JULY 20-23, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 56 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
USA
DATELINE National Asian group wins anew in $331-M verdict for struggling California homeowners FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
THE California Supreme Court denied review of a lower court ruling on Thursday, July 18, ordering the return of $331 million to a fund for struggling homeowners. Led by the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC), a housing counseling organization, the case sought to restore money to the National Mortgage Special Deposit Fund, which was created to pay for housing counseling, legal assistance, and fraud prevention services for financially distressed homeowners. The state obtained this money as part of a 2012 national settlement with the nation’s five biggest banks for their fraudulent lending practices, which led to millions of people losing their homes due to mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. At the height of the crisis, NAAC as a HUDapproved housing counseling agency was at the forefront assisting struggling homeowners u PAGE A5
US committed to help PH in ‘evidence-based’ drug war ASSISTANT Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell on Tuesday, July 16, said the United States is committed to working with the Philippines on “evidencebased” approaches to reducing drug demand, as both countries face the same challenge of illicit drug use. “We remain committed to working together on evidence-based approaches to reducing drug demand by improving prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services,” he said during the two-day Eighth U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) in Manila. “I want to continue sharing information and best practices to jointly combat this common challenge in a manner that will respect human rights and the rule of law,” he added. Stilwell’s statements came after Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. questioned Western commitment since their allies in Europe are “deadset” on insulting the Philippines in the United Nations. On Thursday, July 11, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution initiated by Iceland to investigate the “drug war” killings in the Philippines. It was rejected by the Philippines, describing it as “tiny majority-approved and one-sided” resolution. The BSD is the principal forum for discussu PAGE A3
Filipinos want Duterte to focus on inflation, jobs, China in 4th SONA by CATHERINE
VALENTE ManilaTimes.net
MORE Filipinos want President Rodrigo Duterte to address salary rates, rising prices of basic com-
modities, job creation and the country’s relations with China during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey released on Friday, July 19.
Conducted through 1,200 face-toface interviews with registered voters aged 18 and above from June 24 to 30, the survey showed that 17.1 percent of Filipinos were concerned with the increase the pay of workers,
while another 17.1 percent wanted to know about the government’s plan in reducing the prices of basic goods. Other topics Filipinos want to hear u PAGE A2
35,000 protesters to push sovereignty, human rights at upcoming SONA FROM 30,000 to 35,000 protesters under the umbrella Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) will mass at the House of Representatives on Monday, July 15, when President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address. The “Martsa para sa Kalayaan at Pagkakamit ng Pambansang Soberanya Laban sa Estados Unidos at sa China (March for Freedom and Attainment of National Sovereignty against the United States and China)” will be the theme of the protest. “Dapat maipaglaban ang ating pambansang soberanya laban sa mga imperyalistang Estados Unidos at China (We should fight for our national sovereignty against the imperialist United States),” Kilusang Mayo Uno President Ramon Labog said, referring to the Philippines’ sea dispute and Mutual Defense with China and the United States respectively. Raymond Palatino from Bayan-NCR said that the government failed to address the military build-up of China and cases of aggression against the fisherfolk in FACE OFF. Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) and Keith “One Time” Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) appear at the MGM Grand Garden Arena the West Philippine Sea. in Las Vegas on Friday, July 19 for the final weigh-in ahead of their match on Saturday, July 20 at the same venue. Pacquiao and Thurman AJPress photo by Noel Ty u PAGE A2 both weighed in at 146 1/2 pounds.
Invoking defense pact with US another ‘sarcastic’ remark from Duterte – Palace
them,” Duterte said. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the president MANILA — President Rodrigo was aware that the treaty cannot Duterte’s latest remark on the be invoked without any armed at1951 Mutual Defense Treaty re- tack against the Philippines or the mains to be sarcasm, Malacañang United States. said Thursday, July 18. “He kept on saying that by way In Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s of putting into absurdity the criti“Give Us This Day” television pro- cism by the critics and detractors,” gram, the president called on the Panelo said in a press briefing. United States and said he was inAccording to Panelo, Duterte voking the defense pact. was just challenging his critics to “I would like America to gather go with him to the West Philippine all their 7th Fleet in front of China. Sea in case of any armed attack. I’m asking them now. I will join In the same television program, by PATRICIA LOURDES Philstar.com
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique Manalo and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell at the Philippines-U.S. bilateral strategic dialogue earlier this week in Manila. Photo courtesy of DFA
VIRAY
Duterte said he will bring Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on a U.S. ship, implying that the fighting would start then. Carpio and Del Rosario, both part of the Philippine delegation in the South China Sea arbitration, have been urging the Duterte administration to invoke the arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims over the disputed waterway. “It is a challenge to them... to u PAGE A2
‘Duterte will be the first one to obey ‘Bawal Bastos’ law’ Robredo motion to dismiss Marcos poll case junked by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, July 16, said that President Rodrigo Duterte will be the first to follow the recently signed “Bawal Bastos” law, which penalizes catcalling and other gender-based harassment in public spaces and online. According to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Duterte recognized the need to prevent gender-based sexual harassment when he signed Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act. “Since the president signed In celebration of Women’s Month last March, advocates, led by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, call for that law, it means that he recogmeasures penalizing acts of gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, eventually prompting both houses of Congress to ratifiy the proposed safe streets and public spaces law. nizes the need [for] that law. And u PAGE A4 Photo from the Office of Sen. Risa Hontiveros
by JOMAR
CANLAS ManilaTimes.net
THE Supreme Court on Thursday, July 18, junked an urgent motion filed by Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo seeking the dismissal of an electoral protest filed by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The high tribunal said Robredo’s appeal was premature. The court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), issued the resolution on July 2, which was only released on Thursday. Robredo asked the tribunal to “immediately resolve” all pending cases filed by Marcos, claiming that her lead widened by more than 15,000 votes after the revision of ballots. However, the PET ruled that it could not decide yet on the case and accept Robredo’s version of events. “Protestee (Robredo) presented her own computation of the national votes for protestant (Marcos) and u PAGE A3 Vice President Leni Robredo
ManilaTimes.net photo