TOKYO, Japan – Japan's Kansai airport  will reopen partially on Friday, September 7, the government said Thursday, September 6, after a massive typhoon flooded parts of the transport hub and swept a tanker onto the only bridge connecting it to the mainland.

The collision left the airport, which is on an artificial island, temporarily cut off, stranding thousands of passengers and staff and forcing authorities to evacuate them by boat and bus.

"Domestic flights in the Kansai international airport will resume tomorrow, and international flights are set to resume operation as soon as preparation work is done," government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said.

The airport, in Japan's western Osaka region, was battered by Typhoon Jebi, which made landfall Tuesday, September 4 as the strongest storm to hit Japan since 1993.

Waves whipped up by the storm also flooded parts of the airport, including runways.

Airport CEO Yoshiyuki Yamaya said Thursday that virtually all those stranded had now been evacuated and work was ongoing to resume normal operation.

"A major issue we face now is to secure smooth access to the island," he said, with the bridge running to the airport badly damaged by the tanker collision.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said "work, such as draining water, is being done around the clock", public broadcaster NHK reported.

"Many issues remain, such as damage done to the fuel facility," he added.

Kansai is a major hub for both passenger and cargo flights, and operates around 400 flights a day.

The disruption to operations could impact tourism and business in the region, Japan's industrial heartland.

Jebi left a trail of destruction as it barreled across Japan on Tuesday, killing 11 people and injuring dozens.

The storm was the latest in a series of natural disasters to hit Japan this summer, starting with record rains in July that triggered flooding and landslides that killed over 200 people.

Early Friday, a strong earthquake rattled the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, killing at least one person and injuring over 100. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The camp of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV slammed as “an act of desperation” the military's planned warrantless arrest of the opposition senator.

“Why will you reopen a case for conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman na ang maximum penalty ay discharge against a person who is already out of the armed forces? Malaking kalokohan ''yun,” Trillanes’ lawyer Rey Robles said on Thursday, September 6.

(Why will you reopen a case for conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman where the maximum penalty is discharge against a person who is already out of the armed forces? That’s a big joke.)

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra supported the military’s statement that Trillanes – who resigned from service and returned to being a civilian in 2007 – can be arrested without a warrant, and can be tried again before a court martial.

Military courts only have jurisdiction over soldiers. 

“Once jurisdiction is acquired, it is not lost until the action is terminated. In Trillanes' case, the court martial proceedings were merely suspended because of the amnesty proclamation,” said Guevarra.

The Department of National Defense (DND) added that it is considering Trillanes to have never left the service because the amnesty was voided.

Which proceedings will reopen? If the court martial reopens the “suspended proceedings” against Trillanes, for what charges will he be tried for?

Robles said the proceedings were for violation of Article 96 of the Articles of War for conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman. The maximum penalty for such charge is dismissal from service.

"Parang niloloko lang nila ang sarili nila. Ibabalik ka namin para tanggalin ka namin, wala na sa lugar talaga 'yan. Tahasan nang pangbababoy sa ating mga batas," said Robles.

(It’s like they’re fooling themselves. We will bring you back into the service just so we can remove you again. That is so out of place. That is blatant disrespect for our laws.)

Were there ever mutiny proceedings? Asked what court martial proceedings will reopen against Trillanes,  Guevarra said “mutiny or sedition.”

Mutiny or sedition is punished under Article 67 of the Articles of War by “death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct.”

Former Magdalo Representative Ashley Acedillo, who was with Trillanes during the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, said there were never mutiny charges against the senator.

“Ang sinasabi ng Supreme Court, hindi na kami puwedeng kasuhan ng mutiny kung meron na kaming kaso ng kudeta sa civilian court,” Acedillo said.

(The Supreme Court said we can no longer be charged for mutiny because we have already been charged for coup d’etat before the civilian court.)

Details from a 2006 Supreme Court decision support Acedillo’s claims.

It was a decision by the en banc on a petition filed by Trillanes and other mutineers who wanted their charges before the court martial dropped.

The decision revealed that in October 2003, the pre-trial investigation panel recommended to the AFP to charge Trillanes et al of Articles 63, 64, 67, 96 and 97. Article 67 is mutiny and Article 96 is conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman.

However, the civilian lower court that tried them then declared that the crimes are not service-connected, “but rather absorbed and in furtherance for the alleged crime of coup d’etat.”

“Colonel Julius A. Magno, in his capacity as officer-in-charge of the Judge Advocate Generals Office (JAGO), reviewed the findings of the Pre-Trial Investigation Panel. He recommended that 29 of the officers involved in the Oakwood incident, including petitioners, be prosecuted before a general court martial for violation of Article 96 (conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman) of the Articles of War,” the decision revealed.

It added, “On June 17, 2004, Colonel Magnos' recommendation was approved by the AFP top brass.”

Informed of these details, Guevarra told Rappler, “Leave that to the JAGO.”

How about charges for the Manila Peninsula standoff? After the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, Trillanes was again involved in the November 29, 2007 standoff at the Manila Peninsula hotel.

Robles said Trillanes was never named as an accused in court martial proceedings over the Manila Peninsula siege.

“Noong nangyari ‘yung (during the) Manila Peninsula siege, he was a senator already, and he was formally discharged in 2007,” Robles said.

Trillanes ran and won as senator in May 2007. Robles presented documents dated May and August 28 to 29, 2007, where the military leadership acknowledged Trillanes’ resignation from the military, even clearing him and giving him his last payment.

One of the documents was signed by former military chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr, who is now the National Security Adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Robles said they would only recognize a court-issued warrant, but that they were confident the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 would not issue one. Guevarra said they will apply for a warrant next at Branch 150. Both courts dismissed the charges against Trillanes way back in September 2011.

“Siguro naman alam na natin ang tama at mali. Kung nakita 'nyo naman na mali, huwag na tayong magpagamit,” Robles said.

(I suppose we know what’s right from wrong. If you see that this is wrong, don’t let yourself be used.) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – Commuters can book motorcycle ride-hailing services again through Angkas, for now.

The Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court granted a preliminary injunction to Angkas, preventing the government from blocking the operations of the ride-hailing firm.

A preliminary injunction is an order preventing a party from committing an act – in this case, the government – pending the final ruling or outcome of a case.

The order was presented by Angkas head of operations David Medrana during the hearing of the House committee on Metro Manila development on Thursday, September 6.

The preliminary injunction prevents the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) "from interfering, whether directly or indirectly," with Angkas' operations.

It also stops authorities "from apprehending Angkas bikers who are in lawful pursuit of their trade or occupation based on petitioner's Angkas mobile application; and from performing any act or acts that will impede, obstruct, frustrate, or defeat [the] petitioner's pursuit of its lawful business or trade as owner and operator of the Angkas mobile application."

{source}

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The order was penned by Judge Carlos Valenzuela on August 2 | via <a href="https://twitter.com/reyaika?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@reyaika</a> <a href="https://t.co/GFaDaaLc6G">pic.twitter.com/GFaDaaLc6G</a></p>&mdash; Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom/status/1037611947796049920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

{/source}

In a joint statement on Thursday, the DOTr and the LTFRB said they are "saddened" by the preliminary injunction, and maintained that Angkas' services are illegal.

"Our position is that motorcycles registered in the service are not authorized to conduct business and offer public transport under Republic Act 4136. For them to be allowed, the law has to be amended by Congress," said the DOTr and the LTFRB.

"If Angkas is to continue accrediting motorcycles registered as private vehicles to book rides and accept passengers for a fee, it is considered as without authority from the government regulators, and, therefore, are considered colorum vehicles."

They added that safety is their priority, and for them, Angkas isn't safe.

"Apart from engaging in unfair business practice, the safety of patrons and commuters [is] also put at risk, as motorcycles are not considered as a safe mode of public transport," they said.

"Obviously, Angkas is just interested in making profit, and profit alone.... The DOTr-LTFRB will exhaust all legal remedies to ensure that our roads are cleared of colorum vehicles, such as Angkas motorcycles."

In November last year, the LTFRB suspended Angkas' operations, saying that it violated Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. (READ: Why Angkas is illegal) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines detained 34 Chinese men for working illegally at a construction site in Pasay City, after they allegedly arrived as tourists then got employed as construction workers without securing work permits.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday, September 6, that it took custody of the 34 Chinese men on Tuesday, September 4. The men were "caught in the act of working illegally at a construction site near the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City" on Tuesday.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the BI is verifying if the Chinese men have already overstayed in the Philippines. 

He said that "those proven to be undocumented or without an appropriate visa will be charged and undergo deportation proceedings for working without a proper visa and for violating the conditions of their stay."

Fortunato Manahan Jr, acting intelligence chief of the BI, said the 34 Chinese men "were arrested Tuesday morning during a surprise raid of their project site along Diosdado Macapagal Avenue" in Pasay City.

Quoting Manahan, the BI said "Filipinos in the vicinity reportedly cheered as the BI agents conducted the arrest against the erring aliens."

"We very much welcome the presence of foreign nationals in the country, but they are reminded of their responsibility to comply with immigration laws," Morente said. 

Detained Senator Leila de Lima earlier urged the Senate to probe the supposed "influx of Chinese nationals," both legal and illegal, in the Philippines. This "immigration surge," her office said, "steals jobs away from ordinary Filipinos," and "triggers a property surge in many developed areas." 

De Lima said more than 50 offshore gambling companies in Manila alone have employed "about 200,000 predominantly Chinese workers who have been arriving since late 2016." She added that in 2017, around 1,200 of the 1,500 foreigners deported by the BI were Chinese. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is providing a total of P245,000 to families affected by the two recent explosions in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

In a statement on Thursday, September 6, the DSWD gave the following breakdown:

• P5,000 assistance to injured persons at the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital, Holy Nazarene Hospital, and St Louie Hospital
• P3,000 assistance to those discharged from the hospital 
• P5,000 assistance to families of those who died

Last August 28, the first deadly blast rocked Isulan as the town was celebrating its Hamungaya Festival. An improvised explosive device went off along the national highway, leaving 3 dead and 36 injured. One of the fatalities was a 7-year-old boy.

Less than a week later, another explosion occurred in the town, which killed 2 people and wounded 12 others.

The DSWD said a total of P177,000 was provided to individuals and families affected by the first blast, while P68,000 will be given to those affected by the second blast.

The DSWD Soccsksargen office said it would continue to monitor the condition of those affected by the blasts and provide further assistance needed.– Rappler.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday, September 6, denounced the caning of two women convicted of having lesbian sex in violation of strict Islamic laws, after the punishment sparked a storm of criticism.

The pair were caned in front of more than 100 spectators in an Islamic court Monday, with one of the women breaking down in tears, after they admitted breaching rules that forbid homosexual relations.

The punishment in conservative northern Terengganu state marked the first time women have been caned for same-sex relations in Muslim-majority Malaysia, according to campaigners, and heightened fears about a worsening climate for the country's homosexuals.

Mahathir added his voice to growing criticism, saying he had discussed the issue with his cabinet and they felt the caning "does not reflect justice and tolerance in Islam". 

"This gives a bad image of Islam and we believe that if there are similar cases like this we need to consider giving lighter punishments," he said.

"It is crucial we show Islam is not a cruel religion... that humiliates people."

Mahathir said as it was a first offense for the women, they should have been given advice rather than being caned.

The women, aged 22 and 32, were arrested in April by Islamic enforcement officers after they were found in a car in a public square.

The pair, whose identities have not been revealed, pleaded guilty last month to breaking Islamic laws and were sentenced to 6 strokes of the cane and a fine of 3,300 ringgit ($800).

Multi-ethnic Malaysia operates a dual-track legal system, with Islamic courts handling religious and family matters for Muslim citizens, who make up over 60% of the country's population.

Islamic laws are overseen by individual states in Malaysia. Terengganu state is governed by the conservative Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), which is not part of the ruling coalition at the national level.

The caning came against a backdrop of what activists say is growing intolerance towards the country's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. 

The Islamic affairs minister has spoken out against homosexuals, while a transgender woman was brutally attacked in the southern state of Negeri Sembilan. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Brace yourself for heavier traffic in Manila City starting September 15, as 3 bridges and a flyover will undergo repairs.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on Thursday, September 6, that it had given clearance to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to do the following:

• Restoration of Old Sta Mesa bridge
• Demolition of N Domingo bridge
• Repair of Mabini Bridge
• Repair of Nagtahan flyover

MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said that the Old Sta Mesa bridge that connects San Juan City to Manila will be closed for 7 months. This is to pave way for the construction of the Skyway 3 project that will connect Quezon City to Makati.

"There are about 500 vehicles per hour that won't be able to pass through Old Sta Mesa bridge [when restoration works commence]," Garcia said in a mix of English and Filipino. (READ: Otis Bridge in Manila closed for repairs until March 2019)

Garcia also said that N Domingo bridge has to be demolished so that barges will be able to carry equipment for the Skyway project can pass the waterway, saying that "it's the only way for the barges to pass through."

Meanwhile, repair works for Mabini bridge and the Nagtahan flyover is expected to last for 4 months, involving asphalt overlay and electrical works. An average of 37,000 vehicles traverse the bridge and the flyover daily.

Garcia said that contractors are allowed to do repairs from 11 pm to 5 am.

MMDA said motorists can take the following alternative routes during the construction works:

• Felix Manalo Manalo Street or G Araneta/Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City
• Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City
• F Blumentritt Avenue in Manila City

To regulate traffic, Garcia said that they will conduct clearing operations to maximize road space for motorists, given the situation.

"Ang target namin ay mapakanibangan natin ang lahat ng puwedeng kalsada. (Our target is to maximize our road space). We are conducting clearing operations of illegal obstructions along the roads," Garcia said.

"We are serious with our campaign against illegal parking. We conduct towing in the inner roads when the local governments request for assistance," he added.

Vehicle owners will receive illegal parking tickets should they defy the 6 am to 9 pm no parking rule on the alternate roads, he said. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – Britain said Thursday, September 6, that Russian President Vladimir Putin had "ultimate" responsibility for a nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent in England, as it prepared to brief the UN Security Council.

London has accused two members of Russian military intelligence of using Novichok to try to kill former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the southwestern city of Salisbury.

Security Minister Ben Wallace said Putin bore ultimate responsibility for the poisoning.

"Ultimately he does in so far as he is the president of the Russian Federation and it is his government that controls, funds and directs the military intelligence, the GRU, via his ministry of defense."

He told BBC radio: "I don't think anyone can ever say that Mr Putin isn't in control of his state.... And the GRU is without doubt not rogue. 

"It is led, linked to both the senior members of the Russian general staff and the defence minister, and through that into the Kremlin and the president's office."

Britain has previously pointed the finger at Moscow for the March 4 attack, sparking furious denials.

In the aftermath, Britain and its allies expelled dozens of Russian diplomats, prompting Russian to respond in kind. The United States also imposed fresh sanctions over the attack.

Britain will brief the UN Security Council later Thursday on its latest findings, with the meeting due to open around 11:30 am (1530 GMT).

Moscow on Wednesday again denied involvement in the case, accusing Britain of "unfounded accusations".

"Instead of conducting an independent, objective and transparent investigation... London continues to engage in anti-Russian megaphone diplomacy, continuing its propaganda show," the foreign ministry said.

Cyber-war?

The US ambassador to London, Woody Johnson, and the Australian government have offered their support for Britain's stance against Russia.

Wallace said his government would seek to "maintain the pressure" on Russia "to say that the behaviour we've seen is totally unacceptable".

Options include "more sanctions -- we are obviously taking it today to the UN to present our case".

However he noted that Russia would be there and would likely use its veto on any statement that might arise.

Amid reports that Britain was planning a response in cyber-space, Wallace said the Russians were the main operators behind attacks on British networks.

"We retaliate in our way... within the rule of law and in a sophisticated way, that they know the cost of what they do," he said.

The Skripals survived the poisoning but remnants of Novichok found in a fake perfume bottle were picked up by a local man weeks later.

Charlie Rowley gave it to his girlfriend, Dawn Sturgess, who later died.

British prosecutors said Wednesday they had enough evidence to charge the two men identified as Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov with conspiracy to murder Skripal, attempted murder and the use of a banned chemical weapon.

They said they would not formally demand their extradition, as Russia does not extradite its citizens, but have obtained a European Arrest Warrant for the pair. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday, September 6, visited Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in his Senate office, where he has been staying for 3 days now. (LOOK: Inside Trillanes' 'home' in the Senate)

Robredo said she decided to personally show her support for Trillanes after she spoke at an event at the nearby Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). 

The Senate leadership, supported by majority of the senators, allowed Trillanes to stay in the building as he tries to exhaust legal solutions in his case.

“Naisip ko na malapit na rin [ako], makausap man lang si Senator Trillanes para maabutan ng suporta,” Robredo told reporters just before meeting with Trillanes.

(Since I'm already near, I thought of visiting so I can talk to Senator Trillanes to show support.)

“Alam ko si Senator Trillanes kaya depensahan ang sarili. Yung sa akin lang, malaman nya lang na hindi man kami mag-kapareho ng partido, alam namin [ang] ginagawa sa kanya. At dahil mali ginagawa sa kanya, nakikiisa kami sa kanya,” Robredo said.

(I know Senator Trillanes can defend himself. For me, I want him to know that even if we are not from the same party, we know what is being done to him. And because it is wrong, we are one with him.)

Robredo said President Rodrigo Duterte’s revocation of the amnesty granted to Trillanes in 2011 is a clear form of “harassment” and is meant to silence his critics.

Despite this, she said the persecution of Trillanes would unify the opposition even more. (READ: #AnimatED: Kris vs Mocha: Lessons for the catatonic opposition)

“Yung nangyayari kay Senator Trrillanes, lalo pa nyang iuunify ang oposisyon, lalo pang binigyan ng dahilan para magkaisa,” she said. (What is happening to Senator Trillanes will unify the opposition more. It will give us more reasons to unite.)

“Sana di ito maging dahilan para matakot ang ating kababayan. Bagkus maging dahilan ito para magkaisa tayo,” she said. (I hope this does not become a reason for the public to be afraid. Instead, I hope it becomes the reason for our unity.)

In February 2017, Senator Leila de Lima, Duterte’s fiercest critic, was jailed over drug charges she maintains were fabricated. It was De Lima who launched the investigation into the spate of extrajudicial killings early in Duterte’s term.

Duterte ordered the revocation of Trillanes’ amnesty, citing the senator’s supposed failure to submit an application and to admit guilt. Rappler documents, however, showed Trillanes did both.

The Department of Justice filed a “very urgent” motion for an alias arrest warrant. The Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148  did not immediately issue a warrant and gave Trillanes 5 days to comment on the DOJ motion.

Trillanes on Thursday has asked the Supreme Court to stop the “unconstitutional” order of Duterte. He also vowed to run after the people persecuting him. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Cesar Chavez, the transportation official who resigned 10 months ago over Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) mishaps, is back in the Duterte administration.

Chavez has been appointed a board member of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA). Malacañang released his appointment dated August 31 on Thursday, September 6.

He will replace retired police general Jose Pallarca and serve the latter's unexpired term from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019.

Chavez had resigned as transportation tndersecretary for Railways in November 2017 out of "delicadeza (sense of propriety)" after a series of near-daily MRT3 breakdowns. Two stand-out incidents were the train decoupling incident and a woman who suffered a severed arm after she fell in between train coaches.

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Juan Miguel Zubiri said back then that Chavez's resignation was a "big loss" to the DOTr.

Chavez had been outspoken against Busan Universal Rail Incorporated (BURI), the former MRT3 maintenance provider whose contract was canceled by the DOTr in early November.

BURI previously filed ethics and graft complaints against Chavez.

In a Senate hearing back in May, Chavez had said the contract with BURI should be canceled, citing the daily inconvenience experienced by passengers. He also lamented BURI's alleged refusal to buy spare parts, which are essential in maintaining the railway system.– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) sacked on Thursday, September 6, Police Senior Inspector JR Palcon, the police chief of Ronda in Cebu following the killing of town mayor Mariano Blanco III inside his office.

This was confirmed to Rappler by Cebu provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Manuel Abrugena in a phone interview, adding that 8 other cops from the Ronda police station were relieved over the incident.

The cops were sacked as the PNP launched a probe to determine whether the team committed any wrongs in failing to respond quicky when Mayor Blanco was asssassinated on Wednesday before the break of dawn.

Blanco is the 11th mayor to be killed during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. He was linked by the government to the illegal drug trade, and right now, cops are looking into politics and personal grudges as the possible motives to his assassination.

Was there neglect? The police station stands just a stone's throw away from the town hall, estimated by Cebu Daily News to be just around 5 meters in distance.

In an earlier interview, sacked town police chief Palcon explained that when Mayor Blanco was killed, only 2 cops were inside the police station.

Palcon said there were 10 others on duty at the time but 5 were serving a search warrant and the other 5 were busy with patrols as there was apparently a liga (basketball league) held in another barangay.

Palcon did not mention whether he was part of the 12 on-duty. (READ: Is your city safe? Understanding PNP crime statistics)

Cops were only able to respond after the 2 on-duty cops received barangay watchmen who saw the killers. The cops had to call for the patrolling policemen to respond, Palcon said, as they could not leave the police station and its detainees on their own. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – During Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to Jordan, the Jordan government promised to deliver two secondhand Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters to the Philippines by July 2019.

This was confirmed by Special Assistant to the President Bong Go on Thursday, September 6, as Duterte met with King Abdullah II on his first full day in Amman.

Filipino pilots will have to undergo a 9-month training period to learn how to operate the refurbished choppers, added Go.

The impending donation, shepherded by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr, was what supposedly convinced Duterte to tone down his tirades against Jordanian prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the former United Nations human rights chief who criticized the Philippine leader for his bloody campaign against illegal drugs and threats against UN rapporteurs.

Duterte had called Zeid "empty-headed." Last August 31, the President warned that if the helicopters don't arrive in the Philippines soon, he would resume his tirades against the Jordanian royal, who happens to be the cousin of King Abdullah II.

5 deals inked

Duterte and the King also witnessed the signing of 5 agreements between their governments on Thursday.

The signing took place after a welcome ceremony for Duterte at the Al Husseinieh Palace Courtyard where he met the King for the first time. Duterte was given full military honors. (READ: Duterte in Jordan: Activities, deals, delegation members)

Below are the 5 agreements:

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Political Consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan and the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs
• MOU on Defense Cooperation between the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and the Philippine Department of National Defense
• Agreement between the Jordan Maritime Commission and the Maritime Industry Authority of the Philippines concerning the Recognition of Certificates under the Terms of the 1978 Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers Convention
• Cooperation Framework for Employment of Domestic Workers and MOU on Labor Cooperation between Jordan and the Philippines
• MOU between the Jordan Investment Commission and the Board of Investments of the Philippines

Duterte and the King held a "restricted" meeting that afternoon. After this, the Philippine President will attend a forum with businessmen and business groups at a hotel in Amman. – Rappler.com 

BENGUET, Philippines – Police recovered a huge cache of dynamite and other bomb materiel in Quirino Hill on Thursday afternoon, September 6. 

Cordillera Regional Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana said the stash was not meant for terrorist purposes. The suspect is a private miner and these were stolen from a mining depot in Itogon.

Benguet Provincial Police Chief Sr. Supt. Lyndon Mencio said the cache was recovered from an empty house in Tapao West in Upper Quirino Hill. 

Police found 19 sacks of ammonium nitrate at 25 kilos each and several boxes of blasting caps.

Mencio said that they were able to apprehend one suspect, reportedly a small-scale miner. His identity was not provided as they still have to ascertain if there are other suspects.

He said that only a portion of the cache stolen from the mining depot last Sunday was recovered.

The theft

On the morning of September 2, police in Itogon town said unidentified men robbed a magazine depot owned by Mrs. Nena Camolo Caccam at Camisong, Loacan in Itogon.

The suspects reportedly cut the interlink fence then dug into the walls of the three storage facilities.

Caccam said that the missing items in their depot included 55 sacks of ammonium nitrate worth P99,000; three boxes of ordinary blasting caps worth P576,000 at 10,000 caps per box; eleven boxes of safety fuse worth P252,000; four boxes of detonating cord worth P128,000 and one box of dynamite emulsion worth P4,800. 

The whole stash, totaling P1,169,000, was said to have been contained in two vehicles, according to the police. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines - Despite friendly warnings, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV chose to file a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) instead of fight the voiding of his amnesty in the lower courts.

“If we cannot rely on the Supreme Court, wala na tayong puwedeng pagkatiwalaan. Kaya kami nandito ngayon (we cannot trust anyone, that’s why we’re here,”  said Trillanes’ lawyer Rey Robles.

Robles added:“Maraming nagsabi sa amin huwag pumunta sa Supreme Court dahil politicized daw dahil 'yung mga mahistrado at loyal sa Pangulo — ang tingin ko dito sa mga ganitong issue na ang kinabukasan at buhay na natin ang nakataya maninindigan ang mga mahal nating mahistrado ng Supreme Court para gawin yung tama.”

(Many people told us not to go to the Supreme Court because it has supposedly been politicized, and that the justices are loyal to the President. My view on this kind of issue is that our future and our lives are at stake here, so the justices will do what is right.)

In his 36-page petition filed before the SC on Thursday, September 6, Trillanes basically argues that President Rodrigo Duterte has no legal basis to void the amnesty granted to him in 2011.

He anchors his case on the lack of an expressed provision in the Constitution that allows a president to unilaterally void or revoke his amnesty. Section 19, Article VII, of the 1987 Constitution states that the President has the “power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of a majority of all the Members of the Congress.” 

“Duterte’s and/or Respondents act of issuing and/or implementing Proclamation 572 is clearly unconstitutional as it violates the constitutional design clearly making the said power a joint power of the President and the members of both houses of Congress,” Trillanes said in his petition.

To an extent, he also presents factual issues  of his case, submitting copies of certifications for his amnesty application that seek to debunk Duterte’s justification that the amnesty is void because he never applied.

On whether he admitted guilt, Trillanes said he couldn’t have applied without admitting guilit because the application form “particularly and specifically requires such admission.”

The application form is missing, says the Department of National Defense (DND), even though documents obtained by Rappler show the defense department certified the senator’s application.

Why the warning? Parallelisms are being drawn to Trillanes and the drug charges against detained Senator Leila De Lima, another staunch critic of Duterte.

De Lima went straight to the Supreme Court, where she lost via a ruling that affirmed not only the jurisdiction of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC), but also the validity of the charges against her. The SC even allowed the prosecution to amend the charges against her.

De Lima lost to the ruling of a majority of 9, a ruling that Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said was one of the “grossest injustices” in the country.

By going to the SC, Trillanes would be risking a similar loss.

The Duterte administration, through its lawyer Solicitor General Jose Calida, has a winning streak in the Supreme Court, losing one time only when the SC compelled him to submit drug war documents. 

Why not the RTC? The Makati RTC is set to resolve a request for a warrant of arrest against him.

Branch 148 Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano acknowledged the peculiarity of trying to reopen a case that was dismissed way back 2011.

“When the case has been decided, one way or the other, let’s say there is no conviction, there should be double jeopardy, the matter of double jeopardy  sets in, but whether that is applicable to this particular case as I said earlier, given the different nuances that has arisen, we cannot commit and say it should be equally applicable here, all I can say we will study the matter closely,” said Soriano.

One of the ways he can rule is to re-affirm the dismissal of the case against Trillanes, shutting the door to the Department of Justice (DOJ) unless they file an entirely new case.

But if they go to the RTC, Trillanes would be acknowledging the jurisdiction of the lower court. It is their position that because the cases have been dimissed, the lower court has lost the right to handle the case.

Robles said, however, they would still file their reply to Judge Soriano who will hear on September 13 the motion to release a warrant.

“Ang sinasabi namin kung ang kaso na dismiss na nung September 2011, obviously wala nang kasong puwedeng buhayin. Kapag binuhay pa ang kaso, that would be a violation of the right of Senator Trillanes against double jeopardy,” Robles said.

(What we’re saying is that if the case was dismissed in September 2011, obviously there is no longer a case that can be revived. If you revive it, that would be a violation of the right of Senator Trillanes against double jeopardy.)

Trillanes said going to the Supreme Court would precisely test the independence of the justices.

“Malalaman na rin kung demokrasya pa rin tayo or ito ay lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno ay madidiktahan ni Duterte,” said Trillanes.

(We will find out if we’re still a democracy or if all branches of government can be dictated by Duterte.)

As Judge Soriano said, Trillanes’ case “is like a game of chess, it depends on what parties move.”

Is Trillanes making the right moves?

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KABUL, Afghanistan – The wrestling mats were spattered with blood, the sports bags and water bottles still strewn across the floor Thursday, September 6, hours after a double bombing ripped through the Maiwand sports club in Kabul, killing at least 26 people.

A regular training session on Wednesday afternoon turned into a massacre when a suicide bomber shot dead a young, unarmed guard at the entrance before blowing himself up near the scores of wrestlers, some of whom were as young as 10.

An hour later a car packed with explosives detonated outside the club, apparently targeting reporters and emergency workers who had gathered at the scene.

Two journalists from Tolo News, Afghanistan's largest private broadcaster, were among the dead. Four media workers were wounded. 

"There were dead and wounded everywhere," 14-year-old wrestler Sayed Rohullah told AFP from his bed at Isteqlal hospital, where dozens of casualties were taken after the twin blasts. 

"Everyone was covered in glass and pieces of shrapnel, and shouting for their loved ones.

"After the explosion I couldn't feel my legs."

Most of the deaths were caused by severe burns and shrapnel, doctors said.

Ali Seena, 20, said the wrestlers had been in the middle of the training session when they heard cracks of gunfire outside. He did not see the suicide bomber enter the room, but he felt the "flying shrapnel" as it pierced his abdomen.

"I felt so much pain after the blast," said Seena, whose right hand was also hit by pieces of metal. 

The Islamic State group (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the latest attack, which Afghan health and interior ministries said had killed at least 26 people and wounded 91.

Maiwand club manager Pahlawan Shir said he feared the real death toll may be much higher.

As many as 150 people were inside the hall in the heavily Shiite neighbourhood at the time of the attack, he said.

"Some people have already taken their martyrs home. I am still searching for many missing students and coaches."

Club employee Eid Mohammad said he saw a vehicle parked near the entrance as he carried some of the dead and wounded from the building.

"We were busy... and then the second explosion happened," said Mohammad, 50, who escaped injury.

'Callous attack'

Grieving relatives, friends and colleagues began the grim process of burying their loved ones on Thursday morning in dusty, barren cemeteries around the city -- rituals that have become all too familiar for war-weary Afghans.  

The attack was widely condemned by Afghan and foreign officials. 

"This latest cynical act of terror targeting ordinary citizens of Kabul, along with first responders and journalists, is deeply shocking," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, said in a statement.

"We join Afghans in expressing our revulsion at such a callous attack."

IS considers Shiite Muslims apostates and has ramped up attacks against the minority group in recent years.

The last major attack on Shiites in Kabul was on August 15 when a suicide bomber blew himself up in an education centre, killing dozens of students. 

The group said it was behind that attack, which drew international condemnation and came amid a wave of deadly violence across the country. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Government regulators expressed dismay over a court order allowing motorcycle ride-hailing company Angkas to operate, insisting it is "colorum" or illegal, unsafe, and allegedly just after profit.

The Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court has granted Angkas a preliminary injunction, which means it can resume operations pending a final ruling on its case.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board suspended Angkas in November 2017 for violating Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. (READ: Why Angkas is illegal)

In a joint statement on Thursday, September 6, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTFRB said they are "saddened" by the preliminary injunction, and maintained that Angkas' services are illegal.

"Our position is that motorcycles registered in the service are not authorized to conduct business and offer public transport under Republic Act 4136. For them to be allowed, the law has to be amended by Congress," said the DOTr and the LTFRB.

"If Angkas is to continue accrediting motorcycles registered as private vehicles to book rides and accept passengers for a fee, it is considered as without authority from the government regulators, and, therefore, are considered colorum vehicles."

They added that safety is their priority, and for them, Angkas isn't safe. 

"Apart from engaging in unfair business practice, the safety of patrons and commuters [is] also put at risk, as motorcycles are not considered as a safe mode of public transport," they said.

"Obviously, Angkas is just interested in making profit, and profit alone.... The DOTr-LTFRB will exhaust all legal remedies to ensure that our roads are cleared of colorum vehicles, such as Angkas motorcycles." (READ: Why passengers and bikers think Angkas matters) – Rappler.com

BERLIN, Germany – A tense truce within German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative camp imploded Thursday, September 6, after her hardline interior minister defended protests marred by neo-Nazi violence and blasted immigration as "the mother of all political problems."

The latest shots across Merkel's bow came just two months after the minister, Horst Seehofer, threatened to torpedo her ruling coalition over the explosive border issue.

An uneasy calm that had taken hold during the summer holidays shattered in the aftermath of a fatal knife attack against a 35-year-old German man in the eastern city of Chemnitz in late August.

Three asylum seekers – two Iraqis and a Syrian – are suspects in the killing.

Far-right groups and thousands of local citizens took to the streets in the days after the stabbing, with a number of participants attacking people who looked foreign, and showing the illegal Nazi salute.

As Germany's top law enforcer, Seehofer had faced calls to condemn the ugly scenes of marauding mobs that also assaulted reporters and police.

He reserved judgement until Thursday's incendiary interview, in which he said he wished he could have joined the demonstrations.

"There is agitation and outrage among the public over this killing that I can understand," Seehofer told the daily Rheinische Post.

"If I weren't a minister, I would have hit the streets as a citizen – of course not with the radicals though."

'No mob, no pogroms'

Seehofer insisted he had "zero tolerance for forces that seize on these developments to call for violence or to actually commit it, including against the police".

However Seehofer, the most strident critic of Merkel's liberal refugee policy within her coalition, expressed sympathy with the anger that fuelled the protests.

"The migration issue is the mother of all political problems in this country. I've been saying that for 3 years," since Merkel opened Germany's borders to more than one million asylum seekers as other EU countries shut the door to them.

The comments echoed remarks this week by Seehofer's counterpart from Italy, firebrand minister Matteo Salvini, that Merkel had "underestimated" the troubles mass immigration would bring.

Merkel pushed back against the gloomy assessments and charges she had been reckless with public safety.

"I would put it differently – I would say that the migration issue poses challenges. There are problems but also successes," she told RTL television.

"We have a completely different situation than in the autumn of 2015 (at the height of the refugee influx). Hence we can tell people that we have implemented measures to prevent a repetition," including pacts with Turkey and several African countries to fight people smuggling.

Seehofer's Christian Social Union (CSU) is looking down the barrel of a tight state election in Bavaria next month.

With an eye to the poll, in which the CSU is fighting to head off a strong challenge by the far-right AfD party and maintain its absolute majority, Seehofer directly contradicted Merkel's assessment of events in Chemnitz.

Seehofer was quoted by media as saying late Wednesday that her government had been too quick to criticise the protests and that he had waited until he had "authentic information" to comment.

The same day, Saxony premier Michael Kretschmer denied in a speech to the state assembly on Wednesday that extremists had run wild in Chemnitz.

"There was no mob, no hunting of foreigners and no pogroms," he said, drawing accusations that he was playing down the far-right problem in his region.

'Hate-filled pursuit'

Merkel has repeatedly expressed shock about the distressing scenes in the city -- which were captured on video and described to the media by several victims.

On Wednesday she stressed that "the images I've seen show quite clearly the hate-filled pursuit and persecution of innocent people".

The migration issue has driven a deep wedge through Germany and weakened Merkel, who has led the country for 13 years. Most observers say her current fourth term will likely be her last. 

Seizing on the fresh rift in the government, AfD leader Alexander Gauland defended Seehofer, telling the daily Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung that he was "perfectly correct in his analysis" of her migration policy.

"But it won't help him much because he fails in implementation (of his own policies) -- Angela Merkel just puts hurdles in his way." – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Public officials charged of corruption have one less worry. Ombudsman Samuel Martires will no longer seek their suspension when they are charged criminally before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.

In a memorandum dated August 29, 2018, Martires ordered his prosecutors to no longer file motions to suspend.

“All motions for suspension pendente lite which have been filed before the issuance of this Memorandum but which remain unresolved by the trial courts are ordered withdrawn,” Martires said.

Details of Martires’ memorandum were quoted in a manifestation that the Ombudsman prosecutors submitted to the Sandiganbayan Second Division for the graft case of Senator Gringo Honasan II.

The prosecutors, then under Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, requested the court to preventively suspend Honasan, charged over a P30-million pork barrel scam. Now, they are withdrawing that motion against Honasan, as they will with all other criminal cases.

The Office of the Ombudsman, however, makes it clear to the Sandiganbayan that “it is not turning its back away from the mandatory character of preventive suspension.”

The rationale behind preventive suspensions is so that the official cannot unduly influence possible witnesses or destroy or compromise evidence.

The Office of the Ombudsman said it recognizes that the Sandiganbayan can decide motu propio, or on its own, to suspend the officials.

“[We] fully concede with and respect the full authority and sound wisdom of this Honorable Court to order the preventive suspension motu propio of herein accused pending litigation,” the prosecutors said.

Martires’ new policy in criminal cases has basis in a Supreme Court decision, which says “solely the court in which the criminal case has been filed shall wield the power of suspension.”

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang agrees, saying there’s no need for a motion from the Ombudsman to suspend officials: "All that the law requires is that there is a valid Information and that a pre-suspension hearing is conducted to afford the accused and opportunity to be heard thereon.”

Suspension in admin cases

Does this mean that public officials facing corruption cases can no longer be suspended? Not really.

A corruption case can either be criminal or administrative in nature. Martires’ memorandum only covers the criminal cases.

For administrative cases – such as dishonesty, grave misconduct, or neglect of duty – the Ombudsman can suspend officials, even fire them, on his or her own.

The memorandum quoted in the motion does not mention if Martires’ new policy affects the administrative charges. But it is stated in the Ombudsman Law or Republic Act 6770 that the Ombudsman is legally empowered to suspend and dismiss officials facing the said administrative charges.

Martires also earlier announced that he would order the termination of all fact-finding investigations that are not completed in a year.

Martires has also restricted media access to decisions of the Office of the Ombudsman. – Rappler.com 

NEW DELHI, India – Donald Trump and his secretary of state sent out mixed messages on North Korea on Thursday, September 6, with the US President praising Kim Jong Un but Mike Pompeo saying Pyongyang still had "enormous" work to do.

The difference in tone will add to concerns about US foreign policy since Trump took office last year, with Pompeo's predecessor Rex Tillerson having quit in March after being repeatedly undermined by the president.

Trump, almost 3 months after meeting his North Korean counterpart in Singapore and securing a commitment to denuclearize, on Thursday praised Kim for reportedly expressing faith in him.

"Kim Jong Un of North Korea proclaims 'unwavering faith in President Trump.' Thank you to Chairman Kim. We will get it done together!," Trump wrote on Twitter.

Kim had earlier on Thursday restated his commitment to denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.

The North Korean leader emphasised that his "trust in Trump remains unchanged", said South Korean national security advisor Chung Eui-yong, who met with Kim and delivered a letter from South Korea's President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday.

Kim expressed his intention to work closely with the United States to achieve denuclearisation "in the first official term of President Trump", Chung added.

Pompeo however struck a more sober note while speaking to reporters in India welcoming Pyongyang's decision to not stage nuclear or missile tests since June but saying Kim still had much to do.

North Korea "is the only country that has commitments under UN Security Council resolutions," Pompeo told reporters in New Delhi.

"We will continue to work with them to deliver... on the UN Security Council resolutions and for Chairman Kim to deliver on the commitment that he made to President Trump in Singapore on June 12," he said.

"It is the case that there is still an enormous amount of work to do. We haven't had any nuclear tests, we haven't had any missile tests, which we consider a great thing."

"But the work of convincing Chairman Kim to make the strategic shift which we talked about, for a brighter future for the people of North Korea, continues," Pompeo added.

Lack of details

The comments came after South Korea said Thursday that Moon would hold his third summit this year with Kim on September 18-20 in Pyongyang.

At the landmark Singapore summit between Trump and Kim in June, the two leaders pledged to denuclearise the Korean peninsula but no details were agreed.

Washington and Pyongyang have sparred since on what that means and how it will be achieved.

Trump, previously frustrated with a lack of progress on disarmament, last month cancelled Pompeo's trip to Pyongyang after the North reportedly sent a belligerent letter to the US leader.

Stephen Biegun, newly-appointed US envoy for the North, said last month Kim had promised "final, fully verified denuclearisation" at the Singapore summit.

But Pyongyang has slammed Washington for its "gangster-like" demands for complete, verifiable and irreversible disarmament. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – If Jordan ever needs more soldiers during a time of conflict, the Philippines is ready to send them some, said President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, September 6.

Making his first speech in Amman, Jordan during a business forum, Duterte said, "If there's anything we can do, if you are short of your army let me know. 110 million you need one battalion?" (READ: Duterte in Jordan: Activities, deals, delegation members)

It appears he was referring to the population of the Philippines, which earlier in his speech, he said is nearing 110 million people.

"Two, 3, 4, 5 (battalions) I will send them to you. I will commit my government in the right side of history," said the Philippine President.

Jordan, which shares borders with Iraq and Syria, often finds itself having to fend off attacks by Islamic State (ISIS) extremists. 

In his Thursday speech, Duterte again disparaged ISIS, saying the group abides only by one idealogy – to "destroy and kill."

Business-friendly Philippines

To Jordanian business executives, Duterte dangled an investment-friendly Philippines with a young, "bright" population.

The recently signed Ease of Doing Business Act, he said, ensures that those looking to put up businesses in the Philippines need not go to multiple government offices to secure redundant permits.

"I tell you now, I give you the solemn commitment that if you go there, it will be business with ease," he said, adding that he would create a "department" to make things hassle-free for them.

In the same forum, Duterte witnessed the signing of commitments by Jordanian companies looking to invest in the Philippines.

He was accompanied by several Cabinet members, including Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Earlier that day, Duterte met King Abdullah II and witnessed the signing of 5 agreements between the Philippine and Jordanian governments. Jordan assured him that its donation of two secondhand attack helicopters would be delivered by July 2019.– Rappler.com