YANGON, Myanmar – A commission probing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State on Wednesday, January 4, denied security forces had abused Rohingya, days after a video emerged showing police beating civilians from the Muslim minority.

Tens of thousands of Rohingya – a group loathed by many among Myanmar's Buddhist majority – have fled a military operation in the northwestern state, launched after deadly attacks on police posts in October.

Dozens have died in the crackdown, while escapees now in neighboring Bangladesh have alleged rape, arson, murder and torture at the hands of security forces.

Myanmar's government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has said the allegations are made up and has resisted mounting international pressure to act to protect the minority. 

On Wednesday, a commission set up to investigate the violence released its interim report dismissing claims security forces had carried out abuses or has embarked on a campaign to force the Rohingya out.

The size of the "Bengali" population, mosques and religious buildings in the unrest-hit area "are proof that there were no cases of genocide and religious persecution," it said in a statement carried in state media.

Myanmar refuses to recognise the Rohingya as one of the country's ethnic minorities, instead describing them as Bengalis – or illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.

The commission, headed by a former army general until recently blacklisted by Washington, also found "insufficient evidence" of rape and was still looking into claims of arson, illegal arrests and torture of the Rohingya.

Legal action has been taken against 485 civilians, it said, without giving further details.  

The statement comes days after the government detained four police officers over a video shot by a fellow policeman that shows them beating and kicking Rohingya villagers, a rare admission of abuse.

More than 120,000 have been trapped in squalid displacement camps since sectarian violence erupted in 2012, where they are denied citizenship, access to health care and education. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Not only did the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regain P8 billion in lump sum funds, it also received an additional P497 million allegedly at the expense of the country's Calamity Fund.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said this on Wednesday, January 4, as he lamented the "huge cuts" in the Calamity Fund supposedly to grant pork barrel to President Rodrigo Duterte's allies.

"The Department of Public Works and Highways regained its slashed P8-billion 'pork' in the General Appropriations Act of 2017. Not only that, it got an additional P497 million, at the expense of the Calamity Fund," Lacson said in a statement.

"Apparently, the P8.557 billion plus another P497 million added to the budget of the DPWH came from the huge cuts suffered by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund or Calamity Fund under the Special Purpose Fund," Lacson said.

He pointed out the Calamity Fund was reduced from a proposed budget of P37.255 billion to a mere P15.755 billion in the signed 2017 budget law – a cut of P21.5 billion.

Lacson claimed the realignments were done to accommodate the pork barrel of lawmakers, citing instances when Mindanao congressmen approached him during Senate plenary debates.

"I am quite sure that these realignments are all about pork. I'll tell you why. During the budget plenary debates, the ARMM congressmen came to see me to plead their case. Inabot nga kami ng 10 pm sa office ko explaining in so many words, thus – buti nga daw sila, tig-P1.5B lang na projects, 'yung iba raw mga congressmen abot ng tig-P5B (We were there until 10 pm, explaining in so many words – they said they only get P1.5 billion worth of projects, other congressmen get around P5 billion)," Lacson said.

Lacson, during the bicameral conference, proposed the removal of the P8-billion ARMM funds from the DPWH budget. The amount was then transferred to the Commission on Higher Education to avoid a deadlock between lawmakers and senators. (READ: 2017 budget: CHED gets P8.3B for free tuition in SUCs)

"Change is coming? Maybe, pero (but) it's pork allocations changing hands from LP congressmen to those from Mindanao," the senator said.

The Supreme Court in 2013 declared as unconstitutional the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel.

'Disaster victims would suffer'

Lacson hit the drop in the Calamity Fund, saying disaster victims won't be able to get enough help from the government.

"What is unfortunate is that with massive devastations brought by recent calamities starting with (typhoons) Pablo, Yolanda, Karen, Lawin, Nina, to name some, most of the victims might be left to fend for themselves instead of getting sufficient assistance from the government," the senator said.

Citing his experience as presidential assistant for rehabilitation and recovery (PARR) during the Aquino administration, Lacson said Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) survivors still need at least P100 billion to fully recover.

"As then PARR, I recommended a funding of P167.8 billion and up to now, looking at the annual budget being appropriated for that purpose since 2014, the amount has been a trickle in the bucket compared to the total budget required," he said.

"What is sad here is the thought of sacrificing the victims of calamities for political favors and alliances," the senator added.

Lacson and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian were the only senators who voted against the ratification of the 2017 budget in the chamber, citing the continued existence of pork barrel as reason.

Lacson earlier said he might file a case before the SC to question the pork barrel included in the 2017 budget.– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Instead of abolishing contractualization through a new order by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), President Rodrigo Duterte should certify as urgent House Bill 444 or the Security of Tenure Act, labor groups said.

"Nagkaisa calls on President Duterte to certify House Bill 4444 to definitely prohibit and criminalize contractualization and all forms of fixed-term contracts," the coalition of several labor groups said in a statement on Wednesday, January 4.

Filed by Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Representative Raymond Mendoza, the measure aims to secure regular jobs by amending the provisions of the Labor Code of the Philippines, which legalizes subcontracting or the practice of outsourcing labor through 3rd party agencies.

"Direct hiring should be institutionalized and prohibit agency-hiring by prohibiting fixed-term employment," Nagkaisa spokesperson Rene Magtubo said in a mix of English and Filipino during a rally on Wednesday, January 4.

Dozens of Nagkaisa members trooped to Mendiola near the presidential palace to urge Duterte to junk the DOLE order that aims to end the illegal practice of labor-only contracting. (READ: Labor groups reject DOLE's 'stricter endo' order) 

The groups said that Department Order 168, signed by Secretary Silvestre Bello III and brought to Malacañang on December 29, will only perpetuate contractualization because it orders the regularization of workers through their manpower agencies and not by the principal employers.

Dialogue with Duterte

Labor leaders also called for a dialogue with the President.

"We are calling out to him to give us a chance to have a dialogue with him face-to-face. Three employers have spoken with him but none from the labor sector," Magtubo said.

Among the things they wish from the President is to appoint a labor secretary who will "devote his full attention to the needs of workers during this crucial period of uncertainties stalking the world of work."

Bello currently serves as both DOLE chief and Philippine peace panel chairperson in the bilateral talks with the Left.

These labor groups said they do not feel the fulfillment of the President's campaign promise. In its first 5 months, the administration has been able to regularize only 25,000 workers. (READ: After Day 100: How Duterte gov't can fight contractualization better) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Dante, Jolina, and Paolo are some of the names that state weather bureau PAGASA will be giving tropical cyclones this year.

Aside from the international name given to a tropical cyclone, PAGASA also assigns a local name which will be used when a tropical cyclone is already inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

The local names were already previously listed and revised as of January 2016.

PAGASA has 4 sets of tropical cyclone names that are used every 4 years. This means the names for 2017 – listed below – will also be used in 2021, 2025, and so on.

The Philippines is visited by an average of 20 typhoons a year, so the names above should be more than enough. But PAGASA also prepared an auxiliary list containing 10 names, in case all the names on the original list are used.

Dropping certain names

PAGASA also decommissions or drops the usage of a tropical cyclone name when it has met at least one of these two requirements:

• at least 300 deaths
• P1 billion worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure

Examples of decommissioned names include Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009, Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, and Typhoon Lando (Koppu) in 2015.

A tropical cyclone name can also be dropped if it is closely associated with a prominent personality, to avoid public ridicule. For instance, PAGASA changed Nonoy to Nona in December 2015 because it sounded like Noynoy, the nickname of then president Benigno Aquino III. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Marine Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Marcelino and his Chinese co-accused in a P380-million drug case have asked the Regional Trial Court of Manila to reverse its resolution denying their motion to dismiss the charges against them.

The former drug enforcement agent and Yan Yi Shou, through the Public Attorney’s Office, filed an omnibus motion for reconsideration and to lift the arrest warrants against them on Wednesday, January 4.

“With all due respect, herein accused beg the Honorable Court to take a second hard look on Lt Col Marcelino’s involvement in clandestine operations to eradicate illegal drugs,” the motion stated.

Marcelino and Yan insisted that the charges of illegal possession of dangerous drugs filed by the Department of Justice have no basis (DOJ). The case stemmed from the recovery of P380 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” in an apartment in Sta Cruz, Manila, last year, where both of them were arrested.

The two argued that Judge Daniel Fernandez of Manila RTC Branch 49, who had issued the warrants for their arrest, committed a mistake in ruling that there was conspiracy between them.

“The Honorable Court failed to consider that the presence of accused Lt Col Ferdinand Marcelino was in fulfilment of his duty as a military intelligence officer,” the motion said.

When he was arrested on January 21, 2016, Marcelino denied the drug charges and said he was at the scene of the drug bust for a covert surveillance operation.

At the time, the Marine officer presented a certificate proving that from September to December last year, he was sharing intelligence on Army personnel involved in illegal drugs. He also denied knowing Yan and said he was only in the shabu laboratory for a top-secret mission sanctioned by the military.

The orders, Marcelino said then, came from no less than the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). He said his handler was then Philippine Army chief and former ISAFP head Lieutenant General Eduardo Año, who is now AFP chief.  (READ: Marine Colonel: I would never betray country for drugs)

Marcelino surrendered to the AFP Provost Marshall in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, and Yan to the National Bureau of Investigation hours later. The AFP  is seeking custody of Marcelino.

The DOJ had earlier asked RTC Branch 49 to issue hold departure orders against Marcelino and Yan to keep them from fleeing the country to avoid prosecution.

In January 2016, the DOJ under then Secretary Leila de Lima investigated a complaint of the Philippine National Police-Anti Illegal Drugs Group (PNP-AIDG) and PDEA against Marcelino for alleged drug possession.

Marcelino was freed in June 2016 after the DOJ dismissed his case for lack of evidence. But acting on an appeal from the PNP-AIDG and PDEA, the DOJ filed illegal possession charges against Marcelino before a Manila court in September 2016. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will begin with its massive dismantling of Laguna Lake fish pens in January, starting with the "illegal" and "empty" ones.

"We will dismantle this month. There are many illegal fish pens there, start with the illegal ones. There are many illegal structures there already.... Sometimes the materials are not properly taken care of already. But right now, all of those have no permit anymore," Environment Undersecretary Arturo Valdez told reporters after a press conference on Wednesday, January 4.

Starting this month, the DENR is imposing a moratorium on the issuance and renewal of fish pen and fish cage permits.

Valdez said the non-renewal of permits will give Laguna Lake a healing period of one year. 

"We'll see what will happen after that, if the lake will recover," he added in a mix of English and Filipino.

Environment officials plan to meet with the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) within the week or early next week to review the list of fish pens that will be dismantled first.

"Definitely by next week, there will be activities there already.... It's non-renewal, meaning, if you don't have a permit, you're illegal. If their permit has not been issued, they're not operating legally. They can be dismantled anytime," Valdez said.

With the daunting task before them – about 13,000 hectares of Laguna Lake are occupied by fish pens – the DENR is still encouraging fish pen owners to conduct self-demolition.

"You know, the dismantling of fish pens is not simple. There are posts there, that's why it's better for the owners to dismantle it themselves. If government dismantles it, it will take time. You take care of your materials, that's expensive after all," Valdez explained.

Data from the LLDA showed there were a total of 3,246 structures (fish pens and fish cages) in Laguna Lake as of December 2016. 

The DENR dismantled some fish pens in December, but Valdez said there were owners who negotiated that they be allowed to harvest their fish first.

He said those who want to appeal the dismantling of fish pens should appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte, and not to the DENR.

"That's the presidential instruction after all," Valdez added.

As early as his State of the Nation Address in July 2016, Duterte bared his plans for the Laguna Lake, saying it would be transformed into a "vibrant economy" and a zone that will showcase ecotourism.

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez previously said she plans to restore Laguna Lake to its "original, pristine condition" after it has been crowded with fish pens for years. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Ombudsman has filed two sets of graft charges against former North Cotabato representative now Vice Governor Gregorio Ipong in connection with the irregular disbursement of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2007.

One set of charges involved the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) and the other involved the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as implementing agencies. All in all, Ipong was found to have illegally disbursed a total of P19.4 million.

Ombudsman investigators found that in 2007, the budget department released P10 million as part of Ipong’s PDAF to fund livelihood projects in the Second District of North Cotabato. 

In a press statement released Wednesday, January 4, the Office of the Ombudsman said documents showed Ipong endorsed and identified Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc (AFPI) as NGO-partner with the TLRC as implementing agency. 

Investigators found that the P10 million was released in full in a single tranche “despite the AFPI’s non-submission of any project implementation and disbursement reports.” 

AFPI had a dubious track record, the Ombudsman said. It was clearly unqualified to implement the livelihood project and cited the following:

• It had no business permits from 2004 to 2009
• Its listed business address is in a vacant lot used as equipment storage
• It had capital stock of only P68,000
• Its net saving and net losses in 2006-2007 amounted to P750 and P5,840, respectively

Facing charges along with Ipong are TLRC executives Antonio Ortiz, Dennis Cunanan, and Marivic Jover; and Alfredo Ronquillo of AFPI. Jover was also dismissed from the service after she was found guilty of "grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service."

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales affirmed the filing of charges against Ipong. The Cotabato official and the other 4 are facing trial before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan for one count each of violation of the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act and malversation of public funds.

The Ombudsman ordered Ipong’s dismissal from office and his perpetual disqualification from holding public office. He was also found administratively liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in relation to this case.

Second set of charges

In addition to this, Ipong is also facing a second set of charges for his involvement in the PDAF scam, a separate press statement from the Office of the Ombudsman said. He was found responsible for the anomalous use of his P9.4-million PDAF issued through a Special Release Allotment Order in January 2007.

In relation to this case, Morales ordered the filing of two counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, one count each of malversation and malversation trrough falsification of public funds against him and former social welfare secretary Esperanza Cabral. 

Facing charges too are Social Welfare Undersecretary Mateo Montaño, Chief Accountant Leonila Hayahay and Roberto Solon of the Economic and Social Cooperation for Local Development Foundation Incorporated (Ecosoc).

The fund was supposed to target the poor and marginalized sectors in Ipong’s district through medical missions, health materials, and various medicines worth P400,000. In addition, funds amounting to P9 million or P120,000 per family were supposed to be channeled to capacity building/livelihood capital assistance for 75 marginal families in extremely difficult circumstances.

Field investigators found that Ipong gave instructions for the fund to be downloaded to the DSWD as implementing agency, through Ecosoc as NGO-partner. But a majority of supposed beneficiaries denied receiving any assistance. Funds instead were channeled to Ipong’s "ghost projects," the Ombudsman said.

Ecosoc was also found to be financially incapable of implementing multi-million peso projects since it had a capital of only P56,000. No public bidding was also held as required under the Government Procurement Reform Act.  

Ace Pharmaceuticals, a supplier of medicines, denied engaging in any business transaction with Ecosoc. Ecosoc’s board of trustees also denied any knowledge of the transactions between DSWD and Ecosoc itself. 

Ecosoc told the Commission on Audit in a letter that “the persons involved must have used their NGO for their own personal and unauthorized purpose.”

The Ombudsman said “Cabral, as then DSWD Secretary, prepared, reviewed and entered into the Memorandum of Agreement governing the implementation of the projects.”

Ombudsman Morales said that “instead of using the PDAF disbursements received by them to implement the livelihood projects, respondents diverted these sums amounting to P9.4 million to their own pockets.”

In the related administrative case, Ipong and Montaño were found guilty of grave misconduct. They were ordered dismissed from the service and perpetually disqualified from holding public office with forfeiture of all retirement benefits. 

In both cases, Ipong tried to defend himself. In the P10-million PDAF case, Ipong said he did not have custody and control over his PDAF allocations. He also said "the amount was coursed through AFPI based on the national 10-point agenda of the government at that time" and that "he was a mere endorser of the livelihood project." – Rappler.com

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea is committed to deploying an advanced US missile defense system this year despite opposition from China, a minister said Wednesday, January 4, even as opposition lawmakers headed to Beijing with a different message.

Seoul and Washington agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the South after a string of North Korean nuclear and missile tests – prompting strong objections from China.

"THAAD deployment is part of our efforts to bolster defense against threats from North Korea," Defense Minister Han Min-Koo said in a report to the country's acting president.

"This is not a subject for political considerations," he told Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn, who took over the executive powers of scandal-hit President Park Geun-Hye after she was impeached last month.

But the opposition Democratic Party has said they will review the deployment if they win upcoming presidential elections, and a group of their lawmakers flew to Beijing to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other top officials.

"They are going to convey our belief to China that the THAAD issue should be left in the hands of the next president," the party's parliamentary floor leader Woo Sang-Ho said.

Originally set for December 2017, the country's presidential election may be brought forward if Park's impeachment is upheld by the Constitutional Court, which has up to six months to decide.

The Democratic Party's presidential hopeful Moon Jae-In is currently the frontrunner in the race.

Beijing argues THAAD will hurt its security interests and increase the risk of military conflict in the region, and has imposed what have been seen in South Korea as a string of sanctions in retaliation for the development.

These include new restrictions on Korean K-pop stars and other celebrities appearing on Chinese TV programs or performing in the mainland.

China also refused to approve chartered flights from South Korea for the Lunar New Year holiday, hitting the lucrative tourism industry.

Washington maintains THAAD is no threat to Beijing.

"There's no reason for China to oppose that system. This is a defensive system. And there's no reason for anyone in the region to have concern about that, other than, perhaps, North Korea," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said Tuesday.

The proposed missile system has also sparked angry protests from both residents of the areas where it is set to be deployed. – Rappler.com

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – The Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) leadership on Wednesday, January 4, said they will not be cowed in the wake of the death of traffic enforcer Cris Cabingas.

Cabingas was killed while on duty outside the Cogon public market last December 30.

To show they were unfazed by Cabingas’ death, more than 400 RTA personnel staged a protest march on Wednesday as they took to the streets, leaving some of the city’s major roads with no enforcers for half a day.

Lawyer Jose Edgardo Uy, chief of the RTA, the city’s traffic management body, said the “solidarity walk” was to show the people they are not intimidated by the death of Cabingas as they vowed to continue doing their job.

“We are not cowed. We should not fear because we are the authority whose only mandate is to implement the city’s traffic laws,” Uy said at the sidelines of the protest rally.

Cabingas, who was the RTA team leader at Cogon, was walking along Guillermo St. to monitor the traffic situation there when somebody shot him from behind. He died hours later.

Wearing their standard yellow uniform and carrying placards, RTA enforcers began their march from Gaston Park to Velez St. before proceeding to the Cogon public market where they lighted candles on the spot where Cabingas was killed.

RTA workers have also expressed their dismay for a radio commentator who said on air that Cabingas deserved to be killed.

On Wednesday afternoon, police has filed a murder complaint against the suspect, whom authorities have yet to identify, at the City Prosecutor’s Office.

It was reported that prior to his death, there had been talks of killing Cabingas but he ignored it. Other RTA enforcers have so far not received threats, Uy said.

Since Uy took over as the RTA chief in 2013, his implemention of Mayor Oscar Moreno’s traffic program called “Hapsay Dalan” aimed at clearing the streets of vendors and illegally built structures was met with opposition.

He was also criticized for imposing anti-jaywalking penalty for the first time at the Divisoria area.

Uy admitted he received death threats when he started as the city’s traffic czar but said he has remained committed to enforcing “Hapsay Dalan.”

Instead of being cowered by Cabingas’ death, Uy said the RTA will now be stricter in implementing traffic rules.

He said Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis, the police city director, has promised to assign police officers to assist the RTA personnel and to secure them in case there is an attempt on their lives while in the line of duty. – Rappler.com

BEIJING, China – A high-ranking city official in China burst into a government meeting on Wednesday, January 4, and shot the mayor and city party secretary before killing himself, state media reported.

Suspect Chen Zhongshu, 54, was secretary of the land bureau in Panzhihua, a city of 1.2 million in the southwestern province of Sichuan, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The attack occurred during a meeting of the municipal party committee and high-level city government cadres at the Panzhihua convention and exhibition center, it said.

The gunman fired a series of shots, injuring city party chief Zhang Yan and mayor Li Jianqin before fleeing, Xinhua reported, without giving any details of motive or background to the incident.

The two men were hospitalized, but their injuries were not life-threatening. 

The suspect killed himself after the attack and was found on the building's second floor, Xinhua said. 

Gun violence is rare in China, as private citizens are generally banned from owning firearms.

Chinese media outlet Jiemian.com cited an unnamed city official saying Chen was known to have a stubborn personality and explosive temper. 

During a land bureau meeting, it said, he once seized a colleague's phone after it rang and threw it down, smashing it into pieces.

Chen had complained in anger to friends that the party chief picked on him, Jiemian.com reported.  – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – An anti-crime advocacy group urged the Supreme Court (SC) to assign a special court to handle cases of collateral victims in the government's war on drugs.

In a letter addressed to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) also asked for the creation of a special team of prosecutors and lawyers dedicated to the investigation of "collateral damage" in the war on drugs.

This request was sent to President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

"An increased number of innocent people are expected to fall victims as ‘collateral damage’ in the war against illegal drugs considering the magnitude of illegal drug activities on the country. In view of these unfortunate incidences, our organization is requesting the Honorable Chief Justice to designate additional special courts and monitor closely on the cases of said collateral victims in accordance with the prescribed period of court hearings," VACC Chairman Dante Jimenez wrote.

In his letter, Jimenez recalled an incident last week in Caloocan, where 5 teenagers were killed when masked gunmen fired at suspected drug dealer Junior Santor.

The teenagers were having a house party near Santor's shanty allegedly used as a drug den. Aside from the teenagers, the gunshots also killed Santor's mother and partner.

According to data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), as of December 15, there are 2,928 cases of "deaths under investigation," meaning they are linked to the anti-drug war but the motives and circumstances remain unresolved.

Court data also show that there are only 715 regional trial courts handling 128,368 drug-related cases.

SC earlier added 240 trial courts to handle drug-related cases, citing the increase in incidents since President Duterte launched his campaign against illegal drugs.

Senator Panfilo Lacson has also asked the government to compensate families of the collateral victims of the war on drugs. – Lian Buan/Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – A number of cities in Metro Manila were "severely polluted" at the start of 2017, according to an initial report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

As the new year kicked off, the DENR monitored the concentration of micro particle matter PM2.5 – as a result of the use of firecrackers and fireworks – from 6 air quality monitoring stations across the metro.

The DENR said PM2.5, fine particles found in smoke and haze, were a major pollutant during the early hours of Sunday, January 1. 

PM2.5, if inhaled, can cause serious health problems as it travels "deeply into a person's respiratory tract."

"Experts have advised that particles in PM2.5 are able to travel deeply into a person's respiratory tract and can cause short-term health effects and worsen medical conditions of people with asthma or heart disease," Jacqueline Caancan, assistant director and officer-in-charge at the DENR's Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), said in a statement on Wednesday, January 4.

Initial reports showed that, on Sunday, the 6 stations registered higher levels of PM2.5 compared to the early hours of 2016:

Data from the DENR

The DENR said the healthy guideline values for PM2.5 is 50 ug/Ncm (micrograms per normal cubic meter of air) for 24-hour averaging, and 25 ug/Ncm annually.

Generally, these stations register lower values for PM2.5 on regular days.

For instance, the DENR said that in April 2015, the air quality monitoring station at DLSU registered 7-182 ug/Ncm, while the ones in Parañaque and Muntinlupa registered 6-18 ug/Ncm and 8-42 ug/Ncm, respectively.

During the early hours of 2017, however, the PM2.5 levels in these cities were considered "extremely dangerous" already, and the DENR pointed out that with that kind of air pollution, it was no longer deemed safe to go outside without wearing a face mask.

Jean Rosete, chief of the DENR's Air Quality Management Section, said it is considered hazardous when PM2.5 is already twice the standard value of 50 ug/Ncm.

She pointed out, however, that the episodic air pollution in these cities went back to normal around 4 to 5 hours after it peaked at midnight of January 1.

"Makikita mo agad effect ng paputok, [pero] bababa agad. When it comes to air pollution itself, episodic lang because of the New Year's celebration," Rosete said in a press conference on Wednesday.

(You will immediately see the effects of firecrackers, but it will also go back to normal immediately after. When it comes to air pollution itself, it's only episodic because of the New Year's celebration.)

Environment Undersecretary Arturo Valdez also noted that the rain at the start of 2016 helped lessen the concentration of air pollutants back then.

"Under normal conditions, considering the reduced volume of sales [of firecrackers this year], the air pollution would have been higher last year had it not rained then," he explained in a mix of English and Filipino.  

Policy making

Valdez said they will recommend the initial findings of their monitoring to the Department of the Interior and Local Government so that the agency can come up with policies concerning the effects of firecrackers and fireworks on the country's air pollution situation.

Rosete agreed: "It's good to show this data to stakeholders about the effects of firecrackers, so local government units and other stakeholders can use this as basis on whether to ban, or what should be done with firecrackers during New Year's Eve."

Valdez said the DENR is "fully supportive" of the health department's efforts to ban all fireworks and firecrackers during New Year's celebration, especially since the quality of air really goes down after the festivities.

But the proposed executive order (EO) that would limit the use and possession of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices in the country has been put on hold since President Rodrigo Duterte is still weighing its impact on the fireworks industry.

The proposed EO wants to achieve Davao City's injury-free status after it prohibited the manufacture, sale, distribution, possession, or use of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices in the city since 2002. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Leila de Lima doubts that some of her colleagues would exercise fairness in handling the ethics complaints against her.

De Lima said some senators in the 7-member ethics committee have already expressed "hostility" towards her, seemingly believing the accusation of no less than President Rodrigo Duterte that she is linked to illegal drugs. 

"I have to be honest. I'm not sure about some of them, because some of them have shown some hostility against me lalo na noong ongoing pa lang 'yung sa Matobato hearings (especially when the Matobato hearings were ongoing)," De Lima said in an interview on Wednesday, January 4.

"Some members of the Senate are having insinuations about me having not done enough as secretary of justice and worse, about my being complicit in the illegal drug trade," she added.

When asked, the senator said she would not name names as she does not want "to create unnecessary tensions" among her colleagues. She said these senators have given statements at the Senate hall and also to media "which show that they are somehow hostile" to her.

"Some of them, not all," De Lima clarified.

The senator said she is hurt that her colleagues believe the allegations and "lies" against her, adding she is ready to explain her side to the panel. 

"'Yun ang nakakasakit dun eh, 'yung mismong kasamahan mo may mga nagdududa, o may mga naniniwala sa mga kasinungalingan ng iba (That's what hurts, your colleagues would doubt you, would believe others' lies about you)," the senator said.

'Proper course of action'

While there have been public statements issued against her, De Lima said she is hoping that her colleagues would listen to her first. De Lima urged them to consider the fact that, like them, she was elected into office.

"I'm hoping and praying that they will first hear my side because I'll express what I want to express and I hope they are sincere in addressing the matter and exhibit a high sense of fairness and objectivity. They should also think that, like them, I also have the people's mandate," she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

While she said she would respect their decision, De Lima plans to oppose "obvious" signs of bias and partiality against her by filing a motion for inhibition.

"I have to respect their position in the ethics complaint, unless makakita ako ng mga (unless I see) apparent or obvious signs of hostility, and partiality, bias, or prejudice against me in the course of the proceedings before the ethics committee. Then I will have to take, to avail of the proper course of action," she said.

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III chairs the Senate ethics committee while Senator Panfilo Lacson is the vice chair. Both said the panel has clear jurisdiction over the ethics complaint filed by House leaders against De Lima.

The other committee members include senators Gregorio Honasan II, Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, Manny Pacquiao, and Francis Escudero.

Ex-officio members, or those automatically part of the panel by virtue of their positions, include Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilon and Minority Leader Ralph Recto.

Sotto and Lacson earlier said there is "strong" proof against De Lima, citing the "corroborative" evidence presented by inmates in a House probe. Most of these witnesses were granted immunity from suit for their testimonies at the congressional inquiry.

It was Pacquiao, a staunch ally of the President, who moved to oust De Lima as justice committee chairperson, following the testimony of confessed hitman Edgar Matobato that Duterte ordered killings in Davao City. (READ: Edgar Matobato: Liar or truth-teller?)

Poe, meanwhile, earlier pointed out how illegal drugs "flourished" not just in the New Bilibid Prison but also nationwide when De Lima was still the justice secretary.

Asked if she was referring to Poe, De Lima refused to answer, saying she would just outline her accomplishments as DOJ chief in a report.

"Sana man lang nag-re-research din sila. Marami rin naman akong nagawa as (I have also accomplished many things as) secretary of justice in the anti-drug area. That's why I'll be issuing that sort of report. Medyo, hindi ko hahabaan naman siguro (It would not be long). And I would wish to furnish all members of the Senate with a copy of that," she said.

When she was justice chief, De Lima led the series of raids at the NBP which bared the privileges enjoyed by high-profile inmates at the state penitentiary.– Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Palace hit Vice President Leni Robredo for calling Typhoon Nina (Nock-ten) rehabilitation in some areas "slow," saying she should show more appreciation for the work of government.

"The remark of Ms Robredo made, saying that the relief operations were 'slow,' suggests a cynical political mindset willing to capitalize on disaster," said Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella in a statement on Wednesday, January 4.

"One wished she displayed more appreciation of the work of our disaster officials, our social workers, and other volunteers who were on Ground Zero even before Nina made landfall," added President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman.

On Tuesday, while she was visiting typhoon-hit areas in Camarines Sur, Robredo described the relief operations in some areas as slow.

"Sa tingin ko medyo mabagal, mabagal iyong galaw. Halimbawa dito, isang barangay pa lang napupuntahan ko dito, pero iyong reklamo ni Kap, na iyong galing pa lang sa amin na tulong ang dumating," she had said.

(I think the recovery is slow. For example, in this barangay, the captain's complaint is that only aid from us has reached them.)

Abella sought to address this concern by releasing the latest tally of relief assistance given.

Around P182.5 million worth of relief assistance was provided to affected families in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas, he said.

This assistance came from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (P167 million), local governments (P4.2 million), and non-governmental organizations (P11.3 million).

Openly critical

Robredo, on Tuesday, also claimed that power restoration in some areas did not even reach 50% even after more than a week.

"Tingin ko kailangan tulungan kung paano mapapabilis kasi medyo unusual ito na 8 days after, hindi pa nga 50% iyong nababalik na kuryente," she said.

(I think we have to help them speed up the recovery because it is unusual that 8 days after, electricity has not been restored in 50% of the area.)

In response to this, Abella said full restoration of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) transmission services in all Nina-affected areas "is expected today" or January 4.

"The NGCP, after deploying 500 technical personnel, reported that as of December 31, the Naga-Daraga 230 kV line and the Naga-Pili-Iriga line have been restored servicing the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, and Camarines Sur," said Abella.

Robredo was earlier criticized for being abroad while Typhoon Nina battered her home region of Bicol during the Christmas holiday.

Though Robredo continues to profess support for the Duterte administration, she is the highest-ranking national official openly critical of it.

Her opposition to the burial of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and concern over the "war on drugs" were among the "irreconcilable differences" between her and Duterte that led him to exclude her from Cabinet meetings.

Because of this, Robredo decided to resign from the Cabinet. – Rappler.com

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, Philippines – At least 130 civilians have evacuated to the government gymnasium in Sirawai town proper, some 300 kilometers west of Dipolog City, after heavily armed men attacked a detachment of the Army's 42nd Infantry Battalion (42IB) in Barangay San Vicente at around 5:00 pm on Tuesday, January 3.

Pursuing soldiers from the 42IB and policemen from the 9th Regional Police Security Battalion and Zamboanga del Norte Police Security Company were still engaged in a running gun battle with the attackers at dawn on January 4.

By mid-morning, Police Chief Inspector Charisse Yabo, Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Office (ZNPPO) spokesperson, told Rappler that Army and police forces had already begun clearing operations.

Police Senior Superintendent Edwin B. Wagan, Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Director, said that undetermined number of attackers using high powered firearms opened fire at the detachment manned by about 14 Army soldiers.

Wagan said in a report that the soldiers returned fire and defended their position. Sensing that reinforcements from nearby 42IB main camp and policemen were coming, the attackers – identified as members of Yusop Jamaa and Yacob Isnain groups and under the command of a certain Hadji Katin – withdrew towards Barangay Sipakit.

Authorities believe the attackers were rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

There were no reported injuries or deaths on both sides.

Sirawai is part of the Zamboanga del Norte's "triple SB (towns of Sirawai, Sibuco, Siocon and Baliguian) area" where the MILF has maintained a camp with a batallion-size fighters.

Other bandit and kidnap-for-ransom groups also operate in "triple SB area." It is also a favorite escape location for lawless groups from Sulu and Basilan because of its dense forests and, authorities said, its largely sympathetic population.

In 2002, Abu Sayyaf group brought to "triple SB area" their hostages Martin and Grecia Burnham to evade pursuing military units. Army Scout Rangers eventually engaged with the kidnappers, but Martin was hit and died in the firefight while Grecia was wounded in the leg. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Government prosecutors want to reverse the order of the Sandiganbayan acquitting Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito and his 5 co-accused of graft. The case involves the alleged misuse of San Juan City’s calamity funds in 2008.

Citing grave abuse of discretion by the anti-graft court, government prosecutors have moved for the reversal of the court’s resolution.

The 5th division of the Sandiganbayan on December 22, 2016 acquitted Ejercito and 5 of his co-accused of graft charges. In a 45-page resolution, Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Roland Jurado granted a demurrer to evidence because the prosecution’s evidence failed to overcome the presumption of innocence.

But prosecutors argued there is no basis for the court to grant Ejercito’s demurrers to evidence because prosecutors had established that the accused gave undue advantage to HK Tactical Defense System Inc (HKTDSI), which supplied the city government with high-powered firearms.

Prosecutors said San Juan’s P2.1 million calamity fund was improperly disbursed for the purchase in 2008 of 3 K2 cal. 5.56mm sub-machine guns and 17 Daewoo model K1 cal. 5.56 mm sub-machine guns. Ejercito was San Juan mayor at the time.

Prosecution Bureau 10 director Lalaine Benitez and assistant special prosecutor Jedd Boco argued that the firearms supplier had advance information about bidding details a month before these were made public.

HKTDSI’s pre-qualification documents which were submitted March 17, 2008 already indicated a project reference number for the city government’s purchase – way ahead of the invitation to apply for eligibility and to bid (IAEB) was released on April 14 of the same year.

Prosecutors also pointed out that following a regular procurement process, a purchase request would have been filled up first then advertised through the IAEB. Only after a winning bidder is determined and a contract is signed would a purchase order be issued by the procuring agency, the prosecutors said.

But in the case of the San Juan City transaction, the purchase request and purchase order were made on the same day, May 22, 2008. The purchase request also came after the IAEB when it should have preceded it.

The identical dates of the purchase request and purchase order indicate manipulation in bidding.

“Unless the bidding process is manipulated, the purchase request and the purchase order will never bear the same date,” the prosecution asserted.

Charges vs Ejercito

Ejercito was accused of violating the rules that govern the use of calamity funds, approving the procurement without public bidding, and giving unwarranted benefit, advantage, and preference to HKTDSI. 

Ejercito’s other 5 co-accused include San Juan city administrator Ranulfo Barte Dacalos, city legal officer Romualdo Corpuz de los Santos, special assistant to the city mayor Lorenza Catalan Ching, and former city officials Rosalinda Marasigan and Danilo Mercado for alleged conspiracy.

The Sandiganbayan ruled in favor of Ejercito and his co-accused, saying undue injury was not proven since the circumstances of the award of the contract to the lone supplier was adequately shown by the prosecution’s own evidence. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Russia warned the Philippines' "traditional partners" on Wednesday, January 4, against interfering in Manila's improving ties with Moscow. 

In a news conference, Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev said, "We will not tolerate any attempt of any third country to interfere in the relations of our two sovereign states, the Philippines and Russia."

"We don't interfere into your relations with your traditional partners, and your traditional partners should respect the interests of the Philippines and Russia," Khovaev added.

The ambassador was responding to a question about his statement on the need to get rid of "outdated leashes," in the context of the Philippines' traditional partnership with the United States. 

Khovaev held the news conference aboard the large Russian anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs, which is in the Philippines for a goodwill visit from Monday to Saturday, January 2 to 7.

(Watch the news conference below)

'Diversify' partners, Philippines urged

President Rodrigo Duterte is seeking better ties with Russia as well as China, while he is moving away from the Philippines' traditional alliance with the US. 

The Duterte administration, for one, said the Philippines should stop its subservience to the US, its former colonizer.

On the Philippines' traditional partners, Khovaev said, "I think it's time to get rid of outdated leashes. It's time to get rid of prejudices." 

"For the Philippines, there is an objective need to diversify the range of the circle of your foreign partners. We are talking about diversification. It's not a choice between these partners and those ones," the ambassador added.

Along with the Russian vessel Admiral Tributs, the large sea tanker Boris Butoma is docked in Manila until Saturday.

This is the third time a Russian navy vessel has visited the Philippines, the Philippine Navy said. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines (UP) announced on Wednesday night, January 4, the names of the nominees for the position of chancellor.

UP Diliman posted the announcement on its Facebook page past 6 pm Wednesday.

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The 3 nominees are incumbent UP Diliman chancellor Michael Tan, College of Engineering professor and former dean Aura Matias, and College of Mass Communication professor and former dean Rolando Tolentino. 

UP Diliman is the flagship campus of the premier state university. 

Tan has been serving as the constituent unit's chancellor since March 1, 2014. His 3-year term will end on February 28, 2017.

The 3 nominees will present their vision papers in a forum on Monday, January 9. A search committee will also interview each of them on January 10 to 11. – Jee Y. Geronimo/Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Emelyn Villanueva, the 15-year-old victim of a reported stray bullet incident during New Year's Eve, was declared dead by Dr. Christian Perolina at 6:10 pm on Wednesday, January 4, at the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of the Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital in Manila.

Both Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial and DOH Bureau of Local Health Development Director Eric Tayag confirmed the news. Tayag earlier told reporters she would need "a miracle" to be saved from her injury.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), based on its initial investigation, said Villanueva was the victim of a shooting incident. Authorities said charges have been filed against the suspect in the incident, whose real name has yet to be mentioned as he is still being tracked down by authorities. 

Ubial, speaking with DZMM, said Villanueva's cause of death remains a stray bullet case unless proven otherwise by the PNP.

This is the first reported fireworks-related death of the year. – Rappler.com

TEL AVIV, Israel – An Israeli soldier who shot dead a wounded Palestinian assailant as he lay on the ground posing no apparent threat was convicted of manslaughter Wednesday, January 4, after a trial that deeply divided the country.

The soldier, Elor Azaria, had been on trial in a military court since May, with right-wing politicians defending him despite top army brass harshly condemning his actions.

Sentencing is expected at a later date. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Judge Colonel Maya Heller spent more than two and a half hours reading out the decision, sharply criticising the arguments of Azaria's lawyers.

On behalf of the three-judge panel, Heller said there was no reason for Azaria to open fire since the Palestinian was posing no threat.

She called Azaria's testimony "evolving and evasive."

Azaria's demeanour drastically changed as the judge read the verdict.

Dressed in a green army uniform, he had entered the courtroom smiling, with family members and supporters applauding him.

But he and his family later looked shaken as the judge spoke, with his mother and father huddling together.

After the verdict, his mother yelled: "You should be ashamed of yourselves."

Azaria was 19 at the time of the killing in March 2016 in the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

Protests outside

In a sign of the tensions surrounding the case, dozens of protesters scuffled with police Wednesday as they gathered outside Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv, where the verdict was announced.

They held a sign that read: "People of Israel do not abandon a soldier in the battlefield".

The shooting set off intense political debate, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu having earlier called Azaria's father to express his sympathy.

Others on the right have called for him to be pardoned in an extraordinary public rift between politicians and the country's military.

Before he became Israeli defence minister in May, Avigdor Lieberman was among those showing strong support for Azaria, including attending one of his court appearances.

He has since backed away from his earlier stance and, immediately after Wednesday's verdict, said he disagreed with the decision but that it must be respected.

"I call on politicians to stop attacking the security establishment and the army and its chief of staff," he said.

Others however from what is seen as the most right-wing government in Israeli history maintained their hardline position.

"He's our son, our child," Culture Minister Miri Regev told Israeli television, saying Azaria should not have faced a criminal trial.

The case burst into public view when a video of the March 24 shooting emerged and spread widely online.

The video showed Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, 21, lying on the ground, shot along with another man after stabbing and moderately wounding a soldier minutes earlier, according to the army.

Azaria then shoots him again in the head without any apparent provocation.

His lawyers argued the soldier may have thought the Palestinian was wearing explosives, but others said he had already been checked for a suicide belt and no one in the video appears to be acting with caution toward him.

Polarized public

Military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot has spoken out against the politicisation of the case, warning it could badly harm the army.

He said rules on when to open fire must be followed.

The case galvanised the Israeli public, and television and radio stations interrupted their broadcasts to carry live coverage of the verdict.

It had been portrayed by some as a test of whether Israel's military could prosecute one of its own, though many Palestinians dismissed it, arguing Azaria was only taken to trial because of the video.

The military has said it began investigating before the release of the video, filmed by a Palestinian volunteer for Israeli rights group B'Tselem.

The shooting came against the backdrop of a wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October 2015.

Israeli security forces have been accused of excessive force in certain other cases as well, though authorities say officers act appropriately to protect themselves and civilians.

Most of the attacks were by lone-wolf assailants, many of them young people, including teenagers. Israel's military has said it believes a significant number of them were essentially on suicide missions.

The violence has greatly subsided in recent months. – Rappler.com