Duterte apologizes

I SINCERELY express sadness and regret that the part of my speech mentioning Pope Francis in relation to the monstrous traffic gridlock in January came across as being disrespectful to the person of His Holiness Pope Francis. It was farthest from my mind and was never my intention. I acknowledge that I should have explained better my point on the matter of that monstrous traffic gridlock. My strong statement on the incompetence of those in government to address the traffic problem in Metro Manila was my expression of anger borne out of the helplessness of the millions of commuters suffering from this daily gridlock. It was never intended to be directed to the person of His Holiness Pope Francis who has my outmost respect. It was out of exasperation at the inutility of the functionaries in government not only during that historic visit of Pope Francis but at the daily sufferings of all citizens in Metro Manila up to this moment.

I also fully understand the reactions of many who, at the very least, are displeased and disappointed, at this unfortunate and regrettable incident. —Rodrigo Duterte, mayor, Davao City

Special Treatment

THOUGH I am quite disappointed by the “homicidal decision” of the Court which gave a lesser judgment where a hate crime against transgenders was made into a mitigating situation, the decision of the Court must be respected and is still a partial victory for the Filipino people. The Court though, asserted that the accused must be committed immediately to the National Bilibid Prison.

But the US is asserting their so-called rights and privileges under the Visiting Forces Agreement. They refuse to turn over the convicted prisoner to Philippine authorities and its custody. This is what is wryly wrong with the VFA and even Edca which gives special treatment to US military personnel who commit crimes.

We must assert our national sovereignty in this case, otherwise, what is the point of asserting that sovereignty over the Spratlys and South China Sea? —Prof. Roland Simbulan, convenor, Pilipinong Nagkakaisa para sa Soberanya

4th ID Falsehood

NUJP demands the AFP to issue an apology for issuing false statements against our former chairperson Inday Espina.

4th Infantry Division information officer Captain Patrick Martinez has resorted to spreading blatant falsehood in the attempt to extricate his office for issuing a statement that accused our former chairperson Inday Espina-Varona of being in cahoots with communist rebels.

Last week, the 4th ID issued a statement quoting Colonel Alexander Macario, commander of the 401st Infantry Brigade, which gave the impression they were reacting to an article written by Inday in which she purportedly accused soldiers of the arson.

However, the only thing connected to the incident that Inday had done at the time was re-share on her Facebook account an alert issued by the human rights organization Karapatan.

The 4th ID statement, which claimed the New People’s Army was responsible for the arson based on the statement of a former rebel, insinuates that the only way Inday could have gotten news of the incident out so fast would have been if she received the information from the perpetrators in what he claims was a “planned and orchestrated” series of events.

On Monday, the Cagayan de Oro community paper Gold Star Daily, ran an article in which Martinez denies red baiting Inday and then goes on to claim that what he had issued was an “advisory” in “response to what she posted on her social media that we thought was not fair.” (http://goldstardailynews.com.ph/4ided-baiting-of-journo-not-our-intention/)

He claimed the statement on Inday “was meant to reach out to the public who read her post on social media. It was not intended to vilify her.”

And then he drops the lie, claiming they tried to comment on Inday’s page but were “blocked.”

But as anyone familiar with Inday’s Facebook account, her page is public, meaning it is open to anyone to comment on.

Captain Martinez has apparently discarded the second word in the motto of the Philippine Military Academy: integrity.

Be that as it may, it does not change the tenor of the original statement he, as 4th ID information officer, issued, which in itself belies his claim that it was not their intention to vilify or endanger Inday. As the still growing river of blood in this country proves, being publicly accused by the military of links to “enemies of the state” IS detrimental to one’s health.

We reiterate our demand for Captain Martinez and Colonel Macario to retract their statement and publicly apologize to Inday Espina-Varona and for the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to impose sanctions on these officers who can endanger citizens of this Republic in so cavalier a fashion. —JB Deveza, Secretary-General, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines