• Pres. Duterte wishes for peace this Christmas
• President Duterte graces Pacquiao’s birthday
• No sacred cows in Duterte’s fight vs corruption: Palace official
• DOH delivers first CT scan in Maguindanao
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(Zamboanga City)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, December 17, expressed hopes that gunbattles will take a back seat this Christmas season.

Asked by reporters here for his Christmas message, President Duterte said he is hoping for a peaceful Christmas, including with the communists and even terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

“I’d like to greet everybody, lahat na, to the Filipino people, the law-abiding, and of course, if they find it in their hearts though this is not really something for the Moro but you know that this kind of events is closest to the hearts of the Christians. Na we can have a peaceful Christmas,” Duterte said in his visit to the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom).

He also urged terrorist group Abu Sayyaf to “take a vacation.”

“Nakikiusap ako sa lahat na if we can have a peaceful Christmas. Maybe we can resume fighting some other day,” Duterte said.

“I’d like to greet everybody, the communists, the Abu Sayyaf, in behalf of the, sa taong Pilipino, Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year for all,” he added.

Fresh from his State Visits to Cambodia and Singapore, President Duterte took time Saturday to visit the 16 soldiers who were wounded in action (WIA) during their recent military encounters with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Basilan and Sulu.

The soldiers were confined at the Camp Navarro General Hospital (CGNH) here in Zamboanga City.

In the same visit, the President also gave financial assistance to the families of the three killed-in-action (KIA) soldiers.

The President talked to the wounded soldiers and the families of the slain military men, and gave them words of encouragement while extending the financial assistance and giving mobile phones.

Those wounded soldiers who were given checks worth P100,000 from the Presidential Social Funded (PSF) were Emar Akalul; Ssg. Elmer B. Aranges; 1Lt. Albert O. Peralta, Pfc. Gilbert B. Verrey, Cpl. Mortaza J. Allama, Pfc. Simar Salasain, Cpl. Ruel J. Tambong, Cpl. Ronald M. Ramos, Cpl. Jerome V. Gonato, Pfc. Charlie Shine O. Carinal, Pfc. Romeo G. Ansino, Pfc. Mitchwayn T. Arsenal, Ssg. Peter M. Ugsod, Pfc. Elmer F. Dela Cruz, Sgt. Julbazar T. Julhasirin, Sgt. Amilhaidar A. Tagayan, Cpl. Ramly Guzman, and Pfc. Renante S. Malen.

Meanwhile, the relatives of those who were killed in action were also provided with P250,000 checks. They were the late Cpl. Mushier M. Kahaluddin through his wife Panang S. Kahaluddin; Pfc. Kennedy A. Osing through his father Bonifacio P. Osing, and Pfc. Jay G. Boctot through his wife Christie Mae Boctot.

In expressing his deep concern for the country’s military men, President Duterte said, “We should take care of our soldiers. They are giving up their lives for this Republic… at saka just to ease up their pain and their suffering.”###PND

GENERAL SANTOS CITY- President Rodrigo Duterte personally attended the 38th birthday celebration of boxing champ and Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao at the jampacked KCC Mall on Saturday, December 17.

“Senator Manny Pacquiao, happy birthday; to the wife, Jinky, happy birthday. The birthday of the husband is the birthday of the wife; the birthday of the wife is always the birthday of the husband,” President Duterte said in his message.

In his message, President Duterte advised Senator Pacquiao to remain humble.

“Stay humble. Mababa lang,” he said.

In the same message, President Duterte stressed anew his administration’s programs, especially the fight against illegal drugs.

He said the government’s efforts in waging war on drugs “Is the preservation of my country and to protect the next generation.”

“It is the preservation of my country. It is to protect the next generation so that there will be Filipinos with sound mind and sound body to run this country when we are no longer here in this planet,” Duterte said.

“I will solve this problem because I have to worry about tomorrow and being the President, I have to preserve this country for everybody or else we’ll go to the dogs,” he added.

Sen. Pacquiao, for his part, thanked God and his family as well as the millions of fans for supporting him for what he has become today.

A touch of religiosity and the grand finale of a Mindanao–wide Bisaya singing competition, marked Senator Pacquiao’s birthday.###PND

Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag said anyone who engages in corrupt activities will be punished even if they are relatives or friends of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“He (President Duterte) is very vocal about — even mga brod niya, mga kasamahan niya, kapamilya niya who would be engaged in corruption would not be spared,” Banaag said in an interview over government-run Radyo ng Bayan

The Palace official was reacting to the President’s move to fire his two law school fraternity brothers, Immigration Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, for alleged involvement in a multi-million bribery scandal.

Argosino and Robles were accused of extorting P50 million from gambling magnate Jack Lam, who allegedly resorted to bribery to facilitate the release of thousands of undocumented Chinese nationals who work in Fontana Leisure Park and Casino in Pampanga, which he operated.

Banaag brushed off speculations that the dismissal of the two BI officials would spare them from legal liability.

She said charges will be filed against the two depending on the result of the investigation being conducted by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“We will wait for the investigation report of the DOJ if and when there is probable cause to file a criminal complaint,” she said.

Meanwhile, Banaag was also asked what will be the government’s next step following President Duterte’s warning to revoke the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

She said the public should wait for the next move of Duterte regarding the matter.###PND

Aside from Maguindanao, the CT scan facility can also accommodate patients from nearby provinces like South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani.

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“The CT scanner is needed here in the province. Patients in Maguindanao who usually go to Cotabato and GenSan (General Santos City) will no longer need to travel too far for CT scan check-up,” Ubial said.

According to the DOH chief, this initiative is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s health agenda of strengthening operational capabilities of government hospitals and health facilities.###MARO-CONTENT