30 RP NEWS PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY September 16 - 30 , 2018
The Philippine court system failed a crucial test today , and human rights may be the gravest casualty . Last night ( mid-afternoon Philippines time ) a court ordered the arrest of Senator Antonio Trillanes , a fierce critic of President Rodrigo Duterte and his drug war which has claimed tens of thousands of lives . Trillanes is free on bail , but believes he is likely to be jailed in an upcoming court hearing in a related case .
Trillanes is the second opposition senator to face charges . In a similar situation , Senator Leila de Lima was incarcerated a year and a half ago on unsupported drug charges , half a year after President Duterte promised to “ destroy ” her . The case against de Lima was brought shortly after she had a confessed former member of Duterte ’ s “ Davao Death Squad ” testify in the Justice Committee , one of two former DDS members to go public . Duterte promised a year ago to also “ destroy ” Senator Trillanes .
Trillanes was the recipient with others of an amnesty grant in 2011 by then President Benigno Aquino ( the
THE opposition Liberal Party ( LP ) yesterday officially announced the first three of its 12 senatorial candidates for the 2019 mid-term elections .
They are Sen . Paolo Benigno “ Bam ” Aquino IV ; former Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “ Erin ” Tañada III ; and De La Salle University College of Law Dean Jose Manuel “ Chel ” Diokno .
All three are relatives of opposition leaders during the martial law years .
The announcement was made during the LP ’ s National Executive Council ( NECO ) meeting at the Barangay Loyola Heights Multi- Purpose Hall in Quezon City .
Aquino , who is serving his first term in the Senate , is the nephew of the late senator Benigno “ Ninoy ” Aquino Jr . whose assassination in 1983 spurred events that led to the 1986 People Power Revolution , which toppled the Marcos dictatorship .
The younger Aquino authored the Go Negosyo Act of 2014 and the free tuition in state universities and colleges .
Tañada is the son of former senator Wigberto Tañada and
Following a powerful typhoon that struck several Northern provinces in the Philippines late last week , Catholic relief groups are working to provide essential post-storm aid .
Typhoon Mangkut made landfall at Baggao in the province of Cagayan Sept . 14 , bringing with it winds of 125 mph . At least 88 people have been killed and more than 60 are missing ,
RP News and More ... Philippine Courts Fail Crucial Test
equivalent of a presidential clemency or pardon in the US ). He was a leader of a famous military mutiny in which soldiers in the “ Magdalo ” group occupied a building to protest corruption in the Gloria Arroyo administration , and less-covered issues including illegal military attacks on Filipino Muslims .
Trillanes served seven years before the amnesty , getting elected to the Senate the first time while still jailed . Arroyo turned out to be even more corrupt than the Magdalo soldiers had claimed , and was caught engaging in election-rigging in not one but two elections , but is now Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives .
The Duterte administration issued a proclamation three weeks ago declaring Trillanes ’ amnesty to be revoked -- a wholly unconstitutional move , according to most observers -- claiming that he failed to submit an application or admit guilt . Despite news footage showing him turning in the application , an affidavit by the military official administering the
grandson of the late senator Lorenzo Tañada , who was detained during martial law .
The younger Tañada is the lead convenor of the advocacy group Tindig Pilipinas and LP ’ s vice president for external affairs .
Diokno , also chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group , is the son of the late senator Jose “ Pepe ” Diokno , who was detained during the martial law years and was regarded as the father of human rights advocacy in the country .
“ Different politicians , different personalities who are respectful , stand to what they believe in , and keep their words . They are effective leaders who will serve the country and will provide hope , solutions , and success ,” Sen . Francis Pangilinan , LP president , said .
In his speech , Tañada called for economic reforms and upholding the rule of law .
He said he wants to amend labor laws so no one will be victims of labor contractualization or “ endo .”
He said he also wants to review the imposition of excise taxes under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and amnesty process attesting that there was an application , and a certificate of amnesty granted by the government , Judge Elmo Alameda insisted that because Trillanes could not find a copy of the application , he couldn ’ t prove that he had complied with the amnesty ’ s conditions . Alameda was similarly unmoved by the point that it was the military that was obligated to keep track of the application , not Trillanes , and that it could have been removed from the files as part of a conspiracy by the administration .
StoptheDrugWar . org condemns the Duterte administration ’ s blatantly political attack on Senator Antonio Trillanes . Evidence came out demonstrating that the amnesty revocation was initiated by Calida .
Senator Trillanes joined on March 2018 event at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting in Vienna , where he presented administration data suggesting that extrajudicial killings in President Duterte ’ s drug war may exceed 20,000 . Perversely , the Senator observed , the administration listed these killings
LP names first 3 bets for senator
Inclusion law and to go after rice cartels and traders .
Diokno said his mission would be to ensure that Filipinos will have access to justice .
Aquino said the LP would continue to fight for the rights of the people , especially the poor , for decent lives and better future .
Vice President Leni Robredo , LP chairwoman , and former president Benigno Aquino III , LP chairman emeritus , endorsed the senatorial bids of the three .
Aquino , Tañada and Diokno failed to make the so-called winners ’ circle in the latest Pulse Asia survey .
Aquino ranked 17th , Tañada 36th to 46th , and Diokno is at 44th to 62nd .
However , Robredo remained unfazed . She recalled her own experience during the 2016 vice
Catholic groups aid PH in wake of Typhoon Mangkut
according to Time .
“ We are having difficulty reaching distant barangays ( villages ) because of boulders , debris and landslides along the roads . The soil is still saturated and unsettled and we are concerned about additional landslides ,” said Aprilynn Villamar , an emergency program officer with
CRS .
“ Some families in evacuation centers are not sure where they will go or how they will rebuild their houses . There are evacuees who are showing signs of shock . This is the most devastating thing they ’ ve ever experienced .”
Catholic Relief Services is sending water purification and storage
WWW . PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY . COM among its “ 2017 Accomplishments .”
“ Trillanes told us in Vienna he expected political prosecutions to increase in pace during the second half of this year ,” Borden continued . “ We are saddened that he is personally a victim of this . But it has already further mobilized the already energized Philippine opposition to Duterte , and it will also focus even greater world attention onto Duterte ’ s crimes and depredations .” **************** StoptheDrugWar . org is a USbased NGO . Footage of Senator Trillanes ’ presentation in Vienna is online at https :// stopthedrugwar . org / philippines # vienna2018 . ( David Borden borden @ drcnet . org )
FIRST THREE . Vice President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III ( not in picture ) attend the National Executive Council meeting of the Liberal Party at the multi-purpose hall of Barangay Loyola Heights in Quezon City on Tuesday . There the LP leadership announced its first three candidates for the 2019 senatorial elections : Reelectionist Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino , human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno , and former Quezon congressman Lorenzo Tañada III , also the LP ’ s internal affairs vice president . Vice President ’ s Office Photo
presidential race when she had low awareness ratings and even lower preference numbers , but she won in the end .
She said the final LP senatorial slate will be formally announced on “ October 8 or a few days before October 11 .” ( ANGELA LOPEZ DE LEON , Malaya )
kits to areas hit by the typhoon , and said shelter kits and cash assistance will follow shortly .
Caritas Internationalis has launched an appeal in Rome for financial relief efforts in the Philippines , saying , “ After the storm has passed people will need help to restore their livelihoods .”( CNA )