The Philippines urged Beijing today to respect an international tribunal&#39;s ruling that rejected Chinese claims to most of the South China Sea, escalating a row that has raised the prospect of conflict. 
 
China reacted furiously to the verdict by a UN-back tribunal on Tuesday, insisting it will ignore the decision while warning its rivals too much pressure on the issue could turn the resource-rich and strategically vital waterway into a &quot;cradle of war&quot;. 
 
Dispute to remain talking point during at ASEM&nbsp; 
 
The Philippines, which launched the legal challenge, had initially refrained from asking China to abide by the ruling. This followed President Rodrigo Duterte`s directive to achieve a &quot;soft landing&quot; with the Philippines&#39; much more powerful Asian neighbour. 
 
But Manila hardened its stance today with a statement detailing Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay&#39;s priorities when he attends an Asia-Europe summit, known as ASEM, in Mongolia this week along with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. 
 
&quot;Secretary Yasay will discuss within the context of ASEM&#39;s agenda the Philippines&#39; peaceful and rules-based approach on the South China Sea and the need for parties to respect the recent decision,&quot; the foreign affairs department said in a statement. 
 
Even just raising the issue at the two-day summit starting on Friday will anger China, which has long bridled at Philippine efforts to have the dispute discussed at multilateral events. 
 
Chinese assistant foreign minister Kong Xuanyou insisted on Monday the ASEM summit was &quot;not an appropriate venue&quot; to discuss the South China Sea. 
 
But China appears to be in the minority -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said today as he left for Mongolia that he wanted to discuss the South China Sea at the summit. 
 
China claims nearly all of the sea -- which is of immense military importance and through which about $5 trillion worth of shipping trade passes annually -- even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. 
 
US, China call on China to respect Hague ruling&nbsp; 
 
China justifies its claims by saying it was the first to have discovered, named and exploited the sea, and outlines its territory using a vague map made up of nine dashes that emerged in the 1940s. 
 
However the tribunal, in The Hague, ruled China&#39;s claimed historic rights to resources within the nine-dash map had no legal basis. 
 
It also declared that China had acted unlawfully by violating the Philippines` sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone -- waters extending 200 nautical miles from the Filipino coast. 
 
China had done so by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration within the exclusive zone, as well as by building artificial islands there. 
 
China has in recent years undertaken giant land reclamation works in the Spratlys archipelago, one of the biggest island groups in the sea which partly falls within the Philippines&#39; exclusive economic zone. 
 
The United States and Australia were among Philippine allies this week to call on China to respect the ruling.&nbsp; 
 
China mulling over introducing air defence zone over the sea&nbsp; 
 
But the Chinese government and state media instead unleashed a tirade of vitriol against the tribunal, and vowed never to give up its claims to the sea. 
 
&quot;Do not turn the South China Sea into a cradle of war,&quot; vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday in a warning to rivals. 
 
He also said China may introduce an air defence zone over the sea, which would give its military authority over foreign aircraft, depending on the &quot;threat&quot; level. 
 
The English-language China Daily said: &quot;Beijing certainly should, and has to, ready itself for worst-case scenarios, including potential military collisions&quot;. 
 
China and the United States had already deployed significant naval firepower in the sea ahead of the verdict.&nbsp; 
Taiwan, which has a very similar claim to the waters as China, sent a warship into the waters on Wednesday to protect its interests.&nbsp; 
 
The Philippines filed the legal challenge against China in 2013 under Duterte`s predecessor, Benigno Aquino. Relations between Beijing and Manila plummeted over the row. 
 
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has said he wants better relations with China and to attract Chinese investment for major infrastructure projects.&nbsp; 
 
Unlike Aquino, Duterte has said he wants to talk directly with China over the issue. Beijing also wants to negotiate, but at the same time insists it will never concede on sovereignty. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Philippines' Foreign Secretary will discuss country's rules-based approach on South China Sea with Chinese Premier at ASEM this week

The Philippines urged Beijing today to respect an international tribunal's ruling that rejected Chinese claims to most of the South China Sea, escalating a row that has raised the prospect of conflict. China reacted furiously to the verdict by a UN-back tribunal on Tuesday, insisting it will ignore the decision while warning its rivals too much pressure on the issue could turn the resource-rich and strategically vital waterway into a "cradle of war". Dispute to remain talking point during at ASEM The Philippines, which launched the legal challenge, had initially refrained from asking China to abide by the ruling. This followed President Rodrigo Duterte`s directive to achieve a "soft landing" with the Philippines' much more powerful Asian neighbour. But Manila hardened its stance today with a statement detailing Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay's priorities when he attends an Asia-Europe summit, known as ASEM, in Mongolia this week along with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. "Secretary Yasay will discuss within the context of ASEM's agenda the Philippines' peaceful and rules-based approach on the South China Sea and the need for parties to respect the recent decision," the foreign affairs department said in a statement. Even just raising the issue at the two-day summit starting on Friday will anger China, which has long bridled at Philippine efforts to have the dispute discussed at multilateral events. Chinese assistant foreign minister Kong Xuanyou insisted on Monday the ASEM summit was "not an appropriate venue" to discuss the South China Sea. But China appears to be in the minority -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said today as he left for Mongolia that he wanted to discuss the South China Sea at the summit. China claims nearly all of the sea -- which is of immense military importance and through which about $5 trillion worth of shipping trade passes annually -- even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. US, China call on China to respect Hague ruling China justifies its claims by saying it was the first to have discovered, named and exploited the sea, and outlines its territory using a vague map made up of nine dashes that emerged in the 1940s. However the tribunal, in The Hague, ruled China's claimed historic rights to resources within the nine-dash map had no legal basis. It also declared that China had acted unlawfully by violating the Philippines` sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone -- waters extending 200 nautical miles from the Filipino coast. China had done so by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration within the exclusive zone, as well as by building artificial islands there. China has in recent years undertaken giant land reclamation works in the Spratlys archipelago, one of the biggest island groups in the sea which partly falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. The United States and Australia were among Philippine allies this week to call on China to respect the ruling. China mulling over introducing air defence zone over the sea But the Chinese government and state media instead unleashed a tirade of vitriol against the tribunal, and vowed never to give up its claims to the sea. "Do not turn the South China Sea into a cradle of war," vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday in a warning to rivals. He also said China may introduce an air defence zone over the sea, which would give its military authority over foreign aircraft, depending on the "threat" level. The English-language China Daily said: "Beijing certainly should, and has to, ready itself for worst-case scenarios, including potential military collisions". China and the United States had already deployed significant naval firepower in the sea ahead of the verdict. Taiwan, which has a very similar claim to the waters as China, sent a warship into the waters on Wednesday to protect its interests. The Philippines filed the legal challenge against China in 2013 under Duterte`s predecessor, Benigno Aquino. Relations between Beijing and Manila plummeted over the row. Duterte, who took office on June 30, has said he wants better relations with China and to attract Chinese investment for major infrastructure projects. Unlike Aquino, Duterte has said he wants to talk directly with China over the issue. Beijing also wants to negotiate, but at the same time insists it will never concede on sovereignty. (AFP)

Manila hardens stance, tells China to respect Hague ruling

About a hundred Filipino activists rallied outside the Chinese Consulate in Manila&#39;s financial district on Tuesday ahead of an international arbitration ruling on the&nbsp;SouthChina&nbsp;Sea.

An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the waterway in which the Philippines is challenging&nbsp;China&#39;s right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory.

China&nbsp;has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter.&nbsp;The announcement is expected at 0900GMT.

The Filipinio activists marched towards the consulate on Tuesday morning carrying placards demanding&nbsp;China&nbsp;leave the Philippines&#39; Exclusive Economic Zone.

&quot;We reject in no uncertain terms the nine-dash claims being made by&nbsp;China, and we uphold the provisions stated in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the&nbsp;Sea. The issue is very clear, that&nbsp;China&nbsp;has to respect the right of the Filipinos, especially on the Exclusive Economic Zone,&quot; said New Patriotic Alliance Secretary General Renato Reyes.

Several fishermen from coastal towns near the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;joined the protest, carrying a boat effigy with the words &quot;Chexit now!&quot; and &quot;Hands off PH!&quot; painted on the side.

&quot;I will return, I will definitely return. In fact, we went there on June 12, but were blocked from entering the shoal. We were shooed away like dogs, so we had no other choice but to turn back. This is my wish and the reason I came here - to listen to the tribunal decision to see if the Panatag (Scarborough) shoal is ours. If it is, then I will be really happy, and so will my fellow fishermen,&quot; said Fred Manzano, a fisherman from the coastal town of Masinloc near the Scarborough Shoal which has seen various encounters with the Chinese coastguard.

The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group.

The&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;is one of the world&#39;s vital shipping lanes, through which a total of $5 trillion in trade is carried every year, and the ruling could further ramp up tensions in the region, where China&#39;s increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours, and is a point of contention&nbsp;with the United States. 
 
(Reuters)

A total of $5 trillion in trade is carried through this shipping lane annually, so tension amid this international arbitration is very high

About a hundred Filipino activists rallied outside the Chinese Consulate in Manila's financial district on Tuesday ahead of an international arbitration ruling on the SouthChina Sea. An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the waterway in which the Philippines is challenging China's right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory. China has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter. The announcement is expected at 0900GMT. The Filipinio activists marched towards the consulate on Tuesday morning carrying placards demanding China leave the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone. "We reject in no uncertain terms the nine-dash claims being made by China, and we uphold the provisions stated in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea. The issue is very clear, that China has to respect the right of the Filipinos, especially on the Exclusive Economic Zone," said New Patriotic Alliance Secretary General Renato Reyes. Several fishermen from coastal towns near the South China Sea joined the protest, carrying a boat effigy with the words "Chexit now!" and "Hands off PH!" painted on the side. "I will return, I will definitely return. In fact, we went there on June 12, but were blocked from entering the shoal. We were shooed away like dogs, so we had no other choice but to turn back. This is my wish and the reason I came here - to listen to the tribunal decision to see if the Panatag (Scarborough) shoal is ours. If it is, then I will be really happy, and so will my fellow fishermen," said Fred Manzano, a fisherman from the coastal town of Masinloc near the Scarborough Shoal which has seen various encounters with the Chinese coastguard. The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group. The South China Sea is one of the world's vital shipping lanes, through which a total of $5 trillion in trade is carried every year, and the ruling could further ramp up tensions in the region, where China's increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours, and is a point of contention with the United States. (Reuters)

Filipino activists rally ahead of South China Sea ruling

An international tribunal on Tuesday ruled against China in a bitter row over territorial claims to the South China Sea that is likely to ratchet up regional tensions. 
 
&quot;The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the &#39;nine-dash line,&#39;&quot; the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) said in a statement. 
 
All eyes were watching for reaction from the Asian political and military powerhouse, which had fired off a barrage of criticism even before the decision by the PCA in The Hague was announced. 
 
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea -- about 90 per cent of the strategically vital waters -- in the face of rival claims from its South East Asian neighbours. 
 
Manila had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues.&nbsp;Beijing waged a months-long campaign to discredit the panel, which it says has no jurisdiction in the multinational dispute, and it refused to take part in the case. 
 
The state-run China Daily topped its front page with a picture of Woody Island in the Paracels, emblazoned: &quot;Arbitration invalid&quot;. 
 
English-language headlines on the official Xinhua news agency included: &quot;South China Sea arbitration abuses international law: Chinese scholar&quot;, &quot;Permanent Court of Arbitration must avoid being used for political purposes&quot; and &quot;The sea where Chinese fishermen live and die&quot;. 
 
Ahead of the decision, new Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte had signalled he did not want to antagonise China, saying he would not &quot;taunt or flaunt&quot; a favourable ruling and would seek a &quot;soft landing&quot; with China. 
 
Nine-dash line&nbsp; 
 
China&#39;s claims were first enshrined in a map drawn in the 1940s with a nine-dash line stretching south from China and encircling almost all of the sea, although it says Chinese fishermen have been using it for centuries. 
 
To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. 
 
It has held naval drills between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan in recent days. 
 
US naval destroyers have been patrolling near the Chinese-claimed Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, supported by aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the US-based Navy Times reported. 
 
Chinese state media have said Beijing will not take a &quot;single step back&quot; after the ruling, and President Xi Jinping said earlier this month that China would never compromise on sovereignty, adding: &quot;We are not afraid of trouble&quot;. 
 
China had sought diplomatic support around the world, and foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said its latest backers included Angola, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea, showing that &quot;justice and righteousness always have popular support&quot;. 
 
&quot;Who is upholding the sanctity of international law and who is breaking international law, I think people are all clear about that,&quot; Lu said. 
 
Likely to &#39;escalate the war of words&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, saying China was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. 
 
One of the key issues was whether the land features in the area are islands capable of supporting human habitation - which under UNCLOS are entitled to territorial waters and an exclusive economic zone - or rocks, which only have territorial waters, or low-tide elevations, which get neither. 
 
If none of the outcrops are islands, then none of the claimants to them would gain sole rights to major expanses of the waters around them. 
 
&quot;The ruling can reduce the scope of the South China Sea disputes, but will not solve them,&quot; said analysts Yanmei Xie and Tim Johnston of the International Crisis Group in a report. 
 
The ruling was likely to &quot;escalate the war of words&quot;, they said, but added: &quot;Escalation to military standoffs is not inevitable&quot;. 
 
China could choose to withdraw from UNCLOS, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, which Washington would view as a provocation. 
 
Beijing could also declare an air defence identification zone over the South China Sea, claiming the right to interrogate aircraft passing through the airspace, or try to remove a ship grounded by the Philippines on Second Thomas Shoal for use as a base. 
 
Alternatively, it could move to reduce tensions. 
 
Philippine foreign minister Perfecto Yasay had said on Friday that Manila hoped to open direct talks with Beijing on the dispute, and presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Tuesday: &quot;The top priority will be national interest.&quot; 
 
The Philippine embassy in China has warned its citizens to beware of personal &quot;threats&quot; and avoid political debates. 
 
Nationalist demonstrations are not rare in China, sometimes apparently with the tacit backing of authorities. 
 
More than 20 Chinese police were positioned outside the Philippine embassy on Tuesday, with more in vans nearby - a significantly larger presence than usual - along with two lorries loaded with crowd control barriers, a possible indication that authorities expected protests at the building. 
 
Official response from China 
 
China rejected an international ruling on the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying its islands had exclusive economic zones and the Chinese people have more than 2,000 years of history of activities there. 
 
China has sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea, including the Spratlys and Paracels, and China&#39;s position is consistent with international law and practice, China&#39;s Foreign Ministry added. 
 
(AFP and Reuters)

China claims 90% of the sea. The Philippines took it to court in 2013, saying that after 17 years it had exhausted all other options

An international tribunal on Tuesday ruled against China in a bitter row over territorial claims to the South China Sea that is likely to ratchet up regional tensions. "The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line,'" the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) said in a statement. All eyes were watching for reaction from the Asian political and military powerhouse, which had fired off a barrage of criticism even before the decision by the PCA in The Hague was announced. China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea -- about 90 per cent of the strategically vital waters -- in the face of rival claims from its South East Asian neighbours. Manila had lodged the suit against Beijing in 2013, saying that after 17 years of negotiations it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues. Beijing waged a months-long campaign to discredit the panel, which it says has no jurisdiction in the multinational dispute, and it refused to take part in the case. The state-run China Daily topped its front page with a picture of Woody Island in the Paracels, emblazoned: "Arbitration invalid". English-language headlines on the official Xinhua news agency included: "South China Sea arbitration abuses international law: Chinese scholar", "Permanent Court of Arbitration must avoid being used for political purposes" and "The sea where Chinese fishermen live and die". Ahead of the decision, new Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte had signalled he did not want to antagonise China, saying he would not "taunt or flaunt" a favourable ruling and would seek a "soft landing" with China. Nine-dash line China's claims were first enshrined in a map drawn in the 1940s with a nine-dash line stretching south from China and encircling almost all of the sea, although it says Chinese fishermen have been using it for centuries. To bolster its position it has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes. It has held naval drills between the Paracels and the southern Chinese island of Hainan in recent days. US naval destroyers have been patrolling near the Chinese-claimed Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, supported by aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the US-based Navy Times reported. Chinese state media have said Beijing will not take a "single step back" after the ruling, and President Xi Jinping said earlier this month that China would never compromise on sovereignty, adding: "We are not afraid of trouble". China had sought diplomatic support around the world, and foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said its latest backers included Angola, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea, showing that "justice and righteousness always have popular support". "Who is upholding the sanctity of international law and who is breaking international law, I think people are all clear about that," Lu said. Likely to 'escalate the war of words' Manila lodged its suit against Beijing in 2013, saying China was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both countries are signatories. One of the key issues was whether the land features in the area are islands capable of supporting human habitation - which under UNCLOS are entitled to territorial waters and an exclusive economic zone - or rocks, which only have territorial waters, or low-tide elevations, which get neither. If none of the outcrops are islands, then none of the claimants to them would gain sole rights to major expanses of the waters around them. "The ruling can reduce the scope of the South China Sea disputes, but will not solve them," said analysts Yanmei Xie and Tim Johnston of the International Crisis Group in a report. The ruling was likely to "escalate the war of words", they said, but added: "Escalation to military standoffs is not inevitable". China could choose to withdraw from UNCLOS, or begin building on Scarborough Shoal, which Washington would view as a provocation. Beijing could also declare an air defence identification zone over the South China Sea, claiming the right to interrogate aircraft passing through the airspace, or try to remove a ship grounded by the Philippines on Second Thomas Shoal for use as a base. Alternatively, it could move to reduce tensions. Philippine foreign minister Perfecto Yasay had said on Friday that Manila hoped to open direct talks with Beijing on the dispute, and presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Tuesday: "The top priority will be national interest." The Philippine embassy in China has warned its citizens to beware of personal "threats" and avoid political debates. Nationalist demonstrations are not rare in China, sometimes apparently with the tacit backing of authorities. More than 20 Chinese police were positioned outside the Philippine embassy on Tuesday, with more in vans nearby - a significantly larger presence than usual - along with two lorries loaded with crowd control barriers, a possible indication that authorities expected protests at the building. Official response from China China rejected an international ruling on the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying its islands had exclusive economic zones and the Chinese people have more than 2,000 years of history of activities there. China has sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea, including the Spratlys and Paracels, and China's position is consistent with international law and practice, China's Foreign Ministry added. (AFP and Reuters)

South China Sea dispute: Hague rules against China

Philippine police have killed 10 people with suspected links to drugs since President Rodrigo Duterte took office, authorities said Saturday, in a brutal start to his controversial war on crime. 
 
Duterte was sworn into office on Thursday after a landslide win built largely on a pledge to kill thousands of suspected criminals in a relentless law-and-order crackdown he said was needed to stop the Philippines becoming a narco-state. 
 
Police in Bulacan province neighbouring Manila said they launched an anti-drug trafficking blitz on Thursday, the day Duterte took office, that claimed nine lives. 
 
&quot;We are just following the marching orders of our new chief of the Philippine National Police,&quot; Bulacan police spokeswoman Senior Inspector Linel Solomon said. 
 
She said the nine died in seven encounters, insisting police were forced to kill them because the suspects fought back. 
 
Another drug suspect was also shot dead after he used a gun during a raid on his home in the central city of Dumaguete on Friday, local police desk officer Mark Tikling told AFP. 
 
With Duterte encouraging them, police had already killed dozens of suspected criminals between his election victory and being sworn into office. 
 
Duterte, who has been accused of links to vigilante death squads that killed more than 1,000 people during his nearly two decades as mayor of southern Davao city, insisted during his inauguration speech that he would not break the law during his war on crime. 
 
But in a series of speeches afterwards he urged communist rebels and ordinary citizens to kill suspected criminals and drug addicts. 
He also promised to use his presidential powers to protect police who faced legal charges for mass killings. 
 
&quot;If in the process you kill 1,000 persons because you were doing your duty, then I will protect you,&quot; he said in a speech to install the country&#39;s new chief of police, Ronald Dela Rosa. 
 
Dela Rosa also warned on Friday that police officers linked to drug trafficking to surrender by Sunday or be killed. 
 
Spokesmen for the new president could not be contacted for comment on the new killings. 
 
Wilnor Papa, the local coordinator for human rights group Amnesty International, warned Duterte was inciting extrajudicial killings. 
 
&quot;When you have the highest ranking person, the president, saying this is the way he wants it to happen, you are emboldening the members of law enforcement to go beyond what the law requires,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
&quot;It is not sustainable, it will create more problems.&quot; 
 
Papa warned there would be an &quot;erosion of due process&quot;, with ordinary people using violence to solve disputes. 
 
In a sign of possible vigilante activity, a bullet-riddled body was found in a Manila slum on Friday with a sign on it that read: &quot;I am a Chinese drug lord&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

Duterte urged citizens to kill suspected drug addicts and promised to protect police from legal charges that may result from mass killings

Philippine police have killed 10 people with suspected links to drugs since President Rodrigo Duterte took office, authorities said Saturday, in a brutal start to his controversial war on crime. Duterte was sworn into office on Thursday after a landslide win built largely on a pledge to kill thousands of suspected criminals in a relentless law-and-order crackdown he said was needed to stop the Philippines becoming a narco-state. Police in Bulacan province neighbouring Manila said they launched an anti-drug trafficking blitz on Thursday, the day Duterte took office, that claimed nine lives. "We are just following the marching orders of our new chief of the Philippine National Police," Bulacan police spokeswoman Senior Inspector Linel Solomon said. She said the nine died in seven encounters, insisting police were forced to kill them because the suspects fought back. Another drug suspect was also shot dead after he used a gun during a raid on his home in the central city of Dumaguete on Friday, local police desk officer Mark Tikling told AFP. With Duterte encouraging them, police had already killed dozens of suspected criminals between his election victory and being sworn into office. Duterte, who has been accused of links to vigilante death squads that killed more than 1,000 people during his nearly two decades as mayor of southern Davao city, insisted during his inauguration speech that he would not break the law during his war on crime. But in a series of speeches afterwards he urged communist rebels and ordinary citizens to kill suspected criminals and drug addicts. He also promised to use his presidential powers to protect police who faced legal charges for mass killings. "If in the process you kill 1,000 persons because you were doing your duty, then I will protect you," he said in a speech to install the country's new chief of police, Ronald Dela Rosa. Dela Rosa also warned on Friday that police officers linked to drug trafficking to surrender by Sunday or be killed. Spokesmen for the new president could not be contacted for comment on the new killings. Wilnor Papa, the local coordinator for human rights group Amnesty International, warned Duterte was inciting extrajudicial killings. "When you have the highest ranking person, the president, saying this is the way he wants it to happen, you are emboldening the members of law enforcement to go beyond what the law requires," he told AFP. "It is not sustainable, it will create more problems." Papa warned there would be an "erosion of due process", with ordinary people using violence to solve disputes. In a sign of possible vigilante activity, a bullet-riddled body was found in a Manila slum on Friday with a sign on it that read: "I am a Chinese drug lord". (AFP)

Philippine police kill 10 with suspected drug links under new President

Two things catch the eye in the office of Joselito Esquivel, a police colonel enforcing a national crackdown on drugs in the Philippines&#39; most crime-ridden district: a pair of boxing gloves in a display cabinet and an M4 assault rifle lying beside him. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s all-out war,&quot; the Quezon City officer says of a spike in killings of suspected drug dealers by police across the country since last month&#39;s election of Rodrigo Duterte, a tough-talking city mayor, as the country&#39;s President. &quot;Duterte has already given the impetus for this massive operation.&quot; 
 
Duterte has vowed to wipe out drug crime within six months, but, according to Chito Gascon, head of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the aggressive rhetoric behind his promises has already instilled a sense of impunity among the police. 
 
&quot;Basically, you have Mr Duterte saying: &#39;It&#39;s okay, I&#39;ve got your back&#39;,&quot; said Gascon. 
 
On average, at least one person has been shot dead by police or anonymous vigilantes every day since the May 9 election that swept Duterte to power, an escalation from the first four months of the year when the rate was about two a week. 
 
Handwritten warning signs have been left on some corpses. 
 
Duterte, who will be inaugurated on Thursday for a six-year term, has cheered the police on: after a druglord was killed in a northern province recently, he travelled there to congratulate them and hand over a reward worth about $6,000. 
 
Critics, including leaders of the influential Roman Catholic Church and human rights advocates, fear a spiral of violence could lie ahead for the Philippines if vigilantism and summary executions become an accepted norm after Duterte takes office. 
 
&quot;My concern is that instead of law and order, what we will see is lawlessness and fear,&quot; said Gascon. &quot;What will result is an increase in the body-bag count.&quot; 
 
On Monday, Duterte branded as &quot;stupid&quot; human rights groups and lawmakers who have complained about his draconian plans to crush crime and re-introduce the death penalty. 
 
&quot;When you kill someone, rape, you should die,&quot; he told his last public meeting as mayor of Davao City, where death squads have killed hundreds of drug-pushers, petty criminals and even streetchildren since 1998, according to rights groups. 
 
Duterte denies any involvement in the vigilante killings. 
 
A political outsider whose coarse defiance of the traditional ruling class has drawn comparisons with Donald Trump, Duterte has even figured in commentaries on Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union as an example of a global trend towards populism triumphing over the establishment. 
 
Police covering their tracks 
 
Duterte&#39;s pick to be the country&#39;s police chief, Ronald dela Rosa, concedes that some recent killings may have been carried out by officers involved in the drugs business who were covering their tracks so that the new President does not go after them. 
 
&quot;That could be true,&quot; he told Reuters. &quot;Some police officers are shifting from drug protectors to drug punishers.&quot; 
 
But dela Rosa added that so much work towards wiping out drug crime has been accomplished recently that his job will be easy when he takes over at the end of this week. 
 
Railing against critics, he said most of the victims in the recent wave of killings were shot by police in self-defence. 
 
&quot;I have no problem how many people die in legitimate police operations, the police have a right to defend themselves,&quot; he said. &quot;We are police officers, we are not hard killers.&quot; 
 
Only two of the roughly 60 recent killings took place in Quezon City, a crowded and gritty part of sprawling Metro Manila that has the country&#39;s highest crime rate. Most were in areas outside the capital that are less intensively policed. 
 
Esquivel, the officer in Quezon City, said his force has also adopted a softer tack by inviting drug peddlers and addicts to surrender and go into rehabilitation. Just last week, over 1,000 gave themselves up there, he said. 
 
Despite that gentler approach, police in the Philippines are open about their readiness to use guns. 
 
Outside Esquivel&#39;s headquarters there is a police firing range and a banner cheerily announces a monthly &quot;shoot fest&quot;, a contest for officers where sometimes winners receive a gun. 
 
According to data from the University of Sydney, the number of guns in the Philippines is a small fraction of the total in the United States, but Filipinos seem much more inclined to use them. 
 
Gun deaths per 100,000 people in the United States was at 10.54 in 2014, but the Philippines rate of 7.2 in 2008, the last year for which figures were available, was not far behind. 
 
Narco-state 
 
Duterte has predicted that if the tide of drug addiction in the Philippines is not pushed back, it will become a narco-state. 
 
In 2012, the United Nations said the Philippines had the highest rate of methamphetamine use in East Asia, and according to a US state department report, 2.1 per cent of Flipinos aged 16 to 64 use the drug, which is known locally as &quot;shabu&quot;. 
 
There appears to be support in the Philippines for Duterte&#39;s uncompromising line on criminals. 
 
When a suspected rapist was killed in custody recently, the CHR raised concerns, but they were lost amid an outpouring of sympathy for the police on social and mainstream media. 
 
Still many people across the country are feeling anxious. 
 
&quot;There is a sense of fear because what was done to the hardened drug couriers, users and manufacturers could be done to you,&quot; said Winston Boston, a 49-year-old financial adviser in Manila. &quot;Anyone could just be accosted.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The new President has already delivered the impetus for a massive operation to crack down on suspected druglords.

Two things catch the eye in the office of Joselito Esquivel, a police colonel enforcing a national crackdown on drugs in the Philippines' most crime-ridden district: a pair of boxing gloves in a display cabinet and an M4 assault rifle lying beside him. "It's all-out war," the Quezon City officer says of a spike in killings of suspected drug dealers by police across the country since last month's election of Rodrigo Duterte, a tough-talking city mayor, as the country's President. "Duterte has already given the impetus for this massive operation." Duterte has vowed to wipe out drug crime within six months, but, according to Chito Gascon, head of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the aggressive rhetoric behind his promises has already instilled a sense of impunity among the police. "Basically, you have Mr Duterte saying: 'It's okay, I've got your back'," said Gascon. On average, at least one person has been shot dead by police or anonymous vigilantes every day since the May 9 election that swept Duterte to power, an escalation from the first four months of the year when the rate was about two a week. Handwritten warning signs have been left on some corpses. Duterte, who will be inaugurated on Thursday for a six-year term, has cheered the police on: after a druglord was killed in a northern province recently, he travelled there to congratulate them and hand over a reward worth about $6,000. Critics, including leaders of the influential Roman Catholic Church and human rights advocates, fear a spiral of violence could lie ahead for the Philippines if vigilantism and summary executions become an accepted norm after Duterte takes office. "My concern is that instead of law and order, what we will see is lawlessness and fear," said Gascon. "What will result is an increase in the body-bag count." On Monday, Duterte branded as "stupid" human rights groups and lawmakers who have complained about his draconian plans to crush crime and re-introduce the death penalty. "When you kill someone, rape, you should die," he told his last public meeting as mayor of Davao City, where death squads have killed hundreds of drug-pushers, petty criminals and even streetchildren since 1998, according to rights groups. Duterte denies any involvement in the vigilante killings. A political outsider whose coarse defiance of the traditional ruling class has drawn comparisons with Donald Trump, Duterte has even figured in commentaries on Britain's vote to leave the European Union as an example of a global trend towards populism triumphing over the establishment. Police covering their tracks Duterte's pick to be the country's police chief, Ronald dela Rosa, concedes that some recent killings may have been carried out by officers involved in the drugs business who were covering their tracks so that the new President does not go after them. "That could be true," he told Reuters. "Some police officers are shifting from drug protectors to drug punishers." But dela Rosa added that so much work towards wiping out drug crime has been accomplished recently that his job will be easy when he takes over at the end of this week. Railing against critics, he said most of the victims in the recent wave of killings were shot by police in self-defence. "I have no problem how many people die in legitimate police operations, the police have a right to defend themselves," he said. "We are police officers, we are not hard killers." Only two of the roughly 60 recent killings took place in Quezon City, a crowded and gritty part of sprawling Metro Manila that has the country's highest crime rate. Most were in areas outside the capital that are less intensively policed. Esquivel, the officer in Quezon City, said his force has also adopted a softer tack by inviting drug peddlers and addicts to surrender and go into rehabilitation. Just last week, over 1,000 gave themselves up there, he said. Despite that gentler approach, police in the Philippines are open about their readiness to use guns. Outside Esquivel's headquarters there is a police firing range and a banner cheerily announces a monthly "shoot fest", a contest for officers where sometimes winners receive a gun. According to data from the University of Sydney, the number of guns in the Philippines is a small fraction of the total in the United States, but Filipinos seem much more inclined to use them. Gun deaths per 100,000 people in the United States was at 10.54 in 2014, but the Philippines rate of 7.2 in 2008, the last year for which figures were available, was not far behind. Narco-state Duterte has predicted that if the tide of drug addiction in the Philippines is not pushed back, it will become a narco-state. In 2012, the United Nations said the Philippines had the highest rate of methamphetamine use in East Asia, and according to a US state department report, 2.1 per cent of Flipinos aged 16 to 64 use the drug, which is known locally as "shabu". There appears to be support in the Philippines for Duterte's uncompromising line on criminals. When a suspected rapist was killed in custody recently, the CHR raised concerns, but they were lost amid an outpouring of sympathy for the police on social and mainstream media. Still many people across the country are feeling anxious. "There is a sense of fear because what was done to the hardened drug couriers, users and manufacturers could be done to you," said Winston Boston, a 49-year-old financial adviser in Manila. "Anyone could just be accosted." (Reuters)

As Duterte takes over in Philippines, police killings stir fear

The incoming Philippines transportation chief said today President-elect Rodrigo Duterte should be given emergency powers by Congress for two years to solve a debilitating traffic crisis in the capital Manila and elsewhere. 
 
The emergency powers will quicken the release of government funds aimed at declogging main roads that have hurt businesses and the overall economy. 
 
Transporation secretary Arthur Tugade, speaking on the sidelines of a business conference, cited the 2.4 billion Pesos ($52 million) in potential daily income lost due to the traffic problem based on a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. 
(Reuters)

The emergency powers will quicken the release of government funds aimed at removing traffic blockages

The incoming Philippines transportation chief said today President-elect Rodrigo Duterte should be given emergency powers by Congress for two years to solve a debilitating traffic crisis in the capital Manila and elsewhere. The emergency powers will quicken the release of government funds aimed at declogging main roads that have hurt businesses and the overall economy. Transporation secretary Arthur Tugade, speaking on the sidelines of a business conference, cited the 2.4 billion Pesos ($52 million) in potential daily income lost due to the traffic problem based on a study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. (Reuters)

Incoming Philippines transport minister seeks emergency powers to fix traffic snarl

Light, bubbly music can be heard at a local cafe in Manila, with customers jamming at the sound of ukuleles to relax and unwind.

Owners of &quot;Uke Box Caffe&quot; lets customers listen in or play ukuleles while having a cup of coffee.

Customers can bring their own ukuleles or rent the cafe&#39;s instruments hanging on the wall, which doubles as its decor, for a small fee.

Patrons can listen to local bands playing ukuleles during jamming nights and even join the performance, with music ranging from classical to contemporary pieces specifically arranged for the instrument.

Professional instructors also provide free ukulele lessons for beginners on weekends, which are normally packed with hobbyists and young professionals.

Participants are taught basic chords and are encouraged to perform together to boost confidence.

&quot;Regardless of your background in life, your music ed or whatsoever professional, a businessman, as long as you want to relax, this is the instrument that we encourage you to grab,&quot; said Tryrone De Guzman, one of the ukulele instructors.

The cafe, which started in 2015, came from the owners&#39; love of playing ukuleles and their desire to provide unique&nbsp;entertainment&nbsp;for customers.

It has since then drawn crowds who regularly visit the cafe to listen and sometimes participate in the jamming sessions.

&quot;Weekends are special for me, that&#39;s my time with family and also to recuperate from work, so I consider this as an option for relaxation,&quot; said Jana Deborah Mier, a doctor who has been going to the cafe for weeks to study the instrument.

&quot;Definitely it&#39;s a very easy musical instrument to learn. It doesn&#39;t need big hands unlike guitars where you need a bigger hand to grab all the chords. Here it&#39;s just a four string instrument that&#39;s small yet powerful,&quot; said Fil Carrion, a ukulele enthusiast.

Ukuleles said to have originated from Hawaii and are known for their small, four-stringed body that was adapted from a Portuguese guitar-like instrument from the 19th century.

A cafe in Manila serves hearty entertainment by allowing customers to experience and play ukulele.

Light, bubbly music can be heard at a local cafe in Manila, with customers jamming at the sound of ukuleles to relax and unwind. Owners of "Uke Box Caffe" lets customers listen in or play ukuleles while having a cup of coffee. Customers can bring their own ukuleles or rent the cafe's instruments hanging on the wall, which doubles as its decor, for a small fee. Patrons can listen to local bands playing ukuleles during jamming nights and even join the performance, with music ranging from classical to contemporary pieces specifically arranged for the instrument. Professional instructors also provide free ukulele lessons for beginners on weekends, which are normally packed with hobbyists and young professionals. Participants are taught basic chords and are encouraged to perform together to boost confidence. "Regardless of your background in life, your music ed or whatsoever professional, a businessman, as long as you want to relax, this is the instrument that we encourage you to grab," said Tryrone De Guzman, one of the ukulele instructors. The cafe, which started in 2015, came from the owners' love of playing ukuleles and their desire to provide unique entertainment for customers. It has since then drawn crowds who regularly visit the cafe to listen and sometimes participate in the jamming sessions. "Weekends are special for me, that's my time with family and also to recuperate from work, so I consider this as an option for relaxation," said Jana Deborah Mier, a doctor who has been going to the cafe for weeks to study the instrument. "Definitely it's a very easy musical instrument to learn. It doesn't need big hands unlike guitars where you need a bigger hand to grab all the chords. Here it's just a four string instrument that's small yet powerful," said Fil Carrion, a ukulele enthusiast. Ukuleles said to have originated from Hawaii and are known for their small, four-stringed body that was adapted from a Portuguese guitar-like instrument from the 19th century.

Customers strum music in Manila's ukulele cafe

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