2 dead, 11 wounded in school explosion

A responding policeman and a grenade-wielding man died when a grenade exploded inside the Initao College in Initao, Misamis Oriental Thursday, November 28.

Reports from the authorities identified the fatality as Police MSgt. Jason Magno and the suspect identified as Ebrahim Ampaso Basher.

One policeman, identified as P/MSgt. Alice Balido, and 10 students were also wounded from the said explosion which happened early afternoon of Thursday.

The suspect reportedly went amok inside the said school in Barangay Jampason.

A video footage of the actual explosion showed authorities accosting the suspect at the school gym while several students were nearby.

The suspect and a man believed to be a police officer went down the ground shortly after the suspect threw something few meters away.

Seconds later, an explosion occured while another police officer can be seen shooting at the suspect several times.

(Video by Wendy Lobendina)

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NoCot guv hit for politicizing slogan

North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco was strongly criticized for her order to take down all slogan of “Serbisyong Totoo” in all government vehicles and buildings and replace them with the phrase “North Cotabato Province”.

On November 25, Governor Catamco ordered Provincial General Services Office head Jorge Silva to “remove all Serbisyong Totoo tagline from all vehicles and all signages in the provincial capitol compound”.

In a Facebook post, aide of former Governor and now Vice Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza Ralph Ryan Rafael said that Catamco’s order was clearly aimed against the former governor whose brand of public service was made popular by the slogan “Serbisyong Totoo”.

“On Politicking: Never demerit ones political campaign nor emphasize “by the people” perspective of governance when yours is way more politicized. I puke on these double standards,” Rafael said who is also an incumbent municipal councilor of Matalam.

On the same Facebook post, Rafael showed a photo of an overpass project of then Cong. Nancy Catamco with her name clearly emblazoned on the said structure as her “priority project”.

Another supporter of Mendoza, one Nikko Adrian Valenzuela Perez, also posted on his Facebook stating that “Serbisyong Totoo will never be erased.”

“One thing is for sure, Serbisyong Totoo is not only a tagline, it’s a brand of excellent governance serving multi sectoral spheres in Cotabato Province especially the youth. It is not only a line for no reason, it’s an exemplar of excellence, sincerity, and honor. Serbisyong Totoo will never be erased. Nakatatak sa puso’t experiences,” said Perez.

NoCot guv orders take down of “Serbisyong Totoo” slogan in all gov’t equipments

North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco, who just returned from work after having been suspended by the Sandiganbayan for 90 days, ordered Provincial General Services Office head Jorge Silva to “remove all Serbisyong Totoo tagline from all vehicles and all signages in the provincial capitol compound”.

In the same order dated November 25, Gov. Catamco directed to replace Serbisyong Totoo with the phrase “North Cotabato Province”.

Serbisyong Totoo slogan is identified with the administration of former governor and now Vice Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza since she was congresswoman for nine years and governor for another 9 years.

Catamco suspects Mendoza to be behind the corruption cases against her that led to her suspension.

Catamco was suspended by the 6th Division of Sandiganbayan for 90 days for her alleged involvement in the P5 million fertilizer fund scam that included her former husband Pompey Perez and former Poro, Cebu Mayor Edgar Rama.

The respondents each posted a P110,000 bailbond last year.

The couple were accused of overpricing their delivered products by as much as P4.58 million.

Catamco and Perez allegedly conspired with Rama in the delivery of the supposed overpriced liquid fertilizers to the local government of Poro.

The 3,333 bottles of Vitacrop liquid organic fertilizer was said to have been marked up by as much as P1,092 per bottle.

Arrival Statement on PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE’S Participation in the 2019 ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit

MANILA, 26 NOVEMBER 2019 – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte returned to Manila from Busan, Republic of Korea on Tuesday evening after a productive participationin the 2019 ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) Commemorative Summit. 

 

The President and his fellow ASEAN leaders welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-In’s “New Southern Policy,” which aims to elevate ASEAN-ROK dialoguepartnership through enhanced bilateral relations with ASEAN countries and stronger ROK involvement in ASEAN-led regional mechanisms.

 

President Duterte supported new initiatives on increasing trade and investments, connectivity, capacity-building for MSMEs, technical vocational education training, smart city development, and startup programs.

 

The President also called for more strategic and preventive collective action to address threats to regional peace and security, including terrorism and violent extremism, drug trafficking, piracy and other maritime security issues, marine conservation, and climate change-related issues.

 

In a special retreat session on the Korean Peninsula Issue, President Duterte stressed that there is no military solution to a fraternal conflict. Only dialogue, based on mutual trust and respect, can lead to “a Korea at peace with itself and without nuclear weapons”. 

 

The Leaders of ASEAN and ROK adopted the Co-Chairs Statement, where they called for the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea disputes, in accordance with international law including UNCLOS. They also stressed the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint by claimants and all other states.

 

The Leaders also adopted the Joint Vision Statement for Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership, which will serve as blueprint for the next thirty (30) years of dialogue relations.

 

At their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit,President Duterte and President Moon agreed to work towards the elevation of the Philippines-ROK bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

 

President Duterte invited President Moon to undertake a State Visit to the Philippines at the soonest mutually convenient opportunity.

 

The two Leaders also witnessed the signing and exchange of key agreements namely, Social Security Agreement, an Implementing Program for Tourism Cooperation, and a Joint Statement on progress in the ongoing Philippine-ROK Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Agreements on education and fisheries cooperation were also signed in separate ceremonies in Busan.

 

The President likewise met top officials of Korean private companies to further promote the Philippines as a competitive and profitable trade and investment market.

 

The Philippines participated in ministerial-level side events of the Commemorative Summit notably, the ASEAN-ROK CEO Summit, ASEAN-ROK Culture Innovation Summit, 2019 ASEAN –ROK Smart City Fair, and ASEAN-ROK Exhibition on Public Service Innovation. 

 

Socio-economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Perniarepresented the Philippines in the 2019 Development Cooperation Day, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Development Cooperation with ROK together with four other ASEAN countries. 

 

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Añoled a delegation to the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Ministerial Roundtable on Public Service Innovation. Secretary Añopresented the country’s best practices on “Innovations in Local Governance Capacity Development for the 21stCentury.”

 

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry led Philippine private sector participants at the CEO Summit and ASEAN-ROK Business Expo 2019.

Transcript of SBG’s speech on SEAGames

PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF SENATOR CHRISTOPHER “BONG” GO
Re: 2019 SEA Games
25 November 2019

Mr. President, my dear colleagues, I rise today on a matter of personal privilege. Also, I will not yield the floor for interpellations and questions as it will just distract the Senate from doing its mandate.

There have been news reports on apparent inefficiencies that have been hounding our hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. These have caused our Southeast Asian brothers from Cambodia, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, and Thailand inconveniences which they must not have experienced so close to the start of the Games. Some of the alleged problems consist of transportation, accommodation, and travel issues.

Meanwhile, our very own women’s football team has expressed frustration over logistical issues. Ang sabi nila dati ay almost ready and complete na ang preparation, venues, and everything that will be used for the games.

As of October 30, 2019, PHISGOC stated that preparations are 90% complete.

Bakit nangyari ang mga ganito?

Hindi apology ang kailangan natin ngayon. Hindi ito madadaan sa apology lamang. Ang kailangan ay GISINGIN LAHAT. Huwag papatay patay.

Anim na araw na lang po at opening na ng Southeast Asian Games at may ilang laro na nagsimula na. May ilang bisita at manglalaro na ang nagsisidatingan. Kaya dapat maayos na ito.

Noong naghahanda tayo for Southeast Asian Games, may kanya-kanyang mandato ang gobyerno. Ang Office of the President, Senate, at Congress, nagbigay ng lahat na kakailanganing pondo at suporta para sa hosting kung kaya WALANG RASON para sabihin na hindi tayo handa.

At kahit na may iba-ibang responsibilidad na nakatoka sa PHISGOC, sa PSC, at sa POC, hindi ibig sabihin nito na wala na tayong pakialam sa isa’t isa. Huwag tayo magkanya-kanya.

The PSC, along with the DBM – Procurement Service, is the main implementor of the funding and public procurement aspect of the Games. On the other hand, PHISGOC is primarily responsible for the planning and actual preparations, organization, management and execution of the hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games; while the POC takes charge of running the technical aspects of all sporting events. To all the parties, tandaan niyo: ANG KAPALPAKAN NG ISA AY KAPALPAKAN NATING LAHAT. Let me remind everyone that you will be ANSWERABLE TO THE PRESIDENT AND MOST ESPECIALLY TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE.

Kaya sobrang nakakalungkot po na sa mga panahong ito, may ilan sa mga kababayan natin na pumapalakpak sa maling rason—PUMAPALAKPAK DAHIL GUSTO NILA TAYONG PUMALPAK.

Ganitong pag-uugali ba ang gusto nating ipakita sa ating mga bisita at karatig bayan? Ganitong pag-uugali ba ang gusto nating ipamana sa ating mga kabataan?

Hindi po dapat ganyan ang maging attitude natin ngayon. Magtulungan po tayo bilang suporta sa bawat Pilipinong manlalaro at para magtagumpay ang hosting natin ng Southeast Asian Games.

Mataas ang expectation ng buong mundo sa atin bilang host ng Southeast Asian Games. The reputation of the country is at stake. Hindi ito burden ng isang grupo lamang, hindi lang ang gobyerno, hindi lang ang PSC o POC o PHISGOC, bilang Pilipino, lahat tayo host dito sa Southeast Asian Games kung kaya’t ito ang oras na dapat MAGTULUNGAN, HINDI MAGSISIHAN.

Ngayon, dapat naka-focus po tayo dito. Target natin na manalo ang ating mga atleta pero bigyan din natin ng importansya na maalagaan at maipamahagi sa ating mga bisita ang kagandahan ng ating bansa at ang warm hospitality nating mga Pilipino.

Mr. President, gaya po ng sinabi ko nitong nakaraang linggo, hindi lamang po medalya at karangalan ng ating mga atleta ang nakasalalay sa darating na Southeast Asian Games. ANG REPUTASYON AT PANGALAN DIN NG ATING BANSA ANG NAKATAYA DITO.

I am therefore delivering this privilege speech to urge PSC, POC, PHISGOC and all Filipinos—HUWAG PO NATING HAYAAN NA PUMALPAK ITO.

There is a right time for everything. Huwag tayong magturuan ngayon. But after the games, papanagutin natin ang dapat na managot.

As the Chair of the Committee on Sports and a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee, handa po tayo na mag-imbestiga sa mga kapalpakan na mangyayari sa hosting natin sa Southeast Asian Games. Pero sa ngayon, LET US WORK AS ONE IN ORDER TO WIN AS ONE.

To all our hard-working athletes, coaches, delegates, and all those who have sacrificed much to bring glory to our nation, we are all behind you. The government and all its resources are all behind you.

We wish you nothing but the best, and we will cheer hard for every victory, every defeat, every sacrifice made, for the glory of our people. We win as one.

Thank you, Mr. President.

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