Sueno commends PNP-IAS for helping ‘cleanse’ police organization of rogues and scalawags

QUEZON CITY, Oct. 27 - Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ismael D. Sueno lauded the Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) for remaining true to its mandate of cleansing the police organization of misfits and scalawags.

Citing a report submitted by PNP- IAS Director, Chief Supt. Leo Angelo Leuterio, Sueno said PNP- IAS has so far conducted 1,261 motuproprio investigations on the deaths during police anti-illegal drug operations.?Of this number, 356 investigations are still pending; 27 have so far been terminated; 302 have been dropped and closed; 547 have been charged with administrative complaints; 28 have been submitted for summary hearing proceedings; and one has been submitted to disciplinary authorities following the resolution of the case by IAS.

At the same time, of the 164 PNP personnel who tested positive for illegal drugs during random drug testing, 126 have been levied with administrative complaints, nine have been submitted for summary hearing proceedings, and three have had their cases resolved. With regard to the 19 remaining personnel, lack of jurisdiction for various reasons has prompted IAS to resolve their cases with one personnel dismissed from the service; eight Absent on Official Leave; two dropped from the rolls; one deceased personnel; and seven non-uniformed personnel whose cases were forwarded to the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management.

“Recent investigations into police ops show that there are culprits among our ranks. That is not to be tolerated,” Sueno stressed. “Our policemen have a sacred duty to protect our people from the threat of illegal drugs and ensure peace and order from the barangay level upwards. There should be no room for hypocrisy or grave violation of the PNP’s mandate.”
 

He enjoined all concerned units in the PNP to unify their efforts in ridding the agency of criminal activity and addressing any irregularities within the force.

The Department Secretary also expressed dismay upon learning about the shooting incident on October 9, 2016, in Barangay Maligaya, Gloria, Oriental Mindoro, wherein two junior police officers were implicated in the shooting and killing of Citizen Crime Watch chairman ZenaidaMontejo Luz.

The policemen-suspects are facing murder charges and the case has been forwarded to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro.

The Secretary said he is closely monitoring the progress of the case and he is expecting that justice will be served. (DILG)

No need for US to pull out businesses in PHL – Palace

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella 

By Jelly F. Musico

MANILA, Oct. 24 (PNA) -- Malacañang on Monday allayed some US businessmen's worries about President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark that he is separating from the US, made last week during his state visit to China.

”There is no need to be pulling out any businesses in the country,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said during a media briefing at the Palace.

Abella noted that the President in fact is open to meeting with the US Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in the Philippines.

”Yes, definitely,” he answered when asked if Malacañang is open to meeting with BPOs, which employ at least 1.2 million Filipinos.

Actually, Abella said, the BPO groups have been trying to seek an audience with President Duterte.

”We have not yet any formal word about the appointment. But, basically, it is to formally reach out to the Office of the President and directly discuss the industry situation with the government,” he said.

The Palace official further clarified that no diplomatic ties have been severed with the US, the Philippines’ old and established military ally and economic partner.

”Basically, we’d just like to say that this… again, to reassure the industries that the separation is not severance of relationship of economic ties,” he said.

Abella reiterated that President Duterte was just separating from dependency on the US in terms of foreign policy.

”Again, let me just clarify: It is not separation. Basically, it was a declaration of independent, again, it’s a restatement of the independent foreign policy that the President has declared again and again,” he explained.

He also allayed fears of US-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that they would be affected by the Philippines’ "separation" from the US.

”Our OFWs will not be affected,” Abella assured.

In a recent television interview, outgoing US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said 45 percent of the OFWs’ annual remittances come from the US.

In a radio interview on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar explained that President Duterte was just stressing the need for the country to carve independent military and economy policies.

”We are still friends with them. We still respect the treaties – Mutual Defense Treaty, economic relationship. The President is not severing ties with our friendly western country brothers. We just want to manage our own business,” he said.

Andanar said Filipinos should be proud that “we have a President who raised our own flag proudly”.

Abella said the separation remark refers mainly to the joint military exercises with the US.

”There are about 25 more small exercises and three major exercises. But the treaties remain in place,” he said. (PNA)

Pres. Duterte underscores mutual respect, Filipinos’ dignity in 'separation' from US

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 22 (PNA) -- President Rodrigo Duterte has underscored the value of mutual respect for a sovereign nation and the dignity of Filipinos in pushing for an independent foreign policy for the Philippines, so no nation like the United States could dictate to it.

As he arrived Friday night from his state visit to the People’s Republic of China, President Duterte also said that his latest pronouncement that he is separating from the US should not be taken as severing ties with America.

He said there will be no severance of ties with the US.

“It’s not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties, you cut the diplomatic relations. I cannot do that. Why? It’s to the best interest of my country that we maintain that relationship. Why? Because there are many Filipinos in the United States… Americans of Filipino ancestry. Why? Because the people of my country are not ready to accept,” he explained.

He added that severing diplomatic ties with the US is not feasible. “Why? Because the Filipinos in the United States will kill me,” he said in jest.

No puppet

President Duterte further said that what he was referring to was a foreign policy that need not dovetail with the foreign policy of America.

He noted that in the past, the Philippines has always followed the cue from the United States. “We follow. Pasunod-sunod tayo. Hindi ako magsunod (We always follow. I will not follow),” he said.

Mutual respect

President Duterte aired his sentiments on why he has been negatively treating the US and pushing for a foreign policy free from the dictates of the US. He has been lashing out at US officials for criticizing his campaign to rid the Philippines of corruption, bring down the incidence of crime, and address problems on illegal drugs.

He even reminded the US about an incident in Davao in 2002 involving American Michael Terrence Meiring which the President termed as an affront to Philippine sovereignty.

“It has not really appeased me at all. Binastos tayo ng Amerika (America disrespected us),” he said.

After an explosion at the Evergreen Hotel on May 16, 2002, Meiring was spirited out of the Philippines, skipping government protocol. Until now, he said, no US government official has ever shown the results of their full-scale investigation after then ambassador to the Philippines Francis Ricciardone promised to do so.

“To this day, parang Batman and Robin mystery ‘yan (it’s like a Batman and Robin mystery),” President Duterte told reporters, adding, “I’ve been waiting for that report but until now, I haven’t so I really did not know what was the mystery about.”

Had it happened to America, they would raise hell for violating their sovereignty, he said.

“They will go to war. Kung tayo ginagawa nila sa atin (they have been doing that to us), there wasn’t even an apology for anything,” he added.

“Is that respect? Mutual respect?” the President asked.

“Tapos sabihin ninyo, (And then you would say,) America lives by the values of what? Whose value is it? Your value? Our values? Because if there is one thing that they did not really want, you know, if there is one thing that the Americans have failed miserably, it is upholding human dign

President Duterte's state visits to China and Brunei enhance trade ties

MANILA, Oct 22 (PNA) -- President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said his recent State Visits to Brunei Darussalam and the People’s Republic of China have strengthened the Philippines’ economic and diplomatic ties with both countries and have opened doors for more meaningful engagements as they discussed ways to deepen their bilateral relations and explored other areas of undertakings .

In his arrival message at the Davao International Airport upon returning from his trips to Brunei Darussalam and People’s Republic of China, the President said a clear focus was directed more on economic cooperation and partnership to benefit the people of the Philippines.

In his statement, the President has expressed his gratitude to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei for expressing his willingness to work in partnership with the Duterte administration’s quest for lasting peace in Mindanao.

“We secured Brunei’s commitment to help develop Mindanao halal industry, especially in certification and in capacity-building. Brunei and Mindanao can be twin hubs for the production and export of halal-certified products, “ he said.

At the same time, Duterte said he and Bolkiah agreed to intensify trade and investments and work closely to further bolster the role of the BIMP-EAGA in growing our economies.

“We also agreed to address connectivity issues through increased air and sea linkages to facilitate trade and commerce,” he said.

Both leaders agreed to fully cooperate to combat the illegal drugs trade and collaborate on maritime and defense issues, particularly in addressing transnational crimes, piracy and crimes at sea, and to immediately work together to transform these agenda into specific plans and actions.

Meanwhile, in all his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the President disclosed that he discussed with the Chinese leader a full range of Chinese-Philippine relations, from trade and investments, to infrastructure and tourism, and to science and technology and health.

“To realize the vision of a deeper and more meaningful engagement, we have opened formal lines of communications between our government and agreed on the full resumption of the regular bilateral consultations mechanisms which were put on hold for several years,” he said.

Duterte said the Philippines and China affirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace.

“We acknowledged the need to address disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law. We also agreed to continue discussions on confidence-building measures, including a bilateral consultation mechanism to discuss immediate issues of concern in South China Sea,” he added.

With regard to the government’s efforts to address the drug menace, the President said both countries agreed to continue to work on capacity building measures, equipment upgrading and support for rehabilitation purposes.

“With the shared objective of achieving greater growth and prosperity for our peoples, the Philippines and China jointly worked closely on building a robust economic agenda,” he said.

Duterte announced that the Philippines has also signed 13 agreements with the Chinese government, mostly economic in nature. This, he said, will provide the framework with which to carry out intensified cooperation between the two countries, thus renewing optimism in their trade relations.

He said his efforts to rekindle friendship with China has yielded in China’s commitment in public financing agreements and private business deals valued at 24 billion US dollars in soft loans, a move which he described to have enhanced the trade and investments between the two countries.

These agreements, covering various fields of economic activities, are expected to generate 2 million jobs for the Filipinos in the next five years, he said.

“Your government will continue to work very hard to ensure that these agreements bear concrete results that will better the lives of our people. We shall also make sure that the credit facility and the soft loans will solely be utilized in public financing that benefits all Filipinos,” he said.

The President stressed that his State Visit to China signaled a turning point in the shared history of both countries showing their capability to work together for mutual beneficial cooperation while maintaining a commitment to settle disputes peacefully, in adherence of international law.

“In every step that took the Philippines and China relations further forward, I was guided by my bounden duty to protect the sovereignty of our nation and the interests of our people,” Duterte said.

The President vowed to pursue the nation’s best interests in all his engagements abroad, consistent with his thrust for independent foreign policy anchored on the basic tenets of sovereignty, non-interference and mutual respect.

He said the Duterte administration will harness foreign relations, while instituting reforms in the country for its inclusive growth and sustainable development so that working abroad becomes an option and no longer a need for the Filipino people.

               

               

               

               

Hugpong Federal Movement being organized into a political party

from left Atty. Joel Obar, National Legal Counsel of HFMP,  Sec. Gen Vergilio S. Dela Cruz HFMP and  block t-shirt Celso Tizon, National Chairman of HFMP

DUMAGUETE CITY, Oct. 20 (PNA) -- The national legal counsel of the Hugpong Federal Movement in the Philippines is happy to report the country is ready for the conversion of the movement into a national political party of the President.

In his words, Atty. Joel Obar said the country is already transformed into such and has been organized all over the country.

Obar just organized the Hugpong Federal Movement in Marawi and is off to Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte with a crowd of “Lumads” after which he will then proceed to an Igorot group in Baguio up to Kalinga and Laoag over the weekend.

With growing membership around the country, Obar believes formation of the national political party of the President is in order, with the expected merge of Hugpong ang the Kilusang Pagbabago, which is expected to be accomplished within the year.

Obar said once the Hugpong Federal Party of the Philippines is formed, it will be the party to follow through all the reform programs of President Rodrigo Duterte as the Hugpong Federal Movement and the Kilusan ng Pagbabago await the creation of the Presidential Commission on Federalism which is tasked to draft the Duterte version to be submitted to either the Constitutional Convention, Constituent Assembly or if not, to the People's Initiative.

Meanwhile, the position of the Hugpong Federal Movement of the Philippines is to sustain and maintain the Negros Island Region (NIR).

National legal counsel Atty. Joel Obar said Hugpong will push for the retention of NIR in requesting the President for a reconsideration.

Everybody knows that the formation of the NIR was a political bribe of the Liberal Party hoping that they will win in the elections with the LP standard bearer former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas even without a budget, Obar pointed out.

Obar believes the President could be listening to requests from different sectors to maintain the NIR because to date, the executive order that is supposed to dissolve the newly-born region has not been signed, and that many are crossing their fingers that eventually NIR will become another state of the federal form of government. (PNA)