INTERNATIONAL THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2016

Japan submarine to visit Philippines, other ships to Vietnam

TOKYO: A Japanese submarine will make growing concerns about China’s increas- tested reefs into artificial islands capable will also subsequently visit Cam Ranh in the South China Sea after Manila said a port call in the Philippines for the first ing military muscle amid a series of mar- of supporting military facilities. Bay in Vietnam. it would lease five Japanese military time in 15 years while accompanying itime disputes. Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan The exercise, joined by some 500 per- planes. Philippine President Benigno naval ships will visit Vietnam’s Cam Ranh China claims almost all the South also claim all or part of the Spratlys chain sonnel including officer candidates, is Aquino said last week that Manila would Bay for the first time ever, Japan’s navy China Sea. It is also embroiled in a sepa- in the Sea, while Vietnam and Taiwan scheduled from Saturday through April lease five TC-90 training aircraft from said. rate row with Japan over disputed have rival claims with China in the 27.It will be the first call at a Philippine Japan to “help our navy patrol our terri- The announcement came days after islands in the East China Sea that has Paracels chain there. port by a Japanese submarine since tory”, pointing to the disputed South China accused its Asian rival of interfer- seen relations sour badly in recent years. The Japanese submarine Oyashio and 2001, while the visit by the escort ships China Sea in particular. ing in the South China Sea. Japan, which Tensions in the South China Sea- two escort vessels will visit Subic Bay in to Cam Ranh Bay will mark a first for China immediately reacted, saying it occupied the Philippines and Vietnam through which one-third of the world’s the Philippines for annual open sea drills, Japan’s navy, the spokesman said. The was “firmly opposed” to challenges to its during World War II, is now strengthen- oil passes-have mounted in recent a spokesman for Japan’s Maritime Staff submarine will not go to Vietnam, he sovereignty and security and would ing relations. All three countries share months since China transformed con- Office confirmed to AFP. The escort ships said. Beijing accused Tokyo of interfering “remain on high alert”.—AFP

Kill all the criminals! Duterte’s vote-winning vow in Philippines

LINGAYEN: Rodrigo Duterte curses the His unique form of political courage has pope’s mother and jokes about his own extended to insulting Pope Francis, who is infidelities, but many voters in the revered by many in a nation where 80 per- Philippines want to elect him president so cent of the population are Catholics. In a he can honor a campaign pledge to kill speech to launch his presidential bid late thousands of criminals. Duterte is making a last year, Duterte criticized the pope for spectacular, obscenity-filled charge causing traffic jams when he visited the towards the presidential palace by selling Philippines. Duterte, who is in a long-term himself as a ruthless leader willing to relationship with a woman after having his bypass the judicial system in an unprece- first marriage annulled, also admitted then dented war against crime. to having two girlfriends. However Duterte “Kill them all,” Duterte, 70, told a cheer- jokingly assured taxpayers they would not ing crowd of supporters this month at a foot his mistresses’ bills, explaining he only campaign rally in the small northern city of spent 1,500 pesos ($32) a month on their Lingayen as he outlined his plans to eradi- boarding room rent and saved money by cate drug traffickers. “When I become presi- taking them to short-time hotels. dent, I’ll order the police and the military to Carlos said voters were willing to ignore find these people and kill them.” his indiscretions as they focused on his Such comments are typical fare on the track record in Davao, a formerly crime- campaign trail for Duterte, who in Lingayen plagued city that Duterte says he trans- also jokingly gave business advice to those formed into one of the nation’s most in the crowd to start up funeral parlors in peaceful. “Never mind he cusses a lot, he is preparation of him winning the May elec- a womanizer. I don’t think that will intrude into his effectiveness as a political leader,” she said. Duterte also maintains a frugal lifestyle, in contrast with many corrupt Filipino politicians who use the powers of office to enrich themselves.

Death squad fears Human rights campaigners are not enthusiastic about a Duterte presidency, PYONGYANG: American student Otto Warmbier, center, is escorted at the Supreme Court.—AP warning he has the track record to back up his rhetoric.They accuse Duterte of organiz- ing or tolerating vigilante squads that have North Korea sentences US targeted suspected criminals and street children in Davao, killing more than 1,000 people since the 1980s. For many years Duterte denied the existence of death tourist to 15 years in prison squads, which were allegedly made up of DAGUPAN: In this photo taken on March local policemen, ex-communist rebels and 2, 2016, shows Davao City Mayor and hired assassins. But Duterte has in recent Presidential Candidate Rodrigo Duterte months said he was involved in them and Tried to steal a propaganda banner raising a clenched fist during his cam- that rights groups had in fact underesti- paign sortie.—AFP mated the number of people to have been PYONGYANG: North Korea’s highest court sen- former President Bill Clinton, whose visit in 2009 been incarcerated since November 2012. killed. “They miscalculated... 1,700,” Duterte tenced an American tourist to 15 years in prison secured the freedom of American journalists Jeffrey Fowle, another US tourist from Ohio tions. “The funeral parlors will be packed... told reporters in December. with hard labor for subversion yesterday, weeks Euna Lee and Laura Ling. detained for six months at about the same time I’ll supply the dead bodies,” he said, to more That law enforcement agencies have after authorities presented him to media and he In November 2014, US spy chief James as Miller, was released just before that and sent cheers and laughter. failed to pursue allegations against Duterte tearfully confessed that he had tried to steal a Clapper went to Pyongyang to bring home home on a US government plane. Fowle left a On a previous occasion Duterte, a is not surprising, according to Philippine propaganda banner. Otto Warmbier, a University Matthew Miller, who had ripped up his visa Bible in a local club hoping a North Korean lawyer, pledged to kill 100,000 criminals Human Rights Commission chairman Chito of Virginia undergraduate, was convicted and when entering the country, and Korean- would find it, which is considered a criminal and dump so many in Manila Bay that the Gascon. Gascon said this was part of the sentenced in a one-hour trial in North Korea’s American missionary Kenneth Bae, who had offense in North Korea. —AP “fish will grow fat” from feeding on them. nation’s “culture of impunity”, where politi- Supreme Court. He was charged with subversion cians and powerful figures often get away under Article 60 of North Korea’s criminal code. Political courage with crimes. Other politicians are also The court held that he had committed a crime Surveys indicate his law-and-order plat- accused of running death squads. “pursuant to the US government’s hostile policy Indian journalists see more form, which is a centerpiece of his election Voters are attracted to Duterte’s promise toward (the North), in a bid to impair the unity of strategy, is winning him many fans in a of a quick fix to such fundamental justice its people after entering it as a tourist.” threats, attacks with PM Modi nation bedeviled by crime, corrupt law problems, according to Gascon and other North Korea regularly accuses Washington NEW DELHI: A newscast on whether ment from the international Committee to enforcement agencies and deep poverty. rights campaigners. “He is popular because and Seoul of sending spies to overthrow its gov- had become intolerant of dissent quickly spi- Protect Journalists. On Friday, Finance Minister The long-time mayor of the major southern he taps into this extreme disappointment in ernment to enable the US-backed South Korean raled into something darker after a guest on issued the first government com- city of Davao is one of four candidates with criminality and the inability of the govern- government to take control of the Korean the program referred to a pamphlet that ments condemning the violence surrounding a genuine shot at succeeding President ment to deal with it,” Carlos Conde, a Peninsula. Tensions are particularly high follow- called goddess Durga a sex worker. the hearing, saying “it was a terrible exception, Benigno Aquino. And he is gaining popu- Manila-based researcher with Human ing North Korea’s recent nuclear test and rocket Though the host did not make the remarks, what happened. Normally people in a public larity, climbing into second place just four Rights Watch, said. After losing four sons in launch, and massive joint military exercises now she was accused of disparaging the deity and place find media as their natural ally. The percentage points behind Senator Grace Davao to what she and human rights underway between the US and South Korea that was bombarded with more than 2,500 threat- whole idea of getting the media dragged into Poe, according to the latest survey by Pulse groups believe were the death squads, 62- the North sees as a dress rehearsal for invasion. ening calls. contemporaneous controversy and then Asia released this week. year-old Clarita Alia is urging voters to Before the trial, the 21-year-old from “Some called and said they would douse attacking it physically is absolutely unaccept- “Duterte is really a phenomenon. I like beware of short cuts. “I hope they think real- Wyoming, Ohio, said he had tried to steal a prop- me with acid,” journalist Sindhu able anywhere.” Journalists have never been what he is saying,” Clarita Carlos, a political ly hard because if they vote for the wrong aganda banner as a trophy for an acquaintance Sooryakumar said. Six members of a militant entirely safe in India - 11 have been killed since scientist at the University of the Philippines, person the killings will not stop,” Alia, who who wanted to hang it in her church. That would said. “I like the fact that he has fire in his lives in one of the city’s bleakest slums, said be grounds in North Korea for a subversion group linked with India’s Hindu nationalist rul- 2010, according to the CPJ. Most were working belly and he is politically courageous.” after she visited her sons’ graves. — AFP charge. Trials for foreigners facing similar ing party have been arrested. outside major cities, often covering small-town charges in North Korea are generally short and corruption, when they were killed. The fact punishments severe. Warmbier was arrested as Backlash against free speech that journalists in major cities like New Delhi he tried to leave the country in early January. He Sooryakumar is one of a growing number are now being hounded is relatively novel, was in North Korea with a New Year’s tour group. of Indian journalists who say they are increas- after years during which they operated largely ingly facing a backlash for producing work without fear of retribution thanks in part to the US tourism to North Korea legal that raises questions or criticisms of Prime nation’s educated, urban elite and the foreign US tourism to North Korea is legal. Arrests of Minister ’s government or his media bearing noisy witness. tourists are rare but the US State Department , or BJP. The crackdowns strongly advises against such travel. Further are happening as journalists try to cover a Journo as story complicating matters, Washington and nationwide debate on how Indian patriotism “As a journalist, you don’t want to be the Pyongyang do not have diplomatic relations. should be defined - as Hindu or multicultural, story yourself,” said Swati Chaturvedi, a veter- The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang acts as a devout or secular - and whether dissent an print and TV journalist who filed a police go-between in consular issues when US citizens should be tolerated. report last year while she said she was receiv- run afoul of North Korean authorities. Members of Modi’s government have ing up to 400 threatening messages a day. “I’m North Korea announced Warmbier’s arrest in offered hard-line views on the issue, equating actually very scared that, one of these days, late January, saying he committed an anti-state criticism of the government with criticism of this sort of thing will trigger a real riot.” crime with “the tacit connivance of the US gov- the country. Human Resource Development Rahul Jalali, president of the Press Club of ernment and under its manipulation.” It remains Minister Smriti Irani said last month that “the India in New Delhi, said he’s noticed a creep- unclear how the US government was allegedly nation can never tolerate an insult to Mother ing change for several years and worries the connected to Warmbier’s actions. India,” while Home Minister pressure on journalists could ultimately hurt Warmbier had been staying at the Yanggakdo tweeted that anyone shouting anti-India slo- their credibility. “The moderate space, even International Hotel. It is common for sections of gans “will not be tolerated or spared.” politically, is sort of disappearing, even for tourist hotels to be reserved for North Korean journalists. Today, you’re being forced to take Attacks on members of the press sides,” Jalali said. “There is a lot of self-censor- DAGUPAN: In this photo taken on March 2, 2016, shows Davao City Mayor and staff and off-limits to foreigners. In a tearful Last week, one of India’s best-recognized ship going on.” Presidential Candidate Rodrigo Duterte stating his political platform at college stu- statement made before his trial, Warmbier told a TV anchors, Barkha Dutt, filed a police report For the media, “it’s disastrous, we’re losing dents during his campaign sortie.—AFP gathering of reporters in Pyongyang he tried to take the banner as a trophy for the mother of a after allegedly receiving “anonymous abusive our objectivism,” he said. But he hoped it was friend who said she wanted to put it up in her death threats.” She had been reporting along temporary, noting that India’s media had church. He said he was offered a used car worth with the rest of the capital’s media on a uni- endured previous crackdowns, including Thai mototaxi driver nicked $10,000 if he could get a banner and was also versity student’s arrest for allegedly making Indira Gandhi imposing a state of emergency told that if he was detained and didn’t return, anti-India statements. The student criticized and seizing powers in 1975-77. $200,000 would be paid to his mother in the the 2013 secret hanging - under a previous After Sooryakumar, the Kerala news for nicking 4,000 knickers form of a charitable donation. Warmbier said he government - of a Kashmiri separatist convict- anchor, filed a police complaint about the accepted the offer because his family was “suf- ed of an attack on Parliament. threatening phone calls she received, police BANGKOK: A taxi driver accused of steal- cannot detain him because we cannot find fering from very severe financial difficulties.” Dutt told a conference organized by a arrested six members of the militant Hindu ing some 4,000 items of women’s under- plaintiffs and the villagers are too embar- Warmbier also said he had been encouraged women’s group that, following her reports, organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, wear in Thailand has been publicly paraded rassed so I decided to make a public alert,” by the university’s “Z Society,” which he said he she received calls threatening “rape, sexual or RSS - the ideological parent of the ruling by police, the second time in six years the Sergeant Suwat Nisungkat of Samut Prakan was trying to join. The magazine of the universi- abuse and even shooting me.” BJP - for alleged harassment, including post- alleged panty thief has been nabbed for police told AFP. ty’s alumni association describes the Z Society as During that same student’s court hearing ing Sooryakumar’s cellphone number to a fuelling his fetish. This is not the first time the prolific a “semi-secret ring society” founded in 1892 that on sedition charges last month, lawyers beat social media group. Sooryakumar said the The 54-year-old motorbike taxi chauf- panty stealer has been caught for such an conducts philanthropy, puts on honorary din- reporters and damaged cameras and record- group “exhorted members to call me and feur was paraded before local media yes- offence. In 2010, police found him in pos- ners and grants academic awards. ing equipment while demanding they not cov- solicit my services as a sex worker.” When the terday next to a mountain of bras and session of some 10,000 undergarments he er public protests against the student’s arrest. six were released on bail earlier this month, a underwear that he allegedly stole in had surreptitiously plucked from clothes- Public confessions Journalists from several broadcasters, newspa- crowd of RSS members reportedly greeted between ferrying passengers around the lines and drying racks. In previous cases, people who have been pers and wire services were attacked, includ- them with cheers. Kerala’s BJP president and Thai capital on the back of his moped. He was convicted of theft and jailed for detained in North Korea and made a public con- ing an Associated Press photographer whose RSS member Kummanam Rajasekharan But investigators said they were current- slightly over three years, Suwat said. “After fession often recant those statements after their hand was bruised and camera lens broken. The denied RSS involvement and said anyone who ly unable to charge him because no one he was arrested his wife left him and now release. In the past, North Korea has held out attacks “have heightened concerns about the called the newscaster had “acted so of their has made an official complaint as they she has become a nun because she’s until senior US officials or statesmen came to state of press freedom in India,” said a state- own volition.” —AP called for victims to come forward. “Police embarrassed,” the officer said.—AFP personally bail out detainees, all the way up to