September 18, 2014 Edition

Senate President Franklin Drilon says the Senate has no time to tackle any amendments to the constitution to allow President Benigno Aquino III to seek a second term. In a radio interview on September 17, Wednesday, Drilon said the Senate’s legislative calendar was packed until the end of 2014. “Kaya hindi ko po nakikita iyan, at wall pong panahon para diyan,” Drilon said. (So I cannot see that coming, and we don’t have time for that.) Drilon is the latest voice to downplay discussions on whether the President will want a second term, even if it is currently banned by the Philippine constitution. Aquino’s critics and even a number of allies have also thumbed down the idea.

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Lava cascaded down the Philippines’ most active volcano on Wednesday, September 17, as authorities rushed to evacuate thousands ahead of a possible deadly eruption. Soldiers went from house to house asking residents to evacuate after authorities on Monday, September 15, raised the 3rd highest alert in a 5-step scale, meaning a full-scale eruption is possible “within weeks”. At least 8,000 of the target 50,000 people had been moved to temporary shelters. On Wednesday, Mayon’s crater glowed red as molten rocks flowed as far as halfway down its slopes.

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India rolled out the red carpet for visiting Chinese president Xi Jinping on Wednesday, September 17 as both countries sought to reset their bilateral relationship. India’s new prime minister Narendra Modi pulled out all the stops for Xi’s arrival organizing an intimate riverside dinner in Ahmedabad. Despite his hardline nationalist reputation, Modi moved quickly to engage with China after winning office this year on a campaign promise to revive India’s flagging economy, which experts say has been held back by weak infrastructure. But Modi has also made clear he sees China as a competitor and intends to pursue a more muscular foreign policy than the previous government.

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The Senate passed a bill on Wednesday, September 17 extending the deadline for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Extension with Reforms (CARPER) law. The extension, once approved by both houses of Congress, will allow the government to continue covering lands for distribution to farmer-beneficiaries until 2016. The lower house has yet to approve the bill.

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Australian police on Thursday, September 18, made a series of arrests in pre-dawn counter-terrorism raids across Sydney and Brisbane, with those detained reportedly suspected of links to the jihadist group Islamic State (ISIS). The operation comes barely a week after the country raised its terror threat level to “high” for the first time in a decade on growing concern about militants returning from fighting in Iraq and Syria. Hundreds of police officers are involved in the arrests.

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Rappler, Microsoft and the Global Center for Journalism and Democracy kicked off the first of two journalism workshops on the changing landscapes of disasters, journalism, and technology as part of the PH+SocialGood Summit #2030NOW. The event comes nearly one year after the Philippines suffered two major disasters – a massive earthquake and a super typhoon. These disasters showed that the need for accurate and clear information during times of crisis is just as critical as food and shelter. In the forum, journalists like Egypt’s Shahira Amin and Rappler’s Patricia Evangelista discussed the fine lines they have to walk during times of crisis. Amin is famous for resigning from state broadcaster Nile TV at the height of the anti-Mubarak protests because she refused to be a part of state propaganda. Evangelista talked about the need to be both “cold” and “human” in covering a disaster zone. Other journalists also shared their experience working in disaster and crisis situations.

Read more about the Social Good Summit here and here.

The military has tagged the Bangsamoro Freedom Fighters (BIFF) – a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) – as behind the bombing in General Santos that wounded 7 civilians Tuesday evening, September 16. “Based on the signature of the improvised explosive device (IED), it looks connected to the spoilers BIFF. This is the group of Basit Usman, who is also known for extortion activities,” said Major General Eduardo Año, commander of the 10th Infantry Division of the Eastern Mindanao Command. Military officials made the assessment on Wednesday, September 17, the same day Chief Peace Adviser Teresita Deles told senators at a budget hearing that the estimated 1,000 BIFF members are “well contained,” citing successful military operations that captured the rebels’ camps in Maguindanao.

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The Philippines climbed 3 notches to improve from 34th place to 31st in the world in the latest FIBA Rankings. While it is a welcome change, Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes admitted he is ‘disappointed’ and ‘not happy’ with it, saying the country deserves to rank higher. “I’m disappointed with that 3-place increase to be very honest with you,” Reyes said during Gilas’ thanksgiving and send-off party on Wednesday, September 17 at Max’s Restaurant, Araneta Center in Cubao. Reyes explained he felt the Philippines should have overtaken longtime basketball rival South Korea after Gilas finished better in the recent FIBA tournaments. South Korea rose 4 places higher to 27 in the FIBA Rankings.

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The campaign for Scotland’s independence referendum went down to the wire on the eve of a knife-edge vote on Thursday, September 18, that will either see Scotland break away from the United Kingdom or gain sweeping new powers. Pro-independence leader Alex Salmond urged Scots to seize the opportunity as polls showed the vote could go either way. Record numbers have registered for the referendum – 97% of eligible voters – and turnout is expected to be very high with officials saying it could be around 80%. A “Yes” victory would not mean independence overnight but would sound the starting gun on months and possibly years of complex negotiations on separating two deeply linked economic systems.

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A Chinese woman who sued a man for “violating her right to virginity” after he wooed her with false promises has been awarded nearly $5,000 by a court, reports said Wednesday, September 17. The two were dating but after the woman, surnamed Chen, found out her boyfriend was already married she sued him for swindling her out of her virginity, accusing him of pretending to be single and pledging to make her his wife, Shanghai media said. The two met online in 2009. But after the man suddenly broke off contact, Chen burst into his home and found him with his wife. She sued him for violating her rights to virginity and health. The man denies having sex with the woman.

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