PCOO_insidepage_NEWS
20 September 2016

Duterte extends financial assistance to Davao blast victims
Davao city—President Rodrigo Duterte Monday night lent a helping hand to victims and relatives of those who perished in the Roxas Night Market bombing during a simple dinner he tendered for them.
After dinner, the President personally received each of the victims and relatives of the deceased and handed over a check representing the cash assistance extended by the government amounting to P250,000 for victims who were permanently disabled by the blast.

The Chief Executive likewise handed out P250,000 each to the families of the 15 victims who died in the bombing while P 100,000 cash assistance was also given to each of the victims who sustained minor injuries plus other medical assistance, including allowances for antibiotics.


There were at least 70 people who were injured in the bombing last September 2.

The President also took time to console and give an inspirational talk to the recipients and family members of the victims.

In another development, President Duterte said he was pleased with the progress made in the peace process and that things are moving forward particularly with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Palace maintains no hand in De Lima’s ouster from Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on Tuesday said Malacañan recognizes the independence of its co-equal branches in government relative to the decision of the members of the Senate to oust Senator Leila de Lima as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

In his regular press briefing, Andanar maintained the executive branch of government had no hand whatsoever in the ouster move, saying that the Senate has its own political dynamics when it arrived at the decision to replace De Lima with Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon.

“Merong sariling dynamics sa loob ng Senado at lahat naman ng bumoto na maalis ang senadora ay mga senador. Wala namang miyembro doon ng Executive at ganun din sa mga nag-abstain at sa mga pumabor para kay Senador De Lima,” Andanar said.



He extended his congratulations to the new committee chairman believing that he would do an “excellent job” given his vast experience as a lawmaker and a public servant.




“Senator Dick Gordon is an illustrious fellow. He has been in the Senate…He also served as mayor of Olongapo and chairman of SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority). He is one of the brightest leaders we have,” he stressed.

Also during the briefing, the Communications Head said that the military has gained ground in its intensified campaign against extremism and terrorism when government was able to recover Norwegian captive Kjartan Sekkingstad as well as Filipino and Indonesian hostages from the Abu Sayyaf Group.



Meanwhile, Secretary Andanar also announced that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has started to conduct stress debriefings on the victims of the recent typhoon Ferdie in Batanes.



“The DSWD is now conducting stress debriefing. Five social workers who have been trained on critical incidents have been deployed to various barangays in that province to help relieve the stress and trauma experienced by the victims of Typhoon Ferdie,” he said. PND


President Duterte mulls over the resurrection of the defunct Philippine constabulary
(Compostela Valley) – President Rodrigo R. Duterte (PRRD) in his camp visit Tuesday (Sept. 20) of the 10th Infantry division of the Philippine Army here said he is mulling over the resurrection of the defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) to help fight urban terrorism in various parts of the country.
In his speech before scores of military officials and soldiers of the said Infantry Division, PRDD said resurrecting the PC would be a great boon to the government’s current intensified campaign against extremist groups and illegal drug syndicates.
The PC was abolished in the early 90’s and was subsequently merged with the Integrated National Police to form the present Philippine National Police.

He rallied the soldiers to train hard and stay true to their mandate because he said there’s a new war in the horizon resulting in the resurgence of terrorist attacks in the wake of the government’s war against insurgency and drug syndicates.


“This is why I am urging you to reinvent yourselves as soldiers for a new kind of war and to master the skill of profiling criminals,” PRRD told the soldiers.



In the same vein, the President brandished a thick file of papers which he said contains at least 1,000 names of mostly barangay captains,reportedly involved in the illegal drug trade, mayors and congressmen included.

“This is the primary reason why I ordered the postponement of the
barangay elections, to prevent drug syndicates from funding corrupt local officials,” he added.



PRDD also reiterated his promise to double the salaries of the soldiers and provide them the necessary weapons and equipment they need in the field to accomplish their mission.


“Get a Medal of Valor and I, in turn, will find something good for you,”
he said.