by aimee | Jul 5, 2013 | Headlines, National News
MALACAÑANG welcomed China’s latest statement on its willingness to hold discussions for the possible crafting of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea amid continuing tensions in the area.
In a press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he cannot speculate on China’s intention to spearhead low-level discussions to resolve the dispute but he said it is a welcome development.
“It’s a forward step with China agreeing to at least discuss the Code of Conduct with us. We already drafted the Code of Conduct, and now we have asked them to discuss it with us, and China has already said that they are discussing with us. And so this is a step in the right direction,” Lacierda said.
After years of rejecting efforts to start talks for a Code of Conduct with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), China has agreed to host talks between senior officials this coming September.
But the code would not touch on the territorial claims but would set rules for actions by ships, aimed at minimizing the risk of missteps that could lead to hostilities.
The discussions, to be held in China, was described as “consultations” rather than “negotiations”.
Asean and China ministers met in Brunei this week for a security forum that tackled the tension in the West Philippine Sea.
The US, an ally of the Philippines and Vietnam said it is not taking sides on the issue but said that its strategic interest is the freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea.
The US hopes that the Asean and China agree on a valid Code of Conduct soon. (PND)
by aimee | Jul 4, 2013 | Headlines, National News
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 04 (PIA)–Gimando karon ni Presidente Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nga ipaseguro ang seguridad sa mga Pinoy nga tua sa Egypt.
Kini human makudeta ang ilang presidente nga si Mohammed Morsi.
Matud pa ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, gitahasan ni Presidente Aquino ang mga hingtungdang embahada aron mahatagan og tabang ang mga OFWs nga posibleng mapiit kun magkagubot didto.
Si Valte nagkanayon nga nakig-alayon na ang atong foreign post sa komunidad sa mga Pilipino didto aron ma-account ang matag usa.
Sa pagkakaron, giingong padayon ang pagdawat sa Presidente sa mga kalambuan gikan sa Egypt ug naka-monitor sa mga panghitabo didto.
Adunay 6,569 ka Pinoy karon sa Egypt nga kasagaran tua sa Cairo ug Alexandria, base sa pinakaulahing talaan sa gobyerno. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
PDEA, mahimo nang makakuha og search warrant
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 04 (PIA)–Gikalipay sa Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) ang pagkalakip karong adlawa sa ilang ahensya sa Korte Suprema sa listahan sa mga ahensyang awtorisadong mangayo og search warrants alang sa paglapas sa Republic Act 9165 o ang Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“We received a letter from Court Administrator of the Supreme Court, informing us that the agency is now officially sanctioned to file applications to conduct lawful searches and seizures within the territorial jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Courts of Manila and Quezon City,” pagbutyag ni PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr.
Apil sa mga ahensyang mahimong makakuha og search warrant mao ang National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP) ug ang Anti-Crime Task Force alang sa sa kasong illegal gambling, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, Intellectual Property Code, Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, Tariffs and Customs Code, paglapas sa RA 9165 ug ubang mahinungdanong balaod.
Ang mga executive judge ug vice-executive judge sa regional trial court sa Manila ug Quezon City lamang ang mahimong magpagawas og search warrant. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by aimee | Jul 4, 2013 | Headlines
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 04 (PIA)–Subling nanawagan ang Palasyo sa mga Pilipinong nagtrabaho sa ubang nasud nga dili gayud magpagamit isip drug mules o magdala og iligal nga droga sa mga sindikato.
Taliwala kini sa kompirmasyon sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nga nadayon gayud ang pagbitay kagahapon sa 35-anyos nga Pilipina human nasakpang nagpayuhot og pila ka kilong heroin sa China niadtong 2011.
Matud pa ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, nanghinaot ang Palasyo nga kakuhaan kini og leksyon sa mga Pilipino.
Nanawagan ang Palasyo nga dili magpabiktima sa mga sindikato sa droga ug likayan gayud ang mga ingon niining sitwasyon.
Gipahinomdom ni Valte nga kun mahitabo man kini sa OFW, mas magpabug-at pa hinuon kini sa kahimtang sa ilang mga pamilya imbes nga magpaginhawa sa ilang kinabuhi.
“Umaasa kaming kapulutan ng aral ng ating mga kababayan para hindi magpabiktima sa mga drug syndicate at iwasan ang mga ganitong sitwasyon, na kung sakali man ay mas magpapabigat sa kalagayan ng kanilang mga mahal imbes na magpaginhawa ng buhay,” matud pa ni Valte.
Kalabot niini, gisugyot ni OFW Representative Roy Seneres nga magbutang sa mga airports ug travel documents nga pasidaan kalabot sa mga gibitay nga Pilipinong drug mule.
Si Valte nagkanayon nga gitugyan na sa Palasyo sa DFA ang maong sugyot sa magbabalaod. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)
by aimee | Jul 4, 2013 | National News
MALACAÑANG assured on Thursday that the government and concerned law enforcement agencies are taking active steps to ensure the safety of tourists and visitors from other countries, as well as its citizens.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda gave the assurance in a press briefing in Malacanang, after Canada and Australia issued separate travel advisories to its respective citizens against travelling to the Philippines, particularly to Mindanao, due to the peace and order situation there.
Lacierda said these advisories were “normal advisories” given by countries in order to “protect and caution” their citizens as they travel to different parts of the world.
“With respect to the advisory that was given, these are normal advisories. They have to protect and caution their citizens and we understand the situation,” Lacierda said.
“We understand the reason for their doing so but we can assure them that our responsibility as a nation is to ensure the safety of our own citizens as well as the visitors who come here,” he added. (PND)
by aimee | Jul 3, 2013 | National News
Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ezzedin Tago informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has ordered an extension of the correction grace period for undocumented foreigners until the end of the current Islamic year or on November 03, 2013.
The Philippine Government expressed its deep appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, especially on behalf of the Filipino community and workers in Saudi Arabia for extending the grace period for the correction of the status of undocumented workers.
This humanitarian gesture has brought relief to our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who would like to go home or legalize their stay in the Kingdom, a Department of Foreign Affairs statement said.
DFA said all undocumented Filipinos are advised to take advantage of this extension and immediately proceed to concerned Saudi government agencies or seek the assistance of our Embassy and Consulate in Saudi Arabia for their repatriation or the regularization of their status.
The DFA also calls on our kababayans to cooperate with the Embassy and Consulate in order to make the repatriation and regularization procedures more efficient. The Saudi Press Agency announced at 8:45 a.m. yesterday the following statement issued by the Ministry of Interior:
“With reference to the royal order allowing for workers who violated the labor and iqama laws a period of three months starting from 25/5/1434H to correct their status, and based on the recommendations of ministries (Foreign Affairs, Labor, and Interior) regarding full cooperation and quick response of citizens and residents, and in view of the full cooperation of concerned Embassies and Consulates to provide the required documentation and their requests due to the pressure on their missions, and as a result of the large number of those who are seeking correction of their status who need more time, and in order to make it easier on citizens and residents who have taken the correction period seriously, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdul bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud has ordered the extension of the correction period until the end of the current Hejira year 1434. The appropriate inspections will resume in various regions of the Kingdom starting from the first of Muharram 1435H and all penalties will apply on violators.
“The Ministries of Interior and Labor urge all concerned to work on the requirements to correct their status as soon as possible and within the period mentioned, and whoever will not respond will be subject to maximum penalties in accordance with regulations.” (DFA)
