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Warm Philippines welcome for Trump amid

improving, irreversible ties


MANILA, Philippines — With relations between the Philippines and the United States showing
a marked improvement in recent weeks, President Duterte is looking forward to entertaining
President Donald Trump during his visit to Manila next month for the 31st Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and related meetings.

Malacañang confirmed Trump’s visit to the country, which is part of his five-nation swing in
the region from Nov. 3 to 14. The US leader is also set to visit Japan, South Korea, China and
Vietnam.

“We confirm US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Philippines this November,”
presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said yesterday.

Duterte is ASEAN chairman for this year, the regional bloc’s 50th founding anniversary. Abella
said Trump’s visit “underscores the improving PH-US ties.”

Trump will join other world leaders who will attend the ASEAN/East Asian Summit in the
Philippines.

“As host country, we hope to make the event productive and pleasant to our foreign guests. We
will let them experience our world-famous Filipino hospitality to make sure they would have
good memories of their stay in the Philippines,” he said.

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Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano also cited the country’s improving relations with
the US. “President Trump’s visit underscores the improving relations between the Philippines
and the United States, which no less than Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told me is on an
upward vector,” Cayetano said.

“President Trump will definitely receive a very warm welcome in Manila,” Cayetano said.

“President Duterte is looking forward to welcoming President Trump in Manila. Our people are
excited to see the first face-to-face meeting between our two leaders,” he added.

The foreign affairs secretary met with Tillerson in Washington earlier this week, discussing
issues including strengthening partnership between the two countries.
In an interview with the National Public Radio in Washington on Thursday, Cayetano described
relations between the Philippines and the US as strong and irreversible.

“The American-Filipino relationship is so resilient that it bounces right back always, regardless
of personalities and issues,” he said.

The confirmation on Trump’s visit came a few days after Duterte publicly acknowledged how
the US has been good to the Philippines as a defense ally through the years.

Duterte praised the US, calling it an important ally last Thursday at 116th anniversary of the
Balangiga massacre.

“This is all water under the bridge, I was under advice by the Department of Foreign Affairs
that I would temper my language and avoid cursing, which I am prone to do if I get emotional,”
Duterte said in the speech.

“I would not say they were our saviors, but they are our allies and they helped us. Even today,
they provide crucial equipment to our soldiers in Marawi to fight the terrorists,” he said,
referring the city attacked by the IS-linked Maute Group.

In the early months of his administration, Duterte had been critical of the US, particularly its
previous president Barack Obama whom he repeatedly badmouthed for calling his attention to
rising deaths in his war on drugs.

Duterte started softening toward the US last August during a meeting with Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson. At that meeting, he said he was a “humble friend” of Washington.

It was in contrast to an earlier statement in July when he called the US “lousy.”

“There will never be a time that I will go to America during my term, or even thereafter,”
Duterte said in late July. “I’ve seen America and it’s lousy.”

Duterte also revealed at being praised in a phone call by Trump for his war on drugs, which has
already killed thousands.

The phone call was followed by another conversation about concerns over nuclear threats from
North Korea.
Gun ban starts today

By Leslie Ann G. Aquino

Carrying of guns and other deadly weapons is banned effective today, October 1, 2017, as the
election period for Barangay and SK elections starts.

The Senate has already passed on third and final reading a bill postponing the elections, an act
adopted by the House of Representatives, but the measure has yet to be signed into law.

In the absence of a law postponing the barangay and SK elections set for October 23, 2017, the
Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded the public of election-related prohibitions,
including the gun ban.

Prohibited acts from Oct. 1 to 30 (election period) are the alteration of territory of a precinct
or establishment of a new precinct; the carrying, bearing, and transport of firearms and other
deadly weapons, unless authorized by the Commission; the use of security personnel or
bodyguards by candidates, unless authorized by the Commission; coercing, threatening,
intimidating or terrorizing any election official or employee in the performance of his election
functions or duties; the transfer or detail of officers and employees in the civil service
including public school teachers; and organizing or maintaining reaction forces, strike forces or
similar forces and suspension of any elective provincial, city, municipal, or barangay officers.

In a statement, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said violation of the above mentioned
prohibited acts constitutes an election offense which carries with it a punishment of one to six
years imprisonment, disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right to
suffrage.

With the election period, checkpoints shall be established nationwide to effectively implement
the firearms ban.

Comelec Resolution No. 10198, promulgated September 14, 2017, states that there shall be at
least one Comelec checkpoint in each city or municipality.

Additional checkpoints, including those from the Philippine National Police and the Armed
Forces of the Philippines commands outside the city or municipality, shall be established in
coordination with the election officer having jurisdiction over the locality.
Based on the revised calendar, the filing of certificates of candidacy will commence on Oct. 5
and ends on Oct. 11. The campaign period, on the other hand, will run from Oct. 12 to 22.

The Comelec rescheduled the activities for the barangay and SK elections last September 19 to
give the public more time to prepare for participation in the upcoming polls should the
elections not be postponed.

As of Saturday, the law has been signed to postpone the elections.

The Senate, last September 21, approved on third and final reading its version of the bill
postponing the barangay and SK elections.

Voting 17-1, the Senate passed Senate Bill No. 1584 seeking to defer the synchronized
barangay and SK polls on October 23 to the second Monday of May, 2018 and allow
incumbent officials in a holdover capacity.

On Sept. 26, the House of Representatives voted to adopt and enroll for President Duterte’s
signature the Senate bill proposing to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan
elections to May, 2018.

In its regular session, congressmen adopted Senate Bill 1584 as an amendment to House Bill
6308, thereby making it unnecessary for the House and the Senate to form a bicameral
conference committee to resolve disagreeing provisions of their respective bills. House Bill
6308 will now contain exactly the same provisions contained in the Senate bill.

The consolidated version of the bill provides that all incumbent barangay officials will remain
in their posts in holdover capacity until they are replaced by successors to be elected in May.

Subsequent elections will also be held on the second Monday of May, 2020, and every three
years thereafter.

Barangay officials holding ex-officio positions in their respective city or municipal councils will
also continue to serve the same position until May, 2018, when they are replaced in regular
Liga elections.

The current budget allocation of P6.09 billion for the conduct of this year’s polls will remain
earmarked for barangay and SK elections as continuing allocations for the May polls. (With
reports from Ben R. Rosario and Vanne P. Terrazola)
Mass celebrated again in Marawi cathedral, first
since war broke out
By Francis Wakefield

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Sunday said a mass was held at the St. Mary’s
Cathedral in Marawi City which was formerly occupied by Daesh-inspired Maute Group
terrorists.

The cathedral, it was recalled, was retaken by government troops late August of this year
following intense firefight against the terrorist group.

Close to a dozen people including Catholic priest Fr. Rey Teresito “Chito” Soganub were
snatched by members of the Maute Group from the church after they occupied Marawi City
on May 23.

Videos posted online also showed some members of the Maute group desecrating the church and
destroying a number of religious items inside.

Army Colonel Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of Task Force Ranao, said the mass held at
St. Mary’s Cathedral took place at about 7 a.m. Sunday while assault of government forces on
Maute-ISIS defensive positions were ongoing.

Gunshots can also be heard while the mass was taking place and attended by at least 200 to 300
soldiers.

Brawner also said the mass held at the cathedral, the first since the conflict broke out, is significant
for them because it is the feast of St. Therese, the patron saint of the military.

“We asked for blessings so that our troops will be shielded from harm,” Brawner said.

“Moreover, today marks the 4th anniversary of the Liberation of Zamboanga after the siege by
terrorists,” he added.

A boodle fight was also later held at the Joint Task Group (JTG) Ranao headquarters which was
also attended by Sen. Win Gatchalian, AFP Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Carlito
Galvez Jr. and other high-ranking military officials.

“Sen. Gatchalian was there because he is a member of the committee in charge of the
rehabilitation of Marawi. He is also the chairman of (the Senate) Economic Development
Committee,” Brawner said.

“He will help in the release of the budget needed for the rehabilitation of the city,” he added.

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