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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2017
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China aid crucial to battle for Marawi By Bill Casas and Julito Rada
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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has thanked China for its “crucial help” to the Philippines during the rebellion in Marawi City. Duterte met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Crowne Plaza Da Nang before his departure to Manila following the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders Meeting in Vietnam. “First of all, let me thank you for your crucial help in our fight in Marawi a few weeks ago,” Duterte said in his opening statement. “We badly needed help and it was China who first came to our aid,” he said. “For that, we are very, very
thankful to you. As you say, we value your friendship more than anything else... I said I gave you my word that we can be your true friends.” Meanwhile, the Philippine and Japanese governments are expected to sign the exchange of notes on projects intended for rehabilitating Marawi City and strengthening the maritime safety capability of the Philippine Coast Guard, the Finance Department said over the weekend. In a report to Finance Sec-
retary Carlos Dominguez III during a recent executive committee meeting, the DoF fs International Finance Group said a grant of 1.5-billion yen (around P676 million) from the Embassy of Japan will be given to the Department of Public Works and Highways in the form of heavy equipment and machineries to be used for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of heavily damaged Marawi City. The equipment includes bulldozers, excavators and dump trucks, the IFG said. The Philippine Coast Guard will also receive Japanese aid in the form of equipment for the improvement of its maritime safety and counterterrorism capability, the IFG told Dominguez. These include radar systems, closed
circuit televisions, and radio systems, it said. Duterte noted that the arms provided by China were very crucial, adding that one of the Filipino snipers killed terrorist Isnilon Hapilon using a Chinese-made sniper rifle. “I will congratulate your guys here who make the firearms—very good, very accurate. And I’m happy to have received them for my country,” he said. Duterte led the handover of the military aid package from China intended for the counter-terrorism efforts in Marawi City. Among the weapons given by China were TY-85 7.62 mm sniper rifles, CS/LR4A high precision rifles, and CQ-A5 5.56 automatic rifles. China also donated ammunition. In the visit of President
Rodrigo Duterte to Japan last year, Dominguez and Japan International Cooperation Agency president Shinichi Kitaoka formalized several agreements that would help improve the Philippines f maritime safety capability, including a deal for a 16.5-billion-yen concessional loan covered by Tokyo fs Official Development Assistance for the acquisition of two large-scale patrol vessels for the coast guard. The loan was part of Tokyo fs continuing assistance to the coast guard fs Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project. ‘‘Equivalent to P6.8 billion, this Jica loan was extended at an interest rate of between 0.01 [consulting component] and 0.10 [nonconsulting component] per-
Rody sees Trump skirting human rights issues PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Sunday he was “sure” Donald Trump would not raise human rights concerns when they meet in Manila, after the US President praised his deadly drug war. Trump is due to land in the Philippine capital on Sunday evening ahead of two days of summits, and rights groups have urged him to pressure Duterte over the thousands of lives lost in the controversial anti-drugs crackdown. Duterte expressed confidence this would not happen, saying Trump had already given him “words of en-
couragement” during a brief encounter on the sidelines of another regional summit in Vietnam on Saturday. “He said something about: ‘You know, you handle it very well’,” Duterte told reporters early Sunday morning after returning to Manila. He said Trump was referring to the crackdown on drugs as well as a military campaign against Islamic State supporters in the southern Philippines. When asked if the issue of extrajudicial killings—which rights groups say are rampant in the drug war—would be discussed, Duterte said: “I’m
sure he will not take it up.” Duterte also explained that his threatening to kill illegal drug perpetrators does not amount to a conspiracy. “If at all, criminal liability is personal. That’s the rule. When you commit a crime and there is no conspiracy, it is not transferred to anybody else,” said Duterte. “By saying that I will destroy you or kill you, that is not a conspiracy. That is the rage in my heart for treating the Filipinos like shit,” he continued. Rights groups have expressed alarm and disappointment that Trump and
most other world leaders are likely to endorse or stay silent over Duterte’s violent rule, which has seen thousands of people killed. Duterte won elections last year after promising to eradicate illegal drugs in society with an unprecedented crackdown that would see up to 100,000 people killed. Since he took office, police have reported killing 3,967 people in the crackdown. Another 2,290 people have been murdered in drug-related crimes, while thousands of other deaths remain unsolved, according to government data.
Many Filipinos back Duterte, believing he is taking necessary measures to fight crime, but rights groups warn he may be orchestrating a crime against humanity. Amnesty International on Saturday called on Trump to raise the issue with Duterte, either publicly or privately. The pair are tentatively scheduled to hold one-onone talks on Monday. “The US has to use its influence and leverage to call out Duterte’s record on human rights,” said Amnesty’s Philippine director Jose Noel Olano. AFP with John Paolo Bencito
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his countrymen.” He said Xi had assured him that China would not impede the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. “Do not worry, you have all the rights of safe passage. That will be applicable to all countries,” Duterte quoted Xi as saying. Duterte met with Xi on Saturday along with his top Cabinet officials in a bilateral meet held at the Da Nang Crowne Plaza Hotel. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, who joined Duterte and other members of the Cabinet in his talks with Xi, said both tackled the issue on the freedom of navigation since everyone
“would be sailing from the Indian Ocean through the West Philippine Sea” and there was a need for unhampered navigation. In his remarks, Duterte claimed Xi expressed surprise over the country’s stronger and more assertive tone in discussing the maritime dispute amid the muchstronger statement issued by the Asean ministers in August. “He was quite surprised by my coming in very strong, of my statement about the [Code of] Conduct in the [South China] Sea. I said I’m not raising any sovereign issue, do not worry, but I said as [Asean] chairman, I was
made a channel of the communications, to be active,” Duterte said. “I had to do it because the Philippines chairs Asean, I cannot escape from that duty. I had every right to ask him. But I explained it to him in a very nice way that’s all there is to it.” Duterte said Xi likewise appeared to have jested that Manila was siding with another country, then responding that he only made such pronouncements since the Philippines was this year’s rotating chairman of the Asean. “We were joking. ‘You like the other one better.’ I said ‘No. We look upon you
as a country with honor. I’m just trying to perform my duty as chairman,” Duterte said. He said the Philippines remained to be a good friend of China despite the ongoing territorial tussle over the disputed waters. Before leaving to attend the APEC meeting, Duterte said he would raise the supposed militarization in the South China Sea, since the Aseam was quite aware of Beijing’s militarization in the disputed waters. Duterte also said he would not be asking for any military assistance from Washington to help wage war against Beijing.
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Duterte said Xi had assured him that the increasing militarization in the South China Sea was “nothing.” “I was talking about the military buildup, he says ‘no, it’s nothing’,” Duterte said. “He knows that if he goes to war, everything will blow up. He acknowledged that war cannot be promoted by anybody, but it would only mean destruction for all of us.” Duterte said he believed Xi’s explanation “because, like me, he’s worried about the health and the problem of
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he wanted Interior Undersecretary Eduardo Año to investigate mayors and governors for corruption. “When I see you are making things difficult or you allow corruption to thrive in your locality, then as mayor or governor, I will order the new Secretary of the DILG, the chief of staff, General Año, to investigate you,” Duterte said. The police once led the administration’s war against drugs, but in a memorandum signed on Oct. 10, Duterte tasked the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to conduct all anti-illegal drug operations. He cited the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 stating that PDEA should be the lead agency when any investigations of the National Bureau of Investigation, the PNP or other agencies were found in violation of the act. But Duterte said he was only trying to gauge the improvement he had introduced. “I have allowed PDEA to have the exclusive. So mawala na ‘yun, nawala na. For the longest time, I haven’t had any talks with the PDEA,” he said. “Titignan ko lang kung tataas, pagka tataas babalik ang pulis. ‘Pag magbalik ang pulis, ‘yun ang trabaho nila, destroy the drug syndicates.” Duterte said the police should enforce all measures if and when the authority to lead the war on drugs had been restored to them. Duterte flew back in time for the arrival of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations who will converge in Manila for the 31st Asean Summit and Related Meetings this week. He is expected to hold bilateral talks with world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the summit. Rights groups have urged the world leaders to urge Duterte to stop the killings related to his war on drugs, which has claimed thousands of lives. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said they were not expecting Trump to talk about the Philippines’ drug war with Duterte during their bilateral meeting.
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protesters were scattered. “We know he is here to push for unfair treaties between the Philippines and the US.” Trump arrived in the Philippines for meetings with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other East Asian nations, fresh off an AsiaPacific summit and bilateral visit in Vietnam. The Philippines is Trump’s last stop on a marathon tour that has taken him to Japan, South Korea, China as well as Vietnam. Duterte met Trump on Saturday, Nov. 11, during the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Ha Noi Hall, International Danang Resort, Vietnam. “The meeting was warm and cordial,” said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque during a press briefing held at the International Media Center.
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drug war, which has claimed thousands of lives. They also said it has uncomfortable similarities with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s salute. “Foreign leaders should recognize that the fist... symbolizes a purposeful attack by Duterte on rule of law that has inflicted a human rights calamity on thousands of Filipinos,” Phelim Kine, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director, said. “[They] should deny the architect of this human rights calamity the international recognition he
“President Trump reportedly told President Duterte that he will see him tomorrow,” Roque said. “The two leaders were genuinely pleased to have finally met each other in person,” Roque added. Leaders from around the world arrived in the country on Sunday ahead of the Asean Summit in Manila. Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith was the first to land for the day at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga at 10:37 a.m. Sisoulith waved to the crowd upon his arrival to attend the Asean Summit and related meetings in Clark, Pampanga, Sunday. He was welcomed by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Pampanga Gov. Lilian Pineda. Hundreds of students in colorful costumes also performed a dance number for Sisoulith. Duterte had earlier met Sisoulith in the past two Asean Summits: in Manila last April and in Vientiane, Laos last September. Indonesian President Joko
Widodo meanwhile landed in Pampanga around 12:15 p.m. Like Duterte, Widodo has waged war against narcotics. The number of suspected drug dealers killed by Indonesian police has more than tripled so far this year from the whole of 2016, activists said. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern arrived after Widodo. Leaders from 19 countries plus the heads of the United Nations and European Union are set to join the Asean meetings that will run until Tuesday. Among those attending are Trump, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian Premier Dmitry Medvedev and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen arrived in the country on Saturday.
undeservedly craves.” Australia’s spy chief, Nick Warner, was criticized when he returned home from Manila in August to find the Philippine government had released photos of him clenching his fist with Duterte. “Completely inappropriate photo for the head of one our most important intelligent (sic) services to be in,” federal opposition member of parliament Anthony Byrne said in a Twitter post. With the photos becoming a major news item in Australia, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was forced to publicly defend Warner. Bishop had previously criticized the drug war. Trump and Duterte are ex-
pected to hold a one-on-one meeting in Manila on Monday on the sidelines of a 20-nation summit of Asia-Pacific leaders. Eyes will be on whether Trump does the fist pump, having told Duterte in April he was doing a “great job” in his drug war. Arriving back in Manila early Sunday, Duterte seemed confident he had Trump’s backing for his deadly war on drugs. “He said something about: ‘You know, you handle it very well’,” he told reporters. Duterte might also expect support from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who struck the pose when the pair met in Tokyo last year. AFP
cent per annum with a maturity period of 40 years, inclusive of a 10-year grace period,” the department said. The acquisition of two 94-meter large-scale patrol ships under Phase Two of the MSCIP is on top of the ongoing official development assistance from Japan for the first phase of the project, which involves the procurement of 10 units of 40-meter PCG patrol vessels. As of June 2017, five out of 10 vessels have already been delivered to the Philippines. The targeted completion of the delivery of all the 10 vessels is in August 2018. Besides the loan agreement, Japan had also announced the provision of additional vessels for the coast guard through a JPY600 million grant (about P280 mil-
lion) for the procurement of high-speed boats and other equipment to boost the Philippines’ anti-terrorism and security activities. This grant covers the acquisition of one 20-meter highspeed vessel and 14 units of 7-meter high speed boats. In a high-level infrastructure cooperation meeting between Japan and the Philippines held last July in Manila, a list of projects with an estimated total cost of P315.4 billion were pipelined for possible Japanese financing. Both sides also exchanged views on the support for Mindanao and other areas of cooperation including power and energy, anti-illegal drug measures, public safety and counterterrorism, and information and communications technology.
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thank Mr. Xi Jinping for the timely and crucial help that he extended to our country when we were fighting the siege of Marawi,” he said. China donated firearms and committed financial support for the rehabilitation of Marawi and for state troops who fought Islamic Stateinspired terrorists. Russia also gave the Philippines firearms and other military equipment. Duterte said the issue on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea was discussed noting that the Chinese President expressed willingness to hold a summit or a multilateral dialogue to tackle the matter. “President Xi Jinping mentioned about a summit or a meeting, multilateral only to talk about the rules of conduct. It has nothing to do with sovereignty,” he said. He added that China made the assurance that it would not impede the freedom of navigation in the disputed sea. He said he believed that the tensions in the South China Sea would not escalate into war, saying that China also could not afford to put the lives of its people in danger. “He knows that if he goes to war, everything will blow up. He acknowledged that war cannot be promoted by anybody, but it would only mean destruction for all of us,” he said. The two leaders also discussed North Korea. “At this time when everybody has in his pocket a large number of nuclear arms, China, America, Russia, Iran, North Korea, it is not a good time to talk about a quarrel,” Duterte said. Duterte said he assured Xi that his friendship with him would remain “warm and robust.” On Sunday, Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles said the country would receive even bigger investments after an independent pollster said he was the most trusted Philippine president in the last 20 years. With Rio N. Araja
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The government will also focus on education, with the President suggesting that Filipino school children should learn the basics about cyberspace and digital communications. “And I will make that mandatory,” he said. Duterte said the government will also increase infrastructure spending to “realize the ‘Golden Age of Infrastructure’ that will enhance mobility and connectivity.” There must be an improvement in food security, he said, noting that while the country allocates vast tracts of land for commercial cultivation of crops for the export market, ensuring enough local supply of food must be given priority. Arriving Sunday from Vietnam, Duterte said he had “most productive” meetings with the leaders of China and Russia, who were also at the Apec summit. “I took the opportunity to meet my counterparts from many economies. I renewed my friendship with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and with President Xi Jinping of China,” Duterte said upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2. Duterte first met with Putin on the sidelines of the Apec Economic Leaders Meeting, where the Russian president vowed to support the country’s fight against terrorism ,which is a common challenge for both countries. Duterte thanked Putin for Russia’s “timely assistance” in putting an end to the fivemonth long Marawi crisis. Before he returned to Manila, Duterte met with President Xi Jinping, lauding him also for China’s assistance in resolving the Marawi siege. “I see a very bright future for our relationship. Nothing to do with military. I have stated before and I was not lying, I would not entertain talks about military or anything except that I had to
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an instant reply because mediation involves all of the claimants and non-claimants.” Vietnam has long courted support from Washington in its dispute with China over the precious waterway, where Beijing has built military installations and artificial islands. Beijing’s sweeping claims also overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Trump’s comments come ahead of a state visit on Sunday afternoon by Chinese President Xi Jinping who will meet with top communist leaders. Tensions over the sea spiked earlier this year when Vietnam suspended an oil exploration project in an area of the waterway also
claimed by Beijing, reportedly over pressure from its powerhouse communist neighbor. In 2014, China moved an oil rig into the waters off Vietnam’s coast, sparking violent protests in several Vietnamese cities. Trump is in Hanoi for a brisk visit that could touch on boosting military support for America’s former wartime foe. Talks will also focus on promoting trade between the cozy allies, though Vietnam’s gaping trade surplus with the United States, worth $32 billion in 2016, could be a sticking point. Trump heads to Manila later Sunday for the final stop on his marathon Asia tour that has mainly focused on building regional consensus against North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and espousing his “America First” vision of global trade. AFP