News Briefs

Duterte may ask Trump not to prohibit trade with China

President Rodrigo Duterte plans to ask US President Donald Trump not to prohibit trade with China, should a free trade agreement be signed between the Philippines and the United States. At a press briefing on Friday, the President expressed concern that  US trade deals with other countries might include a clause against trading with China. Such a condition could limit the growth of the Philippines’ trading market, especially since the country has close relations with both the United States and China. The Philippines considers China as its biggest trading partner, while the United States is a longtime defense and economic ally. “I do not know if it is a confirmed move by the American government. President Trump would be willing to sign a trade pact with you. If you sign it, you can export and import [goods and it] will continue but you cannot trade with China. Try to solve the problem,” Mr. Duterte said. “Trump is my friend. If we see each other, I’ll tell him, ‘Donald, please don’t do it. The Philippines will suddenly have a limited market,” Mr. Duterte said. —JULIE M. AURELIO

Court ends hearing on DOJ motion seeking Trillanes’ arrest

The Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 148 has wrapped up proceedings on the motion filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking the arrest of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on charges of coup d’etat for the 2003 Oakwood mutiny. Presiding Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano said “the factual issues” in Trillanes’ case were “now considered submitted for resolution.” The court did not admit two of the 17 exhibits or evidence submitted by Trillanes’ camp because they were not duly authenticated, Soriano said. “It must be emphasized that the court admits some of the exhibits which may have a doubtful admissibility in the interest of prudence,” the court said. Among the evidence admitted by the court was Trillanes’ certificate of amnesty, the affidavits of Col. Josefa Berbigal, Honorio Azcueta, Dominador Rull and Emmanuel C. Tirador. Rull and Tirador were present when Trillanes submitted his amnesty application form. The senator submitted photographs as proof. —TETCH TORRES-TUPAS

New Army chief a silent worker, says Lorenzana

Quiet but efficient. This was how Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana described incoming Army chief Maj. Gen. Macairog Alberto, commander of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). “He’s a silent worker. Low-profile, but good,” Lorenzana said of Alberto in an interview in Quezon City on Friday. Lorenzana said Alberto, who will replace retiring Army chief Lt. Gen. Rolando Bautista, was his subordinate when he was the commander of the Special Operations Command. “He’s also a Scout Ranger . . . he also toured Mindanao for a long time.” Alberto graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1986. He also completed a counterterrorism fellowship program and has a masteral degree in Strategic Studies from the National Defense University in the United States. Before becoming chief of the ISAFP, he had been a brigade commander in Luzon and in Mindanao.  —JAYMEE T. GAMIL

Marawi rehabilitation to finally proceed on Oct. 17

The government will finally push through with the rehabilitation of the so-called “Ground Zero” in war-torn Marawi City next week. Task Force Bangon Marawi chair Eduardo del Rosario said the ground-breaking would be held on Oct. 17, a year after President Duterte declared the city’s liberation from Islamic State-inspired terrorist groups. At a press briefing in Malacañang on Friday, Del Rosario said they would begin by clearing debris in a 6-hectare area, which was most affected by the five-month long siege. The operation, worth P75 million, will be carried out by Finmat Corp., a local firm. “After the debris clearing, we will undertake road network construction with underground facilities. Once it is done, we will proceed with vertical structures, construct 320 classrooms, 24 barangay centers, a convention center, grand central market and schools,” Del Rosario said.  —JULIE M. AURELIO

Sin taxes could fund universal healthcare–senators

Senators are looking at tax on vices such as tobacco and liquor, as well as income from casinos and lotto as sources of funding for the Universal Health Care (UHC) bill, which came closer to being enacted into law after its passage in the Senate last Wednesday. The bill’s passage in the Senate will now allow it to be reconciled with the House version in a bicameral conference committee meeting. Sen. JV Ejercito said on Thursday they would work for its immediate approval so that Congress could ratify it when it returns from a monthlong break on Nov. 12.  Ejercito, chair of the Senate health committee and the principal sponsor of the UHC bill, said that senators wanted “enough funding” for the measure, which aims to provide all Filipinos equal access to quality and affordable health services. —CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO