ASEAN IN FOCUS

Mamasapano probe: Enrile questions US involvement in ‘Oplan Exodus’

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile also questioned the involvement of the US government particularly the Central Intelligence Agency or CIA in the law enforcement operations of the Philippine National Police—particularly the Special Action Force (SAF)—when it is not covered by the Visiting Forces Agreement. Enrile was grilling former SAF chief Getulio Napeñas at the senate investigation on the Mamasapano clash. Enrile asked Napeñas to elaborate the extent of the US involvement in “Oplan Exodus,” the SAF-led […]

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Enrile: Pres. Aquino shielding himself from responsibility in Mamasapano incident

At the opening of the Mamasapano probe, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile claimed that President Benigno Aquino was shielding himself from any responsibility for the Mamasapano incident. Enrile said at the resumption of the Senate inquiry that he will show evidence that Aquino directly participated in the planning and preparation of Oplan Exodus. The senator claimed that Aquino was aware when the encounter between the Special Action Force (SAF) troopers and Moro rebels were ongoing and […]

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Aquino welcomes Emperor, Empress of Japan in Malacañang

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko met with President Aquino in Malacañang earlier today. A welcome ceremony was held in honor of the Imperial couple, who arrived in Malacañang at around 10:30 a.m. After being greeted by Aquino and being re-introduced to cabinet members, the emperor and empress were escorted to the reception hall to sign the Malacañang guestbook before having a private meeting with President Aquino. The president is also scheduled to hold a […]

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Timing of Japanese emperor’s visit to PHL may have political implications – Japanese History Professor

In Tokyo, University History Professor Satoshi Nakano says Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko’s planned visit to the Philippines comes at an important time. He said “apart from the intentions of the emperor and empress, their choice to visit the Philippines this time may have political implications because the situation is such that Southeast Asian countries expect the United States and Japan to play significant roles, particularly in their relations with China.” Beijing claims almost […]

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ASEAN members can enhance regional tourism by working together—PNoy

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday enjoined the participants of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum (ATF) 2016 to work together and share experiences to enhance the region’s tourism sector. Like the Philippines, tourism is also a major industry in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, which lead the pack when it comes to attracting tourists, Aquino said. “We belong to a region that holds vast potentials in terms of tourism,” he […]

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Aquino cites enhancement of connectivity to maximize potential of ASEAN tourism

The chief executive also underscored the need to further enhance connectivity to maximize the potential of ASEAN tourism. “An ASEAN roll-on roll-off system has been in the works for sometime towards enhancing maritime connectivity. The Philippines has likewise done its part to facilitate ease of transport to and among our islands,” Aquino said the pocket open skies policy also gives foreign airlines the unlimited takeoff, landing and passenger conveyance rights to all Philippine airports, except […]

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President Aquino’s speech at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Tourism Forum

President Benigno S. Aquino III suggested that the ASEAN should band together and present tour packages covering all its member-countries to strengthen relations and foster economic growth. Addressing the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 in Manila, Aquino said that the regional bloc should maximize its tourism potential to further attract the international market. “Would it not be a more attractive value pack proposition to present tours that cover more, if not all […]

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Islamic State behind Jakarta attack – police chief

  (Reuters) — Indonesia blamed Islamic State for an attack by suicide bombers and gunmen in the heart of Jakarta on Thursday (January 14) that brought the radical group’s violence to the world’s most populous Muslim country for the first time. Just seven people were killed despite multiple blasts and a gunfight, and five of them were the attackers themselves, but the brazenness of their siege suggested a new brand of militancy in a country […]

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Malaysian children being trained at ISIS camps in Iraq and Syria

Malaysian police said that militant group Islamic State in Iraq ans Syria (ISIS) is training children to become the next generation of terrorists. Children as young as two years old are being trained at camps in Syria and Kazakhstan. In response to this, the ambassador of the republic of Kazakhstan in Singapore, Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev, said that “there are no camps of ISIS on the territory of the republic of Kazakhstan” and that it takes seriously […]

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South China Sea: Experts clash over China threat to commercial trade

Meanwhile, an Australian expert has challenged claims that China’s build-up of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea threatens commercial ships passing through the world’s busiest waterways, declaring that they are “completely fabricated”. Greg Austin, a visiting professor at the University of New South Wales based in Canberra, says despite the “shock” expressed by strategic analysts China has not embarked on an operation to expand its territory and is defending what it sees as […]

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Japanese Emperor, Empress to visit Philippines from January 26

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will make a five-day trip to the Philippines from January 26 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties between Japan and the Philippines. It will be the first official visit by a Japanese emperor to the Philippines, where around 1.1 million Filipinos and some 518,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians perished during World War II. The emperor and empress last visited the Philippines in […]

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Myanmar’s Suu Kyi, ethnic armed groups gather for peace talks

Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi said on Tuesday (January 12) her government is ready to build ‘forever peace’ within the country as she was attending a peace summit in the in the country’s administrative capital, Naypyitaw. Hundreds of representatives of ethnic armed groups, the military and lawmakers gathered for talks that are expected to last until the end of the week, over a ceasefire to end insurgencies that have plagued the country for decades. […]

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