The Standard - 2015 September 18 - Friday

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VOL. XXIX NO. 218 4 Sections 48 Pages P18 frIday : SEPTEMBEr 18, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

noy: poe shouldn’t promise heaven

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ph says no to un Govt not inviting envoys looking into lumad slays By Vito Barcelo, Rey E. Requejo and Florante S. Solmerin

THE government has not issued an invitation to UN envoys to visit the Philippines despite a request from a human rights group that they look into allegations that lumad leaders are being killed by a paramilitary group working for the Army in Mindanao, the Foreign Affairs Department said Thursday.

UN special rapporteurs can conduct a country visit only if there is a formal invitation from the state. Karapatan, a human rights group, had sent a request to the UN special rapporteurs to investigate the lumad killings and urged the Aquino administration to allow the envoys to visit. But a spokesman from the Foreign Affairs Department said no such invitation has been issued to the UN. Karapatan on Thursday prodded the Justice Department to investigate the killings.

The group went to the Justice Department hoping to present some members of the tribe, including relatives and potential witnesses in the killings, to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. But De Lima was out and referred the group to an undersecretary instead. “We are dismayed because we want to directly address the issue with Secretary De Lima, especially since the relatives of the victims flew all the way from Mindanao just for the meeting,” said Cristina Palabay, Karapatan secretary-general. Next page

Escudero accepts offer to run with Grace By John Paolo Bencito and Macon R. araneta

Declaration. Senator Francis Escudero and his wife Heart Evangelista beam after Escudero declared his candidacy for vice president at Club Filipino in Greenhills. Lino SantoS

SENATOR Francis Escudero on Thursday accepted the offer of Senator Grace Poe to run as her vice presidential running mate for the 2016 polls. “I am Chiz Escudero, a Filipino, a son, husband, father, and a Bicolano public servant. With the grace of God and the Blessed Mother, I humbly offer myself to the mission of serving as your vice president … as the vice president of our country,” Escudero told a crowd of supporters at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan. “I believe that, as president, Senator Grace Poe or GP will lead a GP—Gobyernong may Puso or a government with heart,” said Escudero. Escudero said a government with a heart would be focusing on the needs of the poor, removing corruption and finding ways to cut the cost of basic goods and services and lowering taxes. “A government with heart will ensure our country progresses without leaving anyone behind,” said Escudero. “Senator Grace and I will establish a government with heart through a detailed platform for each agency, which will be based on their yearly budget,” Escudero said. He said there would be no room for the lazy or the slow in their government, which would move on their first day in office to address the country’s most pressing problems. Like Poe the day before, Escudero promised to push for the passage of a Freedom of Information bill to make government transparent. Next page


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