STEALING FREE NEWSPAPER IS STILL A CRIME ! AB 2612, PLESCIA CRIME Noynoy travel ban WEEKLY ISSUE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION ONLINE Vol. IX Issue 455 1028 Mission Street, 2/F, San Francisco, CA 94103 Tel. (415) 593-5955 or (650) 278-0692 Dec. 28 - Jan. 3, 2018 WHO okays completion Davao Vice-mayor Paolo Duterte of Dengvaxia inoculation By Lara Climaco FilAm Star Correspondent PH NEWS | A2 resigns, cites ‘family problems’ The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its guidance on Limahong for tourism By Daniel Llanto | FilAm Star Correspondent using the Dengvaxia vaccine. It has affirmed the efficacy of Sanofi Pasteur’s Citing family problems, as well dengue vaccine and is recommending as alleged involvement in drug smug- that the three-dose series be completed gling, presidential son Paolo Duterte among those who have been partially resigned as vice-mayor of Davao City, vaccinated. otherwise known as Duterte City being “There is no evidence to determine the home city of President Duterte and the risk and benefit of completion or helmed by presidential daughter Sara suspension of the series in those who Duterte-Carpio. have received only one or two doses. Paolo was recently summoned to However, in documented high sero- PH NEWS | A2 a series of Senate hearings for his sup- prevalence settings, where vaccination posed involvement in the smuggling of has not yet been completed, there is illegal drugs at the Bureau of Customs. likely to be an overall benefit to the 49’ers beat Jaguars Sen. Antonio Trillanes III charged that population if individuals complete the Duterte lead the “influential” Davao schedule, hereby assuring protection of Group that brought illegal drugs into sero-positive individuals who make up (L-R) Paolo Duterte and Isabelle Duterte the country. the majority of the vaccinated popula (Photo: www.pinoytrending.altervista.org) TO PAGE A7 TO PAGE A7 Over Php10.2 billion laundered in the Philippines Tax exemptions sought for passengers from Mindanao, Palawan in 2 years –Anti-Money Laundering Council bound for Brunei, Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia SPORTS NEWS | A5 By Corina Oliquino | FilAm Star Correspondent By Macon Araneta | FilAm Star Correspondent Courts allow banned Council (AMLC) reported that Php10.2 travelers to join relatives billion worth of funds were laundered in the Philippines in 2015 and 2016. The second NRA report evaluated the “effectiveness of the country’s exist- ing anti-money laundering and coun- ter-terrorist financing mechanisms.” In its sectoral threat assessment, AMLC says banks and money service (Photo: www.cnnphilippines.com) businesses were identified to be the sectors primarily and widely used by MANILA – In its Second National criminals to launder the proceeds of LEGAL & LAW | B4 Risk Assessment (NRA) on Money their crimes while casinos were used to Laundering and Terrorist Financing launder huge amount of stolen funds. (L-R) Rep. Gil Acosta and Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez (Photos: www..congress.gov.ph) Lizquen spreading love report, the Anti-Money Laundering TO PAGE A7 STORY ON PAGE A7 in London PH Consulate General in Hong Kong to file charges Over 245 dead in Mindanao vs. travel agency that defrauded 1,000 OFWs Christmas disasters By Corina Oliquino | FilAm Star Correspondent By Daniel Llanto | FilAm Star Correspondent According to various reports, air- Christmas turned out to be a line tickets bought through Peya Travel season of grieving in Mindanao after ENTERTAINMENT | B6 cannot be confirmed and, consequent- a tropical storm that brought back ly, hundreds of Filipino overseas work- memories of typhoon Yolanda (a.k.a. Mariah Carey Christmas ers who bought them may not be home Haiyan) in 2013 killed 209 with 144 song a hit after 23 years in time for the holiday season. persons missing and presumed dead In an interview with The Philip- even as 37 others perished in a com- pine Star, OFW Marietta Sabas, who mercial complex fire in President has been working in Hong Kong for Duterte’s home city of Davao. over two decades, said she booked Tropical storm Vinta” (interna- Philippine Airlines tickets worth tional name: “Tembin”) lashed the Php24,535 or HK$3,800 at Peya length of Mindanao on Christmas eve Travel last November. The airline con- with strong gusts and torrential rains, firmed her reservation but they did not wiping out at least one barangay and receive payment. Sabas said this was a prompting a massive rescue operation (Photo: Peya Travel’s Official Fb Page) first time for her. IFRC’s Patrick Elliott afterwards. ENTERTAINMENT | B7 (Photo: www.twitter.com) TO PAGE A7 TO PAGE A7 A2 FilAm Star Dec. 28 - Jan. 3, 2018 ph news Limahong escape route soon to be historic tourist spot Travel restraint imposed on Noynoy Aquino, others over dengue vaccine mess By William Casis | FilAm Star Correspondent By Daniel Llanto | FilAm Star Correspondent The House of Representa- Philippines country chairman; tives approved on third and and Ruby Dizon, Sanofi Pasteur final reading House Bill 6682 medical director. which seeks to declare as a The ILBO was issued after tourist spot the escape route of party-list group Gabriela filed a pirate Limahong in Lingayen, graft complaint against Aquino, Pangasinan. some of his former Cabinet secre- Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil taries, and Sanofi executives over (2nd District, Pangasinan), the government’s scuttled anti- principal author of the Bill, dengue vaccination program. said the Limahong Channel is a The Health Department historic site because it is where ordered a halt to the imple- the Chinese corsair Limahong, mentation of the program this who invaded the Northern Phil- month after its manufacturer, ippine Islands in 1574, sought Sanofi Pasteur, admitted that refuge when he was repulsed the vaccine might aggravate the (L-R) Former Health Sec. Janette Garin and former President Noynoy Aquino by the defenders of Parañaque, condition of a first-time dengue (Photo: www.cnnphilippines.com) then a royal encomienda. patients. “Pursued by the Spanish The Department of Health An Immigration Lookout dengue immunization program said more than 830,000 children colonizers, he dug a channel Bulletin Order (ILBO) which of the past administration. from public schools in Metro Ma- in Domalandan, Lingayen that serves as a travel restriction In an interview, Aguirre nila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon served as his escape towards the has been issued against former said “this government official is a (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal China Sea. It is located along President Benigno Aquino III very, very important witness who and Quezon) and Cebu were vac- the Agno River at the mouth and some officials who served knows the transaction from be- cinated with Dengvaxia. of the Lingayen Gulf,” Bataoil in his Cabinet in connection ginning to end.” He declined to The ILBO was issued after explained. with alleged irregularities in identify this witness for now who Aquino and the other officials Bataoil, chairman of the the acquisition and nationwide will give him the details after the were charge before the Office of committee on veterans affairs distribution of the anti-dengue holiday season. the Ombudsman in a complaint and welfare, said declaring the vaccine Dengvaxia whose efficacy Aguirre said the official filed by Gabriela party-list and Limahong Channel as a tourist Artist sketch of Limahong the Pirate now proves suspect. volunteered to cooperate with several parents of children who spot could entice tourists, local (Photos: www.triviamania.weebly.com) Apart from Aquino, the the National Bureau of Investiga- were injected with the vaccine. and foreign, especially the Chi- ILBO imposed by the Depart- tion (NBI) which is conducting a Aquino and company were nese, to visit the place. prepare a tourism development the implementation of the Act, ment of Justice also covered for- probe to determine the civil and charged with violation of Re- Moreover, this in a way plan involving the construction, the funding of which shall be mer Health Sec. Janette Garin, criminal liability of those behind public Act 3019, the Anti-Graft will generate employment op- installation and maintenance of included in the General Appro- former Budget Sec. Florencio the purchase of Dengvaxia vac- and Corrupt Practices Act, for portunities for the residents of such appropriate facilities and priations Act (GAA) and from Abad and former Executive Sec. cine. approving the program that was the municipality and the nearby infrastructure as shall encour- internally-generated funds of Paquito Ochoa Jr. The Justice Secretary earlier allegedly “grossly disadvanta- communities, thus improving age tourism in the area within the DoT. “Considering the gravity of directed the NBI to build up cas- geous to the government and their lives. six month after the approval of The Secretary of the DoT is the possible offenses which may es against those behind the pur- detrimental to the health and The Bill provides the this act. likewise tasked to promulgate have been committed, there is chase of Dengvaxia vaccine after welfare of its recipients, due to development of the Limahong However, the said devel- the necessary rules and regula- a strong probability that they its manufacturer had advised the the lack of comprehensive study Channel as a tourist spot shall opment plan shall ensure the tions for its proper implementa- may attempt to place themselves public that the vaccine is effective on the effectivity and risks of the be prioritized by the Depart- beyond the reach of the legal pro- for people who have had dengue vaccines.” preservation and conserva- tion within 60 days from the cess of the government,” Justice but poses risks for those who Earlier, the Supreme Court ment of Tourism (DoT) and tion of the natural beauty and effectivity of this Act. Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre II said have not yet had dengue. had been asked to compel three subject to the rules and regula- historical significance in the in the relevant memorandum For this supposed decep- departments of government to tions governing the develop- said area.