Police visit to Bacolod newspaper office not meant to intimidate — Albayalde

“While engaging stakeholders, such as journalists, is necessary, it should not be used as a pretext to conduct
surveillance nor to intimidate reporters,” she said in a dispatch from Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The detained senator advised the Philippine National Police (PNP) or any government agency that if it is
“really bent on partnering with the press,” it only needs to respect the rights of the press to “cover and report
without any fear of reprisal.”

“There is a reason why media is called the Fourth Estate. It has the mandate to check abuses of those in
power by exposing the truth and enabling the public to participate in public discourses,” De Lima said.

“If the government intrudes on this function of journalists, then democracy is in real trouble,” she added.

She also noted that if these police “visits” are coupled with the “red-tagging” of universities and churches
critical to the administration, “we see a fresh wave of initiatives towards authoritarian rule.”

Duterte eyes ‘Chinese-Filipino’ to head NFA

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he is looking for a “Chinese-Filipino” to head the National Food
Authority (NFA) after his initial choice, Army Chief Rolando Bautista, was offered a new post at the
Department of Social Welfare and Department (DSWD).

“Rolly Bautista is DSWD. Ngayon, ang NFA, I’m looking for somebody else. I’m looking for a Chinese
who’s been there in the business maybe 20 years,” Duterte told reporters in Malacañang.

Asked to clarify the President’s statement, Special Assistant to the President Bong Go told INQUIRER.net in
a text message that what the President meant was a “Filipino-Chinese.”

Duterte, however, did not name his choice of NFA Administrator.

“I’ll just (ask) him to, in the meantime, to be the NFA. Alam man nila ang negosyo na iyan (They know the
business),” he said.

The President had announced that Bautista would be the next National Food Administrator (NFA)
administrator after Jason Aquino had asked to be relieved from the post.

A former commander of the President’s security group, Bautista is retiring from military service this month.
2 dead as truck loses brakes, sideswipes 7 other vehicles

PAGADIAN CITY— A six-wheeler truck loaded with fish lost its brakes and went out of control while
traversing the national highway in Barangay Paglaum, Dumalinao town in Zamboanga del Sur at 9 a.m. on
Tuesday. It sideswiped seven vehicles, killing two drivers and injuring seven persons.

Senior Inspector Neil Pugoy, Dumalinao police chief, said the blue truck from Zamboanga City was on its
way to Pagadian City when it went out of control as it followed the descending road from Barangay
Camanga to Barangay Paglaum at high speed.

The truck was registered under Jordan Fishing Corporation in Barangay Mampang, Zamboanga City and
was driven by Ariel Basister Napalcruz, 31, a resident of Barangay Talon-talon, Zamboanga City.

Napalcruz was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival by an attending physician.

Another driver identified as Mario Rola Balabag, 51, a resident of San Miguel town, Zamboanga del Sur,
was found dead on the spot. He was driving a forward truck loaded with construction materials for
Margosatubig, Zamboanga del Sur.

Pugoy said the truck sideswiped vehicles along the way; among them, a Toyota Corolla, a Toyota Wigo, a
Mitsubishi truck, two motorcycles, and an army truck.

NPA rebel killed, 2 soldiers wounded in Bukidnon clash

A suspected member of the New People’s Army was killed and two soldiers were wounded in an armed
encounter in Bukidnon on Tuesday, the military said.

Soldiers from the Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion were conducting a security patrol in Barangay New
Eden, Pangantucan town at around 9 a.m. when it chanced upon about 10 communist rebels believed to be
members of the Guerilla Front 68 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, Capt. Norman
Tagros, spokesperson of 403rd Brigade, said in a statement.

“The 30-minute firefight ensued after more or less 10 terrorists opened fire to the troops conducting patrol,
which resulted in the death of one of the terrorists, whose identity is yet to be determined,” Tagros said.

Two soldiers suffered minor casualties and were brought to a military hospital in Cagayan de Oro City.

The government forces also recovered one M-16 rifle with M203 grenade launcher, one M16 rifle, one M14
rifle, one barrel of an M60 machine gun, eight anti-personnel mines, one hand grenade and assorted live
ammunition from the encounter site.
Mining sediments threaten marine life in Surigao del Sur

DAVAO CITY – Environmental group Haribon Foundation expressed concern over the threats to the
marine life caused by the runoff sediments from mining sites in Surigao del Sur.

On the second day of the four-day “Partners’ Forum: People and the Sea” at the Ritz Hotel at Garden
Oases on Tuesday, Gregorio E. de la Rosa Jr., conservation science and research manager at the Haribon
Foundation, said in an interview that the sediments from the mining sites are washed away during heavy
downpour, ending up in the shores and protected mangrove sites in Lanuza Bay.

If not abated, Dela Rosa said the contamination will destroy the marine habitats such as coral reefs and sea
grass adversely affecting the spawning grounds of fish in Surigao del Sur and other provinces.

He said it would also severely affect the catch of local fishermen because fish in the area will lose their
spawning grounds.

He said the shores have become virtually “red” as several portions of have already been covered in hip-
deep mud.

Dela Rosa said they were coordinating with local government units to craft and enforce existing policies,
such as those stated under the Lanuza Bay Environmental Management

Police kill 6 members of gun-for-hire group in runup to midterm elections

Police killed six suspected members of a gun-for-hire group in a runup to the midterm elections amid the
killings of local chief executives and potential candidates in the past months.

Chief Supt. Edward Caranza, director of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon)
regional police, said the group is a remnant of the notorious ‘Waray-Waray’ gang which was involved in
various criminal activities in the past years.

But Caranza said the six-man group, led by a certain Henry, was busted in a drug-bust in Barangay San
Isidro, Rodriguez town of Rizal at around 8 a.m. yesterday.

Aside from the leader of the group, also killed were certain Jun Payat, Atan, Hogan, and Margarito Pizana
Jr. The sixth fatality is still unidentified.

“This started as a drug-bust. They fought off and this led to the shootout,” Caranza said.

Seized from the slain suspects were a .45 pistol, a .40 pistol, a 9mm pistol, a revolver, a hand grenade and
some 50 grams of shabu packed in several plastic sachets.

“They were also involved in carnapping and robbery cases,” Caranza said.

The Calabarzon regional police have stepped up the operation against gun-for-hire groups as part of the
early election security preparations.

The police intelligence community points to criminal syndicates who would transform into gun-for-hire as
election nears. Calabarzon is one of the hotspots on gun-for-hire activities.

At least 11 mayors and six vice mayors were killed in the past two years, some of them are running for
election in the midterm polls next year.

This prompted the PNP leadership to order all regional directors to start the election security preparations,
including offensive against criminal syndicates.

The PNP leadership earlier tagged almost 8,000 barangays as potential election hotspots for next year’s
elections.
1.

She also noted that if these police “visits” are coupled with the “red-tagging” of universities and churches
critical to the administration, “we see a fresh wave of initiatives towards authoritarian rule.”

“While engaging stakeholders, such as journalists, is necessary, it should not be used as a pretext to conduct
surveillance nor to intimidate reporters,” she said in a dispatch from Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“If the government intrudes on this function of journalists, then democracy is in real trouble,” she added.

Police visit to Bacolod newspaper office not meant to intimidate — Albayalde

The detained senator advised the Philippine National Police (PNP) or any government agency that if it is
“really bent on partnering with the press,” it only needs to respect the rights of the press to “cover and report
without any fear of reprisal.”

“There is a reason why media is called the Fourth Estate. It has the mandate to check abuses of those in
power by exposing the truth and enabling the public to participate in public discourses,” De Lima said.

2.

Duterte eyes ‘Chinese-Filipino’ to head NFA

The President had announced that Bautista would be the next National Food Administrator (NFA)
administrator after Jason Aquino had asked to be relieved from the post.

Asked to clarify the President’s statement, Special Assistant to the President Bong Go told INQUIRER.net
in a text message that what the President meant was a “Filipino-Chinese.”

“I’ll just (ask) him to, in the meantime, to be the NFA. Alam man nila ang negosyo na iyan (They know the
business),” he said.

A former commander of the President’s security group, Bautista is retiring from military service this month.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he is looking for a “Chinese-Filipino” to head the National Food
Authority (NFA) after his initial choice, Army Chief Rolando Bautista, was offered a new post at the
Department of Social Welfare and Department (DSWD).

“Rolly Bautista is DSWD. Ngayon, ang NFA, I’m looking for somebody else. I’m looking for a Chinese
who’s been there in the business maybe 20 years,” Duterte told reporters in Malacañang.

Duterte, however, did not name his choice of NFA Administrator.

3.

2 dead as truck loses brakes, sideswipes 7 other vehicles

A six-wheeler truck loaded with fish lost its brakes and went out of control while traversing the national
highway in Barangay Paglaum, Dumalinao town in Zamboanga del Sur at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. It sideswiped
seven vehicles, killing two drivers and injuring seven persons.

Senior Inspector Neil Pugoy, Dumalinao police chief, said the blue truck from Zamboanga City was on its
way to Pagadian City when it went out of control as it followed the descending road from Barangay
Camanga to Barangay Paglaum at high speed.

PAGADIAN CITY

The truck was registered under Jordan Fishing Corporation in Barangay Mampang, Zamboanga City and
was driven by Ariel Basister Napalcruz, 31, a resident of Barangay Talon-talon, Zamboanga City.

Napalcruz was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival by an attending physician.

Another driver identified as Mario Rola Balabag, 51, a resident of San Miguel town, Zamboanga del Sur,
was found dead on the spot. He was driving a forward truck loaded with construction materials for
Margosatubig, Zamboanga del Sur.

Pugoy said the truck sideswiped vehicles along the way; among them, a Toyota Corolla, a Toyota Wigo, a
Mitsubishi truck, two motorcycles, and an army truck.

4.

“The 30-minute firefight ensued after more or less 10 terrorists opened fire to the troops conducting patrol,
which resulted in the death of one of the terrorists, whose identity is yet to be determined,” Tagros said.

A suspected member of the New People’s Army was killed and two soldiers were wounded in an armed
encounter in Bukidnon on Tuesday, the military said.

Soldiers from the Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion were conducting a security patrol in Barangay New
Eden, Pangantucan town at around 9 a.m. when it chanced upon about 10 communist rebels believed to be
members of the Guerilla Front 68 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, Capt. Norman
Tagros, spokesperson of 403rd Brigade, said in a statement.

The government forces also recovered one M-16 rifle with M203 grenade launcher, one M16 rifle, one M14
rifle, one barrel of an M60 machine gun, eight anti-personnel mines, one hand grenade and assorted live
ammunition from the encounter site.

Two soldiers suffered minor casualties and were brought to a military hospital in Cagayan de Oro City.
NPA rebel killed, 2 soldiers wounded in Bukidnon clash
5.

He said the shores have become virtually “red” as several portions of have already been covered in hip-
deep mud.

If not abated, Dela Rosa said the contamination will destroy the marine habitats such as coral reefs and sea
grass adversely affecting the spawning grounds of fish in Surigao del Sur and other provinces.

On the second day of the four-day “Partners’ Forum: People and the Sea” at the Ritz Hotel at Garden
Oases on Tuesday, Gregorio E. de la Rosa Jr., conservation science and research manager at the Haribon
Foundation, said in an interview that the sediments from the mining sites are washed away during heavy
downpour, ending up in the shores and protected mangrove sites in Lanuza Bay.

Environmental group Haribon Foundation expressed concern over the threats to the marine life caused by
the runoff sediments from mining sites in Surigao del Sur.

DAVAO CITY

He said it would also severely affect the catch of local fishermen because fish in the area will lose their
spawning grounds.

Mining sediments threaten marine life in Surigao del Sur

Dela Rosa said they were coordinating with local government units to craft and enforce existing policies,
such as those stated under the Lanuza Bay Environmental Management

6.
Aside from the leader of the group, also killed were certain Jun Payat, Atan, Hogan, and Margarito Pizana Jr. The
sixth fatality is still unidentified.

Police killed six suspected members of a gun-for-hire group in a runup to the midterm elections amid the killings of
local chief executives and potential candidates in the past months.

Chief Supt. Edward Caranza, director of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) regional
police, said the group is a remnant of the notorious ‘Waray-Waray’ gang which was involved in various criminal
activities in the past years.

But Caranza said the six-man group, led by a certain Henry, was busted in a drug-bust in Barangay San Isidro,
Rodriguez town of Rizal at around 8 a.m. yesterday.

Police kill 6 members of gun-for-hire group in runup to midterm elections

“They were also involved in carnapping and robbery cases,” Caranza said.

“This started as a drug-bust. They fought off and this led to the shootout,” Caranza said.

Seized from the slain suspects were a .45 pistol, a .40 pistol, a 9mm pistol, a revolver, a hand grenade and some 50
grams of shabu packed in several plastic sachets.

The police intelligence community points to criminal syndicates who would transform into gun-for-hire as election
nears. Calabarzon is one of the hotspots on gun-for-hire activities.

The PNP leadership earlier tagged almost 8,000 barangays as potential election hotspots for next year’s elections.

At least 11 mayors and six vice mayors were killed in the past two years, some of them are running for election in
the midterm polls next year.

This prompted the PNP leadership to order all regional directors to start the election security preparations, including
offensive against criminal syndicates.

The Calabarzon regional police have stepped up the operation against gun-for-hire groups as part of the early
election security preparations.