Mr.

Duterte has called the killed, said Victoria Tauli- of 2018 results in even greater The UN experts said they had A s p o ke s m a n f o r M r. pines  has also drawn interna-
island a “flashpoint for trouble” Corpuz and Cecilia Jimenez- militarization.” information suggesting that 2,500 Duterte said the martial law tional criticism for the killing of
and for atrocities by Islamist and Damary, the UN Human Rights The  Philippines  was obliged Lumads had been displaced since extension was needed “to about 3,900 people in police an-
communist rebels. Council’s special rapporteurs by international law to protect October, and that Lumad farmers quell the remaining terrorists ti-drugs operations. Police deny

Nation
Lawmakers this month over-
The
whelmingly backed his plan
to extend martial law there
on the rights of indigenous peo- indigenous peoples and ensure had been killed by military forces who brought destruction to allegations by human rights ad-
ples and internally displaced human rights abuses were halted on Dec. 3 in Barangay Ned in the Marawi and its neighboring vocates that many of the killings
people. and prosecuted. “This includes
FRIday-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29-30, 2017 province of South Cotabao. communities.” were executions. — Reuters

#nationataglance
House committee eyeing higher pensions for retired military personnel
the House of representatives is looking to raise pensions received by retired military and uniformed personnel (MUPs) by 2019, one of its committees
said. “the commitment of Malacañang, which is the guiding policy of the House of representatives that possesses the power of the purse, is to adjust
the pension of retirees in the MUP sector by 2019,” House appropriations committee chair and Davao city representative Karlo alexei B. nograles said.
“We’ve been preparing for the pension indexation as early as this year. So we definitely don’t intend to disappoint our retirees in 2019,” Mr. nograles
said. Mr. nograles said the pensions will be calibrated to be on a par with the increased compensation of their active counterparts and is seen to ben-
efit 200,000 retirees and will cost the government an estimated amount of P38 billion. the House and the Senate approved the hike of the base pay
of MUPs before their one-month holiday break. the base pay of the officials with the rank of police officer 1 in Philippine national Police and private in
armed Forces of the Philippines were doubled and the compensation for officials in higher ranks was also increased accordingly. — Minde Nyl dela Cruz

WeStern viSayaS: BacoloD city

philippine star_joven cagande
BIR Bacolod files five cases against two local Registers of deeds
IllEGal FIRECRaCkERS worth P91,780 pesos that were being sold on a the Bureau of internal revenue (Bir) through revenue region (rr) no.
fastfood parking lot were confiscated by authorities in Quezon City. Three 12-Bacolod city has filed five (5) separate complaints with office of the
persons were also arrested during the operations. ombudsman-visayas against two (2) local registers of Deeds for their partici-
pation in five (5) separate transfers of realty without the requisite certificates
Police warn against indiscriminate gun-firing authorizing registration (car). charged before the office of the ombudsman-
national capital region Police office (ncrPo) chief Director oscar D. albayalde visayas were atty. romulo gonzaga and atty. Bonifacio Kho, the registers of
warned police officers on thursday against indiscriminate firing, noting that Deeds of negros occidental and Bacolod city, respectively, an e-mailed state-
two cops have already been caught in violation of the order and are now facing ment from the Bir said. Mr. gonzaga was charged in three (3) separate com-
dismissal. “there will be no mercy for those caught firing their guns indiscrimi- plaints for allowing the transfer of title without the requisite car, namely: 1.
nately,” Mr. albayalde told reporters in Filipino during a televised press briefing. transfer of realty previously owned by Sinforosa vda. De Millendez in favor of
Meanwhile, Senator Maria lourdes nancy S. Binay also called on the police and ludorico Hilado, and then to HH&c agricultural corp.; 2. transfer of realty by
local government units to prevent firecracker-related casualties and injuries in Segundina Hulgin in favor of Florentino Perez; and 3. transfer of realty by glo-
the traditional merrymaking to start the new year. authorities should make ria a. estyeban in favor of Xenia esteban, et. al. For his part, Mr. Kho was the
“zero casualties at injuries” for the new year a reality, she said in a statement. subject of two (2) similar complaints on the: 1. transfer of properties without
“Most of the victims of illegal firecrackers are children.” Ms. Binay has filed car from Bacolod Murcia Milling to Megaworld Bacolod Properties, inc.; and
in the last two congresses a bill (Senate Bill 367) which seeks to “reduce the 2. transfer of realty subject to estate tax without car registered under ange-
number of injuries sustained by children by prohibiting the selling, giving, or in les g. vasquez and/or Jose l. vasquez. Under the national internal revenue
any way sharing of firecrackers.” For its part, the office of the executive Secre- code of 1997, as amended, “no registration of any document transferring real
tary also announced that “firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices which contain property shall be effected by the register of Deeds unless the commissioner
gunpowder exceeding two (2) grams or 1.3 teaspoons or those using sulfur and/ or his duly authorized representative has certified that such transfer has been
or phosphorus mixed with chlorates are strictly prohibited to be sold, manu- reported, and the capital gains or creditable withholding tax, if any, has been
factured, distributed, and used. also prohibited are Piccolo; Super lolo; Whistle paid.” their actions allowed the parties to the afore-cited transactions to evade
Bomb; goodbye earth; and atomic Big triangulo. — arjay l. Balinbin the payment of the corresponding capital gains tax (cgt) and Documentary
Stamp tax (DSt). the car is proof of payment of the cgt and DSt.

aFP still in active defense mode

the armed Forces of the Philippines (aFP) remains SoccKSKSargen: SUltan KUDarat
in “active defense mode” despite a three-day break arrest warrant for mayor with a grenade at home
in the truce with the new People’s army (nPa), the regional trial court (rtc) of Sultan Kudarat Branch 19
Defense Secretary Delfin n. lorenzana said on issued on Wednesday, Dec. 27, a warrant of arrest against
Wednesday. “We are still on active defense…that’s Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat Mayor abubakar P. Maulana for
the marching order,” Mr. lorenzana said in a tele- violation of republic act 9516 or the Unlawful Possession of
vised press briefing in Marawi city, after President explosives, a non-bailable offense. Department of Justice Sec-
rodrigo r. Duterte declared a unilateral cease-fire retary vitaliano aguirre ii was furnished a copy of the warrant
with communist rebels from 6 p.m. of Dec. 23 of arrest for the immediate issuance of a hold departure order
to 11:59 p.m. of Dec. 26 and from 6 p.m. of De- against the mayor. in a raid last october, the police found a
cember 30 until 11:59 p.m. of Jan. 2. For his part, fragmentation grenade at the residence of Mr. Maulana. —
Presidential Spokesperson Herminio Harry l. roque, Minde Nyl dela Cruz
Jr. said the government has “no plan to withdraw the
christmas cease-fire” despite the nPa’s attack on a
military patrol base in compostela valley on christ-
mas Day, saying that “the government keeps its
promise.” For Major general noel S. clement of the
10th infantry (agila) Division, the recent attack “was
absolutely clear violation of cease-fire made by
the terrorist nPa to disrupt our efforts in making
sure christmas will be celebrated peacefully. their Davao region: Davao city
celebration is usually accompanied by armed attacks Gov’t agency to assess damage caused
against the people that reflect their true color as a by typhoon to land reform beneficiaries
criminal organization void of any ideology.” Mean- Davao city — the Department of agrarian
while, the communist Party of the Philippines–north reform in Davao region (Dar-11) announced
central Mindanao region (cPP-ncMr) spokesman that it seeks to check the extent of damage
norsen Manggubat reported on tuesday that the caused by the onslaught of typhoon vinta to
movement continues to expand its mass base agrarian reform Beneficiaries (arBs) in the
“amidst the martial law.” “in the span of one year, area. typhoon vinta made its landfall in cateel,
the number of barrios encompassed by the move- Davao oriental at around 1:45 a.m. on Dec. 22,
ment has increased by 17%. Similarly, the population Saturday that caused flooding and landslides in
of new members of the organized masses rose by the region, particularly in the provinces of com-
21% from last year’s figure. Units of the people’s postela valley, Davao del norte, Davao oriental
militias, meanwhile, have gained 7% within the and in the cities of Davao, tagum, and Panabo.
countryside barrios,” Mr. Manggubat said in a state- the typhoon also forced some residents in
ment. Some 131 nPa-led military offensives were Davao region to evacuate to safe areas due to
initiated in the region, the group said, adding it has floods and landslides. the assessment will cover
endured 10 defensive actions against the enemy. of damage to projects previously released to ben-
its 250 casualties, 141 were killed in action and 109 eficiaries as part of the support services of the
were wounded-in-action (Wia), the statement said, agrarian reform program, the agency said in an
adding that 12 combatants were killed and 15 were e-mailed statement.
wounded. the group also seized 107 rifles from
government forces. “With these gains and losses,
we had overcome recruiting revolutionaries from the
above movements. nPa personnel have increased
by 9% as compared from the previous year. Party
membership also rose by 13%.” — arjay l. Balinbin