MALACAÑANG on Thursday said Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II still enjoys the full trust and confidence of President Rodrigo R. Duterte despite his department’s dismissal of the drug charges against alleged drug lord Peter Go Lim, confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa, and convicted drug lord Peter Co.

“For as long as he has not been fired, he enjoys the trust and confidence of the President… As, you know, as is the case with all of us,” Presidential Spokesperson Herminio Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in a press briefing at the Palace on Thursday, March 15.

The President said last Tuesday, March 13, that in case Messrs. Espinosa and Lim get away with their crimes, Mr. Aguirre will replace them in jail.

When asked why the President was not aware of the DoJ’s three-month-old decision dismissing the drug raps, Mr. Roque said: “You know, that’s why you have line agencies. That’s why the President tells all the Secretaries, ‘Do what should be done.’ And the President always emphasizes wala nga siyang kontrata na pinakikialaman (he does not meddle in contracts). So, I don’t think it’s an issue that the President did not know about it.”

“But when the President found out, he made his sentiments very clear… So, I think what the President said is a very clear expression of concern that he will not allow suspected drug lords to go scot-free,” the spokesman added.

The DoJ’s resolution, dated Dec. 20, 2017, was made public last Monday, March 12. The police filed a motion for reconsideration in February. The case remains pending. — Arjay L. Balinbin

A LAWMAKER on Thursday urged the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to support the passage of the bill that seeks to examine government officials’ bank accounts to curb graft and corruption.

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani T. Zarate, author of House Bill (HB) 7146, said in a statement that the Bank Secrecy Law “has in fact become an unwitting shield and refuge of corrupt officials and employees.”

Mr. Zarate added: “If the present Duterte war on corruption is not just about bluster, it should support the passage of House Bill 7146.”

Under the proposal, government officials, including the President, Cabinet secretaries, senators and congressmen, must submit a written waiver to allow the Ombudsman to scrutinize their bank deposits. The bill is currently pending with the House committee on banks and financial intermediaries. — Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz

SIXTEEN Ifugao young leaders graduated this week under the second phase of a training program aimed at conserving globally important agriculture heritage sites (GIAHS) like the Ifugao Rice Terraces, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced on Thursday. They completed the course Satoyama Meister Training Program (ISMTP), which covers mentored research and sustainable development work such as preserving the rice terraces and adding value to local farming. The ISMTP is part of JICA’s technical cooperation for grassroots project. The first phase of the project, implemented in 2014-2017, focused on human resource development while the ongoing second phase, which will end in 2020, aims to strengthen the GIAHS Twinning for Sustainable Development of Communities in Ifugao Rice Terraces and Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi. Ifugao and Noto in Japan face similar challenges of engaging young farmers in sustainability initiatives of their respective agriculture heritage sites. “We’re confident that the mentored research work of young leaders in Ifugao will pave the way for sustainable development initiatives in their own communities and give direction to the next generation,” JICA Senior Representative Aya Kano said in a statement.

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) may sink into oblivion, and prosecutor Fatou Bom Bensouda is to blame, said Presidential Spokesperson Herminio Harry L. Roque, Jr. “It’s a wrong political move, madam prosecutor. You are to blame if the ICC becomes part of history,” Mr. Roque told reporters in a press briefing at the Palace on Thursday, March 15. The spokesman argued that the ICC prosecutor should not have acted on the complaint filed by “politician” Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV alleging that the President has committed “crimes against humanity” in his war on drugs. Mr. Roque said only domestic courts have the jurisdiction to investigate the President. He noted as well that the complementarity principle on which the ICC is based “was not applied.” Mr. Roque explained in a television interview on Thursday morning: “I said that the basis of consent for the 124 states that became a party to the ICC is the principle of complementarity. By becoming a member of the court, the states did not waive their sovereignty but only reserve jurisdiction of the court when domestic courts are unable or unwilling.” The spokesman likewise alleged that the ICC is being “politicized” and “influenced” by some lobby groups, which he described as “a concerted effort” to destabilize the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

ROBREDO
Meanwhile, Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo on Thursday raised alarm over the President’s declaration of the country’s withdrawal from the ICC. In an event in Camarines Sur, Ms. Robredo said that Mr. Duterte’s move will affect global perception and will raise questions on the country’s “commitment” in international agreements. “Ano ba iyong gustong sabihin nito pagdating sa human rights? Ayaw na ba natin na mangako na ia-uphold natin ito? (What does this say about human rights? Don’t we want to commit anymore to uphold it).” She added that the ICC is the “safety net” which protects the people from abuses by the government. — Arjay L. Balinbin and Minde Nyl R. dela Cruz

THE National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) conducted two separate operations last Monday, March 12, that led to the arrest of four passport fixers and two illegal recruiters following requests of assistance from the United States Embassy. In an entrapment operation conducted outside the Department of Foreign Affairs office in Parañaque City, the NBI-AOTCD agents apprehended Pedro R. Abulencia   Marlon H. Fria, Eddie Boy B. Awaao, and Lito M. Awa-ao. On the same day, AOTCD operatives also arrested Annie Mallada Bermejo and Jonas Molina Rivera as they arrived from Palawan at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. — Dane Angelo M. Enerio

CONSTRUCTION OF the new Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) terminal is 96% complete, the project proponent announced on Thursday. GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), the consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and Bangalore-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd., had officially begun the countdown to the launch of the new terminal in MCIA, three months from its scheduled commissioning in June.

“As of February, the construction of the new terminal is at 96% completion and we are all excited to count the days until we open Terminal 2 (T2) to the traveling public,” GMCAC President Manuel Louie B. Ferrer said in a statement. Megawide-GMR won in 2014 the 25-year public-private partnership (PPP) contract to build, operate and maintain the new MCIA terminal for about P17.52 billion. In June last year, the Megawide-GMR consortium submitted a P208-billion unsolicited proposal for the 50-year long-term development of MCIA. The consortium also bagged the contract for the construction of the Clark International Airport (CIA) new terminal project and has submitted a proposal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

THE TAIWAN Trade Center-Manila is holding a business matching activity in Davao City on March 22, the first outside Metro Manila, with about 25 Taiwanese companies looking for local dealers for their products.

“We see this is as an opportunity to get products from Taiwan at a reasonable price,” Rolando A. Torres, Mindanao Business Council executive director, told the media in an interview. Mr. Torres said about 100 local companies have already signified interest to join the event. Among the products that will be highlighted by the Taiwanese companies are farm machineries, printed circuit boards, and polyethylene terephthalate bottle molding machines. Among the participating firms are Adplus Corp., Afta Technology Co., Chanlinway Technology and Development Co., Cheng long Energy Technology Co., Coloradd Technology Marketing Co., CSPS Co., Da Jie Electricity Machinery Industrial Co., David Lu Corp. and Good Taiwan Goods International Co., Heytahai Corp., Insurmix Inc., Jini Baby International Co., Keenpro Industry Corp., Lucky Seven Ocean Corp., Mai Ding Enterprise Co., New Sea Man Enterprises Co., Prompt Integrated Technology, Sun Mines Electrics Co., Sun Up, Sunyeer Technology Co., Tong Na Enterprises Co., Universal Meditek Co., Yield Technology Co., Yun Chang Technology Co. and Yung Fu Industrial Co. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

DAVAO CITY — Agri-Tech Integrated Services Company (ATISCO), a subsidiary of Japan-affiliated Yazaki Torres Corp., is eyeing the development of 10,000 hectares (ha) of abaca farms in Marawi as part of the city’s rehabilitation after last year’s siege.

“We are now conceptualizing the rehabilitation of Marawi by providing them livelihood through the rehabilitation of the abaca industry,” ATISCO Operations Manager Dante S. Delima told BusinessWorld in an interview on the sidelines of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (MinSAAD) Usapang Kalakalan held here on March 13.

MinSAAD, a program funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), uses an area-based approach to bolster agriculture and rural development.

Mr. Delima, who was formerly undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said there are already abaca farmers in Marawi who can be tapped andgiven assistance for improving production methods.

DAR has started talks with the provincial agriculture office of Lanao del Sur, which has jurisdiction over Marawi, for the establishment of an abaca nursery this year that will supply input for the planned abaca plantation.

“We were assured by the provincial agriculturist that they are willing to help,” he said.

The target is to start planting abaca by June next year. After two years, the projected annual income is P75,000 per hectare.

Data from the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) Website shows that the country supplies 87% of the global requirement for abaca used in the production of cordage, furniture, handicrafts and novelty items.

There are currently about 176,549 haof land planted to abaca, mostly in the Visayas and Mindanao, and 122,758 farmers in the sector.

Mr. Delima said abaca, which used to be a much bigger industry before World War II, has been seeing a revival in global demand in recent years.

“Abaca fiber is no longer just used as cordage now because it is an important component of paper money, insulator, capacitor, hospital gloves, tea bags and even in kevlar body armor for the military,” he said.

The ATISCO executive said there are several big processing plants that have a high demand for abaca, including Newtech Pulp Inc. in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte, which imports an annual average of 414.54 metric tons of abaca fibers from Ecuador because of the lack of supply in the Philippines.

“The government should provide funding to PhilFIDA so it could rehabilitate the abaca industry because there are now more investors willing to plant abaca,” he added.

He said ATISCO, which is based in Calamba, Laguna, is willing to assist farmers who want to grow abaca as he cited their experience in helping the Mangyan communities in Mindoro.

Aside from providing technical know-how, they also consolidate the abaca products of the farmers and bring these to existing processors so they are assured of buyers.

The company has also established the Abaca Development Fund,which receives P1 for every kilo of abaca sold.

DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol has previously expressed support to the revival of the abaca industry, providing an initial P100 million for the establishment of an abaca industry in Sogod, Southern Leyte. He also committed to give P50 million for the establishment of a nursery and research center for abaca in Kidapawan City. — Carmencita A. Carillo

AIR JUAN Aviation, Inc. (Air Juan) started its Cebu-Ormoc-Cebu flights on Thursday, March 15, using its 12-seater plane for the twice-a-week service. Ormoc Mayor Richard I. Gomez said he is hoping that the new air route will help the city’s tourism industry. Flights are Thursdays and Sundays. The air fare ranges from P2,188 for early bookers to P 3,788 full fare. — The Freeman

THE local government of Zamboanga is planning to construct at least 14 new road networks to address to the worsening traffic congestion of the city. Engr. Rodrigo S. Sicat, chief of the City Planning Office, said these infrastructure are part of the city’s master development plan.

“For the city roads, we will try to do our best to accomplish it by 2019,” he said, adding that “at least engineering works should be on the ground already.” Mr. Sicat acknowledged that the plan would be costly and entails a lot of processes, but said building new city roads is necessary for urban growth. Earlier this month, the mayor’s office released an order prohibiting parking as well as loading and unloading of passengers for all types of vehicles along the major thoroughfares within the city proper. — Albert F. Arcilla

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