-CBN since the last quarter of 2016, based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

GMA wrapped up April with 43.3 percent totalday-people-audience share in nationwide ratings (NUTAM), up by an impressive 8.2 points over ABS-CBN’s 35.1 percent. GMA’s margin over ABSCBN has grown since the last quarter of 2016 and during the first quarter of 2017, where GMA led by 5.1 points and 6.2 points, respectively.

Similarly for April, Kapuso progams led across all day parts in NUTAM and in Urban Luzon, which accounts for 77 percent of the total urban TV household population in the country. The primetime telefantasya Encantadia remained no.1 in the list of top-rating programs, followed by Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Destined to be Yours, Magpakailanman, Pepito Manaloto, 24 Oras, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Meant To Be, and Hay Bahay.

Nielsen data is gathered through a greater number of sampled homes nationwide in comparison to another ratings data provider, Kantar Media. With approximately 900 more homes surveyed in Total Urban and Rural Philippines compared to Kantar, Nielsen data is statistically considered more representative of the total TV population.

In 2016, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, the leading ratings service provider, increased its client pool to a total of 36 clients/subscribers which now include 12 local TV networks, five regional clients, two blocktimers, and 17 media agencies.

GMA subscribes to Nielsen along with other local networks–TV5, Aksyon TV, CNN Philippines, Net 25, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Viva Communications Inc.—among others; regional network Fox Networks Group; blocktimers CBN Asia and TAPE Inc.; and major advertising and media agencies, like Ebiquity-Faulkner, Dentsu Aegis Network (Carat, Mediaforce Vizeum, Dentsu), GroupM (Mediacom, Mindshare, MEC and Maxus), Omnicom Media Group (OMD, PHD and M2M), Zenith Optimedia, and Starcom Mediavest.

steadily increasing nationwide TV ratings lead

The cast of the top-rating fantasy series, "Encantadia"

"Destined to be Yours" stars Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza

TV darling Barbie Forteza and his leading men in the primetime romcom "Meant to Be"

Korean actor Gong Yoo in CNN’s ‘Talk Asia’ AFTER appearing in the hit television drama, Goblin, and the zombie blockbuster, Train to Busan, Gong Yoo has reached rock-star status with both a domestic South Korean audience and a growing international fan base.

This month in CNN’s Talk Asia, host Anna Coren sits down with one of Asia’s most popular and in-demand actors in Seoul, to talk about life outside of acting, the roles that shot him to superstardom and why he’s a reluctant celebrity.

In an in-depth and wide-ranging interview, Gong Yoo also reveals the moment that changed his life, explains why he’s not on social media, and answers perhaps his fans’ biggest question.

Highlights from the 30-minute interview: On becoming an actor I never thought about becoming an actor. Even when I was applying for university, I didn’t choose that major in order to become an actor. But after I got in, I hung out with friends who had dreams to become actors. As I studied with them, I became more interested in the art of expression. I started to think maybe I could become an actor, but I didn’t have the confidence.

On fame and attention In the end, because of fame, ‘Gong Yoo’ exists. It’s the driving force

that keeps me going. But if there’s something you gain, there’s also something you can lose. I want to separate my life as an actor from my personal life because of the fame. But I know it may be hard for people to accept that.

It’s not about the money; it’s not

about honor. It’s not important to me. I don’t worry because of it. But it would be the fans who have been supporting me all this time, who have been with me since the beginning. Because of them, I have to improve as an actor, I have to be a strength to them.

On his private life

Korean movie and TV superstar Gong Yoo in a sit-down interview with CNN's Anna Coren

As an actor, you have to face the public all the time. It’s a job where it gives people fantasies but also creates prejudices. These prejudices are the scariest things. It makes people judge you on your personal life or your image - it can also affect the characters I play.

Therefore, I try not to showcase my personal life too much. In some ways, I think I may not have the best personality to be an actor. It doesn’t matter when I’m in character in front of cameras, but when they go off I feel embarrassed to expose my private life. I like being natural but I’m worried there may be misunderstandings so that’s why I tend to come off a little shy.

On the future I think I find the planning a film quite interesting. I think it would be fun to individually and more professionally plan out a film, without being an actor.

In Hollywood, where they have massive capital, actors get to produce a lot so I envy that. Normally a movie tells a message that the director wants to tell, not what the actor wants to tell. So I think it’ll be great to produce a project that can get my own message out - with my favorite director and my favorite actor.

CNN’s Talk Asia with Goong Yoo airs today, 4:30 p.m. and 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, 12:30 p.m. on May 27, 11:30 p.m. on June 10 and 10 a.m. on June 17.

IN 2007, Britney Spears released “Piece Of Me” from the Blackout album, and the song prominently featured the Philippines in its lyrics. Verse one of the song goes: “I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17/Don’t matter if I step on the scene or sneak away to the Philippines/They’re still goin’ put pictures of my derriere in the magazine/You want a piece of me?”

Britney finally gets to go to the Philippines and she may have to sneak into the country as well if she wants to avoid the mob of millions of fans awaiting her arrival for the Piece of Me tour at the Mall of Asia Arena on June 15.

The song peaked at No. 18 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and went on to become a hit. When Britney performs this number a few weeks from now before thousands of Manila fans, it will definitely be extra special.

Expect Britney to light up the stage with special effects and a catalogue of hits that speak for her pop icon status.

Let’s enumerate some of them and remind her fan base of the soundtrack of their lives: “Oops… I Did It Again,” “Baby One More Time,” “Toxic,” “Womanizer,” “Stronger,” “Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know,” “I’m A Slave 4 U,” “Me Against The Music,” “Gimme More,” “Hold It Against Me,” “Circus,” “Lucky,” among many others.

Those songs are enough reasons to watch Britney live.

Well, lucky Smart subscribers will win VIP tickets to Piece of Me concert.

To win tickets, simply track #SmartMusicLive and #SmartBritneySpears for updates and mechanics.

Smart recently assembled an unmatched international lineup of concert acts to hit Manila fans this year. Apart from Britney, a U2 fly-off promo is also waiting to send lucky subscribers to the US and Europe for the band’s The Joshua Tree tour. This promo was announced recently at the Smart Spots launch in Poblacion, Makati where Smart wired the hangouts there with high-speed WiFi connection.

Spears sparked nationwide clamor for her Manila show when she recently posted, “Excited to be performing in Manila this summer!” on social media.

The “Oops… I Did It Again” hit-maker will bring her much hyped up Piece of Me tour to the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

Smart Music Live presents “Britney: Live in Manila is made possible by Smart’s partnership with MCA Music and Wilbros Live.

Comprehensive makeup certification seminar in Manila LEARN the fundamentals of makeup application for film, television, magazines, advertising, bridal pictorials, glamor photoshoots and fashion runway, in a certification course offered by the School for Professional and Continuing Education (SPaCE) at De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

This module is a basic yet intensive program where students will be mentored about products and tools knowledge, skin science, color theory, face and eye shapes, corrective techniques, remedial camouflage, and mature age.

Registration fee is P63,450, inclusive of a MAC Cosmetics Professional Kit. The early-bird fee is P61,100 upon sign-up two weeks before the seminar. Afternoon snacks and free-flowing coffee will be provided during all sessions.

Lessons will run for eight consecutive Saturdays, to commence on June 3, 2017, from 1 to 7 p.m.

Classes will be at Fourth Floor of the DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus.

For inquiries and registration requirements, contact Jhune Tavera at (02) 230-5100 local 3802, (02) 400-7405, and (02) 400-5425, or email space@benilde.edu.ph.

SPaCE is located at the 4th Floor, School of Design and Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.