Binay-Trillanes debate, S. Korea ferry captain, APEC free trade | The wRap

• Vice President Binay withdraws from his scheduled debate.
• The captain of the South Korean ferry that sank in April is jailed for 36 years.
• Asia-Pacific leaders back China’s free trade roadmap

VP BINAY BACKS OUT OF DEBATE WITH TRILLANES

Vice President Jejomar Binay backs out of a debate with Senator Sonny Trillanes scheduled on November 27.

Binay himself proposed the debate to answer the corruption allegations against him, now the subject of a Senate probe.

In an ambush interview at the Philippine Navy headquarters Tuesday, Binay says he does not want to be portrayed as a “bully” after Trillanes said he would be the “underdog” in the debate.

JEJOMAR BINAY, VICE PRESIDENT: Huwag na natin ituloy kung ganoon ang usapan, may dahilan na kaagad kung anong mangyayari. So ayoko na kung ganyan ang sinasabi niya. Ayokong mapang-api. (Let’s not go through with it anymore if that’s what he’s saying. I don’t want to be portrayed as a bully.)

Reacting to Binay’s move, Trillanes says Binay’s reason was –quote– “the lamest excuse you can ever get from anyone.”

The senator also hit Binay for making the announcement at the headquarters of the Philippine Marines.

Trillanes says Binay, a reserve Marine colonel, tainted the image of the naval infantry branch known for its do-or-die attitude in combat.

Watch Bea Cupin’s video blog on Binay’s surprise announcement on Rappler.

KOREA FERRY CAPTAIN JAILED FOR 36 YEARS, ACQUITTED OF MURDER

The captain of the South Korean ferry that sank in April was jailed for 36 years, but was acquitted of murder.

After five months of testimony, a 3-judge court says prosecutors failed to prove Captain Lee Jun-Seok acted with an intention to kill.

But he was convicted of gross negligence and dereliction of duty, including abandoning the ship while hundreds of passengers remained trapped on board.

The Sewol ferry was carrying 476 people on board when it capsized, killing at least 304 people, most of them schoolchildren.

ASIA-PACIFIC LEADERS SUPPORT CHINA-BACKED FREE TRADE ‘ROADMAP’

Chinese President Xi Jinping says Asia-Pacific leaders agree to support a Beijing-backed concept for a vast free trade area in the region.

Xi says the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC summit approved the roadmap for the promotion of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.

As host of this year’s APEC summit, China is seeking to demonstrate its economic and diplomatic clout.

This comes as the United States is focused on negotiations for its favored Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP.

The TPP aims for a loosening of trade restrictions and includes 11 other countries, but excludes China and Russia.

FAMILIES FURIOUS OVER REPORT MH370 TO BE DECLARED ‘LOST’

Relatives of MH370 passengers hit Malaysia Airlines after an official reportedly said authorities are set to declare the plane “lost.”

A New Zealand Herald article cites Malaysia Airlines official Hugh Dunleavy saying authorities are set to formally announce the loss of the plane, which vanished off radars on March 8 with 239 people aboard.

An industry source says once the plane is declared lost, all search efforts will be stopped.

But in a statement, Malaysia Airlines says ongoing search operations will go on.

UBER PARTNER CARS TO BE PLACED UNDER LTFRB REGULATION

Ride-sharing service Uber will be integrated into the government’s franchising scheme.

This comes after an Uber partner car fell in a sting operation on October 22.

The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board or LTFRB says the new rules will put Uber under the “vehicles-for-hire” category subject to regulation.

LTFRB also wants access to the identities of Uber partner drivers for “security reasons.”

Transport secretary Jun Abaya says the LTFRB should also be allowed to check the road-worthiness of Uber’s partner vehicles.

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– Rappler.com

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