Poe, Santiago, Roxas, Duterte, Binay
stand firm vs China's territorial claims

With more than two weeks to go before the voters head to the polls for the country May 9 national elections, the presidential candidates have stood firm against China's alleged intrusion of Philippine waters but they agreed to seek diplomatic means in solving the country's maritime dispute with China.

Presidential bets -- Senator Grace Poe, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and former Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II all noted that the international community supports the Philippines in its arbitration case against China.

The five contenders for the presidential race commented when one of the fishermen asked the candidates what assistance they could offer to fishermen like him amid the harassment they experience in the disputed waters during the third and last leg of the PiliPinas Debates 2016 held at the Uinversity of Pangasinan, Luzon late Sunday afternoon. 

Poe, the daughter of the late movie action hero Fernando Poe Jr., said that the country should strengthen its Coast Guard to protect the rights of Filipino fishermen.

"The West Philippine Sea is not a personal aquarium of the Chinese. It's ours and we should persuade our allies. If they are true friends, they should help us and we should not give that up," the frontrunner independent presidential bet added.

Asked by a fisherman how she plans to help them amid the harassment they experience in the disputed waters, the senator cited other countries that support their own fishermen.

Poe said that if she is elected President, she will ensure additional equipment and help for the Coast Guard, as well as for fishermen and their families. She compared Filipinos to schoolchildren being bullied.

"I will increase the number of Coast Guards and give handheld radios to fishermen so they can ask for help from the authorities," she vowed.

On the other hand, both Santiago (People's Reform Party) and Roxas (ruling administration's Liberal Party) agreed that diplomacy is the key but the former was also interested in going on the offensive.

"If they are in our waters and take our fish, I will call the coast guard I will bomb those, " she said in Tagalog, adding that, "We will talk with them then tell them we have world public opinion behind us. The world believes the water is ours. That's why, they should bully us."

Meanwhile, Roxas said that Filipinos should accept the fact that the Philippine government is no match to China when it comes to military assets.

But he said Filipinos should not give up on their claims in South China Sea. He said this is why the government went into arbitration.

Roxas assured the public that Filipinos can rely on the influence of the international community if the government wins the case against China.

However, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino offered to jet ski to a disputed area of West Philippine Sea and plant the nation’s flag on China’s reclaimed airport.

"I will personally go to one of the islands in the disputed sea and plant the Philippine flag to stake the country's claim. If they will kill be it's up to you to cry here in the Philippines," said the presidential candidate from southern Philippines.

He was quick to explain that he did not want to sacrifice the lives of soldiers. He furthered that he is willing to risk his life to assert the country's claim over the disputed waters but clarified that he is not willing to go into war.

"I will ask the Navy to bring me to the nearest boundary d'yan sa Spratlys, bababa ako, sasakay ako ng jet ski, dala-dala ko yun flag ng Pilipino at pupunta ako doon sa airport nila tapos itanim ko then I would say 'This is ours,'" Duterte said.

For Vice President Jejomar Binay, stalwart of the United Nationalist Alliance, also vowed that they will provide assistance to fishermen while the country's arbitration case against China is ongoing.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea. Aside from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also have overlapping claims.

The Philippines has challenged China at the arbitration court in The Hague. Beijing, however, has not recognized the case filed by Manila. The international tribunal is expected to issue its ruling on the case by May.

Grace Poe barnstorms Zamboanga

Grace Poe vows to give pension

for retired barangay officials

 

FPJ's Ang Probinsyano movie action star Coco Martin endorses Sen. Grace Poe for President. 

Independent presidential frontrunner Sen. Grace Poe has vowed that there would be a government that would listen and care for the poor should she be elected to the highest office of the land.

Poe made this promise before thousands of supporters, including barangay and youth leaders, who thronged the coliseum in Victorias City, Negros Occidental Thursday.

"My administration will allot budget for barangay employees and will give pension to retired barangay officials," she added.

More than 10,000 barangay leaders and supporters from the six districts of Negros province attended the event.

Poe had earlier a boodle fight breakfast with around 2,000 residents of Barangay Banago in Bacolod City.

Actor Coco Martin, who joined the tandem, said Poe was "the most qualified candidate" among those who are running for president.

Poe urges rivals: No mudslinging

please, at last presidential debates

No name-calling and mudslinging, please, during the last leg of the debates, presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe appealed to her political rivals on Saturday.

For the third and final presidential PILIPINAS DEBATES to be held in Pangasinan on Sunday, Poe specifically asked her adversaries to refrain from making underhanded attacks against one another, to set a good example to Filipinos.

In an interview on local radio station in Bacolod City on Thursday, she said, “Pakiusap ko sa lahat ng kandidato, sana huwag namang magtawagan ng mga masasakit na pangalan dahil pagkatapos nito balik rin naman tayo sa pagiging kung sino tayo.”

“May responsibilidad kaming ayusin ang aming pananalita at ayusin ang aming pagkilos sapagkat bilang isang lider, hindi ka lang nagbibigay ng order, ikaw ay nagbibigay ng inspirasyon at halimbawa,” she added.

Barely two weeks before the May 9 elections, Poe said candidates should focus on communicating their stand on pressing national issues.

All five presidential contenders—Poe, administration standardbearer Mar Roxas II, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte—will face one another on stage for the Luzon leg of the presidential debates that will held at the Phinma-University in Dagupan City.

The townhall-type debate is sponsored by the Commission on Elections and hosted by ABS-CBN and the Manila Bulletin.

Poe had vowed she won't let women's rights be trampled on in the course of the debates.

"Sa debate na ito, hindi ako papayag na apihin rin ang mga kababaihan. Kailangan ay ipakita natin kung ano ang lakas ng isang babae, katulad rin ng mga lalaki."

President Aquino visits south to boost

troops' morale in the fight vs Abu Sayyaf

President Benigno Aquino III visited on Wednesday the wake of one of the soldiers killed and the wounded troops in the clash with Daesh-linked Abu Sayyaf members in Basilan.

The firefight last Saturday in the village of Baguindan in Tipo-Tipo town left at least 18 soldiers dead and fifty-six others and 20 militants injured in the 10-hour gun battle.

The ensuing sporadic clashes resulted in the death of five terrorists, including a Moroccan national described as a bomb expert and one of the sons of Basilan-based Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon.

Aquino, who is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, checked on the condition of 42 of the 56 injured soldiers confined at the Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City.

He was accompanied by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP chief General Hernando Irriberi, and other high-ranking military officials who later briefed after the visit at the military hospital.

The president refused to have an interview and did not issue any statement to the defense reporters who waited him for long hours inside the Western Mindanao Command headquarters.

But Maj. Gerardo Barrientos, the Philippine Army's 1st Tabak Division commander, said the intention of the president is focus on giving moral support and extend financial assistance to the 

​f​amilies of 

wounded 

​and ​

slain troops

​ in ​

n the fire fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group in Basilan.

Barrientos said the financial assistance included the following: P250,000 from the Office of the President; P180,000 cash remuneration (which is six times of the soldier’s basic pay); P50,000 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Mutual Benefit Association, Inc.; P80,000, burial expenses; and, P100,000 from Philippine Army Finance Center Producers Integrated Cooperative.

Barrientos said the government will also give scholarship grant to the dependents of the fallen soldiers.

​ ​

“This is over and above ng remunerations na binibigay ng ating organization

."​

​According to him,​

 the troops of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division have also contributed some amount that will be given to fallen soldier’s families.

Major Filemon Tan, Jr., WestMinCom spokesman, told reporters t

he President planed in around 10 a.m. and immediately proceeded to the wake of Cpl. Rodelio Bangcairin in Barangay Ayala, 16.50 kilometers west of City Hall.

From Ayala, President Aquino motored to the Camp Navarro General Hospital 

​inside ​

Westmincom

​ headquarters​

 where 38 wounded soldiers were admitted.

President Aquino proceeded to the Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) hospital and visited the other six wounded soldiers.

The rest of the wounded soldiers were admitted in two private hospitals in this city while six at the Victoriano Luna General Hospital in Quezon City.

The President, after the hospital visit, has met with the families of the 18 soldiers who were killed during the clash in Basilan province

​.

Tan 

said the visit of the President is a big boost to the morale of the troops.

Tan said the visit of the President shows “na very concern siya sa kalagayan ng kanyang mga kawal.”

As of Wednesday, Tan said the offensive continues against the Abu Sayyaf brigands in the hinterlands of Basilan.

Grace Poe condemns Basilan clash

Photos show Philippine flag in half-mast inside the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command headquarters in sympathy to the slain and wounded soldiers after heavy clashes in Basilan on Saturday. Some of the wounded soldiers recuperating at Camp Navarro hospital in Upper Calarian, Zamboanga city. Hader Glang

Calling it a "brutal murder," presidential front-runner Senator Grace Poe has condemned the Abu Sayyaf militants for the killing of 18 government soldiers in Basilan province.

In a statement issued to media outfits, Poe said: “We condemn the Abu Sayyaf and its supporters in the strongest terms for the brutal and treacherous murder of our troops who were on legitimate military operations in Basilan."

Poe said the terrorists should be immediately pursued and crushed by the full might of the military and police forces, with due regard for the safety of the innocent civilians.

She called on the public to be vigilant in reporting to authorities those groups and individuals, including public officials, who support and coddle the Abu Sayyaf and other armed groups for their selfish gains at the expense of peace and security.

"They should be exposed and answer for their criminal acts,” the senator added.

Poe urged the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to ensure that the families of the fallen heroes are given assistance.

She also urged the national government to ensure that the needs of the families of the fallen heroes are provided for immediately.

According to her, the incident should never happen again. “Once more, this incident highlights the importance of giving priority to the needs of our soldiers and policemen to prevent regrettable incidents like this.  This should never happen again."