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Duterte wants ‘likes’ of Marcos, Escudero as his successor


By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday said once he steps down, he prefers the “likes” of Senator Francis Joseph G. Escudero or former senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. as his successor over his constitutional successor Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo.
“If you follow the succession and Robredo takes over, hindi niya kaya (she can’t handle it)….That’s my honest opinion. Kung sino lang sana diyan (anybody there), in the likes of Escudero or Bongbong Marcos,” Mr. Duterte said in his remarks at his dinner with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Tuesday evening, Aug. 14.
At another event on Tuesday, Mr. Duterte also said he would prefer a military junta to lead the country over Ms. Robredo’s leadership.
“I would suggest to the military… if you want yourselves to be the junta, I said line up here, I’ll put you in your proper place,” Mr. Duterte said at the launching at Malacañang of business advocacy group Go Negosyo’s “Pilipinas Angat Lahat” program.
The President claimed that Naga City, the hometown of Ms. Robredo where her husband, the late former interior secretary Jesse M. Robredo, served as mayor for 19 years, was once a “hotbed” of illegal drugs.
“It was there. And you can ask the Naga guys and the Naga addicts. I’m not saying…but look at Davao,” he said.
He added: “I am ready to step down. Given the right conditions, I will step down. I’m tired. I cannot control…”
In a radio interview Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said, “So dismayado po ang Presidente kaya sinabi niya, ‘Gusto ko nang magbitaw, magbitiw.’ Pero iyon nga po, ang sinasabi nga niya ay wala pa siyang nakikita na tao na tamang maging successor sa kaniya kaya naman po naririyan pa rin ang ating Presidente (The President was dismayed, so he said, ‘I want to resign, resign. But he was also saying that he could not step down because he has not found the right successor yet.)
He also said: “Pero ang sabi nga niya, kapag conditions are ripe at may nakita siyang tao na pupuwedeng magpatuloy ng kaniyang trabaho eh gagawin daw po niya iyan.” (But as he said, if the conditions are ripe and he finds the person who can continue his job, he will do that [resign].)
Mr. Roque added: “Sinabi rin po niya na sa tingin niya ay hindi sapat ang kakayahan ng ating Bise Presidente kung siya ay bababa at magkakaroon ng constitutional succession.” (He also said he thinks that the Vice President’s abilities are not enough if he steps down and there will be a constitutional succession).
Sought for comment, University of the Philippines political science assistant professor Dr. Perlita M. Frago-Marasigan said in a phone interview: “We have to learn to read between the lines, though the President speaks with resolve and finality when he says something. He will not step down if VP will take over. So that means he won’t step down. Yes, it may sound like an endorsement for Senator Escudero but the President is consistent when it comes to (former) senator Marcos.”
Mr. Marcos has a pending protest against Ms. Robredo at the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).
Ms. Frago-Marasigan said the President’s remarks “could be interpreted by some people that he would somehow intervene in the said case.”
She added: “But I don’t think so. It should be treated independently because it’s just an opinion….”
“He questioned the legitimacy of VP Robredo at the outset. I do not think that he will intervene in the case. That lowly strategy will be beneath him. Apparently, he also sees ‘men’ as better successors to the presidency. Either he is a conservative or a chauvinist, or both,” Ms. Frago-Marasigan said further.
Lawyer Ibarra M. Gutierrez, Ms. Robredo’s spokesperson, said when sought for comment: “Tatlong bagay lang. Una, 155,000 na pamilya ang natulungan ni VP Leni, na walang anomalya, walang kurakot, at habang walang puwesto sa Cabinet.” (Just three things. First, VP Leni has helped 155,000 families, without anomalies, without corruption, and without a Cabinet post).
“Pangalawa, pasensiya na siya, pero talo si BBM (Bongbong Marcos) at Chiz noong eleksyon.” (Second, I beg his pardon, but BBM and Chiz lost the [2016 vice-presidential contest].)
“Pangatlo, hanggang dito ba naman nakalimutan pa rin si Alan (Third, even on this point he still forgot Alan)?” Mr. Gutierrez also said, referring to Mr. Duterte’s running mate in 2016 and now his foreign affairs secretary, Alan Peter S. Cayetano. — with Charmaine A. Tadalan

GOCC dividends at P32.03B in Jan.-July, exceeding P27.3B in 2017

GOVERNMENT-OWNED and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) have remitted a total of P32.03 billion this year to the National Government, the Department of Finance said in a briefer on Wednesday, Aug. 15, marking 2018 GOCC Day.
The turnover covers the first seven months of dividends remitted by 54 GOCCs, the DoF said.
“The total dividend collections in the first seven (7) months of this year already exceeded the full-year total of P27.73 billion dividends contributed by GOCCs in 2016 and P30.46 billion in 2017,” the department said, adding that seven of these GOCCs remitted at least P1 billion, representing 69% or P22.05 billion of remittances.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines topped the list of GOCCs with P6.225 billion, followed by the Philippine Ports Authority with P3.103 billion, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation with P2.844 billion,the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation with P2.593 billion, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office at P2.535 billion, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas with P2.5 billion, and the Manila International Airport Authority with P2.251 billion. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Peso weakens further as market remains cautious

THE PESO declined further against the dollar on Wednesday to hit a three-week low as investors continued to flock to safe-haven currencies due to concerns over the Turkish economy.
The local currency closed Wednesday’s session at P53.47 versus the greenback, eight centavos weaker than its P53.39 finish the previous day.
This was the peso’s weakest finish in more than three weeks since it closed at P53.48 against the US currency on July 23.
The peso traded weaker the whole day, opening the session at P53.45 per dollar, which was already its best showing for the day. Its intraday low on was at P53.535 against greenback.
Dollars traded declined to $585.9 million from the $693 million that switched hands the previous day.
A trader said the peso tested its weakest levels for the year.
“The peso was still on the defensive side along with the regional emerging market (EM) currencies even though we saw the Turkish lira improve,” he said.
The Turkish currency rallied by 6% driven by the move of its central bank limiting swap transactions to prevent short-selling, Reuters reported.
This followed an earlier move of the monetary authority to cut currency reserve requirements for domestic banks, freeing up $6 billion and additional $3 billion equivalent of gold liquidity into the financial system.
“We saw the peso…at yearly [lows] at around P53.52, but it closed at P53.47,” the trader said.
Another trader said investors pocketed gains to drive the local currency stronger in afternoon trade.
“The peso is dependent on the sentiment given there’s a lot of reasons why we continue to see risk sentiment on the downside,” the first trader said, citing the trade tensions between the United States and China as well as Turkey.
Turkey on Wednesday slapped tariffs on some US imports including cars and alcohol in retaliation to the move of Washington.
In a tweet, US President Donald J. Trump said it authorized to double the duties on Turkish steel and aluminum to 20% and 50%, respectively, saying that its relations with Ankara “are not good at this time.”
“All these things, when you combine them, it still points to pessimism. That’s why the peso remains to be on the defensive,” the first trader added, noting that an intervention by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) was seen intraday.
“There’s a BSP intervention. We saw a lot of offers near the [low].”
As the country’s monetary authority, the BSP sometimes conducts “tactical interventions” to temper any sharp swings that may cause the peso to appreciate or depreciate.
For Thursday, the traders expect the peso to move between P53.35 and P53.55.
“The peso might continue depreciating ahead of likely upbeat US housing data tomorrow and sustained pressure on the EM currencies due to the ongoing US-Turkey economic conflict,” the second trader said. — Karl Angelo N. Vidal

PHL stocks rebound as Wall St. ends losing streak

THE LOCAL BOURSE took a breather on Wednesday, recovering after two days of dampened sentiment due to fears of a contagion amid a crisis in Turkey.
The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose 0.17% or 13.14 points Wednesday, August 15, to close at 7,540.92.
The broader all-shares index also went up 0.35% or 16.13 points to 4,595.05.
“Investors gave some breathing space midweek to reassess the movement of the index after the sudden change of the global macroeconomic environment,” Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis A. Limlingan said in a mobile message.
“US stocks bounced back with the S&P 500 breaking its longest losing streak since March as the worst of the panic over Turkey’s currency crisis eased. However, this was offset by the remittance data which fell for the month of June,” Mr. Limlingan added.
The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended four-day losing streaks with broad-based gains across industry groups.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 112.22 points or 0.45% to 25,299.92; the S&P 500 gained 18.03 points or 0.64% to 2,839.96; and the Nasdaq Composite added 51.19 points or 0.65% to 7,870.89.
“The PSEi ended positive after ALI (Ayala Land, Inc.) closed by 1.61% higher than [Tuesday]’s closing as investors bought its shares when it traded above its 100-day average,” Jervin S. de Celis, trader at Timson Securities, Inc. said in a mobile message.
“This rally contributed 10 points to the index while AEV (Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.) and BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands) were also bought up by investors before market close which also added a few points to lift our index,” Mr. De Celis added.
Wednesday, August 15, ALI rose 1.61% or 0.65 point to end P41.10 per share; AEV went up 1.74% or 1 point to P58.60 per share; while BPI finished 1.19% or 1.1 points to P93.5 apiece.
“Foreigners, however, sold P645 million worth of shares as Turkey refuses to follow the demands of US,” Mr. De Celis added.
Net foreign selling thinned to P645.47 million Wednesday, August 15, from Tuesday’s P1.47-billion outflow.
“We can assume that the PSEi’s close [Wednesday, August 15,] was forced up as investors try to find support above 7,500 which was also the support level earlier this year,” he added.
Counters were divided on Wednesday. Financials climbed 1% or 18.11 points to 1,820; industrials rose 0.58% or 63.58 points to 11,014.02; and holding firms edged up 0.05% or 4.33 points to 7,413.69.
Meanwhile, mining and oil slumped 1.54% or 155.55 points to 9,903.36; services dropped 0.32% or 4.84 points to 1,499.83; and property declined 0.06% or 2.21 points to 3,703.43.
Advancers outnumbered losers, 113 to 91, while 60 issues were unchanged.
Value turnover totaled P5.12 billion as 1.97 billion shares switched hands, down from Tuesday’s P5.31 billion. — Janina C. Lim with Reuters

MMDA says driver-only EDSA ban to continue as Senate leaders cite lack of public consultations

SENATE LEADERS on Wednesday filed a resolution “strongly urging” the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and its policy-making authority, the Metro Manila Council (MMC), to recall and suspend the ban on driver-only vehicles in EDSA during rush hours.
Senate Resolution No. 845 was signed by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, and Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon.
In the resolution, the senators noted the lack of public consultation and hearing on the vehicular traffic-reduction scheme.
“The implementation of a regulation that would allegedly affect 70% of the road-users tax-paying motorists plying the Philippines‘ major thoroughfare without holding a prior public consultations or hearing is violative of the due process of laws enshrined and protected under the Constitution,“ it added.
The scheme, also called the Expanded High Occupancy Vehicles Lanes (HOV) Lanes Policy, is being enforced from Aug. 15 to Aug. 22 on a test run, during which violators will not be apprehended and fined.
The senators also said the policy has deprived thousands of people of the use of the country‘s major thoroughfare, and at the same time questioned the veracity of MMDA’s data indicating that about 70% of motor vehicles plying EDSA is “driver-only driven.”
Similar policies being enforced in other countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Indonesia, have been criticized as “ineffective and counterproductive in addressing traffic congestion,” they added.
“Other jurisdictions provided for incentives for HOVs instead of imposing a total ban for driver-only vehicles,” the resolution stated.
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Sought for comment, MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo S. Garcia, Jr. said in a press briefing: “It’s no problem. We will follow what is in the law. We will not pick fights with anyone. For us, we will heed the MMC resolution.”
“Now, if ever someone opposes and files before the court, whatever the court decides, we will follow,” he added.
The Expanded HOV Traffic Scheme covers all lanes of EDSA, from North EDSA in Quezon City to Magallanes in Makati City. Driver-only vehicles are barred from traversing this portion from 7 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Mr. Garcia, in a statement, reiterated that the HOV traffic scheme is aimed to encourage motorists to carpool, thereby, reduce the volume of vehicles along EDSA during rush hours.
“We are not encouraging people to share ride with a stranger but with their family, neighbors, community,” he said.
The MMDA targets to fully implement the traffic scheme on August 23.
“Hopefully, we can implement the scheme by next week but it depends on the assessment of the dry run. We still have to check if our CCTV cameras can handle monitoring at nighttime,” said Mr. Garcia.
The MMDA is also coordinating with the with Land Transportation Office on the regulation on car tints, which makes it practically impossible to determine the number of passengers in a vehicle.
“No motor vehicle will be registered with LTO with heavily-tinted vehicles,” said LTO Law Enforcement Services Director Francis Ray A. Almora, noting that tints are restricted on public utility vehicles while there is a minimum visible light transmission tint on private vehicles.
The MMDA said about 2,953 driver-only vehicles were caught violating the traffic scheme Wednesday morning, based on monitoring through closed circuit television cameras under the No Contact Apprehension Policy and handheld cameras. — Camille A. Aguinaldo with Denise A. Valdez

Nationwide round-up

LTO targets to distribute license plates from 2013 backlog

THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DoTr) said the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is working to finally distribute the backlog of 11 million license plates from 2013 that have accumulated, now that the Commission on Audit (COA) has given clearance for its production.
In a statement on Wednesday, the DoTr said COA has lifted its notice of disallowance on July 17, allowing the LTO to proceed with the government’s deal with the plates’ suppliers, and include the pending license plates from before July 2016 in its nationwide distribution, the initial coverage plan.
“The pending 11 million plates will be distributed after the LTO submits its recommendation on the amended contract next week,” it said.
The joint venture of Knieriem BV Goes and Power Plates Development Concept Inc. (JKG-PPI) is the government’s partner for the license plate production, but COA ordered the LTO to stop its deal in July 2015 because of alleged violation of procurement rules.
“They assured us that they will just follow our lead. Kung anong gusto ng gobyerno, ‘yun ang masusunod (What the government wants is what will be followed). That’s why we are very positive that distribution of the license plates will happen soon,” LTO Chief Edgar C. Galvante said.
The DoTr also said most of the license plates from the July 2016 to December 2017 backlog have already been delivered to regional offices.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade earlier said the target distribution of the plates is in September or October. — Denise A. Valdez

Duterte orders creation of Dengvaxia panel of experts

HEALTH SECRETARY Francisco T. Duque on Wednesday, Aug. 15, said President Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered his Cabinet to approve the creation of a panel of experts that will be investigating the Dengvaxia-related deaths in the country. In a press briefing at the Palace, Mr. Duque said the Department of Health has already submitted a list to the Cabinet Secretary for review. He noted that the list includes experts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations who are implementing a “Dengvaxia immunization program, although limited to the private sector.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

Cebu Representative Garcia still gunning for governor post, to appeal dismissal

DEPUTY HOUSE Speaker Gwendolyn F. Garcia said she will pursue her plan to run for Cebu governor in the 2019 elections as she prepares to file an appeal on the Office of the Ombudsman’s recent dismissal order, which also permanently bars her from holding any public post. “In the first place, the (Ombudsman) decision, while ‘executory’ for certain officials, is not final. It is appealable to the Court of Appeals (CA),” she said in a statement. Ms. Garcia has previously served as Cebu governor from 2004 to 2013 and is currently the House representative for the province’s 3rd District. The Ombudsman, in a decision released Monday, upheld Ms. Garcia’s dismissal due to on an unauthorized P24.47 million project at the Balili property in Naga City when she was governor. The anti-graft body denied Ms. Garcia’s motion for reconsideration, saying it found no sufficient basis to reverse an earlier ruling approved by recently-retired Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales dated July 18, 2018. Ms. Garcia said Ms. Morales was incapable of rendering a “fair and just” decision, owing to her ties with former Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. The son of Mr. Davide, Hilario P. Davide III, is the incumbent Cebu governor and is expected to run for reelection next year. — The Freeman
>> See full story on https://goo.gl/h1nW4u

Flood control

An P83.9 million flood control project along the Imbang River in Silay City, Negros Occidental is expected to be completed by October, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The 1.2-kilometer river walls are designed to mitigate overflow and flooding as well as protect the embankment and approaches of Imbang Bridge, a vital link along the Bacolod North Road in Silay City.

Dumaguete Airport reopens

THE DUMAGUETE Airport reopened yesterday morning, 24 hours after it was closed on Tuesday following a Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane tire failure while on landing roll. In at statement on Wednesday, PAL said it has resumed flights to and from Dumaguete after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines gave clearance for the reopening of the airport runway.

SE Asian nations meet to further strengthen Sulu-Celebes Sea security as robbery incidents decline

FIVE ARMED robbery incidents against ships were reported in Asia in February 2018, only one of which occurred while at sea off Basilan in southern Philippines, according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia-Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP-ISC). The four others took place while the vessels were at berth in Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam. ReCAAP-ISC noted that this total number was the lowest among the 10-year reporting period covering 2009-2018. None of the incidents this year involved abduction of crew nor hijacking for the oil cargo, it added. Representatives of southeast Asian Nations met in Metro Manila on Aug. 14-15 to “strengthen efforts and to deepen cooperation for maritime safety and security in Sulu-Celebes Sea,” according to a statement released by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The event was also attended by members of the US and Japan Coast Guard and observers from the embassies of US, Singapore, Australia, Denmark and South Korea. The gathering was organized by the PCG and the ReCAAP-ISC. Rear Admiral Joel S Garcia, deputy commandant for administration of the PCG and chairperson of the ReCAAP ISC Governing Council, urged the delegates to further heighten vigilance to preserve the gains earned from their unified action against vessels flagged down for piracy activities. “While the last actual incident involving the abduction of crew from ships while underway in the Sulu-Celebes Seas took place in March 2017, the threat to maritime safety and security posed by criminals and Islamists militants such as the Abu Sayyaf Group remain present. Therefore, we must not take the progress being made for granted,” Mr. Garcia added.

Bat Conservation International to assess Monfort bat colony in Samal

A TEAM from Bat Conservation International based in Austin, Texas is visiting the Monfort bat colony this week to assess improvements undertaken by Norma I. Monfort of the Monfort Eco Tourism Estate in Samal island. Mylea Bayless, senior director of Network and Partnerships-Bat Conservation International, said in an interview that their trip is also intended to provide support for the “CPR Bats! Conserve Protect Respect Bats!” campaign of Ms. Monfort, who has been tagged as ‘Bat Mama.’ Ms. Bayless noted that their organization has been supporting Ms. Monfort in the past 12 years by providing information and education materials on conducting research at the bat sanctuary. The Monfort Bat Cave is a home to about 2.5 million Geoffroy’s rousette bats (Rousettus amplexicaudatus), a specie of Old World fruit bats or megabats. The site is one of Samal’s main tourist stops. “It is our mission to promote and conserve the bats and their habitats worldwide. We are here to visit and recognize Monfort for her work to protect the Guiness World record bat cave for Geoffrey’s Rousette bats,” Ms. Bayless said. — Maya M. Padillo

Kian delos Santos remembered

A gathering is held in commemoration of Kian delos Santos, the Caloocan teen who was slain on the watch of the police a year ago today amid the government’s drug war in Barangay No. 160, his neighborhood. Mr. Delos Santos’s murder marked a turning point in the anti-drug campaign.

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