Politiko Publishes Fake News

Branding itself "the Bible of Philippine politics" Politiko is one of the most popular news websites in the Philippines. Politiko's Twitter bio describes themselves thusly:

https://politics.com.ph/

Blocked by PLDT-SMART. Banned by Rappler. News they don’t want you to read.

https://twitter.com/Politiko_Ph

A glance at their website reveals news no different from what everyone else is reporting.  There might be a soft spin article or two such as "Bono a Victim of Fake News, Mocha Uson Says" which is basically a glorified retweet but there are certainly no hard hitting investigative journalistic pieces. No one at Politiko is investigating prior knowledge of the Marawi siege. No one at Politiko is investigating the lies and follies of the AFP in the 50 year war on terror and insurgency. There is no "News they don't want you to read" on their webpage. It's rather ho-hum normie fluff in that respect. And no wonder! Their website's description reveals that Politko is nothing more than Rappler with a different agenda.

Politiko: We are a social news blog where politikos, their kin, friends, and allies are the center of the universe. We write about their words and deeds, likes and dislikes, dreams and fears. We are here to entertain and provoke and hopefully inform you along the way. 

https://politics.com.ph/about-us/ 

Welcome to Rappler, a social news network where stories inspire community engagement and digitally fuelled actions for social change. Rappler comes from the root words "rap" (to discuss) + "ripple" (to make waves). It's a new world of limitless collaboration enabled by new technology and connected by social media.

https://www.rappler.com/about-rappler/about-us/385-about-rappler

Politiko maybe be entertaining their readers but they are not always informing them, which according to their description is quite literally the last thing they want to do, because in the past they have published fake news and despite having been proven to be false this news remains on their website without any retractions.

https://politics.com.ph/lara-croft-in-a-suit-incoming-us-envoy-to-ph-mina-chang-is-a-lethal-weapon-with-beauty-brains/

The United States has reportedly found the perfect replacement for outgoing United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim amid the Duterte administration’s continued pivot to China. 

US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Mina Chang could be the new American envoy to the Philippines, according to insider information from the executive department. 

Chang’s academic credentials are impressive. She graduated from Harvard Business School, and attended a national security seminar at the United States Army War College. 

Meantime, the US Embassy in Manila clarified that Chang is being eyed as the next Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development for the Bureau of Asia. 

“We’ve seen this claim. It is not true,” the embassy said in a statement about reports Chang might be the next top US envoy in Manila.

Look at the way this article progresses.  The headline declares that Mina Chang is the incoming US envoy to the Philippines. The first and second sentences cast doubt on that assertion by using the words "reportedly" and "could be." By the end of the article we get a complete repudiation from the US embassy. Politiko contradicts themselves in the headline and the body of the article and they published it anyway! Why? One also wonders who the insider informant is and from which executive department he works, the PHL or the USA? 

This article was published on July 10th, 2019 but a day before that Thinking Pinoy published the following:

Thinking Pinoy Facebook

Did Politiko get their news story from Thinking Pinoy or did he get the scoop from them and beat them to the punch? Whatever the case both Politiko and TP were duped into believing and publishing this fake news. Just a few months later in November 2019 Mina Chang resigned from the US State Dept. because she lied about her credentials which Politiko calls impressive.

So call me a skeptic when I am slow to believe Politiko's newest and most salacious scoop.

https://politics.com.ph/visa-cancelled-bato-banned-in-us/

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa can no longer visit the United States after Washington intensified its crackdown on supposed violators of human rights. 

Politiko found that Dela Rosa’s US visa has reportedly been cancelled since May in accordance with the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA). 

However, the ARIA also imposes sanctions on individuals or entities which violate human rights. 

Politiko’s source said Dela Rosa’s visa was reportedly cancelled over his alleged involvement in the supposed extrajudicial killungs of drug suspects when he was chief of the Philippine National Police. 

A source told Politiko that the ARIA states that none of the amount set aside for the PNP’s counternarcotics assistance can be released “unless the Secretary of State determines and reports to the appropriate commttees of Congress that the Government of the Philippines has adopted and is implementing a counternarcotics strategy that is consistent with international human rights standards, including investigating and prosecuting individuals who are credibly alleged to have ordered, coommitted or covered up extrajudicial killngs and other gross violations of human rights in the conduct of counternarcotics operations.”

Again an unnamed source is giving a juicy scoop that no one else has! The dream of every news outlet, right? True or not there is a salacious scoop here and it is not the cancellation of Bato's visa. It is the ARIA. This article should either be much larger or there should be an accompanying article exploring the ARIA in depth which is what I intend to do with the rest of this article. Not in depth of course but just enough to make you see that Politiko is worthless as a news organisation.

You can find a PDF of the ARIA here. In a word the Asia Reassurance Initiatve Act is intended to distribute billions of dollars over 5 years to various countries in order to advance US interests in East Asia.

TITLE I—PROMOTING UNITED STATES SECURITY INTERESTS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION 

SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated for the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, and, as appropriate, the Department of Defense $1,500,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2019 through 2023, which shall be used— 

(1) to advance United States foreign policy interests and objectives in the Indo-Pacific region in recognition of the value of diplomatic initiatives and programs in the furtherance of United States strategy; 

(2) to bolster the United States military presence and readiness in the Indo-Pacific region for the purpose of deterring and defending against provocative actions, including by improving the defense infrastructure and critical munitions stockpiles of the United States Armed Forces; 

(3) to improve the defense capacity of partner nations to resist coercion and to deter and defend against security threats, including through foreign military financing and international military edu- cation and training programs;

The whole act goes on and on in this vein. The ARIA is a tool to advance US hegemony in East Asia. For our purposes we shall only look at instances where the Philippines is mentioned.

1. (d) PHILIPPINES.—Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) may not be made available for counter-narcotics assistance (other than maritime programs) for the Philippine National Police unless the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the appropriate committees of Congress that the Government of the Philippines has adopted and is implementing a counternarcotics strategy that complies with international norms of due process.

Subsection (a) is listed above and includes the $1.5 billion appropriation for this program. The first thing to notice here is that money is available to Philippine counter-narcotics maritime programs without any investigation as to their compliance with "international norms of due process." The second thing to notice is that money is available to the PNP to fight the war on drugs IF the Secretary of State has certified that the PNP is complying with "international norms of due process." The third thing to notice is that any money would come from the US DoD and USAID!! Why would the PNP want to receive money from the US DoD and the CIA front USAID? And how much has been accepted by Philippine maritime programs? Does the recent turnover of a patrol boat facility to the PNP fall under ARIA?

https://ph.usembassy.gov/us-and-philippine-partners-inaugurate-philippine-national-police-patrol-boat-facility/

Representatives from the U.S. Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF West), the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s counternarcotics task force in the Indo-Pacific region, and officials from the Philippine National Police – Maritime Group (PNP-MG) presided over a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new PNP-MG patrol boat facility today in Lantawan, Basilan. 

The nearly $2 million, PHP 100,000,000, facility includes a boat ramp, pier, armory, offices, barracks, and a lab.  In recent years, JIATF West has partnered with the PNP-MG to open several such facilities throughout the southern Philippines. 

According to Mr. Earl Hampton, JIATF West Deputy Director, the facility will improve the PNP-MG’s ability to conduct counternarcotics patrols and thwart the activity of transnational criminal organizations in the southwest Mindanao archipelago and Sulu Sea.

Mr. Hampton also noted that U.S. forces have been providing support and assistance to the Philippines for many years, at the request of successive Philippine administrations.

It could very well be that the turnover of this facility and the plan to open more such facilities falls under the auspices of ARIA. That's something a crack investigative reporter with all the resources I do not have should look into. Don't expect Politiko to do it.

2. SEC. 102. TREATY ALLIANCES IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION. 

 (d) UNITED STATES-PHILIPPINES ALLIANCE.—The United States Government is committed to the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America, done at Washington August 30, 1951, and subsequent bilateral security agree- ments, including the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, done at Manila April 28, 2014.

Nothing new here. We all know about the Mutual Defense Treaty and the EDCA. Never forget Duterte signed the EDCA treaty. Not very anti-American is he?

3. SEC. 105. UNITED STATES-ASEAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP. 

(7) urge ASEAN member states to develop a common approach to reaffirm the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s ruling with respect to the case between the Republic of the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China.

It's no secret that the USA seeks to hedge in China and limit their influence in the Indo-Pacific region. This is probably the only area in which Duterte is of a different mind than the USA. There will be a lot of damage for the USA to reverse once he leaves office. That's part of ARIA is all about.

4. SEC. 113. COMBATING TERRORISM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. 

(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and other appropriate officials, shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress that contains an assessment of the current and future capabilities and activities of ISIS-linked, al-Qaeda-linked, and other violent extremist groups in Southeast Asia that pose a significant threat to the United States, its allies, and its citizens interests abroad. 

(4) a detailed assessment of the capabilities of ISIS-linked, al-Qaeda-linked, and other violent extremist group-affiliated fighters to operate effectively in countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia;

This would seem to be an assessment different from that of the quarterly reports offered by Indo-Pacific Command through Operation Pacific Eagle.

5. TITLE III—PROMOTING UNITED STATES VALUES IN THE INDO- PACIFIC REGION 

SEC. 301. FINDINGS. 

Congress finds that— 

(1) the promotion of human rights and respect for democratic values in the Indo-Pacific region is in the United States national security interests; 

(2) there are serious concerns with the rule of law and civil liberties in Cambodia, China, North Korea, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, which have all been identified by Freedom House as ‘‘Not Free’’; 

(3) there have been recent disturbing human rights developments in— 

(A) Burma (Myanmar), which has been identified by Freedom House as ‘‘Not Free’’; and 

(B) the Philippines, which has been identified by Freedom House as ‘‘Partly Free’’; and  

(4) according to the National Security Strategy, the United States— 

(A) will ‘‘support, with our words and actions, those who live under oppressive regimes and who seek freedom, individual dignity, and the rule of law’’; 

(B) ‘‘may use diplomacy, sanctions, and other tools to isolate states and leaders who threaten our interests and whose actions run contrary to our values’’; and 

(C) ‘‘will support efforts to advance women’s equality, protect the rights of women and girls, and promote women and youth empowerment programs.’’.

Here is the freedom score card for the Philippines from Freedom House.

https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2019/philippines

Section 4 (B)'s "other tools" could explain why the US Senate passed a resolution urging the freeing of Sen. DeLima. But does the Philippines really threaten the interests of the USA? Philippine and US relations remain rather tight despite Duterte's anti-American rhetoric which has proved mostly empty as the US continues to give billions in all kinds of aid each year, especially military.

Now to the most pertinent section as it applies to Bato's alleged visa cancellation.

SEC. 304. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS AND SUSPENSION OF UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE. 

(a) SANCTIONS.—The President is authorized to impose sanctions, in accordance with applicable law, including financial penalties and visa bans, on any individual or entity that— 

(1) violates human rights or religious freedoms; or 

(2) engages in censorship activities. 

(b) SUSPENSION OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE.—The President is authorized, in accordance with applicable law, to terminate, suspend, or otherwise alter United States economic assistance to any country that has engaged in serious violations of human rights or religious freedoms.

The President is authorised to cancel visas and foreign assistance to any person or entity who violates human rights. That means, according to Politiko, President Trump cancelled Bato's visa for violating human rights via EJKs but has not suspended foreign assistance to the Philippines despite all the many alleged human rights violations by the Duterte government.  Does that make sense? That Trump would single out one man and leave the rest of the country be?  Trump is not an opponent of Duterte's drug war. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/02/26/1791554/trump-says-filipinos-dont-have-drug-problem-because-they-kill-dealers-report

Whether or not Bato's visa has been cancelled, and we will all know the truth of that soon enough, the much larger issue here is the ARIA and how it reveals the USA's long term plans for East Asia. That is the real scoop. A full analysis of the ARIA and the compliance of the Philippine government with those plans is real news they, meaning the Duterte administration and the US DoD, do not want you to read. But Politiko is too normie and blue-pilled to give their readers that kind of information.

Retards in the Government 132

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1198809/cops-told-enforce-law-even-if-violator-is-friend-of-some-govt-big-shot

“We will no longer tolerate this. Anyone who will not enforce the law just because somebody tells them that he is a friend of some government big shot will be charged administratively for negligence,” the acting police chief said. 

“Bawal na ang mga nagpapasindak sa mga nagpapakita ng mga calling card (Intimidation by those showing off calling cards is no longer allowed),” he added.

It's a pretty bad situation when you have to tell the cops to enforce the law. It's their job!

https://www.panaynews.net/serve-like-superheroes-capiz-cops-told/

“People always seek and look for the police when they are in trouble. Let them feel that you are the true superheroes,” Gustilo said, reminding them to avoid getting involved in illegal activities particularly illegal drugs and leave behind a legacy of good service reputation to their name, family and the police organization.

More of the same. PNP leadership has to tell their officers to do their jobs and refrain from criminal activities.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1088180

The Agusan del Sur Provincial Police Office (ADSPPO) has launched a manhunt against a patrolman who shot his superior officer. 

In a statement on Saturday, Col. Ringo Zarsozo, ADSPPO chief, said they have set up checkpoints in the towns of Bunawan, Rosario, Trento and other areas in Agusan del Sur to capture the suspect, Patrolman Jhon Paul Gerida. 

Gerida was assigned at the 2nd Agusan del Sur Provincial Mobile Force Company based in Barangay Bunawan Brook, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur. 

A report of the Bunawan police showed that Gerida was called to the office of his superior officer, Lt. Col. Rex Lomente on Friday night.  

After several minutes, gunfire was heard from the Lomente’s office, the police report said. 

Members of the mobile force immediately rushed inside the office and found the officer with a gunshot wound in the head, police said.

A PNP officer shot his superior dead.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1199667/ex-pdea-agent-felled-by-assassins-bullets-in-baguio

An unidentified gunman killed a 58-year-old retired agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) here on Monday, Dec. 9, police said 

Investigators said the ex-PDEA agent, Samuel Lopez Mora, was driving his Toyota Hilux pickup along the Marcos Highway at KM 4 when the motorcycle-riding assailant shot him several times around 7:30 a.m.

Ex-PDEA agent killed by a motorcycle assassin. Another government employee assassinated.  Nothing new here.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1199568/retired-cop-killed-in-rizal-drug-bust

A newly – retired police officer who is also a drug suspect was killed in a buy-bust operation in Quezon City before dawn on Monday. 

Retired Cpl. Tirso Agustin Lactaotao, 48, died in a buy-bust launched by the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) in Barangay Novaliches Proper at 12:25 a.m. 

The operation was conducted by the Regional Special Operations Group of the National Capital Region Police Office and  Calabarzon police. 

According to a report from PNP-IMEG, the operation led to a shootout when the Lactaotao suddenly opened fire when he apparently sensed that he was transacting with an undercover police officer. 

Lactaotao availed of optional retirement from the PNP in November. 

According to IMEG, the operation was part of the crackdown against police officers involved in recycling or peddling illegal drugs. IMEG is the police unit tasked to run after erring police personnel. 

Police said that based on intelligence reports, Lactaotao has been involved in the illegal drug trade.

There are many mysterious things about this incident. The man was newly retired at the very young age of 48. He was known to be involved in the drug trade. Did the PNP bungle this operation? Would they think that the man would not be able to tell who is an undercover? But there's more!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1199588/slain-retired-policeman-linked-to-over-10-ninja-cops-pnp

(Other units save [drugs], and he is the one who distributes. Others don’t distribute because they have a distributor.) 

Reyes said some of these police officers are assigned in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon. 

IMEG, the unit tasked to run after scalawag personnel of the PNP, is currently conducting surveillance on officers identified to be linked to the slain suspect, who had availed of optional retirement only in November. 

Their operations, said Reyes, are not organized. He explained these erring officers are just aware of each other’s illegal acts and even occasionally asks who among them will “dispose” recycled drugs. 

“Magkakakilala na mayroong pangdispose so ‘yun, nagtatanungan sila (They know each other and have drugs to dispose so they ask each other),” he said.

Contrary to Reyes this operation sounds rather organised. Some cops save drugs and have them distributed by other cops. Very standard ninja cop practice. Sounds like it has been happening for quite a while. Sounds like these ninja cops are known by name. So why have the been allowed to operate for so long?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1199610/22-ninja-cops-ceased-drug-recycling-says-pnp

The 22 so-called ninja cops, or police officers recycling drugs confiscated in buy-busts and raids, have ceased their illegal operations, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday. 

“Sa nakikita natin ay mukhang tumigil naman na sila sa kanilang mga ilegal na gawain (Based on what we see, it seems they have stopped their illegal activities),” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a press briefing. 

He said it is possible that the 22 police officers decided to lay low their crooked acts, especially after the controversy on drug recycling among the police force hogged the headlines in the previous months, eventually leading retired Gen. Oscar Albayalde to vacate his post as PNP chief in October. 

Banac said the PNP continues to monitor the activities of these 22 police officers. 

“Hindi tayo titigil hanggang hindi natin malinis ang buong hanay ng PNP ng tiwali na mga pulis (We will not stop until we rid our ranks of all erring personnel),” he added.

So they know who these ninja cops are and they choose to keep them on active duty? Why? Why don't they arrest them?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1088522

Unidentified gunmen shot and killed on Wednesday afternoon a former village chair of the Maguindanao town of Shariff Saydona Mustapha while he was inside an “Ukay-Ukay” (second-hand clothing) store in the city. 

Maj. Rustom Pastolero, city police station 2 commander, identified the victim as Basit Macmod Taguigaya, 40, former chair of Barangay Poblacion. 

Taguigaya, who had been residing in Shariff Aguak town, Maguindanao, was standing inside the “Ukay-Ukay” store near the Cotabato City plaza when two men arrived and opened fire on him at about 1 p.m., police said.

Another ex-LGU assassinated in public by unknown assailants. Nothing new here.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1031476

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Regional 7 along with the Philippine National Police (PNP), regional trial courts, and Cebu Provincial Government led the destruction of seized dangerous drugs with an estimated market value of P194,221,005.82 at the Apo Cement Corporation in Tinaan, City of Naga on Dec. 10, 2019 

These are 26,853.48 grams of shabu (P182,603,633.40), 559.09 milliliters of nalbuphine (P139,772.50), 52,504.67 grams of marijuana (P6,300,559.92), and 976.80 grams of cocaine (P5,177,040.00). 

The illegal drugs were seized as far back as 1994 up to 2019. 

At first glance this is a pure;y good thing. But below the surface thee is trouble. The PDEA has held onto these drugs since 1994 for one stupid reason: they have zero budget to destroy drugs because the offender is supposed to shoulder those expenses.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/274850/pdea-7-to-get-two-incinerators-from-cebu-city

The Cebu City Government is giving two incinerators, worth P2 million, to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7).  

This move followed after the Cebu City Council and Mayor Edgardo Labella approved the amount alloted for the incinerators during the regular session on Tuesday, December 10.  

The budget will be taken from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) funds of the city for 2019. 

Cebu City Councilor Antonio Cuenco has proposed to help the PDEA-7 after they reported to the council during the Citizen’s Hour on October 22, 2019 that the agency does not have the equipment to destroy the drugs that they confiscated in drug busts. 

PDEA-7 Director Wardley Getalla said the incineration would cost at least P16, 000 per session regardless of the volume of drugs to be incinerated.  

There is no allocation for drug incineration in PDEA’s annual budget because the offender is supposed to shoulder the expenses. 

In the history of PDEA-7, no offender spent money for the destruction of the drugs.  

This is why PDEA-7 had to find other ways to ensure the proper disposal of the illegal drugs.  

This is the reason why the agency can only afford to destroy illegal drugs by bulk. The recent drug incineration happened last Tuesday, December 10, in Naga City. 

How about the PDEA aching their protocol and allocate a budget to destroy the drugs? That would ensure drugs don't stick around for years taking up space and tempting would-be ninja cops. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1200984/pdea-about-186-local-drug-groups-operate-in-philippines

“Based on our report, I think we have about 186 local drug groups in the Philippines,” PDEA chief Aaron Aquino bared in a Palace briefing Thursday. 

However, Aquino cannot quantify how many international drug rings are in the country but he cited the recent capture of alleged drug lord Hong Liangyi, the supposed head of the Dragon Wu drug syndicate. 

He said the Chinese national ran drug laboratories discovered in Ibaan, Batangas; Tagaytay; and Malabon 

Aquino said PDEA is coordinating with their Chinese counterparts to go after other members of the Dragon Wu group. He added that the group traces its roots to the so-called “Golden Triangle” area which is notorious for being a drug-producing region. 

The PDEA chief also revealed that they are currently monitoring several “Chinese-looking” individuals who pose as divers to search for cocaine in Bicol and Caraga areas. 

“We are now conducting investigations because marami tayong nakikitang mga Chinese-looking persons na nagco-conduct ng diving diyan sa mga areas na ‘yan kung saan ang discoveries ng cocaine pero hindi naman diving sites (there are many Chinese-looking persons who go diving in those areas where cocaine has been discovered, even though those are not diving sites),” he said.

From this report it sounds like Aquino is admitting that the Chinese play a large role in the drug trade in the Philippines.  Why then did he contradict not only Robredo but the PDEA's own past reports that China is a main source of drugs into the Philippines? Is it just a technicality? Like the drug lords and gang are Chinese but the drugs themselves come from other countries?

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/12/12/1976509/p7528-monthly-no-frills-food-budget-unrealistic-government-told

Government's claim that a family of five can subsist on P7,528 a month on a "no frills" diet denies the realities that the poor in the Philippines face, fisherfolks' and farmers' groups said. 

Fisherfolk federation Pamalakaya (Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas) said the Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia should "get real," while peasant women's federation Amihan said the claims were indicative of "government neglect and non-intention for authentic poverty alleviation." 

"Instead of sincerely working for poverty alleviation, they deny even the impoverished state of the people," Pamalakaya chairperson Fernando Hicap, a former party-list congressman, said in a press statement. 

This came after Philippine Statistics Authority Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista said on Wednesday that P10,727 is the minimum amount for a family to afford basic items. 

“That is known as basic needs so 'no frills'. No fancy items there [and] I’m sure many families are subsisting with that kind of budget,” Pernia explained at a press briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday.  

The World Bank has been using $1.90/day as its International Poverty Line since 2015. In 2019, that is around P96.45 per day or around P2893.50 a month and around P14,467.50 a month for a family of five. 

NEDA officials at the briefing even presented a sample menu of food items they said could sufficiently feed a family of five for just P7,528 a month. 

The "sample menu" included a lunch of boiled monggo with malunggay to go with dried dilis, steamed rice, and a banana. Bautista said the items listed in the menu would meet 100% of the energy requirements along with four-fifths the requirement for protein, calcium, and iron. 

"Actually, that is not enough because of high prices of rice, vegetables, meat, fish and other items at the market," Zenaida Soriano, Amihan national chairperson, said in Filipino in a separate press release. She said the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law, which lowered income taxes but also raised excise taxes on fuel, caused the increase in prices. 

According to Pamalakaya, the sample food budget would mean that an average meal of P81 would be adequate for a family of five.

Imagine thinking a family of five can be fed at the rate of P81 for each meal!  The government really does not understand the plight of the poor.

https://www.philstar.com/sports/2019/12/12/1976488/cayetano-blasted-online-sea-games-closing-rant

Barely the euphoria of the 30th SEA Games’ closing ceremony had subsided, social media was abuzz with scathing comments on House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s long speech that delved much on politics, clichés and his wife.  

Cayetano’s rant against critics of the Philippines’ hosting of the Games left an indelible mark to an otherwise grand, athlete-centered affair, ending it with a sarcastically “Peace be with you” line and sign. 

After a couple of speakers, Cayetano took the podium and delivered his piece, capping it with: 

“For those of you who did not believe, for those of you who said this could not be done, for those of you who said this stadium will not be built on time, for those of you who said ‘sayang ang pera (waste of money), dapat hindi tayo nag-host (we should not have hosted),’ sa lahat ng nagkalat ng fake news (for all those who spread fake news), ang masasabi ko sa inyo, at ito itaga niyo sa bato: (what I can say to you, and you can cast this in stone): Peace be with you,” said Cayetano while flashing the peace sign.

After all the criticism he faced for the mess ups during the beginning of the games Cayetano gave a rambling speech where he talked mostly about himself and politics rather then focusing on the athletes and the games.

American Found Naked And Dead In Dumaguete Apartment

An American was found naked and dead in the living room of the apartment he was renting in Dumaguete.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/273250/american-national-found-dead-inside-rented-apartment-in-dumaguete

An American national was found dead inside his rented apartment in Barangay Mangnao here on Monday evening, December 1, 2019. 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilfredo Alarcon, Dumaguete City Police Chief, said the body of Harold Kenneth Smith, 69 years old and a native of Michigan, USA, was discovered by the apartment owner, Ely Abarado. 

According to a police report, Smith was alone in his rented apartment when the owner noticed that the victim didn’t come out for the whole day. 

This prompted the owner to open the back door of the apartment. 

Initial investigation revealed that once inside the living room, Abarado saw the body of the victim with no clothes on. 

Police found no signs of foul play. 

All the personal belongings and valuable items of the victim were also intact, the police said. 

Joan Catan Smith, wife of the victim who arrived at the apartment later, said her husband was suffering from a Chronic Pulmonary Disorder. 

The City Heath Officer is expected to conduct a post mortem examination on the body of the American national to determine the exact cause of his death.  

Police Staff Sergeant Catalino Entea, investigator on the case, said the wife of the victim won’t have the body autopsied since she was fully convinced that her husband’s death was caused by health problems

Is this not the hope of every American retiree? To die naked in the living room of their rented apartment and have a photo of their nude corpse posted on the internet? At 69 the man was not young but plenty of people live healthy enough lives into their 80s and beyond. But some things in this story do not sound right.

Obviously I do not know anything about this guy or his routine but is it really all that strange if one never leaves the house all day? Sometimes I never leave mine. But it must have been strange if it prompted the owner of the apartment to OPEN THE DOOR AND WALK RIGHT IN!  Did he knock? Did he call? 

And where was the wife all day? Again there are scant details here but is she always gone all day? Funny that she does not want an autopsy because she is "fully convinced" that he died from his chronic pulmonary disorder. Wouldn't she want to be 100% about it? Maybe he died from something else? 

Why was he naked in his living room? Did he get out of the bath and collapse on his way back to the bedroom? Does he strut around naked often? 

Too many questions.  Maybe its all above board. The media could at least have the decency to not publish a picture of a corpse. Any corpse. But that's not how things work here. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of ageing foreigners face the prospect of their bodies being shown in the news after they have collapsed and died. 

National Human Rights Consciousness Week

Did you know that every year the week of December 4th to December 10th is National Human Rights Consciousness Week?  I did not until I saw this banner hung up by the PNP.

Can you say irony? Believe it or not the PNP really does promote NHRC week.  Here is an FB post from last year, 2018.

https://www.facebook.com/pnp.pio/posts/2421590221215553

I think you know exactly what I will say here. We all know the PNP's human rights record is not exactly stellar. It is not only the PNP who is directed to celebrate NHRC week.  All government offices are to do so.  Here is the law, R.A. 9201 in full.

Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
Metro Manila

Twelfth Congress
Second Regular Session

Begun held in Metro Manila on Monday, the twenty-second day of July, two thousand two

Republic Act No. 9201             April 01, 2003

AN ACT DECLARING DECEMBER 4 TO 10 AS NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CONSCIOUSNESS WEEK IN THE COUNTRY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the "National Human Rights Consciousness Week Act of 2002".

SEC. 2. December 4 to 10 is hereby declared as National Human Rights Consciousness Week in the country.

SEC. 3. All government agencies, including government-owned and-controlled corporations, shall celebrate the week through simple and appropriate ceremonies and activities to make the people aware of their basic human rights in relation to the functions and services offered by these government instrumentalities.

SEC. 4. All levels of education/learning institutions, both public and private, shall celebrate the week through simple adn appropriate ceremonies and activities to propagate, particularly among the students, a human rights culture that aims at sustainable development in the country.

SEC. 5. A national committee composed of the following shall take the lead in the preparation and implementation of the guidelines on how to celebrate the week through simple and appropriate ceremonies and activities:

(1) Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights		-	Chairperson;
(2) Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission		-	Vice-Chairperson;
(3) One (1) representative from each of the following government agencies as members:
	(a) Department of Education;
	(b) Department of National Defense;
	(c) Department of Justice;
	(d) Department of Social Welfare and Development;
	(e) Department of Foreign Affairs;
	(f) Department of Labor and Employment;
	(g) Department of the Interior and Local Government;
	(h) Philippine National Police
(4) One (1) representative each from two (2) human rights nongovernment organizations as members, to be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Commission on Human Rights

SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.1ªvvphï|.ñêt

Approved,

FRANKLIN DRILON President of the Senate

JOSE DE VENECIA JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2413 and House Bill No. 4526 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on December 3, 2002 and January 13, 2003 respectiveley

OSCAR G. YABES Secretary of Senate

ROBERTO P. NAZARENO Secretary General House of Represenatives

Approved: April 1, 2003

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President of the Philippines

https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2003/ra_9201_2003.html

Approved April 1st 2003.  April Fools day. Figures huh?  Take note of section 3.

SEC. 3. All government agencies, including government-owned and-controlled corporations, shall celebrate the week through simple and appropriate ceremonies and activities to make the people aware of their basic human rights in relation to the functions and services offered by these government instrumentalities.

How will all government agencies celebrate NHRC week under the Duterte administration?  The man has publicly made known his disdain for human rights.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/rodrigo-duterte-human-rights-160806211448623.html

Earlier on Saturday, Duterte had vowed to keep his "shoot-to-kill" order "until the last day of my term, if I'm still alive by then". 

"I don't care about human rights, believe me," he said, according to official transcripts released by the presidential palace.

Maybe I do not pay attention enough but I have never heard of this National Human Rights Consciousness Week until now and probably for good reason. Human rights are not a big deal in the Philippines and the record of the PNP, AFP, and the government in general, not just under the Duterte administration bears this out.

Martial Law: Lifting of Martial Law

Duterte has said he will rely on the recommendations of the PNP, AFP, and DND on whether to renew the martial law extension or not. Last month the PNP, DND, and AFP all said they would not issue such a recommendation and they seem to be sticking to that decision.

https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/8/20/Defense-chief-recommends-non-extension-of-Mindanao-martial-law.html

Defense Secretary Delfin said on Wednesday he has recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte to no longer extend martial law in Mindanao beyond this year. 

“Yes, confirmed. No extension,” said Lorenzana in a phone message to CNN Philippines, without giving details. 

In a statement, Lorenzana said the purpose of martial law has been accomplished. 

"Our security forces have determined that the purpose of implementing martial law has been attained and the prevailing conditions in the whole of Mindanao Island as well as the Islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi have greatly improved since the defeat of the Maute fighters in October 2017," said the Defense chief. 

He added, "The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) believes that the Maute group and other threat groups can no longer launch a Marawi-type attack as their forces and capabilities have significantly dwindled." 

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) also confirmed that it has sent its recommendation to the Department of National Defense and the Department of Interior and Local Government to lift the martial law soon. 

"The PNP confirms its recommendation submitted to the Department of National Defense and the Department of Interior and Local Government, and concurs with the AFP assessment, for the lifting of martial law and that it may no longer be extended beyond the authorized period," said PNP Spokesperson PBGen. Bernard Banac in a statement.

Some would say the purpose of martial law ran out long ago as soon as Marawi was liberated. It maybe that no group could launch an attack on the scale of Marawi but they are still capable of doing a lot of damage.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1197288/t1204minbreak1

According to military intelligence, the BIFF has been plotting to distribute these powerful bombs along Maguindanao roads regularly used by the military and in populated areas of Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces. 

“These terrorists are using IEDs that pose grave dangers to our troops in a desperate attempt to overpower our soldiers,” said Carreon.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1198380/govt-troops-find-more-bombs-in-maguindanao

Government troops found six more powerful improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Maguindanao Wednesday as the military intensified its offensive against Islamic State-linked militants. 

The total number of IEDs recovered since the operations began on Nov. 24 is now 20. Earlier, soldiers found 14 IEDs in various hideouts of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1088160

Government troops belonging to the Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (MIB) recovered on Friday war materiel from fleeing Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. 

Among the weapons recovered were one 40-mm. grenade launcher, one 60-mm. mortar tube launcher, black powder, and metal grindings used to manufacture improvised bombs. 

“Our troopers are continuously scouring Sitio Maybunga for more homemade bombs left behind by the fleeing terror group,” Carreon said.

The BIFF and the AFP have been clashing which has led to the displacement of 40,000 people.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1197745/40000-flee-as-clashes-rage-in-maguindanao

Close to 40,000 residents have been displaced by the ongoing clashes between government forces and members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao province, social welfare officials said on Tuesday. 

Emma Ali, Maguindanao provincial social welfare chief, said the number of internally displaced persons had reached 38,235 and was still rising in evacuation centers. Some of them had taken refuge in homes of their relatives. 

Ali said Shariff Saydona Mustapha town in Maguindanao posted the highest number of evacuees at 3,668 families, followed by Datu Saudi Ampatuan town, 2,021; and Shariff Aguak town, 1,958. 

“The number of evacuees rises and falls every now and then, depending on what happens overnight,” Ali said. At one point, the number rose to 48,000 since the fighting between government troops and the BIFF rebels broke out on Nov. 24. 

“When there are explosions and shelling at night, people move to safer grounds,” Ali said. “That explains why people in conflict areas have their valuables ready in tricycles or carabao-drawn carts for quick movement.”

It appears Maguindano province is under siege. BIFF certainly poses a major threat. If they ever got a chance to set off any of those IED's scores could end up dead. It is a good thing that the AFP continues to go after them but perhaps there should be a limited martial in Sulu and Eastern Mindanao which is where all the terrorism is happening? This was discussed earlier but now it appears that a wholesale lifting of martial law in Mindanao is what will be recommended to Duterte. Former AFP Chief, now DILG Secretary, Año has different reasons that Lorezana for recommending no more martial law.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1198403/fwd-dilg-chief-end-of-martial-law-to-benefit-mindanaos-economy

Año said the windup of martial law in Mindanao will benefit the economy in the South, bringing with it more local and foreign investments and increase tourist arrivals in the region. 

“We believe that the lifting of martial law will be advantageous to the economy as it will signal the full return to normalcy and the end to perceived security risks of investing and travelling to Mindanao,” he said in a statement. 

According to Año, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) agrees with Lorenzana that the purpose of martial law in Mindanao has already been attained based on the assessment of the police and the military. 

He said “normalcy has returned” to entire Mindanao, and the peace and order situation in the area has “remarkably improved” compared to when martial law was declared in 2017 at the height of the Marawi siege.

Año thinks marital law should be lifted as it will a boon for the economy and for tourism. Interesting that he says lifting martial law "will signal the full return to normalcy and the end to perceived security risks of investing and travelling to Mindanao." Perceived risks? He sounds like the Becoming Filipino guy. The risks of travelling to Mindanao are very real with tourists being captured by Abu Sayyaf which is exactly what happened in October with a British man and his wife in Zamboanga. Kidnapping remains a risk in Mindanao. 

And what is normalcy? Terrorist groups are still running around getting into firefights with the AFP. I suppose that is normal.  It has been normal since the 70s. Who can define what normal is for the Philippines anyway but if Año thinks lifting of martial law will end "perceived security risks" and that those risks are not actually ended then perhaps martial law should still be in place in at least certain areas.

Don't forget the NPA is also still very active in Mindanao. What's to be done about them?  How about opening peace talks again?

https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/12/5/duterte-to-send-bello-to-speak-to-joma-sison.html

The President revealed that he will be sending former government chief negotiator and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello to speak with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Joma Sison, without elaborating on what they are expected to discuss. 

President Rodrigo Duterte said he has not yet given up hope on reopening negotiations with Sison even after terminating the talks and the services of its peace panel -- including Bello as negotiator -- in March this year. 

"This is the first time that I will reveal it, I'm sending Secretary Bello... He should go there, talk to them...basta I'm sending him back to Sison and talk to him about...malaman ninyo 'yan pagdating ng panahon (you will know when the time is right)," he said Thursday during a situational briefing on the effects of typhoon Tisoy. 

He said this after lamenting the long-standing insurgency problem in the country. 

"Three times we attempted to talk sense dito (to them) and it has always failed...I cannot stop. Hindi ko sabihin na ayaw ko makipag-usap (I cannot say I do not want to talk), that is not a statement of a leader, of a President," he argued.

Mysterious Duterte won't tell us exactly why he is sending Bello to speak with Sison. Probably peace talks.  Maybe about coming back to the Philippines to face trial. Who knows? The AFP says the meeting will be about peace talks and they are supportive of this move to resurrect the peace talks again.

https://www.untvweb.com/news/afp-supports-possible-talks-with-cpp/

“We understand that those instructions to Sec. Bello are in the nature of exploratory discussion with Mr. Sison and are meant towards the attainment of sustainable peace which is the President’s and also the AFP’s ultimate desire,” Arevalo said in a statement. 

Arevalo also reiterates that “if we are to negotiate, therefore, we so do from the position of strength.”

Why negotiate in the first place? They know what the CPP wants.  They want the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) to be implemented and that is simply impossible.

Same goes for Dutere's upcoming tete-a-tete with MNLF leader Nur Misuari. Why negotiate with this man?

https://mindanaoexaminer.com/misuari-to-meet-again-with-duterte-to-talk-peace/

FORMER REBEL chieftain Nur Misuari is set to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss the resumption of peace talks with the former rebel group Moro National Liberation Front in Davao City. 

Misuari has previously met with Duterte, his long-time friend and political ally, in Malacañang Palace in Manila where they discussed the creation of a coordinating committee between the MNLF and the national government. 

Duterte previously told the former Libyan firebrand that he ordered Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez to immediately form a coordinating committee between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MNLF, and to convene and set the agenda for discussions. 

Misuari has also asked Duterte to include the influential Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the peace talks after the influential body played a vital role in the peace process between the Philippine government and MNLF. 

The coordinating committee will serve as a venue to seek for the cooperation of the MNLF to achieve immediate peace in Sulu province by, among others, helping in combating the Abu Sayyaf militants and to convincing MNLF relatives to return to the folds of the law. 

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte will walk the extra mile to bring harmony to the country and the nation. “In resolving the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao, every undertaking that may lead to a lasting peace and prosperity to that region must be tried and tested until its fruition. We can do no less as a people,” he said. 

Misuari signed a peace deal with Manila in September 1996 ending decades of bloody war. After the peace agreement was signed, Misuari became the governor of the Muslim autonomous region. But despite the peace accord, there was a widespread disillusionment with the weak autonomy they were granted. 

Under the peace accord, Manila would have to provide a mini-Marshal Plan to spur economic development in Muslim areas in Mindanao, and livelihood and housing assistance to tens of thousands of former rebels to uplift their poor living standards. 

In 2001, Misuari’s loyal forces and former rebels, who joined the military and police following the signing of the peace deal, attacked a key army base in Sulu’s Jolo town and civilian targets in Zamboanga in an effort to stop the government from calling an election in the Muslim autonomous region where Misuari wanted to be a perpetual governor. 

He then escaped by boat to Malaysia where he had been arrested and deported to the Philippines and was eventually pardoned and released by then President Gloria Arroyo in exchange for MNLF support to her election bid, as well as her allies in the Senate and Congress in 2004. 

And in September 2013, MNLF members attacked Zamboanga City for the second time, sparking fierce clashes that lasted for weeks, and left hundreds of people dead and wounded, and displaced over 300,000 civilians. Many of the raiders were killed, but the others managed to escape following the failed rebellion. 

Misuari, who is accused of rebellion by authorities for the deadly attacks, is being protected from arrest by Duterte, who interceded to the police and military on behalf of the former rebel chieftain so he would be free to move around without any fear of being arrested. 

Misuari is also facing graft charges at the Sandigan Bayan over the alleged anomalous purchase of education materials when he was governor of the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. He denied all criminal and graft accusations against him. 

Despite all these charges against Misuari, the OIC continues to support him. And in 2017, the OIC Secretary General, Dr. Youssef Al Othaimeen, in support of the peace process, even convened the 4th Session of the Bangsamoro Coordination Forum in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on the margins of the 44th Session of the Council of Foreign sMinisters. 

The OIC said it continues to deal with the MNLF through the Jeddah formula. The meeting discussed the prospects of the peace process under the Duterte administration and is part of the efforts of the OIC to close ranks between the MNLF and MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front which also signed a peace accord with Manila in 2014) and to help in the process of merging the two peace tracks and to consolidate realization of the inalienable rights of the Muslim minority in southern Philippines for a peaceful, just and durable settlement of their problem. 

The OIC Council of Foreign Ministers also reaffirmed the importance of unity within the MNLF and the Jeddah formula.

The story of Nur Misuari is conveniently compressed into the paragraphs above which is why the article has been quoted in full.  This man is a bona fide terrorist who was able to get the Philippine government to agree to give him and his men, the MNLF, control over a large chunk of Mindanao known as the ARMM. Not satisfied with this he continued his terrorist activities after a further peace deal was signed in 2001 because he wanted to be president of the ARMM for life. Then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pardoned him in exchange for votes from the MNLF. In 2013 he attacked Zamboanga but his arrest was suspended by the court and he has been out walking freely around the country ever since. He even travelled overseas to attend events with the OIC last year. Duterte has met with him in the Palace twice.

Now Duterte is considering giving Misuari the whole of Sulu province in order to placate him. Like all those surrendering NPA fighters the only place Misuari belongs is in prison.