MANILA, Philippines – Suspending the newly-implemented tax reform law will do "more harm than good," Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Wednesday, May 9.

In a media briefing, the budget chief said suspending the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law is "out of the question" and would only "create chaos". (READ: EXPLAINER: How the tax reform law affects Filipino consumers)

"Suspending the law is out of the question. It has to be implemented. We admit that there might be transitory increase in prices [as] a result of train law," Diokno said on Wednesday.

"It will create a lot of chaos because BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) is already geared in collecting these taxes so it will upset the revenue projection," he added. 

On Tuesday, May 8, Senators Bam Aquino and JV Ejercito urged economic managers to suspend the law to stop the rising inflation rates. (READ: Dissecting TRAIN’s impact on our incomes)

Inflation reached a 5-year high at 4.5% in April 2018 – 1.1 points higher than the January 2018 figures when the tax reform law was passed. The government's inflation target range for 2018 is between 2% and 4%.

Diokno pointed out that an increase in prices is a temporary effect of the law. Prices should normalize towards the second half of the year or in 2018. 

"To us, our concern is to create more jobs – more quality jobs – and of course, minimize inflation. This increase in prices is transitory, we dont expect this to linger. We expect this to normalize during the second half of the year or in 2019," he said.

The budget chief also said that assistance to poor families is part of the mitigating measures in the law, disbursing P200 per month to 10 million poor households.

"We have provided mitigating measures within the law itself that will help those who will be affected by the transitory increase of prices from this year. In fact, it will increase next year," he added.

In 2019 and 2020, the subsidy will be increased from P200 to P300, with an allotment of P38.5 billion in the national budget in the coming years.

The recently implemented TRAIN law will increase taxpayers take-home pay for most employees but it would also lead to more expensive cars, fuel, tobacco, and sugar-sweetened beverages. This, in turn, is expected to lead to higher transportation fares, prices of basic commodities, and power rates. (READ: [OPINION] Train law: What does it change?)

According to the budget department, the government's revenue loss due to the new tax reform law is estimated at P894.2 billion from 2018 to 2022.– Rappler.com

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to a nuclear deal after US President Donald Trump's decision Tuesday, May 8, to withdraw from the accord, which it branded "psychological warfare".

President Hassan Rouhani also said Iran could resume uranium enrichment "without limit" in response to Trump's announcement.

He said he would discuss Iran's response with the other parties to the 2015 deal – Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union – before announcing a decision.

Speaking on state television, Rouhani described Trump's decision as "an act of psychological warfare against Iran".

"I have instructed the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization to take the necessary measures for future actions so that if necessary we can resume industrial enrichment without limit," he said.

"We will wait several weeks before applying this decision. We will speak with our friends and allies, the other members of the nuclear agreement."

Rouhani said Iran had respected all its commitments under the nuclear agreement– as verified by international inspectors.

"We see today which country does not respect its international commitments.

"The only regime that supported the position of Trump is the illegitimate Zionist regime," Rouhani added in reference to Israel.

The Iranian president appeared on the state broadcaster just minutes after Trump announced the historic decision to withdraw the United States from the agreement – a move strongly opposed by the other parties to the deal.

"From this moment, the nuclear deal is between Iran and 5 countries," Rouhani said. "We must wait to see what the 5 great countries will do."

He said there would only be a "short period" in which to assess if Iran's interests could still be preserved in concert with the remaining parties to the deal.

"If our interests are not assured, I will speak to the people and inform them of the decisions that have been taken," Rouhani added. – Rappler.com

ZAMBALES, Philippines – The Philippine and United States navies on Wednesday, May  9, held an amphibious landing exercise at the Naval Education and Training Command in Zambales amid growing concerns over China's militarization of the South China Sea.

At 10 am on Wednesday, around a hundred Filipino and American troops stormed a stretch of the base's shore, over 200 kilometers from Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal which is being claimed by China.

The drill was premised on a supposed threat in a nearby town, and the troops' mission was to secure it. True to the name of the exercises, Filipinos and Americans accomplished the mission and stood shoulder-to-shoulder in victory.

The amphibious landing drill is the first of 3 under this year's Balikatan, the 34th annual military exercises between the two countries. It is the only exercise opened for media coverage.

It may just be a show, but it is a show of force crucial to Philippine-US relations under Duterte.

What is it for? The shoreline exercise aims to enhance the interoperability of the two allies in case of a threat.

Interoperability matters to militaries because the highly hierarchical organizations have their own language on the field.

Jargons, procedures, and customs on scenarios from disaster response to full-blown warfare are shared in the exercises from generals down to ground troops.

The gains from the nurtured interoperability were put on display when US forces helped in disaster relief after Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and the Marawi siege in 2017 – the most devastating natural and manmade disasters, respectively, in recent Philippine history.

Why it matters: The Philippines has one of the weakest militaries in Asia and lies along the path of typhoons, making it vulnerable to external threats as well as natural disasters.

Philippine forces managed to liberate Marawi from terrorists, but the whole of Mindanao remains under martial law, pointing to concerns over a resurgence of the threats. 

This year's Balikatan is the second under the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, who introduced an "independent" foreign policy that seeks to wean the Philippines from its traditional allies like the US, and build stronger ties with countries like China  and Russia.

Philippines-US ties under Duterte started on the wrong foot after Duterte hurles expletives at then US President Obama in several public engagements for supposedly meddling in Philippine affairs when he expressed concern over human rights abuses in Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs.

Ties have apparently normalized after US President Donald Trump took over the White House. Trump established rapport with Duterte after the US leader commended him on his fight against illegal drugs. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday, May 9, filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the P60-million advertisement placement  of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in a television show produced and hosted by the brothers of resigned tourism chief Wanda Teo.

"There is an immediate need to look into the irregularities in the disposition of the DOT’s budget and its expenditures in advertising and marketing in order to ensure that government funds  are legally and properly allocated, directed and spent towards the sole purpose for which the funds were allocated," Trillanes said in filing Senate Resolution 726.

He called for a Senate tourism committee investigation into the DOT ad placement in the Kilos Pronto show of blocktimer Bitag Media Unlimited, Incorporated (BMUI) aired on PTV4.

BMUI is owned by Ben Tulfo, who co-hosts Kilos Pronto with brother Erwin. They are siblings of Teo.

“Despite of this apparent conflict of interest, Secretary Teo approved the contract,” the senator said in his resolution.

The senator filed the resolution a day after Malacañang announced that President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the resignation of Teo, following the controversial ad placement.

In its 2017 audit report on the People's Television Network, Incorporated (PTNI), the Commission on Audit (COA) questioned the DOT payment made to BMUI because of lack of proper documentation.

Trillanes said that based on the COA report, the memorandum between PTNI and the DOT “specifically required PTV-4 to air a 6-minute segment buy in Kilos Pronto, a news-type magazine program, and an additional 3-minute DOT spot within said program.” 

The senator also cited a Rappler report that the state-run network has no obligation to sell ads for a blocktimer.

"In light of this controversy, it can be surmised that PTNI brokered ads for its own blocktimer, which is BMUI," he said. 

Teo, through spokesman Ferdinand Topacio, announced her resignation "after a long and deliberate reflection and soul-searching with respect to the events that have transpired the past few weeks."

Topacio had said that according to his client, she had "no idea" that her brothers hosted Kilos Pronto, which was supposedly chosen for the DOT ad placement because of its high ratings and popularity. (FACT CHECK: Wanda Teo claims no hand in P60M ads, but DOT contract specified Bitag)

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales confirmed on Wednesday that the Office of the Ombudsman has launched an investigation into controversy. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will join the special session of the Supreme Court en banc on Friday, May 11, but will inhibit if the justices vote on the quo warranto petition to oust her.

“This quo warranto petition may not be the only item in the agenda. If and when it is included in the agenda, then she will inhibit herself. But with respect to the other matters in the agenda, then she will preside over these matters,” Sereno’s spokesperson Carlo Cruz said on Tuesday, May 9.

Sereno ended her two-month indefinite leave on Tuesday, and showed up at the SC. She went outside to wave to her supporters from the staircase of the High Court but did not give a statement.

The Chief Justice is always the chair of the en banc. We asked if there’s a possibility for Sereno, as chair of the en banc, to block the quo warranto petition from being included in the agenda on Friday.

“Kung nandun sa agenda, wala naman siyang magagawa, process naman yun. It’s in the business of the Court, mag-iinhibit lang siya (If it's on agenda, she can't do anything because it's the process. It's in the business of the Court, she will just inhibit),” spokesman Jojo Lacanilao said.

It’s a defiant message from the embattled Chief Justice – if her colleagues want to oust her, they are going to have to do it to her face.

“The Chief Justice has displayed this enough. She’s a very strong woman, she is here until the full process is completed. Resignation has never been an option, she will never resign. She is fighting for the truth and our Constitution,” Cruz said.

A former law dean said Sereno's return to the SC as the en banc stands to decide on the petition is a "clear motive to disrupt the Court."

"She puts herself in a position where she can communicate or influence the other justices ex parte with her mere presence. This, in itself, is a violation of her commitment to the Court and her ethics as a lawyer and magistrate," the dean said.

Sereno had called for the inhibition of Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo de Castro, Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam, and Samuel Martires, citing alleged bias.

Call to Carpio

It is unclear what the process is for justices returning from an indefinite leave, but Lacanilao said Sereno didn’t need permission to return to office.

Lacanilao said that Sereno called Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on her way to the SC on Wednesday.

“She was not asking for permission, ang sabi lang naman daw ni Justice Carpio ay ‘okay’ (the only thing that Justice Carpio said was okay),” Lacanilao said.

Sources said she has not met any of the justices face-to-face yet.

Events on Friday, May 11, will again rock the Supreme Court, an institution that is still recovering from internal fissures, from when Renato Corona was ousted to the appointment of Sereno.

If she is ousted, she will become the first Philippine Chief Justice to be removed via quo warranto. It will push the Constitution to its bounds, and lawyers are worried about a crisis resulting from a potential clash of branches of government.

Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III had raised the possibility of questioning the validity of an SC ouster, and asserting the Senate's jurisdiction as an impeachment court.

Sereno had said the quo warranto petition is the "gravest wound ever inflicted on the Constitution." But it is curious how her leadership will stand opposition in her own turf, especially after employees, even judges, had already called for her resignation.

Cruz said they can’t say yet what they plan to do if she is ousted on Friday.

“We will see the tenor of the decision, how it will turn out. She is here to emphasize that she will adhere to the constitutional processes. If that is the decision of her peers, we will see what our next step would be, by way of a motion for reconsideration, but it alll depends how her brethren will decide,” Cruz said.– Rappler.com

PYONGYANG, North Korea – America's top diplomat Mike Pompeo arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday, May 9, landing at the center of a whirlwind of diplomacy ahead of a planned US-North Korea summit.

Pompeo was dispatched on an unannounced visit – his second in weeks, but first as secretary of state – to lay the groundwork for Donald Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim Jong-Un.

His visit comes as rumors fly over 3 US citizens being held in the North, with suggestions they may have been moved in preparation for a release.

The rapid detente on the Korean peninsula triggered by the Winter Olympics is a marked contrast from last year, when Kim and Trump traded personal insults and threats of war over the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"We think relationships are building with North Korea," Trump said in a televised address from the White House. "We will see how it all works out. Maybe it won't. But it can be a great thing for North Korea, South Korea and the entire world."

But the details of a deal appear to be far from clear.

At a historic meeting inside the Demilitarized Zone last month, Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed their commitment to a "common goal" of "complete denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula.

Hours before Pompeo landed, Trump yanked the US from a nuclear deal with Iran, complicating the prospects of persuading Pyongyang to surrender its atomic arsenal.

'Chairman Un'

On Tuesday, May 8, Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping in China – the second time in 6 weeks – highlighting efforts by the Cold War-era allies to mend frayed ties, and with Beijing keen to avoid being left out in the cold.

China's official Xinhua news agency cited Kim as telling Xi there was no need for North Korea to be a nuclear state "as long as relevant parties abolish their hostile policies and remove security threats against" the country.

Kim also expressed hope that the US and North Korea would take "phased and synchronous measures", signaling Pyongyang wanted a quid pro quo.

Pompeo's itinerary – including who he would meet in Pyongyang – was not clear.

He told reporters he would look to prepare for the summit between Trump and "Chairman Un", prompting derision from observers.

"Pompeo doesn’t know the surname is Kim, but he's definitely on top of all the conceptual and semantic nuances associated with the phrase 'denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula'," arms control specialist Jeffrey Lewis tweeted derisively.

Trump's withdrawal of the US from the landmark deal curbing Iran's nuclear program and reimposing crippling sanctions – in defiance of European pleas – also raised concerns.

Trump poured scorn on the "disastrous" 2015 accord, reached after a decade and a half of careful diplomacy by Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and past US administrations, describing it as an "embarrassment" to the United States.

"This just makes my head explode," said Robert Kelly of Pusan National University. "Only a fool would trust the US to keep its word in a rogue state nuke deal now."

Detained trio

Speculation mounted that Pyongyang could release 3 detained Korean-Americans to Pompeo, fueled by South Korea where the president's office said they expected the men to be freed.

The trio are a significant domestic political issue and Trump hinted last week of imminent news after sources said they had been relocated. In previous cases detainees have been set free into the care of high profile US visitors.

Pompeo's visit also comes as a tripartite meeting of East Asia's major powers takes place in Tokyo, with Japan, South Korea and China groping for a lowest-common-denominator agreement on recent events.

Japan, which has by far the most hardline position of the North's neighbors, has been left watching from the sidelines, uneasy at the pace of events and at what it sees as an unwarranted softening towards an untrustworthy Pyongyang.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was likely to push for continued pressure on Pyongyang, including for "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization", Japanese media have reported.

Moon, however, was expected to bat away such demands.

An official in his office last week said Seoul wanted the 3 countries to simply endorse the Panmunjeom Declaration signed by Kim and Moon last month. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Phillippines – Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang is undergoing an internal investigation at the Office of the Ombudsman after a complaint was filed against him for disclosures he made about the bank probe into President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Yes, we're investigating, if there’s any liability, we fault them if there is, if there’s none then sorry...Because the President was saying that he breached confidentiality,” Morales said at a justice forum in Quezon City on Tuesday, May 8.

The Ombudsman's Internal Affairs Board investigates Ombudsman officials, and had sanctioned a few in the past because of administrative liabilities. Morales said they will also look into possible criminal liability.

Morales revealed the internal investigation as she asserted that only the Office of the Ombudsman can discipline deputy ombudsmen, pursuant to a Supreme Court decision. (READ: Carandang case: Impeachment for Morales or Duterte?)

Carandang was suspended by the Office of the Executive Secretary in January for supposed premature disclosure of documents about Duterte's bank accounts. Carandang told media there is a cash flow of almost P1 billion in the Duterte accounts.

Suspension not implemented

Carandang attended the forum on Tuesday, which is a clear confirmation that the Malacañang suspension order was never implemented.

“I did not implement the order. In light of the prevailing jurisprudence, it is the Ombudsman, not the President, who can discipline the deputy ombudsman,” Morales said.

Morales said this while Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra was a seat away from her. Guevarra was the senior deputy executive secretary when Malacañang suspended Carandang.

Guevarra refused to comment and deferred to Morales.

The suspension order, and the eventual internal probe, stemmed from a complaint filed by administration-allied Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) which accused Carandang of criminally violating rules on bank confidentialities. (READ: Deputy Ombudsman Carandang: I maintained confidentiality)

The bank investigation has since been “closed and terminated” curiously, not by Carandang, but by Deputy Ombudsman for Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices (MOLEO) Cyril Ramos.

“When you say closed and terminated, that is without prejudice to another investigation if warranted,” Morales, however, pointed out on Tuesday night.

The Office of the Ombudsman had earlier said that the cause of the probe termination was the refusal of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to cooperate.

Visayas Ombudsman included 

Subjecting Carandang to an internal probe is seen as an exercise of discretion, and the Office of the Ombudsman making itself and its officials accountable. 

Morales said that even Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Clemente is being subjected to an internal probe.

The VACC had also filed a complaint against Clemente before Malacañang for the deputy’s decisions dismissing from office a VACC client, Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo. 

Clemente and Carandang did not give comments. – Rappler.com

BOGOTA, Colombia – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos installed a truth commission on Tuesday, May 8, to shed light on crimes committed during the country's lengthy civil war, as agreed upon in a peace deal with the FARC guerrillas.

The commission will "help heal the wounds accumulated during more than 50 years of conflict," Santos said during a ceremony at the presidential offices.

Even though the full truth of what happened during the internal war "will never be known," the commission will seek to clarify "all the lies that are produced by 53 years of war," he added.

The truth commission has 11 members – 6 women and 5 men – who were elected by representatives of the United Nations, the European Court of Human Rights, and members of the Colombian judicial system and the country's government-run universities.

The members include sociologists, journalists, doctors, economists, attorneys and clerics. The commission is headed by a Jesuit priest, Francisco de Roux, known for his human rights work.

The task will be to "recognize victims from all sides, dignify victims as citizens and recognize collective, institutional responsibilities and the responsibilities of society as a whole through actions and omissions," he said.

The Santos administration agreed to form the truth commission as part of the historic peace deal reached in 2016 with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas. The rebels agreed to surrender their weapons and become a political party of the same name.

The commission, which has no power to judge, has a 3-year term starting in November. Every 6 months, it will issue a progress report, as well as a final report when their time is up.

"The victims often do not want reparations, what they want is the truth," said Santos, who is due to step down in August after 8 years in office.

Colombia's 5-decade conflict drew in leftist guerrillas, paramilitary groups and state forces in what became a many-sided war fueled by drug trafficking, leaving about 260,000 people dead and 7 million displaced. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Ombudsman's investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte's son is part of the agency's job "to ensure public accountability," Malacañang said Wednesday, May 9.

The President's son, resigned Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, is facing an Ombudsman probe into still-undisclosed matters.

"The Office of the Ombudsman has the power to investigate on its own and initiate proper action against public officers," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement on Wednesday.

"We see this as part of the Ombudsman's constitutional mandate to ensure public accountability," Roque added.

While Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales refused to disclose details of Paolo's case, a list obtained by reporters shows 5 docketed cases against him – two for graft, two for administrative offenses, and one for alleged ill-gotten wealth. 

Paolo resigned as Davao City vice mayor on December 25, 2017, citing family problems and the issue of the smuggled illegal drugs that implicated him and his brother in law, Manases Carpio.

Manases Carpio is the Ombudsman's nephew. 

Morales said she has inhibited from Paolo Duterte's cases. Morales is set to retire in July.

The Office of the Ombudsman on May 2 said it has cleared Paolo Duterte and Manases Carpio in the case of the P6.4-billion smuggled shabu, or the illegal drugs known as methamphetamine hydrochloride.  

Duterte earlier vowed to resign if any of his children turn out to be involved in corruption. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde has reassigned his police Facebook bashers to Mindanao.

Albayalde gave the reassignment order after he tracked down the cops and summoned them to Camp Crame.

All 11 policemen were ordered to be restationed at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Police Regional Office. It remained unclear when they would begin their new assignment.

One of the 11 is a classmate of Albayalde aide Senior Inspector Joseph Carlit, who belongs to the PNP Academy's Kaisang-Bisig Class of 2009.

On top of the remote reassignment, the cops are facing charges of "conduct unbecoming of a police officer."  For those who failed to appear before the PNP chief on Monday, they face disobedience charges as well.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao defended Albayalde's decision, explaining that being assigned to Mindanao is not a form of punishment for the cops.

This practice, however, has been done to punish erring cops. In February last year, President Rodrigo Duterte told over 200 policemen gathered in Palace grounds that they would be deployed to Mindanao conflict areas – his punishment for their alleged crimes. (READ: Duterte sends 'errant' cops to Mindanao)

The cops were mostly accused of minor offenses, some charged with extortion and robbery. One of the reassigned cops was killed in Basilan last month. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Senators on Wednesday, May 9, welcomed the appointment of Bernadette Romulo-Puyat as the new tourism chief, citing the “integrity and competence” she has shown in as a public official.

“She has done well in all her government postings. She has a clean record. She has good academic credentials and is very qualified to be the secretary of tourism,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto.

Puyat served the Aquino administration as agriculture undersecretary for special concerns, and the current administration as agriculture undersecretary for administration, agribusiness and marketing, and regional engagement.

Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, for his part, said, “We believe in her competence and integrity as the new tourism secretary.”

Aquino said Puyat’s appointment should be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments as soon as possible so she could “address the challenges at the DOT, like the Boracay closure and rehabilitation.”

Senator Nancy Binay, chairperson of the Senate tourism committee, also welcomed the appointment of Puyat.

“As chair of the Senate committee on tourism, I look forward to working with her to push forward our tourism agenda, and bring her expertise in farm tourism and ecotourism being sustainable approaches to rural development,” Binay said.

In the House of Representatives, Siquijor Representative Rav Rocamora expressed hope that with her agriculture background, Puyat would help showcase his province in terms of farm and fisheries tourism.

"I am really hopeful that with her long service in the Department of Agriculture, she will be able to seamlessly combine agriculture and fisheries growth with ecological integrity, rise in tourism and of course higher incomes for farmers and fisherfolks. Please, help Siquijor be your showcase of farm and fisheries tourism, Madam Secretary. The potential is there. It only needs proper planning and execution," Rocamora said.

He said that Siquijor can become a "catch basin" for tourists following the closure of Boracay Island, but added that any tourism-related development in the province should learn from the Boracay experience. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – More than 1.5 million government workers will receive their mid-year bonus equivalent to one month of their basic salary starting May 15, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

In a press briefing on Wednesday, May 9, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the total amount allocated for the mid-year bonus stands at P36.2 billion.

"Starting May 15, around 1.5 million government employees will receive their FY 2018 Mid-Year Bonus, equivalent to one month basic pay," Diokno said.

According to the guidelines set by Budget Circular No. 2017-2 dated May 8, 2017, the mid-year bonus is granted to state employees under the following conditions:

• Personnel has rendered at least a total or an aggregate of 4 months of service from July 1, 2017 to May 15, 2018
• Personnel remains to be in government service as of May 15, 2018
• Personnel has obtained at least a satisfactory performance rating in the applicable performance appraisal period

Qualified government employees are those with civilian positions, whether regular, contractual, or casual in nature, elective, full-time, or part-time in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, constitutional commissions and offices, state universities and colleges, and government owned and controlled corporations.

Officials and employees of various local government units are covered, as well as military and uniformed personnel under the Department of National Defense (DND), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA).

The DBM said the 2018 mid-year bonus is charged against the agencies' allocations under the 2018 General Appropriations Act or national budget. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte named former Manila vice mayor Isko Moreno, whose real name is Francisco Moreno Domagoso, as undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Duterte also appointed Antonio Joselito Gabor Lambino II, also known as the singer Tony Lambino, as assistant secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF). 

Duterte signed their appointment papers on Tuesday, May 8. Malacañang released the documents to reporters on Wednesday, May 9.

More to follow. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Wednesday, May 9, that overseas Filipino workers in Kuwait who decide to heed calls to come home can get jobs from the government's  Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

Diokno said in a news briefing on Wednesday that according to the National Economic and Development Authority, the infrastructure program  can generate 1.1 million jobs annually.

The budget chief said in a press briefing that this will help "address the influx of returning overseas Filipino workers" from Kuwait because of the diplomatic row between the Philippines and the Gulf state.

"In order to allay fears as regards job opportunities available for returning OFWs, I am happy to share that, according to the latest numbers provided by NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority), our Build, Build, Build infrastructure program is expected to generate 1.1 million jobs annually," he said.

In April last year, NEDA estimated that the infrastructure program would generate more than 100,000 jobs in 2017, over 800,000 jobs in 2018, 1.12 million jobs in 2019, 1.23 million jobs in 2020, 1.39 million jobs in 2021, and 1.7 million jobs million in 2022.

Diokno also said that the Philippine government will send a mission to the Middle East to convince OFWs to come home and work in the Philippines. He said he got this information from Public Works Secretary Mark Villar. (READ: Diokno: 'Kung masipag ka lang, hindi ka magugutom sa Pilipinas')

"I asked Secretary Villar about that and We are actually setting a mission to the Middle East to convince them (OFWs) to come home, especially that construction activity in that part of the world is little. So why don't you come home and participate [here]?" he said.

Diokno reiterated that job opportunities in the Philippines is not a problem, "We have Build, Build, Build which means 'jobs, jobs, jobs.'" he said.

Apart from construction, other employment opportunities will be available as well. The jobs will be posted in an online job portal set to be rolled out within the year, Diokno said.

The budget chief added that apart from OFWs, fresh graduates from the K to 12 program who opt to work can take advantage of the infrastructure program's employment opportunities.

According to the  latest labor statistics, the unemployment rate stands at 5.3%, higher than the figure in October 2017 when it stood at 5%. But the figure is still lower than January 2017's 6.6%. (READ: Unemployment rises under Duterte's watch)

Diokno said the number of employed persons improved from 39.35 million in January 2017 to 41.76 million in January 2018.

"We have the base for new jobs. As i said we plan to generate 1.1 million jobs under the Build, Build, Build program. This is just the government side. As you know, the private sector construction is very active," he said.

The budget department said P8 trillion to P9 trillion will be spent on the infrastructure program, raising infrastructure spending from 5.4% of the gross domestic product in 2017 to as high as 7.3% of the GDP in 2022.

The Philippine economy is seen to grow by 7% in 2018 as well, hinging on the government's continuous rollout of its infrastructure program.– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Court of Appeals (CA) denied the bail petition of Maguindanao massacre suspect Zaldy Ampatuan, and upheld the earlier decision of a trial court judge that found evidence of guilt as strong.

Ampatuan has been in jail since 2009, when he was arrested as among the primary suspects in the Maguindanao massacre, the bloodiest election-related violence in Philippine history where 58 people were killed. 

Among those killed were 32 journalists who were covering the filing of candidacy of the Ampatuans' political rival, Esmael Mangudadatu. (READ: What has happened to the Maguindanao massacre trial 8 years later?)

“The court finds that public respondent did not commit grave abvuse of discretion when, after conducting numerous bail hearings and evaluating the weight of the prosecution’s evidence, it resolved to deny petitioner bail,” the CA’s Special Eighth Division said in a resolution dated April 18.

It was penned by Associate Justice Marie Christine Azcarraga-Jacob with concurrences from Associate Justices Samuel Garland and Ramon Paul Hernando.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221  denied Ampatuan bail in September 2015. Reyes ruled that the testimonies of witnesses pointing to  his participation in a series of supposed meetings to plan the massacre are strong evidence of guilt.

Decision

Ampatuan challenged Reyes’ ruling before the CA and accused the judge of committing grave abuse of discretion.

But the CA said the judge’s questioned decision could not be covered by the petition for certiorari that Ampatuan filed. Based on this, the CA justices denied the petition.

“Under the circumstances, the questioned acts of public respondent would at most constitute errors of law or judgment but certainly not abuse of discretion correctible by certiorari,” the court said.

Ampatuan also faces a possible forfeiture case after the CA upheld an Ombudsman decision finding him guilty of dishonesty and grave misconduct in connection to his wealth.

The Office of the Ombudsman has subjected the assets the late Andal Ampatuan Sr to a forfeiture process.

Ampatuan’s brothers, Andal Jr and Sajid, face graft charges at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan over millions worth of alleged ghost projects.

Sajid is out on bail.

In November, the massacre trial would reach its 9th year, with no convictions to this day. – Rappler.com

Bookmark to watch live at 10 am in Senegal (6 pm, Manila time)

DAKAR, Senegal – The World Movement for Democracy is a global network of civil society activists, scholars, parliamentarians, thought leaders, journalists, and funders who are committed to advancing democracy.

Since 1999, the group has facilitated networking among democracy supporters and convened discussions and workshops on democracy in different regions of the world. 

On May 6-9, the group holds its 9th Global Assembly – "Building Strategic Partnerships for Democratic Renewal."

Rappler will be livestreaming select sessions from Senegal.

Plenary Session: Reclaiming the Internet for Democracy

Panelists:
- Maria Ressa, Rappler, Philippines
- Tidiani Togola, Founder, Democracy Tech Squad, Mali
- Ron Deibert, Citizen Lab
- Xiao Qiang, China Digital Times
- Crystal Patterson, Facebook, USA
- Eileen Donahoe, Stanford University, USA (Moderator)

Panel: Responding to Disinformation Efforts in Electoral Processes

Organized by: The National Democratic Institute

– Rappler.com

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – Non-governmental organization Greenpeace Philippines is concerned over the decision of the environment department to lift the suspension of the issuance of special use agreement for protected areas (SAPA), claiming it will open the areas to exploitation.

"Greenpeace is very concerned over this development, and we fear that this move will do nothing but open the protected areas to exploitation,” Vince Cinches, Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines political campaigner, said in a statement on Tuesday, May 8. 

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu announced Friday, May 4, that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources was again accepting SAPA applications after the DENR lifted the indefinite suspension on its issuance.

“Now that the suspension has been lifted, the DENR can guarantee that individuals, groups, and companies can once again apply for the special use of the PAs,” Cimatu said in a statement.

SAPA is a tenurial instrument issued to enable productive use of a protected area as defined under Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992, while maintaining its status as a PA.

'Regulatory tool'

The objectives of SAPA include putting a premium on ecosystem services provided by PAs and generating revenues that can be tapped for improved management and operations of the PAs,  reducing the required national subsidy.

“SAPA also serves as a regulatory tool for increased resource use beyond carrying capacity and increasing local economic opportunities, such as increased local employment from ecotourism establishments,” Cimatu said. 

In Palawan, SAPA is specifically sought by tourism establishments in El Nido, which forms part of the El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area. 

"It's all favorable to us. That would pave the way to have a legit tenurial instrument on our occupation and operation of our business establishments founded on a timberland classified parcel of land. At the same time, the DENR can collect revenue thru SAPA," said Henri Fernandez, president of the Cottages, Resorts, and Restaurants Association of El Nido.

'Sale of PAs to businesses'

With the lifting, the DENR resumes enforcement of Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2007-17 or the rules and regulations governing the issuance of the tenurial instrument for PAs.

Cimatu also signed DAO 2018-05, which provides for the standard computation of development fees imposed on SAPA recipients. SAPAs’ issuance was indefinitely suspended sometime in 2011 due to the absence of this. 

Cinches, however, said this is tantamount to selling PAs out to businesses. He compelled the DENR to “not allow greed to lord over our constitutional right to a balanced and healthful environment.”

"We would like to remind the Philippine government that our environment is not for sale. The environment does not belong to businesses that only seek to suck it dry with profit, but rather it belongs to the future generations, according to the Oposa vs Factoran Supreme Court decision on intergenerational responsibility to a healthy and balanced ecology,” he said. 

Cinches asserted that SAPA goes against the essence of RA 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992. 

“The revival of SAPA is in violation of the spirit or general objectives of the NIPAS, and will only enrich a few, worsen the current environmental problems and poverty situation in the Philippines,” he said.

No GMPS

The utilization of some of the country’s PAs, Cinches noted, do not have a General Management Planning Strategy (GMPS), as required by Rule 10 of DENR Administrative Order 2008-26.

“That is why even current protected areas are still being ravaged by destructive human activities such as mining, quarrying, fishing, farming, and general disregard for environmental protection laws. It was the reason why SAPA was suspended in the first place because this violates the NIPAS law,” he said. 

Cinches said it is important to note that human activities are still allowed in the identified buffer zones of PAs, as long as these would not impair the integrity of the strict protection zone.

“In some protected areas with GMPS, allowable human activities are not enumerated, because all activities are subjected to clear impact assessment,” he added.

As of 2013, there are 240 protected areas covering 5.45 million hectares under NIPAS, according to the DENR's Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB).  

"These encompass 14.2% of the total area of the country, and include 4.07 million hectares of terrestrial (13.57% of total area of the country) and 1.38 million hectares of marine areas (0.63%  of total area of the country). About 26% of the country’s remaining forests are found in protected areas," DENR BMB's guidebook reads. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – After becoming one of the most recognizable police chiefs in the country, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Ronald dela Rosa wants to run for senator in 2019.

"Ako, Senado, kung ako'ng masusunod ah (If it were for me to decide alone, I would go for the Senate)," Dela Rosa said in an interview with ANC's Headstart on Wednesday, May 9.

He was asked to choose between running for senator, or governor in his home province Davao del Sur, after speculations of him diving into politics followed as he left the police service.

The numbers appear to be in his favor if he would run for senator.

In a Laylo poll held in November 2017, Dela Rosa was predicted to be in the top 10 to 12 spots for the Senate. In a Pulse Asia survey conducted in March 2018, he placed 8th to 15th.

What's holding him back? Even though Dela Rosa wants to be senator, he would still wait for the approval of his political patron: President Rodrigo Duterte.

"I must say it clearly that I cannot go against the will of the President. He's the one who made me, so whatever he says," Dela Rosa said in a mix of English and Filipino.

His bond with Duterte goes back decades. They knew each other as early as the first days following the People Power Revolution when Duterte was a recently installed vice mayor and Dela Rosa was a lieutenant fresh from the Philippine Military Academy.

When Duterte became mayor, Dela Rosa was his preferred city police director. When Duterte became president, Dela Rosa became his first national police chief. How will the President influence Dela Rosa's future in 2019? – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque flew to Kuwait to seek "normalization of ties" with the Middle Eastern country, Malacañang said on Wednesday evening, May 9.

Malacañang said Roque left for Kuwait on Tuesday evening, May 8, "upon the directive" of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Roque and Bello met with Kuwaiti officials, as they were accompanied by former labor secretary Marianito Roque, labor attaché Rustico dela Fuente, and deputy chief of mission to Kuwait Mohd Noordin Lomondot. 

The Philippine contingent met with officials from Kuwait's interior ministry. Both parties "look forward to the normalization of ties."

Malacañang said a memorandum of agreement is expected to be signed after their meeting.

On top of this, Kuwait "agreed to create a special unit within the police that the Philippine embassy can liaison with regarding complaints of Filipino workers." 

This special unit will be available for 24 hours, with a special 24-hour number "that Filipino workers can call for assistance."

150 undocumented OFWs flying home

Malacañang said the meeting of Filipino and Kuwaiti officials "likewise saw the release of 4 drivers," in reference to the drivers arrested by Kuwait after helping the Philippine embassy in rescuing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there.

The meeting "guaranteed that all remaining undocumented Filipinos…except those with pending cases, will be allowed to go home."

Malacañang said at least 150 of these undocumented Filipinos "will be joining the Philippine officials in returning to the Philippines." 

The meeting comes after Kuwait expelled Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa due to the allegedly illegal rescues of OFWs in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti government had also protested a video of these OFW rescues, which came from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs itself.

This crisis brought relations between the Philippines and Kuwait to their lowest point in years, with the welfare of 262,000 OFWs at stake. (READ: Cayetano denies Kuwait OFW video was for politicking) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Incoming Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat was given strict orders by President Rodrigo Duterte to rid the agency of corruption.

“Ang unang bilin niya [Duterte] sa akin, ‘Congratulations, ang gusto ko lang na huwag ka maging corrupt,' and then natawa siya ‘alam ko naman hindi,’” said Romulo Puyat. (The very first thing Duterte told me was, "Congratulations, the only thing I want is for you to not be corrupt," and then he laughed and said, "I know you won't.")

She said she was “shocked” after hearing the corruption allegations against her predecessor, resigned tourism secretary Wanda Teo.

The incoming tourism chief revealed that she thought the President was joking that she would be replacing Teo.

"'Have you heard that Secretary Teo resigned? I think you are fit for that job.' I thought he was joking because the President sometimes jokes around," said Romulo Puyat.

She admited she had “no idea what to do” yet with the mess in the department, but she vowed to check all documents.

She said she will ensure that the proper bidding processes are implemented.

“I have my lawyers to check documents before I sign,” she added.

Sustainable tourism

As for priority tourism projects, Romulo Puyat wants to push sustainable tourism and put a limit on visitors allowed in a tourist destination.

"There has to be a balance of promoting and sustaining [the environment]," she said.

She also said she will incorporate the knowledge she gained in the Department of Agriculture (DA), where she served as undersecretary.

Romulo Puyat said that she has a special interest in local food and promised to give the food industry a boost.

The new tourism chief has yet to sign the necessary documents to assume office.

In a text message to reporters, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said that Romulo Puyat “is a big loss to the DA especially in our marketing advocacies. But I am happy for her.”

“Looking at the brighter side, she and I could now work closely and coordinate our efforts and funding in promoting farm tourism and agri-tourism,” Piñol added.

Several senators have lauded Romulo Puyat for her “integrity and competence”. – Rappler.com