May 2017 Edition
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Volume XXXV No. 5 May 2017 Montreal, QC www.filipinostar.org Chief Justice Sereno speaks up on martial law declaration lead to abuses "depends" on whether ABS-CBN News government branches would ensure Posted at May 26 2017 04:03 fidelity to the Constitution and on public vigilance. 'If properly implemented, martial law declaration won't be a burden' "If President Duterte and the MANILA- While strict compliance with aforementioned government authorities the Constitution would spare the avoid the gross historical sins of Mister nation from abuses under martial law, Marcos and his agents, then our country Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno might reap the benefits of the legitimate use on Friday called on graduates of the of the provisions on Martial Law in the 1987 Ateneo de Manila University to "make Constitution," said Sereno. a stand" against the rising "culture of impunity" and "blatant threats" facing She said the 1987 Constitution in "clear and fundamental rights and freedoms. unmistakable language rejects and absolutely prohibits the particular kind of martial law that began in our country in The Chief Justice speaks to the September of 1972," in reference to the Ateneo de Manila University Class of wrongdoings under Marcos' rule. 2017, "The Atenean Facing Martial Law". Still, she urged graduates to take action against a pervading "culture, a pattern" of Speaking in graduation rites of her "apathy, rage, and despair." alma mater, Sereno for the first time publicly addressed President Rodrigo "As we face the days following President Duterte's declaration of martial law in Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno delivers her commencement Mindanao, it behooves us to ask what we Mindanao, citing constitutional speech at the Ateneo de Manila University. PHOTO FROM THE can do in the present, with the time that is protection against the feared repeat of SUPREME COURT PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE given to us, to ensure that the horrors of horrors the country experienced under Whether or not Duterte's martial law martial law that followed the 1972 the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos' (martial law declaration) should not by declaration over Mindanao-- declaration do not happen again," Sereno martial rule. itself unduly burden our country," Sereno, an appointee of then-President prompted by gunfights between Benigno Aquino, said. government troops and the terrorist Maute See Page 4 Chief Justice "When properly implemented, this group in Marawi City on Tuesday--would Quebec election map contested May 18, 2017 – Earlier today, Me. newspaper, and has some 20 Julius Grey filed a legal contestation members. against the Commission de la représentation électorale asking that The committee has the support of all the court put aside the Québec five local Mayors of the affected electoral map published in the Official communities, Russell Copeman, Gazette on March 2, 2017. Philippe Roy, Mitchell Brownstein, William Steinberg and Marie Cinq-Mars. The plaintiffs are a citizens’ committee Snowdon City Councillor Marvin formed to protest the map which Rotrand is the liaison between the merges Mont Royal and Outremont political level and the citizens ridings and substantially alters the committee. historic boundaries of D’Arcy McGee. The City of Côte-Saint-Luc, Town of The committee was formed last March Hampstead, Town of Mount-Royal, and 22 at a public meeting in which over the Boroughs of Côte-des- 400 residents of the affected ridings Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and participated. The citizens argue that Outremont have all adopted motions the electoral map unfairly under opposing the electoral map. represents the political weight of Montreal, prevents effective The plaintiffs hope to have the case representation and reduces the ability heard this autumn allowing a resolution of linguistic and ethnic minorities to be of the issue well before the next heard. Quebec provincial election scheduled From left to right: for October 2018. Daniel Robert (TMR Councillor), William Steinberg (Mayor of The committee is co-chaired by Hon. Hampstead), Councilor Marvin Rotrand, Mitcehll Brownstein Source: Marvin Rotrand Marlene Jennings, a former Member of (Mayor of Cote St. Luc), Beryl Wajsman (Editor of The Suburban), Parliament, and Beryl Wajsman, the Me. Julius Grey, Hon. Marlene Jennings. editor of the Suburban, a weekly . May 2017 2 The North American Filipino Star sorts of names – “idiot,” “stupid,” “son of term? Have they considered the pulse _ _ _ _ _ _ _,” and many other of the people in this foreign policy expletives – and, in fact, in his latest change? For example, a recent Pulse OPINION ED. tirade threatened to behead all human Asia survey showed that the countries say, “no strings attached.” Playing with fire rights activists who dare criticize his war least likely trusted by Filipinos are on drugs that has resulted in the death China and Russia, and the most Either Duterte and his officials are too The rejection of $280 million in grants of more than 7,000 drug users and trusted are the United States, Japan, naïve, or they are lying through their from the European Union last week and pushers. Australia and Great Britain. teeth each time they say that Chinese the visits of President Duterte to China and Russian aid, unlike those of the and Russia in a two-week span Although he is a self-proclaimed leftist While Duterte and Cayetano are European Union and the United States, validated what has become obvious and a longtime hater of the United calling the foreign policy shift as an have no strings attached. since the former Davao City mayor States, it is actually the concerns raised “independent foreign policy,” experts became president in July last year – by the State Department, President are calling it a “hedging strategy,” For example, China has offered a that the country is taking a 180-degree Obama, the United Nations and the which a scholar has defined as “an $500-million soft loan for the military, turn in its foreign policy. European Union on his war on drugs insurance-seeking behavior under but the funds, as emphasized by that triggered and fortified his policy of high-stakes and high-uncertainty Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, distancing the country from the Western situations, where a sovereign actor would be used to purchase arms from allies and embracing his newfound pursues a bundle of opposite and China, not from any other country. Of friends China and Russia, which have deliberately ambiguous policies vis-à- course, any military aid from Russia not criticized his deadly drug war nor his vis competing powers to prepare a would also have to be used to purchase disdain for the rule of law and human fallback position should weapons from Russia. In the same rights. After all, these two countries circumstances change.” manner, the grants and loans pledged have totalitarian governments that by China for infrastructure projects respect neither the rule of law or human This explains why the Duterte would have certain conditions, such as rights. It’s a foreign policy Duterte and administration continues to hold the inclusion of some Chinese Cayetano conveniently call “an Balikatan exercises with the US, to contractors and suppliers. independent foreign policy.” insist that the Mutual Defense Treaty and EDCA remain in force, while But these are just the economic But we all know that these two regional agreeing to hold joint military conditions of the grants. The more Duterte, his spokesmen, and newly powers wouldn’t give without getting exercises with both China and Russia, telling and critical conditions are those confirmed Foreign Secretary Alan Peter much, much more in return. For and while playing footsies with that pertain to what former Social Cayetano describe these recent example, China has been raping America’s adversaries. Economic Planning Secretary Solita developments as the pursuit of an Philippine sovereignty in the South Monsod as the “policy “independent foreign policy.” China Sea but since it is offering money The objective of this approach, conditionalities”—good governance, that is hard to refuse, Duterte has opted according to an analyst at the National anti-corruption and the rule of law. Most “We will not accept aid from any to spread the country’s legs and to Defense College of the Philippines, is of these conditions are imposed by country if there are strings attached, if enjoy the rape. to “acquire as many returns from donor countries from the West, such as there are conditions, because we are different powers as possible` while the United States and European an independent nation, and we have an We do not question the President’s simultaneously seeking to offset countries. independent foreign policy,” Cayetano sincerity in his desire to accelerate longer-term risks.” explained an earlier announcement by economic growth through infrastructure For example, foreign aids granted by Malacanang that the Philippines would projects that China had pledged to Evidently, Duterte is trying to play the the US-based Millennium Challenge not accept grants from the EU “that finance, but has the Cabinet studied world’s major powers, hoping to gain Corporation are monitored to ensure may allow it to interfere with internal deeply and thoroughly the impact of the as much economic returns as the that there is no corruption involved, and policies of the Philippines.” turnaround in foreign policy in the long country could possibly get from them. that there is a policy of good governance, the rule of law and respect And yet, a few days earlier, Duterte for human rights in the country proudly announced that he has receiving aid. The same is true with received over $1 billion in pledges of grants and loans from World Bank, IMF, official development aid from China Japan ODA, and, of course, the where he had just attended the One European Union.