Abu Sayyaf Behaeds Village Chief in Sulu

By Roel Pareño  (Philippine Star)

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The Abu Sayyaf group, known to have links with other terror groups in neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia, gained worldwide notoriety for bombings and kidnapping activities. Philstar.com/File photo

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Abu Sayyaf insurgents beheaded one of its male captives they held hostage in Sulu province after negotiation for his safe release failed.

Navy Captain Roy Vincent Trinidad, chief of staff of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Joint Task Force Zambasulta, identified the victim as Rodolfo Bulagao.

Bulagao, a barangay captain of Aliguay Island in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, was abducted last May 4 along with Philippine Coast Guard personnel Seaman 2nd Class Gringo Villaruz and Seaman 1st Class Rod Pagaling.

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Trinidad said the decapitated head was found around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday by a civilian in Barangay Labah, Maimbung town.

The local police was immediately alerted and recovered the remains of Bulagao, which were brought to the Sulu Provincial hospital for proper disposition.

There was no immediate report on what prompted the execution of the victim though the Abu Sayyaf group issued threats last June to execute one of the three victims taken from Dapitan City if the government will not pay the huge ransom.

The group issued its warning through a video clip posted on social media, showing all three hostages.

In the more than three-minute video clip, each of the victims were directed to speak and appealed for their safety from the possible beheading.

“The reports we received, there was failure of negotiation,” Trinidad said without elaborating.

There were reports that the Abu Sayyaf group directly negotiated with Bulagao’s family, demanding P500,000 ransom in exchange for the release of the victim.

It was not clear how much ransom the Abu Sayyaf demanded for the release the two Coast Guard personnel.

Trinidad said the remains of Bulagao were scheduled to be transported by the Navy late Tuesday afternoon and the victim’s family requested for privacy from the media.

Trinidad said negotiation is still ongoing for the release of the two Coast Guard personnel and other hostages.

Among the captives still in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf group were foreigners Elwold Horns of Holland, Malaysian Thien Nyuk Fun, Cambodian Bernard Then Ted Fen, Korean businessman Noui Hong Sung and long-time captive Japanese national Toshio Ito.

The local victims were Mayor Gemma Adana of Naga town, Zamboanga Sibugay province, Coast Guard personnel Villaruz and Pagaling and three-year old Ace Jay Garban, a scion of a known political clan in Pitogo town, Zamboanga del Sur. 

Increased Risks Seen Affecting Philippine Growth

By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) 

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In its quarterly report on the Philippines, Global Source revised downwards its 2015 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.1 percent instead of the previous projection of 6.7 percent made in May. Photo by Paulo Alcazaren

MANILA, Philippines - New York-based think tank Global Source Partners slashed the country’s economic growth projections amid increasing foreign investor caution, more volatile global financial markets, and risks of a stronger El Niño weather disturbance.

In its quarterly report on the Philippines, Global Source revised downwards its 2015 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.1 percent instead of the previous projection of 6.7 percent made in May.

“External risks have increased since our last report. Our outlook, which sees GDP growth at 6.1 percent in 2015 and 6.5 percent in 2016, is one of guarded optimism,” the think tank said.

Global Source pointed out weak export markets have dampened sales across several product lines.

It also cited the impact of the Greek debt debacle as well as the stock market crash in China in lowering the country’s GDP growth outlook.

“As well, continuing anxieties over Greece and its repercussions on the euro plus fears of herding out of Asian/emerging markets equities have increased volatilities in financial markets with players watchful of potentially disruptive capital outflows as the US normalizes monetary policy, expected later in the year,” it added.

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On the other hand, it explained “guardedness stems not only from exports’ vulnerability to softening external demand but also from what we think is increasing investor caution, especially on the part of foreign businesses, as seen in lower investment pledges and translations into actual foreign direct investments (FDIs).

The baseline case considers measures to help cushion the impact on farm output of an El Niño-induced drought, the policy stance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and that the markets have already priced in the impending interest rate hike by the US Fed.

“We expect any capital outflows associated with such gradual adjustments to be manageable in light of the BSP’s more than ample foreign exchange reserves to cover importing and debt servicing requirements,” it said.

For the second quarter, the company sees the country’s GDP falling below six percent due to uncertainty about government spending, wider trade deficit, and declining investment pledges.

Global Source said its worst-case scenario involves a repeat of the first quarter performance reflecting lethargic government spending and the drag from net exports accompanied by large crop losses from a severe El Niño.

Risks also include the erosion of consumer and investor confidence due to disruptive financial price adjustments as well as more and more investors sidelined by a hazy 2016 political outlook where no clear frontrunner emerges among multiple contenders.

“Weather forecasters are warning of a possible severe El Niño episode by 4Q15, raising the specter of ravaged crops and price spikes. Mixed into this unpleasant brew is politics, where the immediate issue is a possible multi-contender presidential race in 2016 with no clear frontrunner, specifically one who can assure bureaucrats of continuity in the executive branch, key in our view to unlocking promised state spending,” the think tank said.

Under its best-case scenario, the think tank expects President Aquino to inspire greater confidence by rallying supporters behind presidential candidate Mar Roxas on the promise of reform continuity, ensuring the credibility of the vote and the count, and laying the foundation for next stage reforms that would allow the next president to hit the ground running.

“The tactic is a clever one intended to translate popular support for the President, who has managed to spring back from low ratings in the wake of the Mindanao crisis early this year, into votes for Mr. Roxas, who is lagging in presidential preference polls. If it succeeded in painting the other contender, vice president Jejomar Binay, who is hounded by allegations of corruption, as one taking the “crooked” path, so much better,” Global Source said.

The think tank sees inflation averaging 1.6 percent instead of 2.2 percent this year, which is below the BSP target of two to four percent. It sees the BSP keeping interest rates steady this year with the overnight borrowing rate at four percent and the overnight lending rate at six percent.

Global Source is also looking at a weaker peso at P46.1 to $1 instead of P44.65 to $1 this year.

MUTYA NG PILIPINAS 2015 Swimsuit Competition

How 1951 Case Proves Grace Poe is Filipino

By David Dizon, ABS-CBNnews.com

Is Senator Grace Poe Filipino?

Attorney Katrina Legarda, a law professor and consultant on children's issues, said the case of a foundling after World War II supports Poe's claim that she is a natural-born Filipino.

Speaking to ANC's Headstart, Legarda cited the case of Anthony Hale, a foundling who lost both parents in the Second World War.

She said several Filipinos took care of the boy and tried to get him a Philippine passport. The Department of Foreign Affairs said the Department of Justice must first issue an opinion if the boy could be given a Philippine passport since he is a foundling.

The DOJ then issued an opinion which stated that, following international conventions, a foundling is presumed to have assumed the citizenship of the place where he or she is found.

Since then, the DFA has been issuing Philippine passports to foundlings in the Philippines in recognition of the 1951 DOJ opinion.

Legarda said foundlings in the Philippines cannot travel abroad to adoptive parents if they are not given passports. "Adoption does not give you citizenship. Adoption just makes you a legitimate child of your adopters. Period," she said.

She also noted that actors Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces could not have adopted Grace if she was not a natural-born Filipino because domestic law does not allow adoption of foreign children.

"The courts cannot have jurisdiction over foreigners when it comes to adoption proceedings," she said.

Legarda said it is now up to critics to prove that Poe is not a natural-born Filipino.

THE OSMEÑA CASE

In the interview, the lawyer also disputed losing senatorial bet Rizalito David's claim that Poe is considered stateless not because she is a foundling but because she lost her US citizenship and did not regain her Filipino citizenship.

"Well, that's kinda impossible. The Declaration of Human Rights, which came out in 1948, which we are a signatory, does not want people to be stateless and everyone has a right to nationality. When she took her oath on October 20, 2010, she reacquired the Filipino citizenship she had prior to when she married which is natural born. She retained and has always retained her natural- born Philippine citizenship. (She never lost it?) No, parang dual citizenship," Legarda said.

She cited the case of another prominent politician, the late President Sergio Osmena, who also married an American. This meant that their sons were dual citizens because the father was Filipino and the mother was American.

She said the Supreme Court even ruled that Emilio 'Lito' Osmena could stay as governor of Cebu even though he is a dual citizen. Osmena ran for president in 1998 but lost to Joseph Estrada.

In Poe's case, Legarda said it was only natural for her to assume the citizenship of her husband since his business was abroad.

Poe, however, decided to return to the Philippines after her father's death in December 2004 and said she would stay.

Legarda said Poe enrolled her children in Philippine schools, took a job in her father's business and even bought a house and lot.

"You cannot do that if you are not a Filipino citizen...If she bought a house and lot, she was a dual Filipino at the very least," she said.

LOSING US CITIZENSHIP

The lawyer said she sees no problem with Poe using her American passport until 2009 even though she had a Filipino passport.

"Sometimes, it is just easier," she said.

She also rebuffed David's claim that Poe only lost her US citizenship in the last quarter of 2012 based on the US Registry. David has claimed Poe cannot sit as senator because she does not fulfill the residency requirement of two years for a sitting senator.

Legarda said that under American law, a person can lose his or her US citizenship by voluntarily performing "an act with intent" such as accepting the post of chairwoman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

She noted that it takes time for government agencies to come out with updated information.

"When she took her oath, she already lost her US citizenship. Automatic. The publication of that could take two years," Legarda said.

The lawyer said the residency requirement should not be confused with citizenship.

She said that while Poe lost her US citizenship in 2010, the latter was already staying in the Philippines in 2004.

"She has been here at least 11 years in residence because their kids are here. And that was when she told me: 'I'm going back, attorney, to live here because my mother is alone,'" she said.

THE RIGHTS OF FOUNDLINGS

Legarda said she cannot understand why Poe's foundling status is even an issue.

"Really? Is it your fault that you are born?" she said.

"What? The child flew in all along and dropped? Appeared just like the Holy Virgin Mary?"

She said some people do not give importance to foundlings because they do not understand that foundlings would soon become adults.

"If you really believe that foundlings have no citizenship at birth, that means that no foundling can be a lawyer, can be a doctor, can be a broadcast journalist because you have to be natural-born citizens. You cannot take advantage of public school education. It is not just politicians. The foundling has to have the citizenship, natural born, of the place where she was found," she said.