I
N
S
I
D
E
TRUMP, HARRIS CLASH AMID BATTLE FOR SWING STATES WORLD | A4
FRANCE JAILS ARTIST OVER LIVESTREAMED CHILD RAPE WORLD | A4
MARCOS DECLARES NOV. 4 AS DAY OF MOURNING FOR ‘KRISTINE’VICTIMS
20 .00
IN MET R MANILAO
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 261 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES NOVEMBER 3, 2024
REMEMBERING THE DISAPPEARED.
Members of the group Desaparecidos observe All Souls’ Day with flowers and candles for the victims of enforced disappearances at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City on Saturday, November 2, 2024. Manny Palmero
www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
GOV’T, CHR SHOULD BUILD CASE VS. RODY—EX-IBP HEAD SAYS DUTERTE’S ADMISSION DURING SENATE HEARING ‘VERY CLEAR’
T
HE Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police should partner with the Commission on Human Rights to build a case against former President Rodrigo Duterte over the extrajudicial killings during his administration’s bloody war on drugs, a former head of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines said. “His (Duterte’s) admission was very clear,” former IBP president Domingo Cayosa told Teleradyo Serbisyo in an interview. Duterte earlier told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that he claims full legal responsibility for his campaign against illegal drugs as he also admitted maintaining a death squad in Davao City. The former President also confirmed he instructed police to “encourage” drug suspects to resist arrest, thus
allowing officers to kill them and avoid the long process of prosecution. “What we need now is for the police, the NBI, the DOJ and the CHR to cooperate in building a case against Duterte,” Cayosa said. “Telling the police to make a suspect fight back so they can be shot – how can that be a joke? How can murder or EJKs be a joke? We can understand an isolated case, but 6,000 to 30,000 killed for ‘fighting back?’” he added.
Senate President Francis Escudero earlier called on families of alleged EJKs to file cases against Duterte based on the latter’s admission during the Senate hearing. Earlier, two co-chairpersons of the House Quad Committee urged the National Prosecution Service to take its cue from the growing body of evidence gathered by the mega panel and begin filing criminal cases for EJKs that the Duterte administration allegedly sanctioned. Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez said the DOJ should leverage the Quad Comm’s findings to build strong cases against those who orchestrated the summary executions of drug suspects, among others. “If the DOJ asks that we could turn over documents [on the EJK probe], we will do it,” Abante. The PNP earlier said it will investigate the sworn statements of the former President and re-open cold cases of
alleged EJKs linked to the former administration’s war on drugs. This as former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said the transcript of the Senate hearing was already sent to the International Criminal Court. The ICC is investigating Duterte and other top officials of his administration for crimes against humanity over the alleged systematic drug war deaths in police operations. At the Quad Committee, retired police colonel Royina Garma said Duterte and other high-ranking officials during his term operationalized the so-called “Davao model” of EJKs on a nationwide scale, rewarding cops for every drug suspect killed with incentives ranging from P20,000 to P1 million. Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido also testified a scheme of payouts to hitmen neutralizing or killing drug sus suspects existed, with funds flowing from the level of Duterte’s former special adviser and now Senator Bong Go.
By Charles Dantes, Maricel Cruz and Rex Espiritu PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. declared November 4 this year as a national day of mourning in honor of the lives lost and families affected by Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” – one of the deadliest storms to hit the country this year. Through Proclamation No. 728, the President ordered the Philippine flag to be flown at half-staff nationwide and at all Philippine government posts abroad. “The entire nation is requested to offer prayers for the eternal repose of the souls of the victims,” Mr. Marcos said. The day of mourning calls for prayers and solemn remembrance of the storm’s victims as the nation stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and communities grappling with the tragedy. The combined effects of “Kristine” and Super Typhoon “Leon” affected over 2.17 million families or 8.53 million individuals nationwide, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Saturday. The NDRRMC said most of the affected were in Bicol Region with 3,027,690 individuals, followed by Central Luzon with 1,092,915 and Calabarzon with 1,014,810. A total of 178,747 houses were damaged, of which 164,146 were partially damaged and 14,601 were totally damaged. Damage to infrastructure stood at P7.35 billion while damage to agriculture amounted to P4.43 billion. As this developed, a lawmaker from Bicol proposed the enactment of a law that will make it easier and quicker for the government to prevent drastic price increases during times of calamity. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said House Bill 7977 aims to empower the Price Coordinating Council (PCC) or any of its memberagencies to expand their own the list of food and non-food items to be covered by a price freeze whenwhen ever any natural disaster or calamity calls for it.
HOUSE LEADERS: VP SARA’S FALLING TRUST RATINGS DUE TO LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY By Maricel V. Cruz AMID Vice President Sara Duterte’s declining trust and approval ratings, two House leaders raised serious concerns over her accountability to the public, describing the situation as a growing issue in public perception. House Assistant Majority Leaders Jay Khonghun of Zambales and Paolo Ortega of La Union said Filipinos are seeking clear answers on the alleged question questionable use of conficonfi dential funds
at the Office of the Vice President and at the Department of Education which she previously headed. “Vice President Duterte’s dropping trust ratings signal a critical problem in the way people see her,” Khonghun said. “When a public official faces controversies that go unexplained, people find it hard to trust them. If these issues aren’t addressed, it could seriously damage her cred credibility over the long term.” Recent data from the OCTA Re Research survey showed a six-point decline in Duterte’s trust rating, now at 59 percent, and an eightpoint drop in her performance rating, which has fallen to 52 percent from a previous high of 87 percent last year.
Khonghun said issues requiring immediate explanation include the P15 million in confidential funds allegedly allocated for a youth leadership summit as well as P16 million for renting safehouses in late 2022. “If these controversies aren’t clarified, how can she expect people’s trust in the future? Trust is earned through transparency and accountability, qualities that should be part of every public servant,” Khonghun said. Ortega added: “From a high of 87 percent in March 2023 to 59 percent today, that’s a big drop. People want leaders they can trust. To keep the public’s confidence, leaders need to be open and transparent.” “Silence is not an option, especially when the public is watching closely,” he added.
EVERY CHILD DESERVES SANTA.
A man dressed as Santa Claus greets a child during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at SM East Ortigas in Pasig City. Norman Cruz
FOUR FILIPINAS TO COMPETE IN MISS UNIVERSE 2024 IN MEXICO By Angelica Villanueva Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo
THE stage is set for the highly anan ticipated Miss Universe 2024 pageant as over 125 beautiful and confident women vie for the crown to succeed Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios on Nov. 16, Saturday (Nov. 17 in Ma Manila) in Mexico. Among these women are four beauty queens with Filipino roots, in in-
manilastandard.net
@ManilaStandardPH
cluding Chelsea Manalo, a 25-year-old stunner from Bulacan and the first Filipino-Black American to be crowned Miss Universe Philippines in May. Manalo this week met with her fellow half-Filipina candidates—Victoria Velasquez Vincent of New Zealand, Christine Dela Cruz Chalk of Great Britain, and Shereen Ahmed of Bahrain. Both Victoria and Christine com-
@mnlstandardph
@manilastandard
peted in Miss Universe Philippines 2023 where Chelsea won the national title. Victoria previously represented the municipality of Bacoor, where she ended her journey as one of the Top 10 candidates. She then competed in Miss Universe New Zealand 2024 after Filipina-Kiwi Franki Russell’s reign as its representative was cut short. On the other hand, Christine, whose
@ManilaStandardYT
mother is a Filipina, landed in the Top 20 during the national pageant. After her stint in the country, Christine took another chance to compete in Miss Universe Great Britain where she bested 42 other candidates. Meanwhile, half-Filipina and halfBahraini Shereen Ahmed was named Miss Universe Bahrain 2024 early last month. Her Filipino roots come from her mother who is a Caviteña.
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net . For advertisement: email: advertise@manilastandard.net •09173382170 / 85646229