Aquino on Maguindanao, ISIS threat, Pacquiao-Mayweather | The wRap

Today on Rappler.

• President Benigno Aquino evades questions on whether he authorized the Special Forces operation in Maguindanao.
• ISIS threatens to kill hostages within 24 hours. 
• Floyd Mayweather tells Manny Pacquiao to “stop lying.” 

AQUINO EVASIVE ON WHO AUTHORIZED SAF OPS
President Benigno Aquino evades questions on whether he authorized the police’s Special Action Forces in Maguindanao which ended in the death of at least 44 policemen Sunday. But Aquino devotes most of his speech defending the botched operation. Aquino says  the go-signal for the operation goes back as far as 2002 to arrest alleged Malaysian bombmaker Marwan and Abdul Basit Usman. Marwan is a high value target, wanted for the 2002 Bali bombing and one of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Top Ten Terrorists with a 5 million dollar bounty on his head. Aquino also admits talking to SAF chief Getulio Napenas before the operation. He asked Napenas to coordinate with the army. Aquino adds, the operation was “actionable intelligence.”

BENIGNO AQUINO, PRESIDENT: Hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay hinihingi nila ang pahintulot ko. Impractical naman kung hihintayin pa nila ang clearance mula sa akin. Ang tungkulin ko: siguraduhing ginagampanan nila ang kanilang responsibilidad. Nang malaman ng ating kapulisan ang tutok na lokasyon nina Marwan at Usman nagdesisyon silang kumilos upang ipatupad ang mga warrant sa mga ito. Actionable intelligence po ang nakalap ng ating mga awtoridad.

(They don’t ask for my go signal in every occassion. It’s impractical for them to always wait for clearance from me. My function is to make sure they fulfill their responsibilities. When our police force determined the location of Marwan and Usman, they decided to act to enforce the warrants of arrest. Our authorities gathered actionable intelligence.)

Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said the clash between the policemen and Moro rebels in Maguindanao, may affect the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL. But the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF reiterates its commitment to the peace process and has launched a separate probe on the incident.

ISIS THREATENS TO KILL JAPAN, JORDAN HOSTAGES IN 24 HOURS
Jihadist group ISIS or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria on Tuesday warns: hostages will be killed within 24 hours. Japanese journalist Kenji Goto and Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh will be killed if jailed militant figure Sajida al-Rishawi is not freed. Rishawi was a suicide bomber but was caught when her bomb vest failed to detonate.

FILIPINOS AMONG CASUALTIES IN LIBYA HOTEL ATTACK
At least 9 people were killed during the hotel attack in the Libyan capital Tripoli Tuesday. Officials say the foreigners killed were an American, two Filipinos, a French citizen and a South Korean at least 5 people were also wounded, including two Filipino women employees hurt by broken glass from the car bomb. Militants stormed the luxurious Corinthia hotel in an attack claimed by ISIS or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria group in honor of Abu Anas al-Libi, an Al-Qaeda suspect who died in the United States earlier this month.

‘STOP LYING,’ MAYWEATHER TELLS PACQUIAO AT HEAT GAME – REPORT
What did boxing champs Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao say to each other at Tuesday’s Miami Heat game? Mayweather allegedly told Pacquiao to “stop lying” about signing a contract on their long-awaited showdown. He said, “If you’re not going to tell the truth, it’s best to stay silent.” Pacquiao and his adviser Michael Koncz reportedly stayed silent during Mayweather’s tirade. Pacquiao said Mayweather gave his number and asked to keep in touch.

BIG ASTEROID THAT SKIMMED EARTH HAS ITS OWN MOON – NASA
Space agency NASA says the unusually large asteroid 2004 BL86 that passed by Earth Monday had its own moon. The first radar images of the flyby show the asteroid measuring about 1,100 feet or 325 meters across. NASA says about 16% of asteroids in its size category are “binary,” meaning there is a primary asteroid with a smaller asteroid moon orbiting it. It’s the largest asteroid to pass near Earth until 2027.

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– Rappler.com

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Production Staff