Manila Standard - 2017 June 16 - Friday

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 122 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Martial law extension eyed amid terror hits By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo

SILENT WORKER. President Rodrigo Duterte is back in harness as shown in this June 15, 2017 photo released by Special Assistant to the President, Bong Go.

‘Du30 not sick, just needs to rejuvenate’ By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has withdrawn from public duties this week because he is tired and needs to “rejuvenate,” his spokesman said Thursday as government forces battled Islamist militants in the biggest crisis of his rule. Duterte, 72, has not been seen in public since Sunday and missed a scheduled appearance the following day at annual Independence Day celebrations in Manila, sparking speculation about the state of his health.

“He’s just taking some time off to rejuvenate,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella told reporters. Abella said there was no date for when Duterte would resume his official duties, although he insisted the President was healthy. “I’m saying that there’s nothing to worry about in terms of sickness,” he said. “The President is well.” Pressed by journalists to state whether Duterte had visited a doctor this week, Abella said: Next page

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez said Thursday that House leaders were open to extending the 60day martial law period in Mindanao following the continued terrorist attacks by the Maute group. Alvarez, secretary-general of the ruling Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, said the House may approve the martial law extension “if necessary” as the Armed Forces of the Philippines has yet to gain full control of the situation in Marawi City. President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in the entire Mindanao on May 23. It will lapse on July 23. Alvarez reiterated that if the Supreme Court, in response to several petitions, orders Congress to convene a joint session to debate martial law, he would ignore

By Florante S. Solmerin and John Paolo Bencito

G

OVERNMENT forces arrested a Maute group bomb expert in his hideout in Cagayan de Oro City, Brig. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, martial law spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command said Thursday.

By Vito Barcelo

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Hold order issued vs Romero

WOUNDED, ARRESTED. Australian journalist Adam Harvey wears a neckbrace after he was hit by a stray bullet in Marawi City. Right panel shows a police file photo of suspected Maute bomb expert Mohammad Noaim Maute alias Abu Jadid who was arrested in Cagayan de Oro City on June 15, 2017. AFP/ PNP

Desperate search goes on for trapped civilians MARAWI—Camalia Baunto keeps a desperate vigil for news of her husband, trapped just a short walk away in brutal fighting between Islamist militants and government forces that has ruined the city. The husband is among hundreds of civilians pinned down in pockets of Marawi that are controlled by the militants, and they are facing an onslaught of deadly threats including bombs, sniper fire, hunger and a lack of

medical care. Some have made a two-kilometer sprint to safety during the three weeks of conflict, risking being shot at by the militants, and Camalia waits every day at a secured government building nearby hoping her husband will run into her arms. “It’s really painful for me. I’m always scared he’ll be hit,” Camalia, 43, said Wednesday in a soft voice as she held back

tears and anxiously fixed her hijab. “He is too traumatized to escape. Even we on the outside are afraid because you don’t know which direction the bullets are coming from.” The fighting began on May 23 when hundreds of militants rampaged through Marawi, the most important Muslim city in the mainly Catholic Philippines, waving the black flags of the Islamic State group. Next page

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Gapay identified the suspect as Mohammad Noaim Maute alias Abu Jadid, a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Butig, Lanao del Sur. “He was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest dated May 29, 2017 issued by martial law administrator Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana,” Gapay said. He was one of the more than 100 suspects that Lorenzana had ordered arrested for their alleged role in the attack on Marawi City by the Maute and Abu Sayyaf terror groups. Gapay said the suspect, who used a fake ID from the Mindanao State University, denied he was a Maute and went by the name of Alfaiz P. Mamintal. According to an intelligence report, a copy of which was obtained by the Manila Standard, Cagayan de Oro was among several cities in Mindanao that the Maute group had intended to bomb. The others were Cotabato, Pagadian, Iligan, and El Salvador. Also included in their plan were some areas in Maguindanao. The report said the targets were government forces and civilians, especially Next page

Tourism scraps ad deal over ‘copycat’ charges

By Sandy Araneta A COURT in Manila has issued a hold-departure order against fugitive billionaire and 1-Pacman Party-List Rep. Michael Romero for allegedly stealing P3.4 million from his familyowned Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. Manila RTC Branch 11 Judge Cicero Jurado Jr. issued the order against Romero and one of his two co-accused, Edwin Jeremillo. According to court records, Jurado also ordered the Foreign Affairs and Immigration to put Romero and Jeremillo in their hold-departure lists. “Furnish the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Bureau of Immigration a copy of this

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Maute ‘bomb maker’ nabbed

Placement ban lifted on Qatar, sans war THE Labor department lifted the ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Qatar after Foreign Affairs found there was no war, conflict or political strife in that country that would endanger the lives of the workers, an official said Thursday. “This decision was arrived at on the advice of Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano and upon the recommendation of Qatar POLO following their assessment of the situation in the Gulf state,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said. Labor Attaché David Des Dicang and the Philippine Embassy said the deployment of newly hired workers to Qatar was now also open, particularly to the Philippine School Doha and Philippine International SchoolQatar. “We respectfully requested to allow the deployment so as not

the order. “Just read the Constitution, what does it say? It says the President has to report to Congress—he will be the one to report and we will listen. It doesn’t say he’ll report and listen to us,” Alvarez said. Opposition lawmakers led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman questioned President Duterte’s martial law declaration before the Supreme Court and the House leadership’s refusal to convene a joint session with senators to debate the proclamation. The House, in plenary session, earlier adopted a resolution supporting President Duterte’s declaration of martial law. The Senate has adopted a similar resolution. President Duterte’s administrator and implementor of martial law on Thursday appeared before the Supreme Court to present the

By Sandy Araneta

RESCUE PLEA. Rebecca Tagab, at an evacuation center in Iligan City, begs for the authorities to rescue her

husband Crisanto Tagab, during an AFP interview on June 15, 2017. The fighting began on May 23 when hundreds of militants rampaged through Marawi, the most important Muslim city in the mainly Catholic Philippines, waving the black flags of the Islamic State group. AFP

THE Department of Tourism said Thursday it has canceled its contract with McCann Worldwide Philippines after its “Experience the Philippines” ad campaign became the center of plagiarism allegations. “After a diligent review of the ad materials in question, the Department of Tourism [DoT] has decided to discontinue its partnership with McCann Worldgroup Philippines,” the department said in a Twitter post. “In the midst of this controversy, the DoT expects a public apology from McCann over the negative feedback that the department has been receiving, owing

to the glaring similarities between McCann’s ‘Sights’ ad and South Africa’s ad released in 2014,” the DoT said. “We also wish to announce that we will reopen the procurement process for the production of a new advertising material which will be consistent with the current slogan… ‘It’s More Fun In The Philippines’,” they said. “Thus, we encourage those with fresh and original ideas that will showcase our diverselyrich tourist destinations and the unique Filipino hospitality to join this venture,” the DoT also said. The DoT added that they are exploring all legal remedies that will be discussed with the professional team of McCann. Next page


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