MANILA, Philippines – Manila Police District director Joel Coronel on Wednesday, October 18, said that contrary to an official statement released by the Aegis Juris fraternity, members involved in the fatal hazing of Horacio "Atio" Castillo III intended to cover up the incident.

During Wednesday's Senate hearing, Coronel revealed Facebook group chat message exchanges among fraternity members as early as the morning of Sunday, September 17 – the day Castillo died.

Coronel noted that in the early part of their investigation, the fraternity came out with a statement saying they will fully cooperate with the investigation.

"But then, in light of the discovery of these chat messages, it appears that from Sunday, September 17, the objective of the Aegis Juris fraternity is to cover up, conceal, to avoid and evade the prosecution of this case," Coronel said.

By Sunday afternoon, Coronel said some of the members attended a meeting at Novotel to discuss what actions to take following Castillo's death.

According to Coronel, of the 30 personalities mentioned or included in the message thread, 19 attended the meeting at Novotel. Police have already identified 12 of those in the meeting, while 7 are still subject for identification.

Coronel said the "group messenger" was created by Atty Marvi Rosero Abo, and that fraternity members, particularly Arvin Balag and Jose Miguel Salamat, consulted with other members on what actions to take.

Salamat was asked to identify the 7 other members who attended the meeting, but he said he "can no longer recall" who these members were.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian then asked Coronel to summarize what the exchange of messages were about.

"In a nutshell, there was a reported incident of hazing death of a neophyte in their fraternity, and then mostly they were already in panic on what to do, they could not agree where to meet but then they agreed that they'd meet at Novotel and then what actions to be taken, some were in favor of facing this problem squarely, talking with the parents of Atio Castillo," Coronel explained.

He added: "And a great majority advocated that they just avoid and evade the prosecution, having concerns for their fraternity brothers who were involved, baka daw masira daw 'yung kinabukasan, ang future ng mga brads nila na involved sa hazing (afraid that the incident will destroy the future of their frrat brothers involved in the hazing), and that they need to meet. And part of the discussion was to contact the family and probably reach an agreement or settlement with the family regarding this particular case."

Coronel said majority of the members even said they will "find ways and means" to see that evidence will no longer be available to those conducting the investigation.

He noted that nowhere in the thread did it show that the fraternity members were willing to subject themselves to investigation. He also pointed out that from September 17 up to the present, police have not met any of the persons involved.

"To our mind, it appears that the agreement made then by those who met at Novotel Hotel was to cover up and to obstruct justice," he added.

Hazing suspect John Paul Solano earlier named the fratmen he saw the morning Castillo was killed. The Senate committee hearing is still ongoing as of this posting. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – A Senate panel on Wednesday, October 18, cited the leader of Aegis Juris fraternity in contempt for evading questions during the hearing on the death of law student Horacio Castillo III.

The Senate committee on public order approved the motion of Senator Grace Poe against Arvin Balag, the supposed Grand Praefectus of the fraternity involved in the fatal hazing of 22-year-old Castillo. Senator Joel Villanueva seconded Poe’s motion.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, committee chair, directed the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms to place Balag under detention after the hearing.

Balag was cited in contempt after he repeatedly invoked his right against self-incrimination when asked if he is the head of the fraternity.

“Member ka ba? O nagmamatigas ka na doon sa sinasabi mong code of silence doon sa text messages (Are you a member? Or are you standing by the code of silence as mentioned in those text messages)?” Poe said.

Balag insisted that answering such question would incriminate him. He is among the fraternity members facing charges of murder, robbery, and violation of the Anti-Hazing Law.

Lacson and Poe gave Balag several chances to respond but to no avail.

“Pasensiya na po talaga (I'm really sorry). It’s one of the elements of the offense,” Balag said.

A seemingly irked Lacson said Balag might be detained at the Pasay City jail, citing his conversation with Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III.

“You may be detained at the Pasay City jail as suggested by the majority leader, for such a simple question that will not incriminate yourself,” Lacson said.

On September 25, John Paul Solano, the fraternity member who brought Castillo to the hospital, said in an executive session that Balag is the leader of the fraternity.

Solano also claimed it was Balag who ordered him to lie to authorities by saying he just saw Castillo sprawled on a pavement in Tondo on September 17. Solano added that Balag ordered him and other fraternity members to deactivate their social media accounts.

Castillo, a freshman law student, died after attending the initiation rites of the Aegis Juris fraternity based at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law on September 17.

His parents only found out about the incident a day later, through an anonymous text sender.

According to the medico-legal team of the Manila Police District, the autopsy showed Castillo died of "severe blunt traumatic injuries.” – Rappler.com

PAMPANGA, Philippines – Criminal and administrative were filed against 6 policemen in Olongapo City for allegedly raping and maltreating a female drug suspect inside Police Station 5.

Senior Superintendent Melchor Cabalza III, Olongapo City police director, said on Wednesday, October 18, that the 30-year-old female complainant had waited until she was transferred to the Olongapo City Jail managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology before she disclosed her ordeal.

Cabalza said he personally filed rape charges against his men at the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office on October 4.

Named respondents in the case are:

• Police Officer 1 Raymond Diaz
• Police Officer 3 Diosdado Alterado
• Police Officer 3 Stevie Rivera
• Police Officer 2 Nelson Abalos
• Police Officer 1 Ed Mesias
• Police Officer 1 Gaylord Calara

“I also filed administrative charges against these men,” Cabalza said, adding that the 6 cops had been placed under restrictive custody inside the city police headquarters. 

According to a police report obtained by Rappler, the incident took place inside Police Station 5 in Barangay Sta Rita at past 1 am on June 29 

The investigation showed that Calara released the female drug suspect from detention and ordered her to take out the garbage.

After returning to the police station, the policeman instructed her to proceed to the office where she was allegedly ordered to dance naked but she refused.  Due to intimidation and fear for her life, she danced, but with her clothes on.

While she was dancing, 5 of the 6 policemen left the room, leaving only Diaz, who allegedly forced himself on the inmate.

She reportedly begged Diaz to put her back inside the detention facility but the cop ignored her request. The 5 other policemen then entered the office and one of them allegedly told her, “Sino ba ang gusto mong maka-sex bago ka maibiyahe bukas (Who among us do you want to have sex with before your transfer tomorrow)?”

After a few minutes, she said a male inmate entered the office. The two inmates were then allegedly ordered to have sexual intercourse while the policemen watched. 

“After the incident, they (inmates) were returned to their detention cell as if nothing happened,” the police report said.

A source said that the cop-suspects denied the allegation against them. 

There have been a number of allegations of human rights abuses committed by police in the war on drugs, affecting public trust in President Rodrigo Duterte and public appreciation of his performance.  (READ: Most Filipinos believe EJKs happen in war on drugs – poll)

A few days after the Social Weather Stations released lower public satisfaction and trust ratings for Duterte, the President took the Philippine National Police off the war on drugs and tasked the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as the sole agency in charge of his key campaign. – Rappler.com 

SEOUL, South Korea – Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slammed US President Donald Trump's "dangerous and short-sighted" war of words with North Korea Wednesday, October 18, saying his Twitter tirades only benefitted Pyongyang's attention-seeking ruler and hurt Washington's credibility.

Clinton lost last year's presidential election to the insurgent Republican despite having decades of experience in politics.

Tension has been running high for months as the White House's new incumbent and the North's Kim Jong-Un trade threats of war, with Trump dubbing Kim "Rocket Man" and being called a "dotard" in response.

In recent months Pyongyang has carried out multiple launches of missiles potentially capable of reaching the US mainland, and its sixth nuclear test.

But Trump's tit-for-tat with the young, autocratic ruler of the isolated regime only dents Washington's credibility and helps Kim bask in global attention he seeks, the former secretary of state told a forum in Seoul.

"I am worried about some of the recent actions from the new administration that seem to raise tensions. Our allies are now expressing concerns about America's credibility and reliability," she said. 

"Picking up fights with Kim Jong-Un just puts a smile on his face. It's like picking fights with NATO and the EU which puts a smile on Putin's face," she added, referring to the Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Trump's escalating verbal threats have sparked concerns of potential conflict on the peninsula, especially after he warned this month that "only one thing will work" on the North, without elaborating further.

Such "cavalierly threats to start a war are dangerous and short-sighted", Clinton said, adding the regime would be "thrilled" to get the "personal attention of the leader of our country".

Without once mentioning Trump by name, she also said she was "very concerned that the new administration is draining the government of the expertise" in diplomacy over the North.   

"There are few Asia experts of senior level left at the State Department," she said.  

The 69-year-old former first lady, who served as the US' top diplomat from 2009 to 2013 under president Barack Obama, suffered a shock defeat to Trump in the 2016 election. 

She felt "so responsible" for the defeat, she said, but also blamed multiple factors including sexism, misogyny and Russian intervention she recounted in her recent memoir "What Happened".

Moscow, she said, was "trying to destabilize every democracy".

Trump's presidency has been overshadowed by allegations that his campaign team colluded with Russia during last year's election. 

Moscow has faced accusations of state-sponsored cyberattacks on countries including Germany and France to influence election results – allegations it has steadfastly denied. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Social media has been proven to be a powerful tool for positive social impact but it is also being used for crime, such as the cybersex trade.

A new study released by Plan International found that 6 out of 10 of its respondents turned online to seek sexual predators for the exploitation of children as young as 11 years old.

The study "Children and the Sex Trade in the Digital Age" is part of the Gils Advocacy Alliance's global campaign against sex trafficking called #NotForSale. (READ: Even 2-month-old babies can be cybersex victims – watchdog) 

"Transactions included agreements on the characteristics of the child or adolescent and/or the customer, terms of payment, specific sexual acts to be performed including the do's and don'ts, length of the sexual service, date, time, and location of the service," the study reads.

Pimps manage Facebook groups – with about 5 to 15 girls – where photos and profiles are posted.

These Facebook groups include: 

• PSP Crib 2
• Favorite Walk
• PSP for Rent
• Take a Walk
• PSP Walkers
• Walker Finders
• Metro Walkers
• Chubby Bunnies
• PSP on the Go
• Favorite Coffee
• Cainta-Rizal Walkers
• Need Pizza
• Candy, Coffee, etc
• Legit GM PSP
• Walking Confession
• Private Pinay
• Extreme Overdose

However, Plan International noted in the study that groups could be dissolved or changed after each transaction. 

"Accounts managed by a pimp for online transactions were active only when they were needed. After which, they became inactive and eventually, the group account would be closed. However, when this happens, another account with a different set of children and adolescents would be set up," it stated.

Aside from the ease by which these illegal transactions are facilitated, online platforms have also enabled teenagers to be "freelancers" in the illegal trade, without needing a pimp to connect him or her to a customer.

These young sex workers usually spend up to 3 hours for every transaction. In each session, majority earn P2,000 to P3,000 while a number of them get P4,000.

The income of cybersex traders is higher than those involved in face-to-face engagement. Study informants explained that they usually get commission from gifts, food, or free drinks given by their customers. 

When it comes to their reasons for involvement, both online and traditional sex workers cited poverty and the need to help their families. Both groups also treat this as a temporary job. The study said their period of involvement only lasts for 2 to 5 years.

It was notable that those in the internet-mediated group said that being able to afford simple luxuries is one of the reasons why they continue to sell sexual favors.  

Government monitoring  

According to the study, there are enough Philippine laws that protect children from this inhumane business but as with any law, enforcement is the problem.

"It was revealed that while the Philippines has a good number of laws, policies, and programs on child protection, there are limited funds and trained personnel for its implementation," the study reads.

It noted that for 12 years, the implementation of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act was limited due to poor budget allocation. The 31 laws related to child protection also had no funding in 2012.  

This is also true even at the local level.

The study noted that local government units (LGUs) are in charge of setting up a Local Council on the Protection of Children (LCPC). But this unit established in the 1970s only got funding in 2012 through a memorandum circular issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The directive ordered LGUs to allot 1% of their budget for the LCPC.

Prevention, through enforcement and delivery of basic social services, is still seen as the best way to end sex trafficking. But while the trade continues and more women and girls are exploited, Plan International urged the government to assist victims by providing employment skills training and support for psychological rehabilitation. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban has signed an agreement with the United Russia party backed by Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, PDP-Laban president, signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Sergei Zheleznyak, the Russian ruling party's Deputy Secretary General in St Petersburg, Russia, on Tuesday, October 17.

Pimentel is in Russia for the 137th International Parliamentary Union Assembly with Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon.

“This is a historic moment, as it brings Russia and the Philippines closer together through relations between their ruling parties, and not just their governments,” Pimentel said in a statement.

Pimentel has yet to respond to questions on the details involving the agreement.

In a press release, he said PDP-Laban is keen on boosting diplomatic ties through forming relations with ruling parties of other countries.

The accord is PDP-Laban's second memorandum with a foreign political party. In February, ruling Philippine party signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Communist Party of China. (READ: PDP-Laban 'very open' to learn ideology, policy from China's Communist Party)

“We want to share our experiences with parties from other countries, and we want to learn from their experiences as well,” Pimentel said.

Under President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines has rekindled ties with Russia and China as part of his administration’s so-called independent foreign policy.

Duterte has since slammed the United States for supposedly interfering with domestic affairs, including his bloody drug war. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – In a bid to “strengthen further” lawyer Larry Gadon’s impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, lawyer Manuel Luna on Wednesday, October 18, said they would be turning over documents from a dismissed impeachment complaint against the same official.

Speaking to reporters, Luna said they were requesting from the House of Representatives Secretary General the documents they submitted as part of an impeachment complaint filed Volunteers and Crime and Corruption (VACC)’s Dante Jimenez and Vanguard's Eligio Mallari.

Luna is the legal counsel of VACC.

“I’m going to ask the Secretary General if I can retrieve the documents because we want to further strengthen the case versus the chief justice by turning over these documents to [Gadon]. These are the internal documents, the discussions and deliberations of the Supreme Court,” said Luna, who visited the House on Wednesday.

The lawyer said the documents would be “pivotal” to the case, which he expressed confidence would eventually reach the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court.

The committee on justice, which deliberates on impeachment complaints filed before the House, had earlier junked Jimenez and Mallari’s complaint against Sereno because it was insufficient in form. The same committee, however, approved Gadon’s impeachment complaint.

Thus far, it has been deemed sufficient in form, substance, and grounds. It will next discuss if there is probable cause to pursue Gabon's complaint.

If the committee, through a majority vote, decides there is probable cause to pursue the case, it will be forwarded to the plenary for voting.

All it takes is a 1/3 vote of House members to impeach Sereno, after which the complaint will move forward to the Senate.

Sereno’s team has repeatedly asked the committee to dismiss the complaint, saying it has no basis and that the allegations against her are not impeachable offenses. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – "They're just buying time."

This was how Horacio Castillo Jr – father of hazing victim Horacio "Atio" Castillo III – explained why Aegis Juris members kept invoking their right against self-incrimination during a Senate committee hearing on Wednesday, October 18.

"That's understandable di ba kasi 'pag may sinabi sila (because if they say something)… They're just buying time, they're just buying time," he told reporters after the hearing.

Senate public order committee chair Panfilo Lacson himself said the members "abused" the invocation given that the senators asked "very simple questions answerable by yes or no."

"Sobrang abused. 'Di na nga self-incriminatory ini-invoke pa rin ang right against self-incrimination... Hindi ito magje-jeopardize sa kanila in terms of incriminating themselves. And yet they keep on invoking that basic right against self-incrimination," the senator explained.

(It's very abused. It's not even self-incriminatory anymore but they still invoked the right against self-incrimination… This will not jeopardize them in terms of incriminating themselves. And yet they keep on invoking that basic right against self-incrimination.)

The Senate committee cited Aegis Juris leader Arvin Balag in contempt for evading questions during Wednesday's hearing.

Also on Wednesday, Manila Police District director Senior Superintendent Joel Coronel said that based on chat messages among members, it appeared that the fraternity intended to cover up the incident.

Horacio Jr said they still have to consult lawyers regarding the filing of charges against said members. Aegis Juris member and University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina, meanwhile, said those involved with the cover up "should be penalized accordingly."

"As I said, we will never condone a cover up, anyone who's part of which will be penalized," he added.

Horacio Jr believes they have a strong case, considering how things are going during the Senate hearings. But he admitted that he also pitied the members involved in the killing of his son.

"Siyempre naaawa ka rin sa kanila kasi their lives are over. Wala na. You think magiging mga lawyers pa sila? 'Di na, tapos na buhay nila. Will you hire them as lawyers in the future knowing kung ano 'yung ginawa nila?" he added. 

(Of course you pity them too because their lives are over. It's over. You think they will still be lawyers? They won't be lawyers anymore, their lives are over. Will you hire them as lawyers in the future knowing what they did?) – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – A second petition against the police-led Oplan TokHang was filed before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, October 18.

The Center for International Law (CenterLaw) filed the petition seeking the issuance of a writ of amparo to protect certain individuals and the residents of 26 barangays in San Andres Bukid, Manila, against the anti-illegal drug campaign.

In a 57-page petition, CenterLaw sought the issuance of a temporary protection order (TPO) prohibiting police authorities from getting near the residences and workplaces of the families of 35 residents of San Andres Bukid who were killed in the drug raids in the area for the past 13 months.

Among the respondents in the petition are the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa, Manila Police District (MPD) Director Senior Superintendent Joel Coronel, Manila Police Station 6 Commander Superintendent Olivia Ancheta Sagaysay, and Superintendents Jerry Corpuz and Robert Domingo.

The others are MPD Station 6's Police Officer 2 Rhafael Rodriguez, Police Officer 2 Princeton Felia, Police Officer 1 Harry Allan Cruz, Police Officer 1 Kennith Gaa, Police Officer 1 Efren Guitering, Police Officer 2 Jocelyn Samson, Police Officer 3 Allan Escramosa, Police Officer 2 Francisco Mendoza, Police Officer 2 Roestrell Ocampo, Police Officer 3 Rodolfo Ocampo Jr, Senior Inspector Concorcio Pangilinan, and 3 others identified only through their aliases Harry, Junior, and Ivan.

The petition specifically sought to enjoin the respondents from entering within a radius of one kilometer from the residence and work addresses of the families of TokHang victims. 

It also sought to bar the respondents from directly or indirectly harassing, contacting, or communicating with the affected parties.

A writ of amparo is a remedy that serves to protect constitutional rights perceived to be in danger. It covers extralegal killings and enforced disappearances.

The petitioners also asked the Court to enjoin the police from conducting anti-drug operations in San Andres Bukid without the required coordination and presence of representatives from the barangay, PDEA, and the media. 

The petitioners  are led by Sister Ma Juanita Daño of the Religious of the Good Shepherd and include 47 others who are suing individually and collectively. The petition was filed as a class suit on behalf of all the residents of 26 barangays in San Andres.

San Andres, which is part of the 5th District of Manila, has a total of 65 barangays.

Systematic violence

The petition recounted the systematic violence allegedly committed by members of MPD Station 6 against residents of San Andres Bukid and its adjacent areas.

The petition pointed to "police cordoning off the perimeters of slum communities and disabling closed circuit cameras; of armed men entering these areas in the dead of night, barging  into houses no better than oversized boxes, shooting their victims and leaving."

It also talked about "police standing guard, training their flashlights on houses and windows and shouting harsh warnings at the neighbors not to look while armed men break down doors and gun down the victims inside their own homes; of police appearing in the scene shortly after, carting off the bodies of the victims and directing that  the bodies be brought to the police’s authorized funeral parlors."

The petitioners asked the Court to prohibit police from coercing barangay officials into producing or submitting a list of alleged drug users, pushers, or trouble-makers in community until the respondents have shown full compliance with the constitutional requirements of due process, the requirements of the Data Privacy Act, and regulatory assurance against arbitrariness and criminal machination.

According to the petition, many victims of drug-related killings in their community had surrendered to barangay authorities after their names were included in the local drug watch list. 

“Sometime thereafter, violence were visited upon them and their families resulting in their death or those of their relatives and even those who were merely at the wrong place at the wrong time,” the petition read.

 “It appears that the Respondents have generated a list that they have apparently pressured barangay officials to make and to submit to them. Such list has become what has been referred to as the kill list,” it added.

The first petition against Oplan TokHang was filed before the SC on January 26, on behalf of the families of 4 drug suspects killed in Payatas, Quezon City in August 2016, as well as the lone survivor in the incident. (READ: A gruesome tale of TokHang: 'Sir, may humihinga pa')

The High Court issued a writ of amparo based on the first petition in late January, and another in February.

On October 10, President Rodrigo Duterte removed the Philippine National Police from the helm of the drug war, and tasked PDEA as the sole agency on top of the campaign. 

Even with this order, policemen led a drug raid in Tondo, Manila, on October 11, leading to the deaths of 3 drug suspects. (READ: 3 dead in Tondo a day after Duterte's new drug war memo)

The PNP had announced the suspension of its flagship anti-drug campaign Oplan Double Barrel, including TokHang, on October 12. – Rappler.com

BEIJING, China – Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a stern warning to Taiwan Wednesday, October 18, saying that Beijing has the will and power to thwart any attempts at independence.

Addressing a twice-a-decade gathering of the Communist Party in Beijing, Xi warned that China has "the resolve, the confidence, and the ability to defeat separatist attempts for Taiwan independence in any form".

"We will never allow anyone, any organization, or any political party, at any time or in any form, to separate any part of Chinese territory from China," he said.

Taiwan's mainland affairs council called the Communist Party congress' comments "regrettable", saying "China cannot win over the people" through its "one China" policy.

Ties between Taiwan and China have turned increasingly frosty since the election of Tsai Ing-wen as president last year.

Beijing cut off official communication with her government shortly after it took office due to her refusal to publicly accept the "one China" concept.

Tsai also angered Beijing when she called Donald Trump to congratulate him on his US presidential election victory.

Under Taiwan's previous government the two sides had stuck to the "1992 consensus", in which they agree there is only one China without specifying which is its rightful representative.

In his speech, Xi held out an olive branch to the island's leadership, offering to restore communication with Taiwan if its government readopts the understanding.

Then "no political party or group in Taiwan will have any difficulty conducting exchanges with the mainland", he said.

The two sides split after a civil war in 1949, and while Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign nation, it has never formally declared independence.

Cross-strait tensions were further exacerbated by a highly unusual call from Tsai to congratulate then US President-elect Donald Trump.

Xi made no mention of independence movements in China's semi-autonomous city Hong Kong.

"We will develop and strengthen the ranks of patriots who love both our country and their regions," he said, adding that "patriots will be playing the principal role" in governing the metropolis, which operates under its own system of laws as part of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy.

Beijing has tightened control over the city's affairs in response to high-profile calls for democracy that have increasingly turned to calls for self-determination or even full independence. – Rappler.com

PARIS, France – A duo of French scientists said Wednesday, October 18, they may have found a physiological, and seemingly treatable, cause for dyslexia hidden in tiny light-receptor cells in the human eye.

In people with the reading disability, the cells were arranged in matching patterns in both eyes, which may be to blame for confusing the brain by producing "mirror" images, the co-authors wrote in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

In non-dyslexic people, the cells are arranged asymmetrically, allowing signals from the one eye to be overridden by the other to create a single image in the brain.

"Our observations lead us to believe that we indeed found a potential cause of dyslexia," study co-author Guy Ropars of the University of Rennes, told Agence France-Presse.

It offers a "relatively simple" method of diagnosis, he added, by simply looking into a subject's eyes.

Furthermore, "the discovery of a delay (of about 10 thousandths of a second) between the primary image and the mirror image in the opposing hemispheres of the brain, allowed us to develop a method to erase the mirror image that is so confusing for dyslexic people" – using an LED lamp.

Like being left- or right-handed, human beings also have a dominant eye.

As most of us have two eyes, which record slightly different versions of the same image, the brain has to select one of the two, creating a "non-symmetry." 

Many more people are right-eyed than left, and the dominant eye has more neural connections to the brain than the weaker one.

Image signals are captured with rods and cones in the eye – the cones being responsible for color.

"b" or "d"

The majority of cones, which come in red, green and blue variants, are found in a small spot at the centre of the cornea of the eye known as the fovea. But there is a small hole (about 0.1-0.15 millimeters in diameter) with no blue cones.

In the new study, Ropars and colleague Albert le Floch spotted a major difference between the arrangement of cones between the eyes of dyslexic and non-dyslexic people enrolled in an experiment.

In non-dyslexic people, the blue cone-free spot in one eye – the dominant one, was round and in the other eye unevenly shaped.

In dyslexic people, both eyes have the same, round spot, which translates into neither eye being dominant, they found.

"The lack of asymmetry might be the biological and anatomical basis of reading and spelling disabilities," said the study authors.

Dyslexic people make so-called "mirror errors" in reading, for example confusing the letters "b" and "d".

"For dyslexic students their two eyes are equivalent and their brain has to successively rely on the two slightly different versions of a given visual scene," the duo added.

The team used an LED lamp, flashing so fast that it is invisible to the naked eye, to "cancel" one of the images in the brains of dyslexic trial participants while reading.

In initial experiments, dyslexic study participants called it the "magic lamp," said Ropars, but further tests are required to confirm the technique really works.

About 700 million people in the world are known to suffer from dyslexia – about one in ten of the global population. – Rappler.com

MADRID, Spain – Spain will seek to suspend Catalonia's autonomy unless the region's leader abandons his push for independence, the country's deputy prime minister said Wednesday, October 18, 24 hours before Madrid's deadline.

If separatist leader Carles Puigdemont does not provide a satisfactory response by 0800 GMT Thursday, October 19, "Mr Puigdemont will provoke the application of article 155 of the constitution," Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told parliament.

This provision of the constitution – which has never been used before – would open the way for Madrid to impose direct rule over the semi-autonomous region.

Triggering it could represent a drastic escalation of Spain's worst political crisis in decades which was sparked when Catalonia held a banned independence referendum on October 1.

Puigdemont declared independence following the poll which he says resulted in a 90 percent "yes" vote, though turnout was only 43 percent as many supporters of Spanish unity stayed away in a region that is deeply divided on the issue. 

But the Catalan leader said he was "suspending" independence to allow time for talks with the government – a prospect Madrid has rejected, leaving the country in limbo.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has given Puigdemont until Thursday to come up with a definitive answer on the independence question, or face the consequences.

"All I ask of Mr Puigdemont is that he acts with good sense," Rajoy told parliament on Wednesday.

The premier would need Senate approval to trigger article 155, but his conservative Popular Party has a majority there.

The move could ultimately allow Madrid to suspend the regional government and eventually trigger new elections for Catalonia, but such a move risks inflaming tensions in the region even further. – Rappler.com

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar – An outbreak of highly contagious plague has claimed 74 lives in Madagascar over the past two months with the capital particularly affected, according to a new official toll published Tuesday, October 17.

A total of 805 cases have been reported on the poor Indian Ocean island nation since August, the health ministry said in a statement.

Madagascar has suffered plague outbreaks almost every year since 1980 – typically between September and April – and are often sparked by rats fleeing forest fires. 

The current outbreak is unusual as it has affected urban areas – especially the capital Antananarivo – increasing the risk of transmission, according to the World Health Organization.

It has sparked panic despite the government appealing for calm.

Passengers at Antananarivo's transport hubs are subject to medical inspections, infected areas have been fumigated to kill fleas, public gatherings are banned, and schools and universities have been shut to combat the outbreak.

WHO has delivered 1.2 million doses of antibiotics vital to fighting the disease while the Red Cross has been urgently training hundreds of volunteers on the island to publicise preventative measures.

Plague bacteria develops in rats and is carried by fleas.

In humans, the pneumonic version is transferred through coughing and can be fatal within 72 hours.

Most of the victims recorded in Madagascar have been infected with the pneumonic form. The bubonic form is less dangerous. – Rappler.com

NAIROBI, Kenya –  One of Kenya's top election officials quit on Wednesday, October 18, with a damning statement accusing her colleagues of political bias and saying an upcoming presidential election could not be credible.

The resignation of one of 7 poll commissioners is the latest dramatic twist to an election process that has plunged the East African nation into its worst political crisis in a decade.

"The commission in its current state can surely not guarantee a credible election on October 26, 2017. I do not want to be party to such a mockery to electoral integrity," Roselyn Akombe wrote in the statement from New York.

The country's Supreme Court on September 1 ordered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to carry out a re-run of the presidential election, after annulling the vote due to "irregularities" and mismanagement by officials.

Divisions in the commission burst into the open days later when a letter was leaked from the panel's chairman to its CEO questioning a host of failings in the conduct of the August 8 poll.

Akombe said that she had questioned her role at the commission for many months, but had "soldiered on."

"Sometimes, you walk away, especially when potentially lives are at stake. The commission has become a party to the current crisis. The commission is under siege," she wrote.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta did not mention the resignation in a brief address to the nation, calling only for a national day of prayer on Sunday.

In a statement on Twitter, the IEBC said it "regrets" Akombe's resignation, and that it would provide more details later. 

Election at any cost

In an interview with the BBC, Akombe said she feared for her life and would not return to her home country in the foreseeable future.

In her statement she said field staff had in recent days expressed concerns about their safety, especially in areas hit by opposition protests against the IEBC.

In the western opposition stronghold Kisumu, rowdy youths on Wednesday disrupted a training session for polling officials, pulling down tents and chasing away trainees, chanting "no reforms, no elections" as they stoned their vehicles.

Similar incidents took place Tuesday, when police spokesman George Kinoti said IEBC officials were "attacked by hooligans riding motorcycles and were severely injured."

Akombe accused her colleagues of seeking "to have an election even if it is at the cost of the lives of our staff and voters."

She said the election could not be credible when staff were getting last minute instructions on changes to technology and the electronic transmission of results, and when training was being rushed for fear of attacks from protesters.

"It is not too late to save our country from this crisis. We need just a few men and women of integrity to stand up and say that we cannot proceed with the election... as currently planned," she wrote.

Akombe, who took a break from a job at the United Nations to serve as an election commissioner, had become a familiar face on television programmes explaining the election process to Kenyans.

Her resignation is likely to further stoke anxiety that has been mounting in the run up to the election.

Mistakes 'likely to be repeated'

After the August 8 vote, veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga quickly cried foul over the counting process, accusing election officials of rigging the vote in Kenyatta's favour.

His victory in getting the Supreme Court to overturn the result was a shock to many, and hailed as a sign of the country's maturing democracy and institutions.

However the decision has been followed by acrimony, legal battles and confusion over how to carry out a new election that is credible, in the constitutionally mandated 60-day period.

Odinga last week announced he was withdrawing from the race, arguing the move would legally force the IEBC to begin the whole process from scratch, which would allow more time for deep reforms.

Despite the confusion over what Odinga's withdrawal means, election officials appear to be pushing forward with plans to hold the vote as scheduled on October 26.

"There is a very high likelihood that the mistakes that some of the presiding officers made during the last election will be repeated," Akombe told the BBC.

Odinga on Tuesday suspended a protest campaign to push for reforms after three people were shot dead in demonstrations. He has said he will announce his next course of action Friday.

Some 40 people have now died since the election, mostly at the hands of police according to rights groups.

Akombe warned that the lessons from a disputed 2007 election, which sparked politically motivated tribal violence that left 1,100 dead, were "too fresh, lest we forget." – Rappler.com

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A government official and a physician were arrested late Tuesday afternoon, October 17, after authorities found they were holding a pot session at a subdivision here.

Some 8 grams of suspected shabu and ecstasy capsules were taken from Benjamin Jaraplasan Medel and Stephen So Tay during a buy-bust operation at 5:30 pm Tuesday at San Pedro Village, Buhangin, Davao City, said Iav Naravy Duquiatan, officer in charge of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region XI.

Duquiatan, who reaveled the information at a press conference on Wednesday, October 18, said Tay is a Davao-based physician considered by PDEA as a high-profile target in the region.

The buy-bust operation also yielded a unit of fragmentation grenade and an Isuzu Dmax allegedly used by Tay in illegal drug activities, said Duquiatan.

Pot session with ‘frat mate’

Meanwhile, Ben Joseph Tesiorna, PDEA XI’s legal counsel, said authorities were not expecting they would arrest Medel, a provincial officer of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Bicol Region.

Medel, allegedly Tay’s fraternity mate based on PDEA’s investigation, was in Davao to attend a convention, said Tesiorna.

“Unfortunately, he was with Dr Tay during the conduct of the buy-bust operation,” said Tesiorna.

“He was just invited by Dr Tay to have a pot session. Unfortunately, he was doing in the hometown of the President,” he added.

Tesiorna said Medel could not deny his involvement in the illegal activity as he turned out positive for illegal drugs.

Both Tay and Medel are now in PDEA XI’s detention facility. The agency said it is preparing to file charges against the two for violating Section 5, Section, 11, Section 12, and Section 15, Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and Republic Act 9516, which amends the anti-illegal firearms law.

Medel could also face absolute perpetual disqualification from any public office if he is found guilty of the said violations, according to PDEA. – Rappler.com 

MANILA, Philippines – Inmates of jails inside Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City may soon enjoy a luxury not common in Philippine prisons – a television in each cell, care of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Speaking to personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the camp on Wednesday, October 18, Duterte promised he would foot the bill for installing televisions in each cell.

"We would want to give them everything but I told them, each and every cell would have a TV by the end of the month. That's what I can give you for now," he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

This would mean high-profile inmates in the camp, like alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, will also get to enjoy televisions in their cells. Other notorious prisoners include Maute matriarch Farhana Maute, and suspects in the Maguindanao massacre.

Duterte did not drop by their cells during his visit, according to BJMP spokesman Senior Inspector Xavier Solda.

The President said he pitied the prisoners because they had nothing to help them while away the long hours in jail.

"Nakakaawa naman 'yung mga preso, walang libangan (The prisoners are pitiful, they have no form of entertainment)," he said.

There are at least 9 BJMP jails in Camp Bagong Diwa: Special Intensive Care Area 1 and 2; Metro Manila District Jail; MMDJ Annex 1, 2, and 3; Manila City Jail Annex; Quezon City Jail Annex; and the Taguig City Jail Male and Female Dormitories.

Kind words for inmates

Aside from promising them TV sets, Duterte had other kind words for prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa, departing from his usual tough talk on criminals.

After praising them for their handicrafts, he said prisoners must be respected as human beings with families. He even shared a few personal details about prisoners he spoke with inside one of the jail.

"Like one of them, he has 6 children. It's a good thing the eldest is a teacher now. You know, they are only human beings just like us," said Duterte.

He said he would ask the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to help the prisoners market their handcrafted products so they would earn income.

He even wants a program that checks on the education of the inmates' children. 

These sympathetic words depart from his previous threat-laden remarks about criminals, particularly drug dealers and users.

He has said that those involved in the drug trade are less than human and that he would give them a rope for Christmas so they can hang themselves. (READ: PH jail congestion rate soars to over 500% amid drug war)

In his Wednesday speech, Duterte said he is satisfied with the state of jails at Camp Bagong Diwa. Before the President's speech, he was able to tour the facilities and interact with some inmates in their cells.

"I was looking at the situation of the jails and they are okay, and I'm happy," he said.

"The situation is okay, they are comfortable, clean. I’m satisfied by the way it is being run by the BJMP," he added, before congratulating the bureau for a "job well done."

Nationwide, the BJMP supervises 475 jails with a total inmate population of 152,428 managed by 12,193 uniformed personnel. (READ: As BJMP celebrates 26th year, jails continue to burst) – Rappler.com

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – A powerful explosion blew out the entrance to a police station in the southern Swedish city of Helsingborg early Wednesday, October 18, an attack authorities linked to their fight against organized crime.

The explosion occurred just after midnight in the city center, which is home to around 100,000 people.

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven called it "an attack against our democracy" and urged authorities to "step up the fight against serious crime."

The blast, heard from as far away as 20 kilometers (12 miles), caused no injuries but serious material damage. The police station entrance was completely destroyed, with dozens of windows smashed.

Police sources quoted by daily Aftonbladet said several kilos (pounds) of explosives were used.

The head of the local police, Patric Heimbrand, told reporters that investigators were working on the presumption that "criminal circles" were behind the attack. He said police work against gangs was paying off and likely causing "irritation".

Explosives are often used by organised crime rings in Sweden, especially in the south where settling of scores and intimidation are frequent among drug traffickers.

Police and judges are also regularly targeted.

On November 30, 2014, a blast damaged a building in the southern city of Malmo that housed police, prosecutors, a courthouse and penitentiary administration.

Heavily armed police officers were stationed outside those buildings on Wednesday.

Although the Nordic nation has a relatively low crime rate compared to the rest of Europe, physical violence against police officers has surged. In 2016, it rose by 65 percent with 86 cases reported, according to government figures. – Rappler.com

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Philippine military is keeping an eye on its maritime boarder with Indonesia for possible movement of persons tied with terror activities in Southeast Asia, even as they say the area is only often crossed by fishermen from both countries.

“We’re doing this to prevent a possible spillover,” Lieutenant James Reyes, spokesperson of the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao, told Rappler in an interview on Wendnesday, October 18.

Reyes was referring to a potential attack from terrorist groups following the death of the top leaders of armed groups behind the prolonged war in Marawi City.

But he explained that the military’s efforts to guard the said maritime border has always been high priority even though the area is relatively of low risk in terms of the movement of terrorist groups.

“Technically, crossing from another area of responsibility is considered a breach of security,” he said.

The Philippines and Indonesia have been coordinating in guarding the said area in a renewed military cooperation.

In 2014, both states signed an agreement that drew a boundary between Indonesia and the Philippines’ overlapping exclusive economic zones, which would help fishermen from both countries in the long run.

Major Ezra Balagtey, public affairs officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Eastern Mindanao Command, said among those who often encounter trouble at the border are fishermen who do not intend to cross territories.

“Usually the cases are Filipino fishermen whose boats drift into another terroritory. But Indonesian border patrol would help them return back to the Philippines,” said Balagtey.

But as security risks in Mindanao have been heightened since the Marawi siege, they said they are always on the watch against terror activities.

In September, the military renovated two of its Philippines-Indonesia border crossing stations in Tibanban, Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental, and another on the island of Balut in the province of Davao Occidental. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON, DC, USA – US President Donald Trump told the widow of a soldier killed during an ambush in Niger "he knew what he was signing up for," according to a lawmaker who accused him of insensitivity.

Frederica Wilson, a Democratic congresswoman from Florida, said she listened in to part of a group phone call between the president and the grieving family of Sergeant La David Johnson.

"I didn't hear the whole phone call, but I did hear him say, 'I'm sure he knew what he was signing up for, but it still hurts,'" she told CNN.

Trump denied making the comments, tweeting Wednesday: "Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof). Sad!"

Johnson was among four US soldiers killed earlier this month in Niger, where Islamic State fighters have established a presence.

The Miami native's body was returned home Tuesday afternoon, according to the Miami Herald. He is survived by his wife Myeshia Johnson, who is pregnant with the couple's third child.

After the phone call, Myeshia "was crying, she broke down. And she said 'he didn't even know his name,'" added Wilson, referring to Trump.

Trump had faced criticism for not contacting the families of the soldiers killed in Niger right away.

At a press briefing on Monday, he said he had written them letters and would call soon, while accusing his predecessor Barack Obama of neglecting to call as many grieving families as himself.

He also suggested on a call to Fox News radio Tuesday that Obama had not made a condolence call to retired Marine general John Kelly, Trump's White House chief of staff, after his son was killed in action in Afghanistan.

The statements sparked outrage from former Obama aides, who said Trump's claims were baseless. – Rappler.com

NEGROS ORIENTAL, Philippines – Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo is suspended from service for 3 months starting Wednesday, October 18, for alleged misuse of calamity funds.

The preventive suspension ordered by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan took effect Wednesday after Rene Burdeos, regional director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), personally served the court's order.

"Such suspension order is immediately executory unless a TRO (temporary restraining order) is issued by the Supreme Court," a press statement from DILG-Negros Oriental office said.

The suspension order will be lifted automatically after the lapse of the 90-day period, it noted.

Vice Governor Edward Mark Macias assumes Degamo's post starting Wednesday, while senior Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Maria Antonia Villegas will serve as the acting vice governor.

Degamo, in a statement released to local media, said he would accept his "temporary" fate, and would abide by the rule of law.

The preventive suspension stemmed from the criminal case lodged by Dumaguete City resident June Vincent Gaudan against the governor for alleged violation of  Article 217 in relation to Articles 171 and 48 of the Revised Penal Code.

Degamo is sued before the Sandiganbayan over alleged irregularities in the provincial government's awarding of infrastructure projects worth P480 million, the budget of which had been revoked by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) due to alleged non-compliance with project implementation rules.

DBM had allocated the said amount for the repair of public infrastructures, which were damaged by Tropical Storm Sendong (Washi) in 2011 and the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Negros Oriental in 2012.

According to court records, instead of Degamo returning the funds to the national coffers, he proceeded with the awarding of 11 infrastructure contracts amounting to P480 million – an act considered as technical malversation under government auditing laws.

Degamo, 51, a mechanical engineer by profession, was elected senior provincial board member in 2010.

Shortly after the 2010 polls, he assumed as vice governor after the death of Governor Emilio Macias II. The vice governor then, Agustin Perdices, became Negros Oriental governor, but also died the same year, paving the way for Degamo to assume the governorship. – Rappler.com