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Quid Pro Quo

Quid pro quo is the phrase of the month in US politics and it could be the key to the impeachment of President Donald Trump. The Latin phrase means “something for something” and that is what Trump has been accused of trying to arrange with the new president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

That something for something — that quid pro quo — has been characterized as unconstitutional and even criminal and thus sufficient ground for impeachment. Of course Trump has vehemently and repeatedly denied it, even while White House insiders who have direct knowledge of the circumstances have admitted it in depositions before the US Congress.

A quid pro quo is not, by itself, illegal or immoral. It depends on what that “something” is which is being exchanged for “something.”

For instance, in the movie business the “something” a director may offer could be a lead role in exchange for sexual favors. That is immoral. In politics, the “something” offered is usually a lot of money in exchange for a government contract. That is illegal.

In foreign affairs or in the relationship between countries, it could be a trade or defense quid pro quo. The parties may be of unequal economic or military capability, in which case the stronger country may tend to make the weaker one an offer it cannot refuse (sometimes referred to as a Godfather offer).

America has often had such a relationship with other countries, the Philippines among them. While such a quid pro quo may leave a bad taste in the mouth, it is neither immoral nor illegal but just one of the harsh facts of life.

An economic quid pro quo is something that Trump is not famous for — in fact he is notorious for getting something without paying for it, as several suppliers have testified (as one Republican congressman put it, “More quid and no quo!”). On the other hand, Trump has been accused of what could be described as a moral quid pro quo, having been exposed of paying off a porn actress and a Playboy bunny to keep quiet about their illicit affairs with him.

Trump’s current problem arose from a foreign affairs situation — America’s relations with Ukraine. It could have been one of those instances where a stronger country pressured a weaker country on such issues as trade or ideology — and while that could have left a figurative bad taste in the mouth of the weaker party, that would not have been illegal, much less unconstitutional.

When the US won the Spanish-American war, Spain had to give up claims of sovereignty over Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Guam and had to give up the Philippines for $20 million in the Treaty of Paris.

After the British Empire defeated the Qing dynasty in the first Opium War, China had to cede Hong Kong to the British. And after China lost the second Opium War, the British forced the Qing dynasty to cede Kowloon and lease the new territories for 99 years.

Those were examples of a quid pro quo where the “something” that the victors gave the losers was peace in exchange of territories. A very lopsided quid pro quo but “somethiing for something,” nonetheless.

When the US gave the Philippines back its independence, one of the conditions was what Don Corleone would have imposed. The Philippines had to agree to give the US equal rights to exploit the country’s natural resources. That condition had to be grudgingly accepted.

Another condition was the continued presence of US military bases in the Philippines. In an international environment where imperialist countries were like sharks waiting for prey, looking for weak nations to usurp, that was a condition necessary for the survival of the newly independent nation.

This kind of quid pro quo was what acting White House Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, probably meant when he admitted that the US “does it all the time” in its dealings with other countries.

Unfortunately for Mulvaney, he had responded to a question from the media specifically about Trump’s phone call to the Ukranian president. The “something” Trump wanted was dirt on a potential rival in the 2020 presidential elections, allegations of corruption involving former Vice-President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.

Also “requested” by Trump was a probe into alleged Ukranian, rather than Russian, meddling in the 2016 elections — a wild theory debunked by US intelligence agencies.

What’s more, the “something” that Trump was withholding was over $400 million in aid already appropriated by the US Congress and which Ukraine desperately needed.

White House insiders have confirmed in testimony before Congressional committees that Trump had made the release of the funds contingent on the public announcement by the Ukranian president that his government would initiate the investigations Trump wanted.

The quid pro quo required by Trump, according to the Democrats, the media, and even by some Republicans in effect invited a foreign country to get involved in the US electoral process — a conclusion that the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller could not make about Trump in the case of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 elections.

The Democrats believe they have the goods on Trump and can move to impeach him. Of course, the battle will still have to be fought in the Republican-controlled Senate.

The question is will the Republicans’ loyalty to their country end where their loyalty to Trump and the party or their political interests begin?

Who knows? President Richard Nixon was a Republican like Trump. But he was pressured to resign by fellow Republicans who were more loyal to their country than to their personal interests.

 

Greg B. Macabenta is an advertising and communications man shuttling between San Francisco and Manila and providing unique insights on issues from both perspectives.

gregmacabenta@hotmail.com

Disclosure and reportorial requirements for lending and financing Companies

The common practice of advertising services through television, social media, websites, radio and the like, as well as the use of online lending platforms are becoming tools of fraud, leading to the increased number of borrowers falling prey to unlawful acts of lending and financing companies. Thus, the Securities and Exchange Commission found the need to impose additional regulatory measures on lending and financing companies to safeguard the public through the issuance of Memorandum Circular No. 19 (“MC No. 19”) dated Sept. 17, imposing disclosure and reportorial requirements.

Interestingly, a week prior to the issuance of MC No. 19, the Commission, upon motion by the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department, issued Cease and Desist Orders against 19 companies for violations of the Lending Company Regulation Act.

The cases started with complaints from the public regarding unreasonable and abusive lending and collection practices by online lending companies. Upon investigation, it was gathered that Online Lending Operators advertise and promote their lending businesses on Facebook and offer loans to the public through their respective online applications/platforms. These Lending Operators require the installation of their online lending application as a prerequisite to apply for a loan. The act of downloading the application, however, gives the Lending Operators access to personal information in the mobile phones of the downloader, including his contact numbers, Facebook accounts, and e-mail addresses, to which the Lending Operators will eventually forward text blasts or send messages informing recipients about the debtor’s refusal to pay, with statements that such information will be referred to barangay officials or posted on social media, as a way to exact prompt payment.

Further, these Operators were found not to have the required permit from the Commission, in violation of the Lending Company Regulation Act, particularly Section 4 which states that no lending company shall conduct business unless granted an authority to operate by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Section 12 of the Act penalizes by a fine of P10,000 to P50,000, or imprisonment of six months to 10 years, or both, at the discretion of the court, any person who engages in the business of a lending company without a validly subsisting authority to operate from the SEC. The same penalty applies to the president, treasurer, managing officer, and other officers of a corporation who knowingly and willingly take part in the corporation’s act of engaging in the business of a lending company without the SEC’s authority to operate or the act of holding out to be a lending company, either through advertisement or through other representations without authority.

Days after the issuance, another set of orders to cease and desist from operating, engaging in, carrying out and/or promoting lending/financing business were issued to 11 companies based on the same grounds.

Online lending- related fraud is no longer new. As long ago as Aug. 17, 2017, the SEC released a warning against lending activities by unregistered companies. As explained in the advisory, the lending scheme commonly utilized by unregistered lending companies was to operate through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other similar platforms, where they asked borrowers to give general and personal information and required the deposit of a certain amount as the “processing fee.” After getting hold of the money, all communication threads were blocked off and the borrower could no longer recover the amount deposited. However, being a mere advisory, the SEC’s solution back then was simply to urge the public to always check with the Commission whether the company they were dealing with was registered with the SEC and to verify if it had a Certificate of Authority to operate as a lending company.

The recently issued memorandum circular offers a better way of protecting the public. MC No. 19 requires lending and financing companies to fully disclose in a conspicuous portion of their ads and Online Lending Platforms their corporate name and their SEC Registration Number and Certificate of Authority to Operate a Financing/Lending Company Number, and reflect an advisory for their prospective borrowers to study the terms and conditions in the Disclosure Statement before proceeding with the loan transaction.

The Circular likewise requires the submission to SEC’s Corporate Governance and Finance Department of an Affidavit of Compliance containing a report on Online Lending Platforms, applicable to existing platforms and those that are yet to be developed. Such reports must contain vital information, including but not limited to, the following: name of the Online Lending Platform, proof of compliance with the requirement under SEC M.C. No. 13-19 that the lending and financing companies must register their Online Lending Platforms as business names, images of the Online Lending Platforms as they appear to the public, and illustrations of the Online Lending Platforms showing how the required Disclosure and Advisory are displayed.

With the issuance of MC No. 19, it is expected that the SEC can deter and better detect the unlawful act of engaging in lending or financing activities without securing a Certificate of Authority from the SEC, and ultimately minimize the number of victims of lending fraud.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. This article is for general informational and educational purposes, and not offered as, and does not constitute, legal advice or legal opinion.

 

Mysa Jade J. Mejica is an Associate of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW), Cebu Branch.

(6332) 231-4223

mjmejica@accralaw.com

The ASEAN’s identity crisis at the crossroads

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, better known as ASEAN, has long been a paradox as much as it is a special and unique case in the parlance of international regional cooperation. One of the more mature transnational organizations in the world, its presence and longevity make it the poster child of stability that newer international organizations aspire to emulate. The ASEAN has successfully made it through several crises, transitions of power, and shifts in the balance of world affairs since its inception in 1967.

Born from the vestiges of other regional initiatives such as the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) and Greater Malayan Confederation (Maphilindo), the ASEAN was the evolution of its predecessors. As the nation-states were making their way through rehabilitation after World War II, the need to create alliances and improve their leverage was much sought after. However, it was not as easy as it was thought to be, and the trade-offs the ASEAN countries needed to make during the time of its creation have been the glass ceiling that has hampered the region’s evolution over the last few decades.

One of the most significant differences between the ASEAN and other regional collectives is the culture of “non-intervention.” In an attempt to honor the diversity in the region, the ASEAN upholds this norm to facilitate dialogue but without the prescriptive imposition of authority as seen with other organizations, such as the European Union. The “ASEAN Way” is perceived as one of the main reasons for the ASEAN’s longevity. By respecting domestic affairs and sovereignty, the ASEAN has averted conflict among member states, thus achieving a semblance of peace and unity.

But non-intervention prohibits the regional organization from realizing its full potential by setting invisible boundaries on itself. Rather than a unified collective of states in one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, the ASEAN is still a hollow shell that has yet to discover its own identity. For nearly a half-century, the ASEAN has been unable to evolve, all because of its challenges in imposing a rules-based approach in transnational governance. Since diverging interests, histories, and identities were considered in the creation of a non-interventionist approach, this approach hampers the regional bloc from advancing groundbreaking initiatives to aid in converging interests of the majority of ASEAN member states.

FREEPIK

The ASEAN Way has had a negative impact on the region by forcing the regional organization to settle differences by indecision — problems and issues are “swept under the rug.” Due to the absence of true leadership and the challenge of rules-based international order, the ASEAN does not have the integral rudder that should steer the region to a better future. The ASEAN is a victim of its success by being trapped in a norm that should have long been outgrown. Due to this, ASEAN’s dream of economic integration and regional security are still to be realized.

The ASEAN today is a collection of nation-states that are unified by loose alliances. Facing headwinds in security and trade, what is important for the region is to finally mature and push towards its full development by properly and effectively positioning itself to gain from the volatility of the US-China trade war as well as the South China Sea issue.

By fast-tracking the ASEAN Economic Community project, focusing on policy streamlining among member states and ironing diverging interests, the region can benefit from the outflow of businesses coming from China, such is the case with Thailand and Vietnam. The effect of this can further be amplified by showing a cohesive, strong, and consistent voice against Chinese aggression in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. If the ASEAN can finally settle differences and have a coordinated plan of action like airing its discontent and grievances to China, then it solidifies the region’s power and influence as a serious partner in international affairs.

The lack of clout is rooted in the absence of true unity and voice that binds the caucus of states, and this is what is desperately needed by the collective. With its growing economic power as it reaches the demographic golden age of its population, the ASEAN is indeed at the crossroads of its development. The renaissance of the ASEAN, oddly enough, depends on its will to redefine and grow out of the old formula that made it last. When one takes into consideration the admonitions against forgetting one’s history, the ASEAN is a one-off case where it’s members need to forget its past to finally realize who they really are and what they can do; hopefully as early as the 35th ASEAN summit in Bangkok this November.

The only way for the region to advance is by moving away from who it was. Though a challenge, the ASEAN must find the courage to settle its own identity by looking beyond and envisage gaining its voice as a regional actor.

 

Ren de los Santos is a Resident Fellow for Global Politics, Stratbase ADR Institute.

How can California be left in the dark?

By Tyler Cowen

AMERICA CONTINUES to innovate wonderfully in cyberspace, but when it comes to solving actual, physical-world problems, its record is deteriorating. The fires in Northern California — and the resulting power blackouts, affecting millions and running for days on end — show just how many nodes of failure Americans are willing tolerate or even encourage.

The practical and moral failings in this matter are so numerous it is hard to know where to start.

How about this: Systemic blackouts are commonly associated with nations such as Haiti or Pakistan, not the United States. Yet here is California, America’s biggest and probably most innovative economy, treating a blackout as some kind of unavoidable natural event. Why is this development not seen as an unacceptable outrage?

The No. 1 responsibility of a power company is to supply its users with power. So when the first-order response to a pending major problem is to cut the power for days, that is clear-cut evidence that the systems are badly designed.

High on the list of America’s failings would be its wanton disregard of climate change. True, it is difficult to pinpoint particular events as caused by climate change. It is entirely plausible, however, that climate change has made the fires more likely or more intense, due to the greater heat, dryness, and wind.

Yet the US’s carbon emissions are increasing. Even when there are successes in the fight against climate change, such as fracking natural gas to replace coal emissions, the benefits to the climate are an afterthought for most people.

In other words: Parts of our natural environment are deteriorating around us, and we are responding passively and defensively rather than with a dynamic, can-do attitude.

Add American liability law to the list of culprits. Because of legal liability from past fire-related events, the share price of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), the public utility in California, has fallen from almost $50 to about $5 over the span of a year. It is thus no surprise that the utility is afraid of further fires and will limit them simply by pulling the plug on everyone’s power connections.

Surely it is possible to design better regulation and better incentives for such an important supplier. Yet that problem has not risen to the top of the agenda.

Higher utility rates, to be used for financing capital improvements and maintenance, would be one obvious ameliorating policy change, and indeed Australia has used such policies to limit brushfires. But no, in California the Office of Ratepayer Advocates, within the California Public Utilities Commission, generally has pushed for low rates and lower capital expenditures. California voters, meanwhile, are hardly screaming for higher utility rates to help pay for a more secure power system. Instead they prefer to ban plastic straws.

Economists themselves have been of no great help. My Twitter feed includes plenty of the world’s greatest (or at least best-known) economists. They love to debate Elizabeth Warren’s plan for a wealth tax, an idea that probably isn’t going to happen (just ask Mitch McConnell or, for that matter, any moderate Democratic senator). When it comes to designing a better incentive model for California power utilities — a concrete problem for which economics is remarkably well-suited — there has been close to complete silence.

Economists are just reflecting a more general failing in American political debate. The old saying that all politics is local has been turned on its head: All issues are now national in scope and partisan in nature. People are less interested in the day-to-day mechanics of actual governance, including at the state and local level. The comeuppance for those ideological obsessions is now upon us.

Another possible problem is how difficult it is in California to cut down trees. Some experts have suggested that making tree thinning easier could alleviate fires. While that is not the major issue at hand, neither are other second- and third-tier issues being treated with much urgency. For example, the PG&E website has been crashing periodically, making it harder for customers to learn when blackouts might be hitting their areas.

Finally, there is the news media’s response to these problems. On Sunday the New York Times published a story with the headline, “Up to 2.7 Million Face Utility Shutting Power as California Fires Rage.” It was on Page 25 of the print edition. Granted, it received more prominence online, as does other coverage elsewhere. But this should be a No. 2 or No. 3 story, as Hurricane Katrina was for several weeks.

California has long been a bellwether for the country. Thus its inability to address problems with the physical environment is cause for concern. Is America really doomed to a future of complete incompetence?

 

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Magnitude 6.6 quake kills at least 4 in Mindanao

A MAGNITUDE 6.6 earthquake struck central Mindanao on Tuesday morning, the second major tremor to hit southern Philippines this month, geologists said.

The quake killed at least four people, based on reports from the Philippine News Agency and the local disaster agency.

The shaking lasted up to a minute in some places, damaging homes, buildings and roads in a region where hundreds were still reeling from a quake that killed at least five earlier this month, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

The Philippines lies in the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes strike.

A teenage boy died after he was crushed by falling debris as he tried to escape his school in Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur, the state news agency said. A man also died after he was hit by concrete blocks at their church where he was working, it said.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in a report said a father and his son from Arakan town in Cotabato also died in the quake.

Tuesday’s quake, which was followed by several aftershocks, had its epicenter in Tulunan, Cotabato, the same area where a 6.3 earthquake struck on Oct. 16, based on monitoring by the state volcano agency.

The quakes were not expected to spawn a tsunami because these were “inland,” but more aftershocks were expected, Phivolcs chief Renato U. Solidum, Jr. said at a briefing livestreamed from Manila.

“We need to watch out for aftershocks and it is important that we do not panic,” he said in Filipino. Mr. Solidum said Tuesday’s tremors were related to the Oct. 16 earthquake.

Power lines were affected in several areas but the Mindanao transmission backbone “remains intact,” the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said in a statement.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said no damage was reported in all Mindanao airports, including terminals, runways and other facilities.

The main airports are in Butuan, Davao, Cotabato, General Santos and Laguindingan, while satellite airports are in Ozamiz, Camiguin and Iligan.

In Davao City, one of the most urbanized and populous areas, major cracks and some damage were reported by several shopping malls, schools and other public infrastructure.

Davao City and most local governments that felt the earthquake suspended classes, and at least three suspended work to give way to building inspections.

Cotabato Vice Governor Emmylou T. Mendoza called on local governments and the private sector to suspend school and work “if necessary.” — with a report from Maya M. Padillo

Duterte serious about making Robredo his anti-illegal drug czar

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s offer for Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo to head the state’s crackdown against illegal drugs is a chance for her to prove her mettle as the head of the opposition, the presidential palace said yesterday.

“The ball is in her court,” presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said. “She should take the opportunity.”

Mr. Duterte on Monday said he would make Ms. Robredo his drug czar for six months given her repeated criticisms. She declined to comment on Mr. Duterte’s offer, saying she was unsure whether he was serious.

Also yesterday, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III recommended the appointment of Ms. Robredo as chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board.

“If it’s a serious proposal, it’s best if the VP is appointed as DDB chair and concurrent Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general,” Mr. Sotto, a Duterte ally, told reporters.

Speaker Alan Peter S. Cayetano, another Duterte supporter, asked Ms. Robredo to clarify how to implement a “health-based approach” in the anti-drug campaign. He said the vice president did not offer a concrete alternative to solve the drug menace.

The vice president last week said Mr. Duterte should “assess and tweak” his war on drugs that has killed thousands because more and more people were still becoming hooked on drugs.

Mr. Duterte promised during his campaign in 2016 to end the illegal drug problem in six months.

Majority of Filipinos remained satisfied with Mr. Duterte’s deadly war on drugs that has killed thousands, despite worldwide criticism, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll in September.

The Philippine police have said they have killed more than 6,000 people in illegal drug raids, many of them resisting arrest. Some local nongovernmental organizations and the national Commission on Human Rights have placed the death toll at more than 27,000. — G.M. Cortez and C.A. Tadalan

Court junks motion to re-open massacre trial

A QUEZON City trial court has rejected a plea by the primary suspect in the massacre of more than 50 people in Maguindanao province to re-open the trial.

In a five-page order, Judge Jocelyn A. Solis-Reyes also denied Datu Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan, Jr.’s motion to suspend judgment on the 10-year-old case.

The prime suspect earlier claimed a prosecution witness had contacted his representative saying he wanted to recant his testimonies against him.

But the court said this had been denied by the witness in open court. “With the denial made by prosecution witness Sukarno Badal of his intention to recant his previous testimony given on several dates, it is crystal clear that the ground relied upon by the accused-movant for the reopening of trial has no leg to stand on,” it said.

Mr. Ampatuan is among the main suspects in the massacre of 58 people, including 32 journalists, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province on Nov. 23, 2009.

The ambush took place when media accompanied then gubernatorial candidate Esmael G. Mangudadatu and his family to the election body where he was to file his certificate of candidacy. Mr. Mangudadatu was then planning to challenge Datu Unsay for governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The Justice department expects a decision on the case before the 10th anniversary of the murders.

Andal Ampatuan, Sr., father of Mr. Ampatuan and the alleged mastermind of the massacre, died of cancer in 2015. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

MRII to build sewage treatment plant in Panglao

MANDAUE CITY-based Mactan Rock Industries Inc., (MRII) has submitted its proposal to the Panglao local government for the construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) on the popular tourist island. MRII Chairman Antonio Tompar said they have already given the technical design and financial plan for the STP, which will be undertaken as a joint venture with the local government. He said the Panglao government has already identified a property for the STP and construction is targeted to start before the end of the year. MRII, a firm that specializes in water and wastewater treatment as well as supplies bulk water to the Metro Cebu Water District, will fund the STP construction through a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines. Mr. Tompar said the STP will mainly serve small- and medium-sized establishments such as restaurants as the big resorts and hotels on Panglao have already set up their individual treatment facilities. — The Freeman

BoC seizes misdeclared stainless bars from China

THE BUREAU of Customs (BoC) seized on Tuesday two containers of misdeclared stainless angle bars from China, with the value still to be assessed. In a statement, BoC-Intelligence Group Deputy Commissioner Raniel T. Ramiro said the shipment, which arrived at the Port of Manila on Oct. 19, was declared as flat bar and steel sheets by its consignee, Liuzhiga International Trading. “The IG-CIIS (Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service) received a report on 22 October this year from a reliable source that a certain shipment might have violated the Customs laws by gross misdeclaration in quality-description of goods,” Mr. Ramiro said. Further investigation is being conducted for the filing of appropriate charges against those involved in the smuggling.

PDIC to bid out 46 properties

THE PHILIPPINE Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) is holding a bidding for 46 closed bank assets on Nov. 28 at the Best Western Plus Lex Cebu in Cebu City. In a statement on Tuesday, PDIC said the properties consist of residential and commercial lots with a total minimum disposal price of PhP80.9 million. The assets are located in Metro Manila, Aklan, Antique, Bohol, Capiz, Cebu, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Palawan. Sealed bids will be accepted by the PDIC Real and Other Properties Acquired (ROPA) Disposal Committee from direct buyers only between 9:00 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. at the venue. Bids will be opened at 2:00 p.m. The complete list of properties is posted on http://assetsforsale.pdic.gov.ph. “Bidders are advised to physically inspect the properties they are interested to buy, examine and verify the titles and other evidence of ownership, and determine any unpaid taxes, fees, charges and/or expenses before submitting their bids,” PDIC said.

Assistance programs for former MILF, MNLF combatants proposed before BTA

THREE RESOLUTIONS calling for emergency financial assistance and other development programs for former combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were proposed during the Bangsamoro Transition Authority’s (BTA) 21st session last Friday. In a statement, the BTA said the proposals “call for the proper recognition of the shahid or those who were martyred in the Bangsamoro struggle and the allocation of funds for financial assistance to the mujahideen and their family.” One of the resolutions, asks BTA Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim to “allocate funds for emergency financial assistance” to both MILF and Moro National Liberation Front combatants and their families “pending the releases and implementation of the special development and rehabilitation programs” that are provided for under the Bangsamoro Organic Law. Faiz Alauddin, a member of parliament and the MILF provincial chair, earlier said “the mujahideen,” or those who helped in the struggle for the Bangsamoro’s right to self-determination, said, “Let us enable our mujahideen to reap the benefit of the peace agreement and assist them in every means possible so they may cherish civilian lives.” The proposed resolutions have been referred to BTA committees for action.

JPST BATCH 2
Meanwhile, the second batch of the Joint Peace and Security Team (JPST) started training last week at Camp Gen. SK Pendatun in Maguindanao. The latest JPST contingent is composed of 75 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 86 from the Philippine National Police, and 152 from the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). “The JPST training will prepare you in the fulfillment of the other tasks of the JPST: (1) tracking and documenting of Private Armed Groups, (2) security arrangements for Normalization activities, and (3) support to dispute resolution initiatives on the ground,” Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Assistant Secretary David B. Diciano said during the opening ceremony. The month-long JPST training, which will be concluded on Nov. 22, is simultaneous with the second phase of decommissioning of MILF-BIAF members, according to OPAPP. The first batch of former MILF combatants, composed of 219 men, completed their Joint Peace and Security Team in August. A formal ceremony for the first batch of decommissioning was held Sept. 7, with more than 12,000 of the estimated 40,000 BIAF turning over their weapons. — Marifi S. Jara

Nationwide round-up

Malacañang honors late JICA president

MALACAÑANG ON Tuesday expressed condolences for the death of Sadako Ogata, who served as Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president from 2003 to 2012, recognizing her contribution to strengthening relations between the Philippines and Japan. “The remarkable and extraordinary service of Ms. Ogata, together with the time and effort she has devoted to strengthen the diplomatic relations of Philippines and Japan, will always be remembered given the beneficial and enduring consequences of her endeavors for our country,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement. Ms. Ogata passed away at age 92 on Tuesday, Japanese news site NHK World reported. She was the first woman minister at the Permanent Mission of Japan in the United Nations (UN), and was a UN high commissioner for refugees. According to JICA’s website, Ms. Ogata’s contributions to the Philippines under her term include accelerating the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and providing livelihood assistance programs for people in Mindanao’s poverty-stricken areas. In 2013, she was awarded the Order of Sikatuna by the Philippine government, a recognition given to diplomats and foreign heads of state for doing exceptional deeds and services to the Philippines. — Gillian M. Cortez

DoJ confirms President’s order for NBI probe on mayor’s killing


THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) will issue a department order formalizing the directive of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the death of a mayor in Misamis Occidental, who was shot and killed while in police custody in Cebu City. “The President has control over the entire Executive department including the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the NBI. His directive should therefore be sufficient for the NBI to commence its probe,” Undersecretary Markk L. Perete told reporters in a mobile phone message. “Nevertheless, and purely for record-keeping purposes, the DoJ shall issue a Department Order reiterating the President’s directive to the NBI,” he added. The president wants the state agents to handle the probe in the killing of Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro has ordered the PNP to terminate their investigation and hand all documents and other evidence to the NBI.

The President also confirmed that he earlier met with Mr. Navarro, who was included in the list of local government officials allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, and was told that somebody “is out to get him.” Mr. Navarro was being escorted by the police in Cebu City to a prosecutor’s office when he was ambushed last Oct. 25. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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