The Guardian

President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has expressed regret for calling Barack Obama a “son of a whore” – a remark that led to the US leader cancelling their meeting during a regional summit in Laos.

In a statement read by his spokesman, Duterte said the remark was not intended as a personal insult. “While the immediate cause was my strong comments to certain press questions that elicited concern and distress, we also regret that it came across as a personal attack on the US president,” Ernesto Abella quoted Duterte as saying.

He added that a meeting with the US had been “mutually agreed upon to be moved to a later date”.

Duterte called Obama a “son of a whore” following weeks of criticism from the US against extrajudicial killings in the Philippines’ bloody drug war.

“Son of a whore, I will curse you in that forum,” Duterte was quoted as saying.

As Duterte arrived in the Laos capital, Vientiane, for the Association of South-east Asian Nations summit on Monday evening, he was already rowing back on the remark, saying he did not want a fight.

“I do not want to quarrel with him. He’s the most powerful president of any country on the planet,” Duterte said.

Instead, he said, he was angry at members of the US state department who “keep on mouthing” statements about human rights.

Elected in May on an anti-crime platform, Duterte has lashed out at the US and others for criticising his war on drugs, in which more than 2,400 people have been killed by police and vigilante militia.

Obama said he was trying to schedule “some constructive, productive conversations” with Duterte but a White House spokesman later confirmed the meeting was cancelled.

Barack Obama cancels meeting after Philippines president calls him 'son of a whore'

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The Philippines has been a key US ally for years and Washington hopes it will remain one, especially as a partner against China’s military expansion in the South China Sea.

The Philippines, which has overlapping claims with China to islands and atolls in the sea, won an international ruling against Beijing in July. But Duterte has said it is “better to continually engage China in a diplomatic dialogue rather than anger officials there”, starkly at odds with his recent comments about Obama.

“Our primary intention is to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting closer ties with all nations, especially the US with which we have had a longstanding partnership,” Duterte’s spokesman Abella said on Tuesday.

With domestic popularity ratings in the order of 90%, the Philippine leader has won approval for his foul-mouthed press conferences from a public tired with years of well-spoken politicians from a small Manila-based elite.

Duterte previously named the US ambassador to Manila a “gay son of a whore” and told the Catholic church: “Don’t <deleted> with me.”

He has called the United Nations “stupid” for criticism of his controversial war on crime, in which he said 100,000 people would be killed and told citizens they should murder addicts.

NYT

Photo

 

President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines arriving in Laos on Monday for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which President Obama also planned to attend. Credit Made Nagi/European Pressphoto Agency

President Obama canceled a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines scheduled for Tuesday in Laos, after the Philippine president directed an expletive at Mr. Obama on Monday.

Mr. Duterte warned Mr. Obama not to ask him about extrajudicial killings related to his crackdown on drug dealers, a campaign pledge that helped sweep him to victory in the country’s presidential election in May.

“I am a president of a sovereign state, and we have long ceased to be a colony,” Mr. Duterte told reporters before he left his country for Laos, where he and Mr. Obama will attend the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“I do not have any master except the Filipino people, nobody but nobody,” he said in remarks published by The Associated Press. Apparently addressing Mr. Obama, he added: “You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions.” Then, using a curse in Tagalog that can be translated as “son of a bitch,” he added, “I will swear at you in that forum.”

Mr. Obama, who was in China for a Group of 20 meeting, departed on Monday for Laos, becoming the first American president to visit the nation. He is also scheduled to take part in the East Asia Summit and speak at a forum with young people.

Mr. Obama had planned to meet Mr. Duterte in Laos, but the White House said early Tuesday that the meeting had been canceled.

“Clearly, he’s a colorful guy,” Mr. Obama said Monday. “I always want to make sure if I’m having a meeting that it’s productive.”

Mr. Duterte, a former mayor of Davao, was apparently referring to the numbers highlighting his campaign against drug dealers.

Last month, the Philippines’ top police official, Chief Ronald dela Rosa, told a Senate hearing that killings by the police and vigilantes in the country’s war on drugs had soared to nearly 1,800 in the seven weeks since Mr. Duterte was sworn into office.

Mr. Duterte’s public image has been characterized by bouts of coarse language. He has lashed out at his critics, threatening to withdraw from the United Nations after human rights experts called for a halt to the killings.

He joked about the rape of an Australian missionary during the presidential campaign. He cursed Pope Francis and his entourage for causing huge traffic jams in Manila during the pope’s visit to the Philippines in 2015.

Lingig, wow. I love Hinatuan and had some good times in Bislig. I thought Lingig was, similar to Bislig, largely NPA country.

Davao airport is considered to be safe as opposed to Gensan airport, to name one. Business guys who need an armed escort do not use Gensan but instead drive the 3-4 hrs to Davao airport. That tells you a lot about the PNP.

Those guys have so far asked me only 2 times for cash right into my face - just for being a white guy. They did it in a somewhat minimally concealed fashion like I m hungry and I need my dinner. I played stupid and told him that it is so late in the evening that the dinner would not do him any good....

As for the Davao bomb - this is a god given for him. He will assume extra powers. Readers should not attach to much importance to the bomb. This is not too unusual in the Phils.

Philippine Equities Plunge, Erasing the Rally That Has Happened Since Rodrigo Duterte Took Office

Foreign fund withdrawals have accelerated the decline

I suggest Cambodia for the ease of visa which is a benefit when time is scarce. Also Cebu Pacific will not insist on proof of onward air transportation other than in the case of Vietnam, Thailand, and, I think, Hongkong. No idea about Malaysia.

You can always move on from Siem Reap but this first step is a bit cheaper than other options.

I would worry more about the police. They control the DS and they give the orders. The entire DS story is in part a cover for the police and associated contract killers.

In your case I would review my account balances and make sure there is not too much in local banks and then in one branch of the same bank. The staff gossips a lot and word gets out.

Keep a minimum balance if possible, if needed some backup in a Manila or Cebu account depending on which airport you use. Major funds should be outside the country. Let's not forget the police needs money like any other criminal.

As for the university lecturer: Is he associated with a political party or specific candidate? That might mark him.

A lot depends on the city you're in. In the past Dipolog was a pretty dark place but fine for foreigners. Ozamis is really a mess. Davao, Tagum, Gensan etc are solid D. country. No idea about Butuan. Cagayan is also rough. The ARMM and Zamboanga are anyhow a red zone. If you're in Surigao take the plane and NOT the ferry, check for what happened in Iloilo at the ferry port: Man and wife shot and just after that the police control was lifted. How did they get their guns in and why does police lift the checks when guns went off?

As for myself, I have taken my money out of the country and swallow higher transfer fees now. An extra expense but worthwhile when I can avoid to have a footprint in the Phils. When visiting I select my locations carefully.

The drug problem is visible and real but, imho, he exaggerates it since it serves his purpose.

Like Adolf Hitler, he uses an ill-define enemy and a declares an emergency which warrants the elimination of democratic structures and the rule of law.

Not much comment on the 25% cut in health expenses and the spiraling expenses of the president's office. He is taking from the poor and people will die because of lack of help which is now withheld. The money is spent on building an apparatus only answerable to him personally.

At the same time officials are pressured and threatened to resign in order to make place for his trusted agents. The cabinet is not that of a party but largely his entourage.

Looking only on drugs makes people miss the point - the undoing of the democratic order. For good reasons the Marcos clan is at his side.

I have been to Davao regularly in the past, now I avoid it. I know expats who closed their businesses and looked for other locations in the Phils. They were not much talking in detail but 'costs' had risen. This is a trend for the past 2-3 years.

JB i wish this was true. There is no treatment available for these people. They show up at this pre-arranged events and serve an oath to stop. As it would be that easy. Plus many of those participants (many as in the number of killed  but comparably few in relation to the total of participants) got shot within days after promising to give up.

During my last visit to the Phils which was AFTER the date of the article you posted, i saw enough. I worked in the entertainment industry in my younger years and part of my job was to keep the place clean. The trade is alive and well albeit not as much right into your face as before. Anyone with some insights can identify locations etc. easily.

In a way they are culling the more obvious elements of the consumer base and reduce the infrastructure (production, distribution) of competing networks.

This piece is almost 2 months ago but provides some nice pieces of info. The author was recently on Al-Jazeera participating in a discussion round and took Duterte's Minister of Justice (they still call it that way although Kine unmasked that character thoroughly)

http://www.themarknews.com/2015/07/07/rodrigo-duterte-the-rise-of-philippines-death-squad-mayor/

Tuky, thanks for the better reference. Impressive, isn't it?

Highly urbanized is a Phils administrative term. In fact, Davao is one of the largest city  in the world by acreage. Having said that large parts of Davao are very rural or squatter quarters. Another problem is the decline of the old center which in part looks like abandoned US inner cities.

I mention this so that readers do not apply western or even Thai standards. Highly urbanized in a Phils context is something else and not what we would associate with it.

Yup, the statistics are shocking and, to make it worse, let's not fool ourselves they are likely to be under-counting.

Duterte is not the clean sheriff. He has created a mafia den like Corleone and was successful having seen enough journalists killed so that he can claim almost anything about his achievements without being hold accountable.

It is sad that many on the forum here buy into that tough but just guy image. Many dont realize that they would be on the receiving end of his policies if they would live in Davao. Not because they have DONE anything but because they do HAVE something.

Almost all my foreign friends keep a minimal cash balance in local banks (plural) and use business deals with their own companies abroad to keep profits low and foreign currency away. What does that tell us? These are no leftist good-doers but serious businessmen. They vote with their pockets.

Murder rate highest in Davao City – PNP

View photos

An activist hold a banner in front of the Philippine National Police headquarters during a protest condemning extra-judicial killings in President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign against drugs, in Manila on August 24, 2016 (AFP Photo/Noel Celis)

Manila (AFP) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who is waging a bloody war on crime, has justified the large-scale killing of drug users by suggesting the victims were not human.

Duterte, who has seen about two thousand people killed since he was elected in May, made the remarks late Friday as he shrugged off the United Nations' concerns over human rights in his country.

"Crime against humanity? In the first place, I’d like to be frank with you: are they humans? What is your definition of a human being?" he told soldiers while visiting an army camp, according to transcripts of his speech released afterwards.

"Human rights? Use it properly in the right context if you have the brains," he added.

"You cannot wage a war without killing," Duterte said, adding that many drug users were beyond rehabilitation.

His remarks came after various UN officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June condemned his apparent support for extra-judicial killings.

The UN special rapporteur on summary executions, Agnes Callamard, said earlier this month that his directives "amount to incitement to violence and killing, a crime under international law".

Duterte's comments come after his national police chief Ronald Dela Rosa on Friday urged drug users to kill their traffickers and burn their homes.

"Why don't you give them a visit, pour gasoline on their homes and set these on fire to register your anger," Dela Rosa said.

He later apologised for his remarks.

But Duterte defended Dela Rosa, saying "that's my style. He is following it".

Duterte also taunted the United Nations, saying "they want me to go prison? Do those idiots think I will be captured alive. My God, we will be together in hell."

Earlier this week, Dela Rosa told senators that over 750 people had been killed by police in anti-drug operations while more than a thousand had been slain by shadowy figures. Since then, even more people have been killed.

Duterte, 71, won May elections in a landslide on a promise to kill tens of thousands of suspected criminals to prevent the Philippines from becoming a narco-state.

He has vowed to protect policemen who may be charged as part of the campaign.

Pdaz. You are mistaken.

Nobody defends criminals. What people defend is the rule of law. Usually, that  is a cause close to a conservative's heart. Respect for the law should be a common value as our societies depend on it. I m sure that neither Lefties or Righties want to go back to the law of the jungle. That would only benefit the criminals.

Some supporters of Duterte have learned their lesson the hard way by now. People applauding the shootings always feel certain that it will be the others, the real criminals, who get hit. In fact, that is not necessarily the case. The killers select the victims according to their own preferences for a variety of reasons which are not transparent - quite differently from a session in court. Many people got shot and relatives claim that the  victims had nothing to do with crime. We talk about Duterte voters.

The same happened in Thailand in 2003.

Therefore I think both Lefties and Conservatives do good in jointly defending the time-honored rule of law and insist of due process. Only that makes us citizens and distinguishes us from subjects. None of us wants to live in a country where 'disrespect' = speaking up against the president may cost you your life. We talk openly against Cameron, Merkel, Obama or whoever we want to criticize. This freedom is a stake in the Phils and many have paid the ultimate price.

The numbers go up.

Trillanes warns cops: Duterte won't always be around

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and President Rodrigo Duterte

MANILA – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday advised Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa and the rest of the police force to do their job properly and follow the law as President Rodrigo Duterte will not always be around to back them.

During a joint Senate committee hearing on Monday, Trillanes, a staunch Duterte critic, took Dela Rosa to task for the rising number of extra-judicial killings since the president launched his massive campaign to rid the country of illegal drugs and reduce criminality. 

Trillanes told Dela Rosa that his inability to solve the rising cases of extra-judicial killings might lead the public to think that the police leadership is condoning this illegal method. 

Trillanes also echoed concerns that policemen are abusing their authority by deliberately killing helpless drug suspects.

''Ang sinasabi ko lang, general, umiikot ang mundo eh. Alam niyo itong si Presidente Duterte, naka-pwesto siya ngayon. Malay natin ang susunod na makaka-pwesto eh ang prayoridad ay human rights at mag-conduct ng investigation,'' Trillanes told Dela Rosa.

(General, the world goes around. President Duterte is in power now. But what if the one who will succeed him prioritizes human rights and decides to launch an investigation into the killings?)

''By then, retired na kayo at kapag binuksan ang mga kaso na ito, nakatiwangwang ang mga pulis…pagka binuksan iyan at [nagkaroon ng] isang honest to goodness investigation, kailangan properly ang conduct ng operation talaga at otherwise sila rin ang mananagot long after ang mga commanders nila ay nag-retire na, nawala na."

(By then, you'll already be retired and some policemen will be left vulnerable if an honest to goodness investigation is launched. The conduct of operations must be proper. Otherwise, these policemen will be made accountable long after their commanders are gone.)

Duterte has promised to fully back the police force in case they are slapped with cases in the performance of their duties, including pardoning them. 

Duterte has also promised to double the salary of policemen.

'PAGOD NA PAGOD NA'

During the hearing, Dela Rosa admitted that the rising number of extra-judicial killings is really alarming, and the only way to stop it is if Duterte calls off his war on drugs.

''Sana mag-order si President Duterte sa amin na 'you stop the war on drugs' at pabayaan na lang natin yan. Kami ay pagod na pagod na sa trabaho na ito. Kung tutuusin, sobra na ang pagod namin, marami ng pulis ko ang namamatay,'' he said.

(If only President Duterte could tell us to stop the war on drugs. We are exhausted with this job, to tell you frankly. I have also lost many of my men.)

But Dela Rosa said the extra-judicial killings should not push aside the police as they perform their duties, especially since the war on drugs, in his view, has brought positive effects to society such as lower crime rate and an increased sense of safety among the public.

''Right now, yung aking mga tao, busy sa war on drugs. Nakita ko maraming namamatay na Death Under Investigation -- allegedly vigilante killings. Pero itong aming kampanya ngayon ay nasa amin ang momentum kaya ayaw kong sabihin sa kanila (police district directors) na ire-relieve ko kayo at tatanggalin kayo sa pwesto dahil yung Death Under Investigation ay hindi niyo nabigyan ng tuldok,'' he said.

(Right now, my men are busy on the war on drugs. There are many Deaths Under Investigation, alleged vigilante killings. I don't want to affect the police's momentum in the crusade by telling my subordinates that I will sack them if they fail to solve these killings.)

Dela Rosa said that 712 drug traffickers and users have been killed during police operations. The police are also investigating 1,067 drug-related killings outside police work, he said. 

Monitoring by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group show that there have been 1,158 drug-related deaths from May 10 to August 22.

Of this number, 699 were killed in police operations and 362 were killed by unidentified assailants. Ninety-seven bodies were found away from the crime scene.

He called himself a socialist. now he cuts health budget by 25% in a country with an abysmal public health system and increasingly impoverished population. The Philippines has a constantly growing number of poor. The other cuts will also hurt the poor most.

At the same blowing him his own budget, Duterte is set to create his own Praetorians.

Duterte cuts health budget by P31 B

MANILA, Philippines - The war on drugs has a trade-off in terms of allocation of taxpayers’ money.

While President Duterte has substantially increased the budget of the police, military and his own office, he has largely reduced funding for health services, agriculture, labor and employment, and foreign affairs.

Budget documents the President has submitted to Congress show that he reduced the Department of Health’s (DOH) budget from P125 billion this year to P94 billion next year, or by a whopping P31 billion.

Money for maintenance and other operating expenses of the DOH will go down from P75.1 billion to P38.9 billion, while funding for capital expenditures like clinics and hospitals will be reduced from P27.6 billion to P25.2 billion.

What will go up is funding for salaries, from P22.3 billion to P29.9 billion, principally because the DOH plans to recruit new doctors, nurses and midwives for deployment in rural areas.

During the Aquino administration, allocation for capital expenditures of the DOH increased due to the upgrading of medical facilities in the provinces and the construction of barangay health clinics.

Duterte is also reducing funds for agriculture by P3.6 billion, from P48.9 billion to P45.3 billion; labor and employment by P5.3 billion, from P18.8 billion to P13.5 billion; and for the Department of Foreign Affairs by almost P4 billion, from P20.8 billion to P16.7 billion.

On the other hand, Duterte is substantially increasing the budget for his own office, from P2.9 billion to P20.030 billion. The increase includes P2.5 billion in intelligence funds and more than P7 billion for representation and entertainment expenses.

The President is also giving the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which includes the Philippine National Police, an additional P25 billion, and the Department of National Defense, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, P17 billion more.

“My government will double or even triple its efforts to bring drug pushers and crime syndicates behind bars. This budget provides P110.4 billion for the Philippine National Police, higher by 24.6 percent than in 2016,” Duterte said in his budget message to Congress.

He said the additional money would be used “to hire more policemen, buy more guns and patrol vehicles and finance other activities for more effective crime suppression.”

“Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines will have P130.6 billion. This is 15 percent higher than its budget for this year. This will be used to intensify the AFP’s counter-terrorism efforts and to protect our borders,” he said.

He added that the AFP modernization program would have P25 billion “to give our soldiers more weapons and equipment.”

No salary hike for cops, soldiers

But the additional money for the police and the military do not include funding requirements for Duterte’s promise to double the salaries of soldiers and policemen.

He told soldiers in Cebu City three weeks ago that they would have doubled their paycheck by December this year.

But Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the Duterte administration would not be able to increase the salaries of soldiers and policemen this year.

Diokno said what soldiers and policemen would get is an additional monthly allowance of P5,000 starting next month, he said.

This has prompted Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to accuse Duterte of making promises that he could not keep, raising false hopes among police and military personnel and of being a “big talker.”

DepEd to get P566 B

But the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has proposed a budget of over P566 billion for the Department of Education next year, up by P135 billion from the allocation that DepEd received this year.

Based on the National Expenditure Program submitted to Congress, DepEd’s budget – both new and automatic appropriations – will increase from P431.1 billion in 2016 to P566.2 billion in 2017.

Like in the previous administration, DepEd will receive the biggest chunk of the proposed P3.35-trillion budget for next year.

“Education is not on the back burner of the Duterte administration,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones, noting that the President is supportive of the proposal to hike DepEd’s budget by almost 30 percent.

A fiscalizer and former National Treasurer, Briones pledged to ensure that DepEd’s huge budget allocation is efficiently managed and that the projects are completed on time.

“We still have to prove that we are capable of spending every single centavo,” she added.

If the NEP 2017 is approved as proposed, DepEd will receive P116 billion under the Basic Education Facilities (BEF), which funds the construction and rehabilitation of school buildings, as well as for the procurement of school facilities.

This year, the government has allocated over P82 billion for the BEF.

Another P28.3 billion is allocated for the creation of new teaching positions as the first batch of K-12 students is expected to begin Grade 12 next year.

According to the DBM, the government intends to construct or replace over 37,500 classrooms and hire more than 53,000 additional teachers in 2017.

The government has also allotted P16 billion for midyear bonus in line with the implementation of the latest salary standardization, and provided a P1-billion increase to the special hardship allowance of teachers from P1.1 billion in 2016 to P2.1 billion next year.

The proposed budget for financial subsidy for students almost doubled, from P28.9 billion this year to P45.5 billion next year. - With Janvic Mateo

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37147630

Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte threatens to leave UN

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to "separate" from the UN after it criticised his war on drugs as a crime under international law.

Mr Duterte said he might ask China and African nations to form another body. He also accused the UN of failing on terrorism, hunger and ending conflicts.

Mr Duterte, elected in May, has sanctioned the killing of traffickers to try to wipe out the drugs trade.

The UN has repeatedly condemned the drive as a violation of human rights.

Some 900 suspected drug traffickers have been killed since Mr Duterte was elected on 9 May.

Duterte: 'Punisher' to president

Last week, two UN human rights experts said Mr Duterte's directive for police and the public to kill suspected drug traffickers amounted to "incitement to violence and killing, a crime under international law".

In an expletives-laden tirade against the UN on Sunday, Mr Duterte branded the experts "stupid", saying they should count the number of innocent lives lost to drugs.

"I do not want to insult you. But maybe we'll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations," he said.

"If you are that rude, we might just as well leave," he said.

"So take us out of your organisation. You have done nothing. Where were you here the last time? Never. Except to criticise," he said.

Mr Duterte said the UN should refund its contribution "so we can go out".

Mr Duterte said the UN had been unable to combat hunger and terrorism and had failed to end the killing of civilians in Iraq and Syria.

"You now, United Nations, if you can say one bad thing about me, I can give 10 [about you]. I tell you, you are [useless]. Because if you are really true to your mandate, you could have stopped all these wars and killings."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have both condemned Mr Duterte's "apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings, which is illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms".

Mr Duterte was sworn in as president in June, after winning a landslide election victory.

He had previously been mayor of the country's third biggest city, Davao, for 22 years where his tough approach and controversial comments earned him the nickname "The Punisher".

Duterte on how to fix evidence:

President as prosecutor

Duterte: ‘We planted evidence … (and) the intrigues’

A screen capture of President Duterte’s early morning press conference in Davao City, August 21, 2016.

In his early morning news conference Sunday, President Duterte provided a glimpse of what he said he had learned during his 10 years as a city prosecutor: To bend the law to get the desired outcome.

“I’ve learned a lot during my prosecution days,” the President said. “We planted evidence. We arrested persons but we released them. But [the President then switches to an example] telling him that it was this person who squealed on him and then when he goes out but killing we would say it was this fellow who really did it, who did you in.”

He explained the reason for the tactic: “We first planted the intrigues, so that we would know where they were or where they came from.”

The President’s clinical view of what prosecutors and policemen need to do to fight crime is counter to what the law allows. It is possible that he misspoke; during the conference he could not recall certain names and mistakenly called Senator Leila de Lima the chair of the Commission on Appointments. (She was the chair of the Commission on Human Rights when the long-time Davao city mayor became, in his words, her “favorite whipping boy.”)

But the context of the first 15 minutes of another rambling, revealing news conference seems clear.

The implications will also likely become a matter of concern.

Early in the conference he denied that police officers were involved in the extra-judicial killings where the dead were bundled up in plastic or cardboard: “It is not the work of the police to be wrapping people with plastics and putting them in bags. That is not the job of the police! I just told him that one bullet will do. Why do you have to wrap it and waste your time?”

Then he added: “But we know at the start that we planted the intrigues there.”

There was also this extended passage, about 13 minutes into the conference:

“The reason I called for this conference is I wanted to disabuse the minds of many women criticizing me. I said I have to mention the connect between De Lima’s driver and her, otherwise I would look stupid ….

“So, that is one round.

“Wait until we present these guys. They can well maybe deny it initially, but you know, there are a lot of ways of doing it. Allow me to ask you seven questions, and I will get the truth from your mouth. I’m not saying I’m the best, but 10 years as a prosecutor was a learning process of arriving at truths.”/rga

Duterte's accusation against the senator as being involved in drug trading equals a death sentence by today's standards in the Phils.

Philippines President Duterte: Political rival a 'robber' and 'immoral woman'

Yup, Mehdi Hasan is a tough journalist and his questions were like punches with an iron fist.

"To [sic!] bad Trumps [sic!] fist [sic!] are to [sic!] small...." Well, Trump needs brains first of all. Secondly, connect the brain with the mouth, and then some divine inspiration to shut up.

Duterte's spokesperson was today on aljazeera.

The clip with some commentary is here: http://manila.coconuts.co/2016/08/14/watch-al-jazeera-anchor-puts-presidential-spokesperson-ernesto-abella-his-placehttp://manila.coconuts.co/2016/08/14/watch-al-jazeera-anchor-puts-presidential-spokesperson-ernesto-abella-his-place

Nice piece of work. The commentary did however, however, not fully hit the nail.

CHR to Duterte: Where are charges?

THE COMMISSION on Human Rights (CHR) has urged President Duterte to start filing cases against the judges, mayors and police officers he has accused of protecting drug lords.

CHR Chair Jose Luis “Chito” Gascon said that a week after the President had come out with a list of 159 narcopoliticos in public, he had not filed a case in court, which would have provided them a way to defend themselves from his blanket accusation.

“The Constitution establishes a system of justice and rule of law that requires both due process and presumption of innocence guarantees, among others,” Gascon said.

“Thus, when a crime has either been or is alleged to have been committed, law enforcement must conduct an investigation with a view to charging the accused in the proper forum so a hearing could be conducted whereby the evidence would be considered to establish either the guilt or innocence of the same,” Gascon said.

Even the President himself conceded he did not have evidence or cases against the people he named from his list. “It might be true. It might not be true,” said Duterte, who promised to file administrative or criminal cases against those he named.

But a week after his public expose, the President had yet to file cases against the alleged drug coddlers who had been publicly shamed by the sweeping accusations.
Executive vs judiciary

The President merely ordered the pullout of the bodyguards and cancellation of firearms of the accused mayors while the police were told to report to their mother units, and the judges to report to the Supreme Court.

The President also had a spat with Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno who told the judges he named to wait for an arrest warrant before surrendering.

Sereno said the “premature announcement of an informal investigation” on alleged drug links would render “the judge veritably useless in discharging his adjudicative role.”

Gascon has also been the target of the ire of the President, who declared he would ignore Gascon in his fight against illegal drugs.

“I stress once more that this mandate he assumes includes the duty to guarantee human rights for all,” said Gascon.

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat said the President’s failure to follow up his sweeping accusations with cases showed that he was just out on a “witch-hunt” with no specific end goal.

“After naming and causing them embarrassment, next is to file cases, especially when there is strong evidence. If there are no cases filed and no one among these people prosecuted and jailed, then what we had was a witch hunt. Or worse, we momentarily stopped the drug trade but left it open for a resurgence in the future,” said Baguilat. TVJ

In shame campaign, execs seek own voices

BAUANG residents gather near the historic San Pedro Bell in support of their mayor, who was on a list of drug personalities announced by President Duterte. YOLANDA SOTELO/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

THE IMPACT of the shame campaign component of President Duterte’s war on drugs is drawing different reactions from the people whose names were read aloud by Mr. Duterte from his list of individuals with allegedly key roles in an underworld network of drug syndicates that has grown into the monster that the President vowed to reduce to a bloody pulp.

In Bauang, La Union province, supporters of Mayor Martin de Guzman, among those on Mr. Duterte’s list, turned to a historic bell to express disbelief over the report of their leader’s involvement in drugs.

The San Pedro Bell was rung on Thursday at a rally in support of De Guzman. The 400-year-old bell has recently been returned to Bauang by the United States.

At least 2,000 residents came out in white clothes for a unity walk for the mayor.

A placard carried during the walk read: “We strongly believe you are innocent,” referring to De Guzman.

Menchie, De Guzman’s wife, joined the walk. She said she was in the United Kingdom with her daughter when Mr. Duterte announced the names on his drug list.

“I did not know what to say, how to react,” said Menchie.

“I wanted to believe it was a nightmare [and] I could wake up,” she said.

Erlinda Espinas, a member of the village council of Parungao in Bauang, said in her 18 years in the council, she had not heard of any report or rumor linking De Guzman to drugs.

In 1998, De Guzman launched the Bauang Ayaw sa Droga, a local campaign against drugs.

In Surigao del Norte, the former mayor of Alegria town said the only kind of drugs that she handles are the ones that heal the sick.

Jessie Aguilera, a doctor by profession, said while she had already ended her venture into politics as mayor of Alegria in 2007, Mr. Duterte’s list still identified her as a sitting mayor.

“I have no idea why on earth my name was dragged into this whole mess,” Aguilera told reporters after visiting the Caraga regional police office in Butuan City on Monday.

Aguilera, now the municipal health officer of Mainit town also in Surigao del Norte, said she went to the regional police office “because this is very terrifying for me.”

In Davao City, a village chair, who is also on Mr. Duterte’s list, showed up at the city police office and requested to be tested for drugs.

Artemio Jimenez, of Barangay Talomo, said he had been at the forefront of the war on drugs in Davao City in his village of 180,000 people.

In Cotabato City, a plea for understanding for Mr. Duterte came from an unexpected source—Gov. Mujiv Hataman, of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, who supported the candidacy of one of Mr. Duterte’s rivals in the presidential race, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon with Danilo V. Adorador, Allan Nawal and Charlie Señase, Inquirer Mindanao

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/805913/in-shame-campaign-execs-seek-own-voices#ixzz4HNnOtnMd
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Duterte and the Supreme Court

Duterte out to ‘destroy’ female exec

President Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY—While it appears that he wants peace with Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would soon discredit a government official for overly criticizing him.

READ: Duterte apologizes to Sereno: ‘Harsh words never intended’

“You know I was the whipping boy of the NGOs (nongovernment organizations) and the human rights stalwarts. But you know I have a special ano kay ano, she is a government official. One day soon, I’ll have to let her go in public and I will have to destroy her in public,” he said.

When asked whom he was referring to, Duterte said: “That’s the riddle there.”

“Just wait. They might have thought that I never listened to them. So, while all the time they were also listening to what I’ve done. I’ve also been busy with the help of another country listening to them,” he said.

Duterte did not elaborate anymore./rga

Duterte rehabilitating dictator Marcos. He is a friend of that clan anyhow.

Reds assail Duterte on Marcos burial plan

DAVAO DIE-IN Sprawling herself on the pavement, a woman dramatizes her protest against the planned burial of President FerdinandMarcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani during a rally in Davao City on Sunday. GERMELINA LACORTE/INQUIRER MINDANAO

LUCENA CITY—The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has assailed President Duterte for his “bullheadedness” in allowing the burial of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“[Mr. Duterte] is determined to squander the historical lessons treasured by the Filipino people. They are being politically disarmed from preventing the rise to power of future dictators,” the CPP said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Mr. Duterte’s decision to allow the burial of Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery and the killings of hundreds of poor drug users and dealers have soured initially friendly relations between the President and the CPP.

The President, a former student of CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, has appointed leftists to his Cabinet.

Peace talks

He has also ordered a resumption of peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines to end one of the world’s longest-running communist insurgencies and bring peace to the countryside.

But Mr. Duterte, a friend of the Marcos family, has said he will allow the burial of the dictator at Libingan ng mga Bayani, sparking protests from thousands of survivors of martial law abuses, human rights advocates, current and former legislators and ordinary people linked to the opposition to the strongman.

He argues that Marcos deserves to be buried at Libingan because he was a soldier and a President, regardless of any misdeeds.

Plan condemned

The CPP condemned the plan of the Duterte administration to give Marcos a hero’s burial.

“By claiming Marcos deserves to be buried with other former soldiers, [Mr.] Duterte is helping perpetuate the historical lies surrounding Marcos’ bogus medals and phony Maharlika guerrilla unit,” it said.

By ordering that Marcos be accorded military honors befitting a former head of state, Mr. Duterte is “virtually deleting Marcos’ bloody record as a military despot and the fascist violence, human rights violation, corruption and economic hardships he made the Filipino people suffer through 14 years of dictatorship,” the CPP said.

Giving Marcos a hero’s burial “will complete the Marcoses’ political restoration and will complete the whitewash of all the crimes they perpetrated against the people,” it said.

Revising history

Mr. Duterte, by “flaunting” his alliance with the Marcos family, is helping the “Marcosian scheme to revise history and make the younger generations overlook the colossal plunder and sale of the country’s patrimony, his debt-borrowing spree, his legacy of gross cronyism, his family’s ostentatious lifestyle built upon the poverty of the people, and his martial law’s massacre of freedom and democracy,” the CPP said.

The President’s decision to allow Marcos’ burial at Libingan “displays extreme insensitivity to the sensibilities of thousands of victims, families and survivors of martial law,” it said.

“He insults the memory of thousands of patriotic Filipinos from all walks of life who gave up their lives at [their prime] to fight for the dictatorship’s overthrow,” the CPP said.

Thanks. I like my coffee with a fresh croissant.

The menu looks good and reasonably. I like the idea of a fresh yoghurt as most of the fare available in supermarkets is not nice.

I m back in Kampot in December for my regular Pepper shopping and will try the place.

Good info

I m in for the coffee on my next visit. What about the other items - prices available. Croissants can be very expensive in Cambo unlike in Thailand.

You do not measure up to your board name. Eliminating legal process, proposing/threatening a coup, trying to tailor a constitution to one's own sick mind wont solve the problems of the Phils.

On the other hand, the area attracts a lot of the West's scum. So it serves a purpose as a social cesspool. Be it virtual or in real live.