MAUTE USES HOSTAGES AS FIGHTERS—AFP
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VOL. XXXI • NO. 215 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net
THE Maute group, blamed by security authorities for the siege in Marawi City since May, has started enlisting compulsorily civilians in an effort to increase their dwindling numbers in the provincial capital, Task Force Ranao Deputy Commander Col. Romeo Brawner has said. “They now force the hostages, especially the male hostages to fight with them,'' Brawner said on GMA 7 news program 24 Oras. The Maute group has found itself in a major battle with government troops after the terror group attacked Marawi last May. In addition to increasing their numbers with civilians, the Maute group also has been reported to be augmenting their production of improvised explosive devices by using dud bombs dropped by government forces. About 1,500 IEDs had so far been recovered by the 54th Engineering Brigade, and, with the help of other security units, the Army Engineers continued to create safe areas in the city which were free from Maute munitions, debris, and criminal organizations. Turn to A2
YELLOWS, REDS DARED TO JOIN FORCES VS RODY MAJOR COMPETITION. Hundreds of players from different parts of the country gather Saturday at the riverside SM City Marikina for the Rubik’s Cubes Philippine Championship 2017 at its Atrium area, the biggest competition of its kind, according to organizers. Norman Cruz
ARE YOU PEDOPHILE? DU30 ASKS GASCON P By John Paolo Bencito and Joel Zurbano
RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday tagged human rights advocates as “enemies” out to demonize the police as he mocked Commission on Human Rights chief Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon, raising the possibility the latter was a ''pedophile'' for being so passionate over the killings of male teenagers.
Once again training his guns at his critics, including the Commission on Human Rights and opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros, Duterte said he never heard them condemn acts of criminals and just kept on harping calls that there was a state policy on drug-related deaths. “Human rights. They’re the enemies of the police. If a kid dies, they’ll just blame it on the police,”
Duterte said in an interview Friday aired over state-run television PTV4, when asked about CHR’s House-approved P1,000 budget for 2018. In a media interview in Davao City, Duterte accused Gascon, a former director-general for the opposition Liberal Party from 2008 to 2011, of being partisan in doing his functions as Commission on Human Rights chairman and told him
to call for his ouster. “Gascon, let me just tell the guy—he is really a spokesman for the Liberal [Party] and for the opposition who want me out of the presidency,” he said. “I am inviting you to try ousting me. So we can both stand on what we are fighting for.” Duterte then asked the human rights chief if he was a pedophile for being so “fixated” on young boys. “This Gascon—I hope to meet you one of these days. Why is this guy so suffocated with the issue of the young people, especially boys? Are you a pedophile? You are fond of children?” Duterte said. “You are so fixated with the death of young males, that’s why I’m having doubts that you b**** is a pedophile. Idiot. “ Meanwhile, 21 policemen in Metro Manila were killed and 47
others were wounded since the government crackdown on drug dealing and its use began in July 2016. This was revealed by Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde following the results of a survey by the Social Weather Stations indicating that the number of victims of crime in the National Capital Region have been reduced but fear remained in unsafe streets and burglaries. “Peace is everybody’s concern. Winning the war against illegal drugs will benefit everyone. So, instead of fearing, I encourage the public to fight and [be] brave with us in fighting crime. We in the NCR commit to strengthen our anti-criminality campaign and war against illegal drugs in order to continuously bring down the fear of the public in unsafe streets and burglaries,” he said. Turn to A2
JINGGOY, OUT ON BAIL, EXCLAIMS: I'M A FREE MAN
EMOTIONAL REUNION. After spending three years behind bars, former senator Jinggoy Estrada is released Saturday on bail, and, while overwhelmed by the Sandiganbayan order, gets emotional during a meeting with his father, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. Manny Palmero
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TOUCHED by his temporary freedom granted by the anti-graft court, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada proclaimed himself a “free man” last Saturday, after leaving the Philippine National Police Custodial Center inside Camp Crame. He said he was completely submerged with emotion when he found no security near him. ''I’m a free man already,” he told reporters in a chance interview following his release. “I can’t express my feelings right now. Certainly, I’m very, very happy, I’m very elated. I would like to thank the Lord God for giving me this opportunity. I would like to thank the magistrates of the Sandiganbayan for granting my petition for bail,” the former senator said. Estrada also expressed gratitude to his family and supporters for their “non-ending prayers.” The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has ordered his release from detention at Camp Crame after his lawyers paid P1.3-million bail for his tempomanilastandard.net
rary freedom. In its order issued Saturday, the court also directed the PNP that Estrada be immediately released from its custody. Estrada is facing plunder and graft charges in connection with the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocation. He had been detained since June 2014. The P1.3 million paid by the camp of Estrada through the former senator’s counsel, Alexis Abastillas-Suarez, comprise: P1 million for the plunder charge, and P330,000 for 11 counts of violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act—and P23,350 for the legal fees. Estrada posted bail a day after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted his bail petition despite facing the non-bailable offense of plunder, as the court said “there was no strong evidence” saying he was the “main plunderer” in the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. Suarez said the Estradas camp was Turn to A2
By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte challenged all his critics—including all “yellow” and “red” sides—to join forces against him but warned that he would not hesitate to use force against them should they break the law in upcoming large-scale rallies slated this week. “You can join forces, all you who have any beef against me,” Duterte said in Filipino in an interview over state-run television station PTV4. At the same time, Duterte said he was considering whether to accept the offer of communist rebels for an eventual resumption of the peace talks, but nevertheless could not accede to all their demands for the release of political prisoners. In a media interview, Duterte said he was not adverse to the idea of resuming talks with the left, but noted that he had given all the concessions to them and asked for their sincerity. Turn to A2
'TRILLANES CAN KILL FOR PROFIT' PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has said his outspoken critic in the Senate, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, for the sake of ambition, could do anything, even assassinate him just to be President. Describing Trillanes as a “wily” person, Duterte said he could have ended up dead like returnning from exile former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., assassinated at the Manila International Airport tarmac in 1983—had Trillanes ended up as his Vice President. Duterte said his top critic once offered himself to be his running mate for the 2016 elections. “I just could not surmise how a person like him, I just could not tell—you’ll be my vice president?” Duterte said in an interview over government-run television station PTV4. Turn to A2
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. Philippine-born Rona Cortez, currently serving in the US Navy, takes the Oath of Allegiance, to become a US citizen alongside other sailors from the Naval Station Great Lakes on Friday in Chicago, Illinois. AFP
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