MANILA, Philippines – Nine civilians were killed and 10 others were wounded early Monday morning, August 21, when a faction of the Abu Sayyaf Group attacked the village of Tubigan in Maluso, Basilan.

Civilian volunteers from the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) fought back.

The bandits also burned 4 houses and the barangay health center, based on a police report.

The attack happened between 6 am and 7 am on Monday, according to the police. It coincided with the town's fiesta celebration.

The bandits are believed to be under notorious Abu Sayyaf key leader Furuji Indama, according to a military officer.

Diversionary attack?

The attack is believed to be a tactic to divert the attention of the military from its operations in nearby areas.

The Philippine Navy rescued on the same day Vietnamese hostage Do Trung Huiqe, who was kept by the bandits on Mantaja Island near Maluso. Two of his fellow MV Royal 16 crew members were beheaded last July. 

Rappler sources said there are military operations in other municipalities.

– with reports from Bea Cupin and Richard Falcatan / Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – A 7-year-old Filipino boy has been confirmed as one of the 14 deaths in the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain last Thursday, August 17, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday, August 21.

The boy was earlier listed as among the missing after a van plowed through a pedestrian-filled boulevard in the city center. He was separated from his mother when the incident occurred.

"According to Chargé d'Affaires Emmanuel Fernandez, the Philippine Embassy in Madrid was informed of the boy's demise by his family after his father positively identified his remains," the DFA said in its statement.

The boy's mother is still confined in a hospital in Barcelona. She is in intensive care after undergoing surgery for fractures in both legs and one arm, the DFA said.

"It pains us to break the sad news to our kababayans (countrymen) that we lost one of our own in the recent violence unleashed by extremists against the innocent in Barcelona," Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said.

"We join the loved ones of our little brother in mourning his passing and in praying for the eternal repose of his soul."

In Barcelona for wedding

The boy has been identified in reports by European and Australian media as 7-year-old Julian Alessandro Cadman, who is of British-Australian citizenship. His mother Jumarie, nicknamed Jom, is a Filipino who has been living in Australia, while his father is British.

The two were in Barcelona to attend the wedding of a Filipino relative, ITV News reported.  

In a heart-wrenching statement, Julian's family described him as "a much loved and adored member of our family."

"As he was enjoying the sights of Barcelona with his mother, Julian was sadly taken from us.

"He was so energetic, funny, and cheeky, always bringing a smile to our faces. We are so blessed to have had him in our lives and will remember his smiles and hold his memory dear to our hearts," they said, thanking those who helped in the search for the boy.

"We will not be making any further comments on this tragedy and ask everyone, especially the media, to give us the privacy we need to grieve away from the public eye."

Other Filipinos injured

There are also two Filipinos based in Italy, as well as 4 Irish-Filipinos, who were injured, and are now being attended to by Philippine diplomats, the DFA said. 

The Philippine Consulate in Milan will assist the two Italy-based Filipinos, one male and one female.

On the other hand, the Philippine Embassy in Madrid and Honorary Consulate in Barcelona are assisting the 4 Irish-Filipinos, identified as Norman Potot, 45, his wife Pederlita, 39, daughter Nailah Pearl, 9, and son Nathaniel Paul, 5, the DFA said.

Norman and Nathaniel, the department said, are still in the hospital, with Norman under observation for hematoma of the kidney, while Nathaniel is still recovering from surgery after fracturing a leg.

The Potot family, residents of Dublin, Ireland, were among the patients visited by Spain's royal family at the Hospital del Mar on Saturday, August 19, the Irish Independent reported.

The fatalities include 4 Spaniards, two Portuguese, two Italians, an American, a Spanish-Argentinian, and a Belgian.

Among the 126 people injured in the twin attacks, 51 are still hospitalized, including 10 in critical condition and 13 in a serious state. – with reports from Agence France-Presse / Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Members of leftist group Bayan based in Hong Kong urged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to rethink their support for President Rodrigo Duterte in the wake of the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos, who was shot by police in Caloocan City.

Stressing the need to reflect on Duterte's shortcomings, Bayan Hong Kong and Macau chairperson Emman Villanueva said Delos Santos' case should be a cause of concern for OFWs.

Delos Santos, a Grade 11 student, was the son of an OFW. His mother is a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia. (READ: Our son, Kian: A good, sweet boy)

"The drug war implemented by a rotten and corrupt system and framed on murdering with impunity has also claimed family members of OFWs including innocent ones like Delos Santos," Villanueva said in a statement posted on the group's Facebook page.

"The cops who killed Delos Santos should be prosecuted for their abuse of power. But President Duterte should be viewed as equally guilty. His war on drugs has left a generation of families mourning for unnatural deaths." 

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Duterte enjoys overwhelming support from the OFW community. In the 2016 elections, he got 72% of the votes from overseas absentee voters. He also gained further support from the sector after promising to set up a department solely for OFWs. (READ: How Duterte gov't cared for OFWs in first 100 days)

Delos Santos' killing sparked outrage after CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts cast doubt on the police's version of events. Police claim Kian had a gun and fired at them first, but witnesses said the cops handed the gun to the teenager and ordered him to shoot.

Protests seeking justice for Delos Santos have been set for Monday, August 21, including one at the People Power Monument and another in Caloocan City.

Ahead of the organized activities, OFWs aligned with Bayan have also staged their own pocket rallies in Hong Kong.  

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Meanwhile, Migrante International extended its condolences to Delos Santos' family, especially to his mother, Lorenza.

"Lorenza has captured the hearts of OFWs and their families all over the world. We feel her sorrow because it is also ours. We mourn as she mourns," said the group in a statement.

"We call on all Filipinos around the world to rise up against Duterte's tyranny and fascist rule. We do not want more Kians to die because of Duterte's psychopathic war on drugs."

There are allegations that Delos Santos was a drug courier for his father and uncles, but National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde said their investigation is focusing on whether or not Delos Santos was a victim of an extrajudicial killing.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) are also separately looking into Delos Santos' death.

At the Senate, lawmakers allied with Duterte are calling for an inquiry as well. Senator Risa Hontiveros, a member of the minority bloc, earlier said she has taken custody of the witnesses. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday, August 21, that its Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will conduct a probe into the case of Kian delos Santos, the 17-year-old killed during a police operation.

"[The CIDG] will investigate the circumstance of the death of Kian Loyd delos Santos...iba ito sa [Internal Affairs Service]," PNP Spokesperson Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said in a press briefing. (The CIDG will investigate the circumstance of the death of Kian Lloyd delos Santos...this is different from the probe of the Internal Affairs Service.)

True to its name, the CIDG focuses on major criminal cases such as murder and homicide, which shows, Carlos said, that the PNP is serious in its effort to look into the case. (READ: How Kian delos Santos was killed, according to police)

On the other hand, the PNP IAS conducts motu proprio, or "of its own impulse," investigations into operations where police shoot, wound, or kill a suspect.

The 3 relieved policemen —PO3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jerwin Cruz, and PO1 Jeremias Pereda— will also be put in restrictive custody by the CIDG at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Currently, they report to the Regional Police Holding and Accounting Unit at the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

The police have yet to introduce the CIDG team handling Delos Santos' case.

Other investigations welcome, but...

According to Carlos, the PNP welcomes other investigations into the case of Delos Santos as they would aid in their "internal cleansing."

He urged the public, however, that they must not get too caught up in "their emotions", finding the accused cops as guilty without second thoughts.

"Meron pong we need to ease out of our ranks, [pero] yung desisyon on this case hindi po desisyon ni Juan o ni Pedro," Carlos said. (There are cops that we need to ease out of our ranks, but the decision here must not come from just anybody.)

Outside the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) have launched their own investigation.

Malacañang also vowed to conduct its impartial investigation into the recent rise in killings in recent one-time, big-time operations, despite President Rodrigo Duterte lauding the deaths.

Senators allied with the President also called for an inquiry into the killings in the PNP's war on drugs, Delos Santos' case included. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Public Attorney's Office (PAO) Chief Persida Acosta said on Monday, August 21, that murder charges will "most likely" be filed against Caloocan cops who shot and killed 17-year-old Kian delos Santos during an anti-drugs operation last week.

"Most likely murder because of the location of the entry wounds," Acosta said in a text message to Rappler on Monday, when asked if charges are going to be filed against the policemen.

"Three fatal wounds ang nakita at yung isa ay treacherous wound (3 fatal wounds were seen, and one of them was a treacherous wound)," Acosta told reporters.

In legal terms, a treacherous wound is inflicted by the assailant in means that would ensure its execution. The treachery can be used as an aggravating circumstance as basis to file murder charges.

"We will wait for the final forensic examinations by our forensic team and consolidate all evidence," Acosta said.

Acosta has taken on the case for the delos Santos family. (READ: LIST: Minors, college students killed in Duterte's drug war)

Rappler learned that at least one group of human rights lawyers was trying to get the case for the Delos Santos family. The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) also sent its representatives to Kian's wake over the weekend in Barangay 160, Caloocan, where they told Kian's parents the case can be handled by PAO.

(READ: 'Nakakadurog ng puso': #JusticeforKian trends nationwide on Twitter)

Caloocan cops who shot Kian maintain the 17-year-old shot at them while implementing the drugs raid. PO3 Arnel Oares said he was "prompted to return fire" which ended up killing Kian. Cops claim witnesses point to Kian as a drug runner.

Oares' team and their station commander Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo have been relieved from their posts and reassigned to the holding unit. 

Metro Manila police chief Director Oscar Albayalde said his unit's investigation is focused on allegations that Kian was a victim of extrajudicial killing (EJK).

Eyewitness say cops gave Kian a gun and coerced to run and shoot.

An indignation rally was scheduled to be held against drugs war killings Monday night at the People Power Monument. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – London landmark Big Ben will fall silent for 4 years from Monday, August 21, as a political revolt rumbles on over renovations that will rob Britain of a cherished symbol at a time of national uncertainty.

Westminster's Elizabeth Tower, one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions, is due for conservation work.

The famous clock's bells are set to stop ringing at midday over safety concerns, silencing an emblem of continuity as Britain grapples with Brexit negotiations.

The decision will protect builders working on the site, amid fears that prolonged exposure to the 118-decibel bongs from the 13.7-ton Big Ben bell, which chimes out the hour, could damage hearing.

But the debate has swiftly moved into the political sphere. 

The shutdown will coincide with Britain's impending departure from the European Union – a period set to be politically turbulent and economically fraught.

The bongs are a venerated part of British life, used at the start of radio and TV newscasts and the midnight countdown to New Year's Day. The sound is also familiar to many people beyond Britain, as it is broadcast on the BBC World Service.

Pro-Brexit members of parliament have criticized plans to shut down the chimes for what would be the longest duration in the clock's 157-year history.

Prime Minister Theresa May is among those who have raised concern.

"Of course we want to ensure people's safety at work, but it can't be right for Big Ben to be silent for 4 years," she told reporters.

She hoped a House of Commons commission would "look into this urgently so that we can ensure that we can continue to hear Big Ben through those four years."

The Commons has said that it "will consider the length of time that the bells will fall silent".

"Of course, any discussion will focus on undertaking the work efficiently, protecting the health and safety of those involved, and seeking to ensure resumption of normal service as soon as is practicable," it says

Under the plan, a lamp at the top of the neo-Gothic bell tower is also set to be turned off for the first time in more than 70 years, but it is not yet known when it will go dark, or how long it will be off for.

Brexit bongs?

Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House of Commons, held emergency talks on Friday, August 18, with Speaker John Bercow, who chairs the Commons panel that approved the measures.

The commission has agreed to meet next month to review whether the bongs can be heard on certain exceptional days.

Under current plans, the bells would still ring on important occasions such as Remembrance Sunday in November, which commemorates Britain's war dead, and New Year's Eve.

A trio of MPs from May's Conservative Party are calling for the clock to be back in action on the eve of March 29, 2019, when Britain is due to leave the European Union.

"It would be very fitting if Big Ben was to chime us out of the EU. We need to go out with a boom as we regain a sovereign parliament once again," said MP Andrew Bridgen.

The 96-meter (315-foot) high tower is the most photographed building in Britain. The renovation is estimated to cost £29 million ($37.7 million, 31.9 million euros).

But politicians have claimed that when they agreed to the work, they did not know the chimes would be silenced for four years.

A YouGov poll published Saturday, August 19, found that 44% of Britons believe Big Ben should be silenced during the renovations, except for special occasions, while 41% said it should operate as normal.

Some MPs have suggested the bells could ring outside of the conservation team's working hours.

But the Commons said starting and stopping the clock took around half a day, and this would be neither practical nor "a good use of public money".

Some commentators have dismissed the Big Ben debate as superficial or a distraction, given the far greater stakes of Brexit.

In March, May triggered the two-year countdown for leaving the EU – but critics say that as the clock ticks to the crucial deadline, her government is adrift and divided.

"(P)erhaps the cabinet room could be relocated to within six feet (two meters) of the bell," suggested The Guardian's Marina Hyde.

This way, she said, ministers could be provided "with a frequent reminder of the need to acquire a clue, like, months ago." – Rappler.com

DOHA, Qatar – Qatar on Monday, August 21, denied it had banned Saudi Arabian flights from landing in the emirate to transport Muslim pilgrims to Mecca, after an accusation by authorities in Riyadh. 

Saudi Arabian Airlines on Sunday, August 20, said Qatari authorities had refused to grant a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight, scheduled to transport Qatari hajj pilgrims, permission to land at Hamad International Airport. 

The flight is one of a select few that will allow Qataris to land in Saudi Arabia, which last week temporarily opened its borders to pilgrims to the Saudi city of Mecca, the most revered site in Islam, more than two months into a diplomatic crisis that has seen Riyadh cut all ties with Qatar and ban its citizens from entering. 

An official source in the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority on Monday "described as baseless the news... that allegedly claimed that the state of Qatar refused to allow Saudi Airlines to transport the Qatari pilgrims," according to a report carried on the state-run QNA news agency. 

Qatar's civil aviation authority confirmed that it had received a request from the Saudi carrier for permission to land and had referred the airline to the ministry of Islamic affairs "in accordance with past practices". 

The hajj to Mecca, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once, takes place at the start of September this year. It is expected to draw around two million Muslims from around the world.

The pilgrimage has turned into a point of contestation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which are locked in a diplomatic crisis that has seen Saudi Arabia and its allies cut all ties with Doha over accusations of state support for Islamist extremist groups and ties to Shiite Iran.

Qatar has denied the allegations. 

Saudi Arabia last month said Qatari pilgrims would be allowed to enter the kingdom for this year's hajj but imposed several travel restrictions, including flying in only on airlines approved by Riyadh.

The move sparked a backlash in Doha, where authorities said the pilgrimage had been used as political ammunition.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar on June 5 in what has become the worst political crisis to grip the Gulf region in decades.  – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Former president Benigno Aquino III thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for his "good words" for former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr and urged him to reflect on his own statement.

In a speech before supporters, Aquino said Duterte should keep in mind his very own message released for Ninoy Aquino Day on Monday, August 21, which highlight people's rights. (READ: Duterte urges Filipinos to reflect on lessons from Ninoy Aquino)

"Kami'y nagpapasalamat sa magandang sinabi sa aking ama. Siguro pakiusap ko lang baka puwedeng paminsan-minsan babasahin po niya ulit ito dahil galing naman ho sa kanya 'yung mga salita, at dito nga baka maalala natin saan tayo nanggaling," Aquino said.

(We thank him for his good words for our father. But maybe my request is for him to read his statement every now and then because those words came from him, and maybe through that, we might recall lessons from our past.)

The former president, his sisters Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, Pinky Aquino-Abellada, Viel Aquino-Dee, and Kris Aquino were all at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City to remember their father. More than a hundred supporters, mostly clad in yellow, joined the family as well.

Vice President Leni Robredo was among those present during the Mass. Also there were Liberal Party (LP) president Senator Francis Pangilinan, LP senators Franklin Drilon and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, and minority Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Aquino's former Cabinet members also attended the event, such as Teresita Deles, Manuel Roxas II, Florencio Abad, Ramon Jimenez, Kim Henares, Cesar Purisima, Voltaire Gazmin, and Corazon Soliman.

Ninoy Aquino was assassinated on August 21, 1983 at the Manila International Airport (now the Ninoy Aquino International Airport) upon arriving from a 3-year self-exile in Boston, Massachusetts. (READ: LOOK BACK: The Aquino assassination)

The former senator was considered as one of the staunchest opponents of then dictator Ferdinand Marcos. His death galvanized the growing opposition and propelled his wife, Corazon "Cory" Aquino, into the limelight. Cory eventually became the Philippines' first female president after Marcos was ousted in the 1986 People Power Revolution. (READ: On Cory's 8th death anniversary, Aquino urges Filipinos to protect democracy)

Democracy

In a seeming disconnect, Duterte called on Filipinos to reflect on lessons from the life of the slain democracy icon, "especially in these troubling times."

Duterte said the former senator's deeds "taught [Filipinos] that we should always aspire for the common good – even if one must go against the grain – and do what is necessary."

"Through his words of wisdom, let us reflect on his life and realize that, indeed, the Filipino is worth dying for," the President said.

"Up until the very end of his life, he inspired a peaceful revolution that resulted to liberties we enjoy," Duterte added.

These glowing words are in contrast to the President's recent remarks against his predecessor.

Earlier this month, Duterte called his predecessor "gago" (an idiot) for saying that the government's bloody drug war is ineffective. To prove the war on drugs is effective, Duterte said that if former president Aquino himself got caught up in drug trafficking, he would be beheaded.

Duterte is also close to the Marcos family, and in 2017, ordered the burial of the late dictator at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. (READ: Duterte on Marcos burial: Let history judge, I followed law) – Rappler.com

MIAMI, USA – The first total solar eclipse to sweep North America in nearly a century will march across the continent Monday, August 21, casting a shadow over millions of people from coast to coast.

The event, coined the "Great American Eclipse," is inspiring a surge in tourism in the United States, along with sky-high prices for travel to key viewing spots and a rise in scams such as counterfeit solar eclipse glasses. (READ: First eclipse in 99 years to sweep North America)

Celebrations are planned nationwide, including weddings timed to coincide with the eclipse and a live Caribbean cruise ship performance of the 1983 hit Total Eclipse of the Heart by the singer herself, Bonnie Tyler.

Historic eclipse

The total eclipse, when the Moon fully blocks light from the Sun, will be visible from a 70-mile-wide (113-kilometer) path that carves through 14 US states.

A partial eclipse begins on the northwest coast of the United States shortly after 9 am (1600 GMT).

The total eclipse reaches the western coastline of Oregon at 10:16 am Pacific time (1716 GMT), then forges a diagonal path, exiting over South Carolina in the afternoon.

While the darkest shadows will fall over this "path of totality," a partial eclipse extends far beyond it, and may be visible as far north as Alberta, Canada and as far south as Brazil, weather permitting.

Even Britain and western France may catch an evening glimpse of a tiny sliver of the eclipse at sunset.

"They'll see a very shallow, partial eclipse," said Royal Astronomy Society acting director Robert Massey.

The last time an eclipse crossed from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean was on June 8, 1918, when a total eclipse was visible from Washington to Florida.

Watch the eclipse here on Rappler, with the livestream courtesy of NASA, starting 12 noon, August 21 (midnight of Tuesday, August 22, in Manila). – With reports from Agence France-Presse / Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The death of 17-year-old student Kian Loyd delos Santos has been politicized, making him appear more innocent than he actually is, according to Northern Police District (NPD) Chief Superintendent Roberto Fajardo.

The NPD encompasses Caloocan, where Delos Santos was shot dead by police on August 16, as well as Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela.

"Ang tawag ng mga tao [sa kanya], adik, pusher pero ngayong patay na siya, mabait na siya. Sinasakyan na ito, na mabait na siya at santo na siya. Pero before that, lumalabas na adik at pusher daw siya," said Fajardo in a news briefing on Delos Santos' case on Monday, August 21.

(People used to call him an addict and a pusher, but now that he is dead, he is now being described as kind. People are riding on this, that he was kind and practically a saint. But before that, it seemed he was an addict and a pusher.)

Delos Santos' death had ignited public outrage, from civil society to key government officials.

But Fajardo reiterated on Monday that intelligence reports say Delos Santos was a drug runner, possibly even for his father and uncle, and was receiving 10 grams of shabu daily. (READ: How Kian delos Santos was killed, according to police)

According to Fajardo, if Delos Santos' father and uncle are not involved in drugs, they should have at least known that the teenager was supposedly moonlighting as a courier.

"'Yung Neneng ang nag-uutos, siya ang ginagamit na courier. Dapat alam ng father," the NPD chief said. (Neneng was the one giving instructions to Delos Santos and using him as a runner. The boy's father should have known this.)

Fajardo added that, if Delos Santos really had been a drug runner, he would not be the first, as police have previously dealt with drug pushers using minors to get their fix.

Different focus for probe

Despite these accusations, Metro Manila police chief Director Oscar Albayalde reiterated in the news briefing that they are focusing on whether Delos Santos was actually a victim of an extrajudicial killing, not whether he was a drug runner for his own family. (READ: In the PH drug war, it's likely EJK when...)

The cops involved in Delos Santos' killing have since been placed under restrictive custody, barring them from leaving Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, the cops will be transferred "within the week" to Camp Crame in Quezon City, under criminal investigation by the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Complementing the CIDG probe is the investigation by the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS), which looks into administrative violations.

Outside the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) have begun their independent probes.

Even senators allied with President Rodrigo Duterte have called for an inquiry into the police's recent bloody operations in the President's unrelenting war on drugs, including the raid that killed Delos Santos. – Rappler.com

BARCELONA, Spain – Spanish police said Monday, August 21, that they have identified the driver of the van that mowed down pedestrians on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona, killing 13.

Police in Catalonia announced the identification on Twitter, without giving his name. 

But Catalonia's regional interior minister Joaquim Forn told local radio that "everything suggests the van driver is Younes Abouyaaqoub". 

The 22-year-old Moroccan remains at large, and police said Sunday, August 20, that they did not know if he was still in Spain.

"We don't know where he is," regional police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said Sunday.

More details soon. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Former president Benigno Aquino III condemned the killing of Kian Loyd delos Santos, the 17-year-old boy shot by Caloocan police during an anti-drug raid on August 16.

Aquino said he was horrified upon finding out the details of Delos Santos' death in the hands of the police.

"Number one, siyempre 'pag nababasa ko 'yung mga nakikita ko sa diyaryo, 'yung parte na nagugulpi pa, nakikiusap na, 'di ba sabi, 'Bukas may pasok pa ako.' Siyempre nakakagimbal," Aquino told reporters in an interview on Monday, August 21, after the Mass for the 34th death anniversary of his father, former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.

(Number one, when I read the newspapers, the part where he was attacked despite pleading for his life, and he supposedly said, "I have classes tomorrow." Of course, that's horrifying.)

Aquino said there is a need for a swift but thorough investigation into the matter. He said the probe should not drag on for years, as it might only negatively affect the teenager's case.

"Pero tinuruan din naman tayo na ang trabaho natin bilang mambabatas muna at bilang pangulo ay kailangan magka-imbestigasyon para 'di haka-haka ang mangyari. Importante doon sa imbestigasyon, 'wag naman umabot nang pagkatagal-tagal. 'Yung matagal na imbestigasyon, imbis na nagpapalinaw, nagpapalabo," the former president said.

(But we were also taught that our job as a lawmaker first then as a president is to conduct an investigation so we do not rely on hearsay. What's important is that the investigation does not drag on for years. A lengthy investigation brings more confusion, instead of setting things straight.)

Asked to comment on the rise of drug-related killings, Aquino said the state has an obligation to protect its citizens.

"Ako pananaw ko, maski saan mo tignan, sa Saligang Batas, sa simbahan na kinabibilangan ko, bawa't isang mamatay ay sobra," Aquino said. (In my view, no matter how you look at it, in the eyes of the Constitution, in the church where I belong to, one death is one too many.)

Caloocan police claimed that Delos Santos was a drug suspect who, upon seeing them during anti-drug operations, fired his gun toward the direction of the cops. CCTV video and witnesses' testimonies, however, indicated otherwise.

Mothers in pain

In a speech before family and supporters, Aquino said Delos Santos' mother reminded him of his paternal grandmother, Doña Aurora Aquino.

Delos Santos' mother is a domestic worker abroad. She came home to Manila to bury her son.

Aquino recalled how his grandmother was waiting for her son's arrival at the Manila International Airport (now the Ninoy Aquino International Airport) in 1983, only to find out that her son was shot dead.

"Nabasa ko lang ho 'yung pahayag ng nanay, isang OFW (overseas Filipino worker), wala raw dapat magulang ang maglilibing sa sariling anak. Naalala ko noong araw, 34 years ago, ang lola ko, nanay ng aking ama, isa sa tinitingala namin na source of strength, nasa airport siya, sasalubungin ang anak niyang matagal nang 'di nakikita. Sa isang lounge sa airport binalita sa kanya na napaslang ang aking ama," Aquino said.

(I read the statement of Delos Santos' mother, an OFW, and she said no parent should bury her child. I remember 34 years ago, my paternal grandmother, one of our sources of strength, she was at the airport ready to welcome her son who she had not seen in a long time. She was at the airport lounge when she received the news that my father had been killed.)

Aquino then showed a photo of former senator Lorenzo Tañada comforting his grandmother upon learning of the news.

"Tapos napasandal na lang siya. Minsanang bumuhos ang luha niya. 'Pag tayo nawawalan, naghahanap tayo ng parang hustisya, katarungan, na magbabayad mga may sala," the former president said.

(She just sat down. Her tears fell all at once. When we lose someone, we seek justice, we hope that the sinners will pay for what they did.)

With the Senate set to conduct an investigation into Delos Santos' death on Thursday, August 24, Aquino said he already has questions in mind if he were still in office. He, however, refused to say these in public.

Members of the Senate majority bloc adopted a resolution condemning the spate of drug-related killings and calling for a probe into Delos Santos' death.

Earlier, however, administration senators downplayed the killings and said neither the state nor Duterte is sponsoring these executions. – Rappler.com

MOSCOW, Russia – Washington will halt the issuing of all non-immigrant visas in Russia for nine days from Wednesday and will thereafter reduce visa operations, the US embassy in Moscow said Monday, August 21, citing the "Russian government-imposed cap" on its staff levels.

"All non-immigrant visa operations across Russia will be suspended on August 23. Operations will resume in Moscow on September 1; visa operations at the US consulates will remain suspended indefinitely," an embassy statement said.

It said all scheduled appointments for visa applicants would be cancelled.

Russia last month slashed the US diplomatic staff in the country by 755 employees to 455 – the same number Moscow has in the United States – in a retaliatory move against new sanctions passed by the US congress.

"Russia's decision to reduce the United States' diplomatic presence here calls into question Russia's seriousness about pursuing better relations," the embassy statement said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov argued that "the real reason" for curbing visa operations is not lack of staff however but "an attempt to provoke discontent among Russian citizens over the actions of the Russian government."

Asked at a news conference about Moscow's potential reaction to the move, Lavrov added that Russia "will not be taking out our anger on American citizens."

The United States has three consulates in Russia, in Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg in the Urals and Vladivostok in the far east. Now those wanting to visit the US face travelling to Moscow for the application process.

The US embassy in Moscow will also cease issuing visas to citizens of Belarus – which does not have a US embassy – and they will now be redirected to Kiev, Warsaw and Vilnius.

"Capacity for interviews in the future will be greatly reduced because we have had to greatly reduce our staffing levels to comply with the Russian government's requirement," it said.

"We will operate at reduced capacity for as long as our staffing levels are reduced," it said.

Washington issued about 190,000 visas to Russians in 2016, according to the US State Department figures. – Rappler.com

PARIS, France – The French presidency said Monday, August 21, that Brigitte Macron, the wife of President Emmanuel Macron, would have a official role representing France but would not be paid or have her own budget or staff.

A proposal by Macron during campaigning earlier this year to create a new First Lady status for her has been shelved following an outcry, but the presidency had promised to clarify her position and the resources at her disposal.

A statement from the presidency said she would "represent France at her husband's side during international summits and meetings" and would also organize meetings at the Elysee Palace.

Her work would involve supporting charities and meeting regularly with representatives from organisations working in the fields of education, disabilities, health and child protection.

"It's not a legal status but a commitment which concerns Brigitte Macron for the duration of Emmanuel Macron's term in office and will not be binding for her successors," said a source close to Brigitte Macron, asking not to be named.

An online petition against creating a First Lady role – which would have required a change in the law or constitution – garnered more than 300,000 signatures and an opinion poll in early August showed a majority of French people were also opposed.

Macron promised a "transparency charter" instead, which would make clear how much the role would cost.

Brigitte Macron will have her own cabinet and two presidential advisors working for her, paid for from the president's budget for his own staff, the statement said on Monday.

It did not reveal the overall cost or the total number of staff at her disposal. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Government officials paid their last respects to Kian Loyd delos Santos, the 17-year-old student whose death in the hands of police has sparked outrage and criticism of the government's war on drugs.

Delos Santos was killed last August 16 in an anti-drug raid in Caloocan City. He was one of dozens dead in a number of police operations held last week. But his death became controversial after CCTV footage contradicted police's claim that the teenager was shot dead because he allegedly tried to fight back. (READ: Our son Kian: A good, sweet boy)

Several politicians and government officials visited Delos Santos' wake.

Vice President Leni Robredo visited Delos Santos' wake early Sunday, August 20. She condemned the teenager's killing and called for an investigation, adding that his death could also happen to anyone in the drug war.

Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV visited Delos Santos' wake on Monday, August 21. The senator said he spoke to the Delos Santos family to prepare for his privilege speech about the boy's case. He also called for justice for the teenager.

Senator Risa Hontiveros visited Delos Santos' wake on Saturday, August 19. She has also taken custody of some witnesses who are ready to face the upcoming Senate probe into the case.

Public Attorney's Office chief Persida Acosta on Monday visited the spot where the teenager died. She has taken on the case for the Delos Santos family. The PAO chief said murder charges will "most likely" be filed against the policemen who shot and killed Delos Santos. 

Various groups also staged a rally at the EDSA People Power Monument on Monday to condemn Delos Santos' killing and to demand an end to the killings happening under the Duterte administration's bloody anti-drug campaign. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Monday, August 21, the controversial Prosecutor Darwin Cañete will not be tasked to handle the case of slain Grade 11 student Kian delos Santos.

Aguirre said the Calooocan City Prosecutor's Office has excluded Cañete from the raffle if and when a complaint related to Delos Santos is filed before them.

"This exclusion is precisely done to avoid any purported prejudgment from being present in his resolution of the case if the same is raffled to him,” Aguirre said.

Senator Franklin Drilon earlier called on Aguirre to fire Cañete for alleged prejudice toward Delos Santos. 

Cañete has said in media interviews that Delos Santos' innocence is "too far-fetched."

Cañete was supposedly one of the first on the scene to investigate. In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, he said: "I am not saying they did not kill the kid. [Police] should be held accountable if ever it's a proven EJK (extrajudicial killing). But making the kid super innocent? I am not buying it."

But Aguirre said he cannot fire Cañete for doing his job. The justice secretary clarified that no prosecutor, including Cañete, has been tasked to handle Delos Santos' case.

"Since Prosecutor Cañete is a Caloocan City resident, for cases of death under investigation in Caloocan, he is tasked to gather the relevant factual antecedents of such cases upon the invitation of the police. And that is all that he did in the case of Kian de los Santos’ death," Aguirre said.

Aguirre added: "How can I relieve a prosecutor from a case which he is not handling?"

Aguirre's statement, which was sent to reporters past 7 pm Monday after a day's worth of follow-ups, does not address the question of whether there will be a disciplinary evaluation of Cañete.

Drilon said Cañete may have violated the Code of Conduct of Prosecutors, which mandates prosecutors to conduct themselves in the highest ethical standards of fairness, dignity, impartiality, and integrity.

Before Cañete's posts related to Delos Santos went viral over the weekend, he was called out in June for a Facebook post that called for the killing of "yellows."

Yellows refer to groups allied withe opposition Liberal Party and critical of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"This is why no ceasefire. No stopping. No compromise. Fact is, yellows are evil. You do not talk to them. You kill them. After you kill one, you find another to destroy. Like cockroaches," the prosecutor said in a Facebook post last June 12. 

“I understand the sentiments of Senator Franklin Drilon. I am sure that everyone wants this case to be handled with utmost impartiality and for any party responsible brought to justice. This is also my commitment to all as the people’s steward of the Department  of Justice," Aguirre said.

Aguirre has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the case of Delos Santos, who was killed during an anti-drugs operation of the Caloocan police on August 16.

Public Attorneys Office chief Perside Acosta said there is basis to file murder complaints against the cops who shot Delos Santos after the autopsy report revealed 3 wounds on Kian, one of them considered "treacherous" or an aggravating circumstance for a murder complaint. – Rappler.com 

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – A policeman from Cagayan province was killed after a shootout with arresting authorities in Pamplona town on Sunday, August 20.

In a report, Chief Inspector Virgilio Dorado Jr, police chief of Sanchez Mira town, identified the slain suspect as Sherwin Pascual, 38, an active policeman of Piat town.

Dorado said a police asset negotiated with Pascual on Sunday morning for P15,000 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu). Both agreed to meet near the boundary of Pamplona and Sanchez Mira towns.

Pascual reportedly fled the scene on his motorcycle when, after handing over the illegal drugs, he noticed the police coming out from their cover to arrest him.

"When the suspect was eventually cornered in Barangay Nagattatan, Pamplona, which is more or less 1,000 meters far from the transaction place, he shot towards (sic) the operating team. The subject person however missed his aim," Dorado said in his report.

Police said the arresting team returned fire. Pascual was killed during the gunfight. 

Crime investigators recovered from the victim a 9 mm pistol loaded with 12 live ammunition, a piece of magazine with 10 live ammunition, two cellular phone units, 4 pieces of heat-sealed suspected shabu, and cash. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Where is the all-out war on drugs against the rich and powerful?

Youth leaders posed this question at the Himagsikan Para kay Kian (Revolt for Kian) rally held at the People Power Monument on EDSA Monday, August 21. 

Kian delos Santos, 17, was gunned down by cops last week during a drug raid – the only one killed in the impoverished neighborhood in Caloocan City. The police said the young man, whom they labeled a drug runner, fired the first shots.

But CCTV footage and eyewitness reports say Delos Santos was blindfolded by cops, beaten up, forced to hold gun, before they shot him. Autopsy results showed he was killed by 3 bullets that entered the back of his head.  

The manner Delos Santos was dealt with sparked public outrage, prompting the rally on August 21, the 34th year when opposition figure Benigno Aquino Jr was gunned down by government forces, sparking protests againstn dictator Ferdinand Marcos. 

Akbayan Youth representative Shamah Bungasin said police are deliberately targeting communities such as Delos Santos' that cannot produce evidence due to their poverty.

“Most cases of [extrajudicial killings] happen in these places in Camanava, most especially in the depressed areas. Why? Kasi walang magagamit na ebidsnya, walang CCTV camera (because there is no evidence, there are no CCTV cameras),” Bungasin said.

“Hindi natin masasabing suwerte si Kian, pero buti na lang talaga merong CCTV na nakakuha para makita ng lahat ng tao na ang war on drugs na ito ay kurap, ang war on drugs na to ay unfair, ang war on drugs na ito ay inhumane,” Bungasin added. 

(We cannot say that Kian was lucky, but it was a good thing that there was a CCTV that was able to record [what happened] to show that this war on drugs is corrupt, unfair, and inhumane.)

Karla Yu, representative of the Millennials Against Dictators, reminded President Rodrigo Duterte that majority of Filipinos are poor.

“Ang interes po natin ang dapat na prioridad ng Pangulo. Kanino bang interes ang kanyang interes? Sa kanila. Lahat po ng biktima sa war on drugs na ito puro po mahihirap, puro po walang yaman, mga taong walang boses, mga tao na hindi kayang sumagot kay Pangulo na tama na,” Yu said.

(The President should prioritize our interest. Whose interest is he prioritizing? Theirs. All of the victims in this war on drugs are poor, voiceless, people who cannot talk back to the President and tell him, enough of this.)

Bungasin accused the police of being selective and gentle with their drug inspection in richer communities. (READ: Drug raids toll hits 81 in 4 days)

“Sa'n ka nakakakita ng war on drugs na operations na nangyayari sa Forbes? Saan ka nakakita ng war on drugs na nangyayari sa Bel-Air?" Bungasin said, referring to exclusive subdivisions for the richest families in Makati. "Puro sa mga areas kung saan maraming tao na wala na ngang kinakain, sinasabi pa nila na binibili pa nila ng drugs 'yung pera na pangkain nila at pambayad nila ng renta,” 

(Have you seen drug operations in Forbes? Have you seen war on drugs in Bel-Air? They operate in areas where people have nothing to eat, and yet they are accused of using the little money they have to buy drugs instead of buying food and paying their rent.)

Lenient toward alleged drug lords

While majority of operations are carried out in poor communities, with police barging into houses and shooting small-time drug users and pushers, authorities once made what appeared to be perfunctory rounds in posh subdivisions, politely knocking on gates – but not allowed in by maids – and merely handing anti-drug posters or pamphlets.

Of the long list of elected officials that President Duterte claims to hold, two mayors allegedly involved in the drug raid have been killed months apart. They supposedly fired the first shots too in pre-dawn raids. 

Last July 30, policemen killed Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife, two siblings, and 11 other people after they allegedly fired first while beijg served a search warrant before dawn. In October 2016, police arrested Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr, father of alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa. The elder Espinosa was killed inside his cell when he supposedly exchanged fire with policemen who were serving a warrant pre-dawn.

Meanwhile, alleged Visayas drug lord Peter Lim has been given the chance to clear his name by the President himself, and called to a preliminary investigation only nearly a year after Duterte identified him as drug lord. 

The President has also been uncharacteriscally quiet on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu that was smuggled from China in May, got past the customs bureau, contaminated as evidence in a warehouse, and now being linked to his son Paolo Duterte.

According to the data from police, they have also arrested 1,340 high-value targets (HVTs) and taken in 3,522 HVT surrenderers from July 2016 to June 2017. – Rappler.com 

I've always considered myself a citizen of the world. And while I think that belief stemmed from my experience living abroad, I already had a knack for different cultures even when I was growing up.

I remember looking closely at encyclopedia pictures of tourist spots in America with its anthem playing in the background. Expedia wasn't around back then. I also love learning new languages, even just a few phrases. I don't even have a specific cuisine that I love because I appreciate all kinds of food. Back when I was working for a tech startup in San Francisco, our company would have different cuisines for its daily catered lunches. I also follow foreign news and current events more than national ones even to this day.

One might label me as unpatriotic, but I beg to differ. Perhaps more than those aforementioned things, I do believe that exposure to different cultures and cities reminded me of what being Filipino is all about. 

For those who even bother to look at their passports, one would notice the Philippine motto inscribed on its first few pages: Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan, at Makabansa. These are the core values we Filipinos should have, values that make up the foundation this country was and should be built on. (This is by no means a lesson on how to be patriotic, but an attempt to illustrate how my limited worldview has helped me rekindle these Filipino values.)

Maka-Diyos. I was blessed to be brought up in a devout Catholic household. I am no saint, but the fear of God and example of St Ignatius of Loyola never fail to bring out the follower in me. My time living alone in California also made my faith even stronger. I'd pass by a church on my way downtown and would hear Mass when possible. It helped me gain more perspective into God's plan for me when the future back then was still unclear. It's also interesting how we are similar to others when celebrating certain traditions. I can still vividly recall the Passion of the Christ reenactment I saw in Mission Dolores, located in a predominantly Latino community in the Bay Area. 

Maka-Tao. I was fortunate enough to interact with different cultures that strengthened my respect for other persons regardless of their ethnicity, faith, and orientation. I have been amazed at how some of the developed countries have their own ways of showing compassion for the needy. Singapore, for instance, has a dedicated housing area for its low-income population. This is why there are no squatters in the city-state. Moreover, living in the Bay Area exposed me to communities having the concept of a soup kitchen where homeless people and even drug dependents are welcome.

Makakalikasan. One doesn't have to visit national parks or plant trees to help preserve nature's wonders (though I've been fortunate enough to see Crater Lake and the Grand Canyon, among others). My conscious effort to protect Mother Earth was reinvigorated when I learned to clean my own table in restaurants and to segregate garbage properly. It is all about discipline and accountability in simple, everyday tasks. It has indeed been a constant struggle ever since I came back home a year and a half ago. It pains me, for instance, whenever I see receipts scattered all around ATMs.

Makabansa. Last and definitely not the least, my global experience reminded me that although we share the same goal of living harmoniously with one another, we still have our own respective identities through our nationality. I would always refer to the multicultural term "salad bowl" I encountered during my graduate studies. The term connotes how different ingredients (cultures or nationalities) preserve their own characteristics while mixing with one another to share a common goal of nourishment (global development).

It is quite ironic that it is through exposing one's self to the world that we are able to gain perspective as to where we are and where we should be headed as a nation. We tend to confuse national pride with narrow-mindedness and that "ganyan talaga dito, wala na tayong magagawa" (that's just how it is, we can't do anything) attitude. We seem to be allergic to progressive thinking. I agree that it's not a one-size-fits-all remedy, but to borrow some words from one of America's greatest political icons, Robert F. Kennedy, "There are those that look at things the way they are and ask, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and ask, 'Why not?'"

Sometimes, we forget how embracing diversity of knowledge and ideas has shaped what we have become this past century. It is only when we go out into the world and find our way back home that we rediscover and appreciate our distinct identity.

One, however, need not abruptly pack his or her bag. As a matter of fact, you have already started just by finishing reading this. – Rappler.com

31-year-old Mark Gerard C. Oga runs a digital marketing startup based in Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Prior to that, he worked in the financial industry for almost a decade until he pursued his goal of experiencing what it's like living independently abroad. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Ateneo de Manila University and a master's degree in international marketing from Hult International Business School in San Francisco, California. He considers himself a progressive thinker and a liberal Catholic.

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – President Rodrigo Duterte promised that if investigation proves that Kian Loyd delos Santos was murdered by police, the cops involved will "rot in jail."

Duterte said this during an interview with media on Monday night, August 21, at the Malacañang Golf Club.

"I saw the tape on TV and I agree that there should be an investigation. Should the investigation point to liabilities by one, two, or all, there will be a prosecution and they have to go to jail if convicted," said Duterte.

The President said the CCTV footage of the 17-year-old student being dragged by police to the alley where he was shot convinced him that this was not the usual case of "nanlaban" (a suspect who fought back) as alleged by police.

Duterte even said that right after watching the tape, he called Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa and said, "Catch them, put them in jail," referring to the policemen responsible for Delos Santos' death.

The President also claimed he was beaten to the punch by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who announced a probe by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Asked if there are indeed corrupt policemen implementing his drug war, the President said "it cannot be denied."

Despite what he knows about Delos Santos' death (the President did not know the slain teenager's name), Duterte said he decided not to attend the boy's wake, fearing it would validate claims that the police involved indeed murdered Delos Santos.

"It is pregnant with so many suppositions. One is that, 'Look, Duterte went there maybe to apologize because the murder really happened,'" he said.

Doing so would be a failure of his "duty" to the police, who work under him.

"I cannot do that because the organization sa PNP is under me. I would be the last person to condemn them without a valid investigation," he said.

He promised not to interfere in the probe of the case. Both the NBI and Commission on Human Rights are conducting investigations.

"That I can assure you, that there will be no luto-luto diyan sa ano (cooking the books) because I really do not interfere," said Duterte.

Delos Santos was killed last August 16 in an anti-drug raid in Caloocan City, one of dozens slain in police operations last week.

His death has sparked calls for justice, with various groups staging a rally on Monday to demand an end to the killings in the drug war. – Rappler.com