Trillanes exposes Gonzales, Moro clash, ISIS beheading | The wRap

Today on Rappler.

• Senator Trillanes names former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales in a coup plot against President Aquino. 
• Rival groups MILF and BIFF clash in Maguindanao. 
• ISIS releases a video showing the beheading of Egyptian Christians. 

TRILLANES: NORBERTO GONZALES PLOTTING TO OUST AQUINO
Senator Antonio Trillanes names former national security adviser Norberto Gonzales as the man behind an allegedly plot to oust President Benigno Aquino.

ANTONIO TRILLANES IV, PHILIPPINE SENATOR: Ang papel ni Norberto Gonzales, manggulo sa Pilipinas.

(The role of Norberto Gonzales is to sow confusion in the Philippines.)

He adds, the organizers hope to recruit active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.
Trillanes’ statement comes after senator Miriam Santiago said in the last Senate hearing that a “wealthy Filipino” was behind a coup plot against Aquino.
The president is under fire for not clarifying his involvement in the police operations that killed 44 elite cops, 18 Muslim rebels, and at least 3 civilians in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Archbishop Socrates Villegas tells Aquino to explain his role in the Mamasapano clash.
Villegas says, “The decision was made on the highest levels to go after these ‘high-value targets.’
He adds, Aquino and his advisers must give a “full and satisfactory accounting of their actions.”
But Villegas rejects “extra-constitutional measures” in the face of public outrage after talks of coup plots surfaced.

RIVAL MORO GROUPS CLASH IN MAGUINDANAO
Hundreds of civilians from Maguindanao and North Cotabato fled their homes Saturday, following clashes of rival Moro armed groups.
A commander from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or MILF was killed in the encounter.
The Philippine Army says at around 5 pm, Saturday, the MILF’s Eastern Mindanao Front led by Commander Jack Abas exchanged gunfire with the group of one Commander Gani Saligan of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters or BIFF.
On the same day, some of the equipment of the police’s Special Action Force or SAF personnel who died in the January 25 clash in Maguindanao were turned over to authorities.
A police official says the civilian who turned over the equipment Saturday asked to remain unidentified for security reasons.
The civilian turned over a Kevlar helmet, a two-way radio set, and a ballistic plate for a bulletproof vest.

ISIS IN LIBYA SAYS IT HAS BEHEADED EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS
ISIS or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria released a video Sunday supposedly showing the beheading of Egyptian Christians in Libya. 
The footage ISIS released online shows handcuffed hostages wearing orange jumpsuits beheaded by black-suited captors in a coastal area. 
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared 7 days of mourning in the aftermath.
The Egyptian Coptic Church issues a statement saying it is “confident” killers would be brought to justice.

AUSTRALIAN FM ANSWERS DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS USING EMOJI
The website Buzzfeed interviews Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop by sending her text messages and Bishop responds using only emojis.
Emojis are visual shorthands used to convey emotion online.
Bishop uses a running man to depict her boss Tony Abbott… and an angry red face to describe Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
For Indonesia, where the impending execution of two Australian drug convicts could strain ties, Bishop offered a thumbs up and a tick for the relationship, but added a downcast face.
On a lighter note, asked which emoji she could not live without, she opted for a winking smiley face blowing a kiss.

CHIZ ESCUDERO, HEART EVANGELISTA TIE THE KNOT
Philippine Senator Chiz Escudero and actress Heart Evangelista tied the knot Sunday.
The two have been together since 2012, and engaged since August 2014. 
Evangelista walked down the aisle alone, after mentioning in an earlier interview that she didn’t expect her parents to come after a much-publicized rift over her relationship with the senator. 
President Benigno Aquino, who was supposed to be Escudero’s best man, was not able to attend the wedding.

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– Rappler.com

Production Staff