War in Marawi, peace talks ended; illegal drugs campaign continues
The President in 2017:
President Duterte stepped into more controversial ground on May 2017 when he declared martial law in Mindanao to deal with the Daeshinspired terrorists who laid siege in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur for five months.
He promised that he
would not be another Ferdinand Marcos who had kept a firm grip on power by declaring martial law in 1972 to 1981. But, he said, t his hands were tied, admitting that the military was overwhelmed by the terrorist groups who were wellprepared for the siege.
Duterte assured that his martial law will be free from human rights abuses, would stay within the boundaries of the Constitution, and would take responsibility for its consequences.
The offensive operations in Marawi officially ended on October 23, 2017, days after the military killed the terrorists’ leaders, Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute, and exactly five months after the war erupted.
But on December 11, as recommended by the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP), Duterte asked Congress to extend the martial law in Mindanao for a year, citing the existing threats of communist rebels and other armed groups, and the reported terrorist recruitment in the island. The Congress approved the extension on December 13. It is now set to expire on December 31, 2018.
Terminated peace talks After trying to talk peace with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), Duterte officially terminated the peace talks with the Reds on Nov. 23 signing Proclamation No. 360. He cited the groups’ insincerity to the negotiations.
The decision was also pushed by an NPA ambush in in Talakad, Bukidnon on Nov. 10, killing a four-month-old baby and one policeman and leaving six injured.
“In spite of the best efforts exerted by the Administration, the NDF-CPP-NPA failed to show its sincerity and commitment in pursuing genuine and meaningful peace negotiations as it engaged acts of violence and hostilities, endangering the lives and properties of innocent people,” the Proclamation read.
On Dec. 5, Duterte signed Proclamation no. 374 declaring the Reds as terrorists and ordered their arrest under the Human Security Act (HSA). He earlier ordered the arrest of non-armed legal fronts for conspiracy to commit terrorism under the HSA, and the re-arrest of those temporarily released as an act of good faith to the peace talks aside from those who are already old.
Despite ordering the military and the police to shoot armed NPAs, Duterte on Dec. 8 hinted the peace talks can still be revived by Labor Secretary and Chief Peace Negotiator Silvestre Bello III any time but not in the near future.
Drug war shift
Duterte made a surprising move when he stripped the Philippine National Police (PNP) off their authority over the drug war on Oct. 10, 2017. He also removed from the drug campaign the AFP, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC); and gave the sole responsibility to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
According to Duterte, he did this to satisfy his critics who continue to slam the drug war, one of the pillars of his campaign, due to the police’s involvement in the killings including that of teenagers Kian delos Santos and Carl Arnaiz.
However, in less than a month Duterte said he would bring back the PNP to the drug war in fear that the drug condition in the country might worsen. He signed signed Memorandum Order no. 17 on Dec. 5, bringing back the PNP, and other law enforcement agencies, to the drug war to actively support the PDEA.
Duterte and China This year, Duterte continued to build a good relationship with China. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang even described the relationship between the two Asian countries as “as warm as the temperature on Manila,” as they witnessed the signing of 14 agreements in different areas.
“Winter has come to the northern hemisphere, but the temperature in Manila is still running pretty high. I think that somewhat reflects the temperature of China-Philippine relations which is also going pretty high on the basis of the positive improvement of the relations between the two counties,” Li said in Chinese last November.
Duterte has repeatedly thanked China for its assistance to the Philippines, especially for the arms it turned over to address the Marawi siege. However, he said he would like to make clear on China’s intention, especially when it comes to the issue on the disputed South China Sea.
“At one moment in our life or the lives of the Filipinos, they were there to give us the arms when we had none and we were fighting it out in Marawi,” he said. “But let us be clear on what we intend to do here because eventually it will affect the entire Philippine archipelago.”
Despite this, Li said that the Chinese government will extend 150 million Renminbi (RMB), or 11.15 billion, worth of grants for the Marawi rehabilitation. Li said China has confidence that under Duterte’s leadership, “the rebuilding of Marawi will be completed at a very early date and the local people will embrace an even better life.”
Ties with other superpowers Duterte also improved its ties with other world superpowers, particularly Russia and the United States.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said both countries have opened a new chapter in their relations and assured Duterte that Russia is ready to expand ties with the Philippines, especially in countering terrorism. The two leaders witnessed the signing of nine agreements at the sidelines of the 31st ASEAN Summit last month.
Following their souring relationship, Duterte seemed to have improved its relations with the US when he met President Donald Trump last month during the ASEAN Summit.
Duterte also visited his “good friend” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Japan in October where they reaffirmed ties and expressed that both countries have now entered the “Golden Age of Strategic Partnership”.
During the visit, Japan pledged to put in over US$ 1 billion for three infrastructure projects in the Philippines. ASEAN
Chairmanship
Duterte’s chairmanship for this year’s ASEAN was lauded by many world leaders.
He passed the ASEAN gavel, symbol of ASEAN chairmanship, to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last month.
During Duterte’s stint as ASEAN chair, the 50-year-old regional bloc was able to adopt and note a number of declarations, statements, and action plans, highlighting the completion and signing of the ASEAN Consensus on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers.
Marcos wealth
Duterte revealed that he accepted the Marcos’ family’s offer to return their wealth to the Philippine government to finally lay the issue to rest.
“I accept the invitation it’s finally time these things be finally accepted. I accepted lang na gusto na nilang makipag-areglo sa gobyerno para matapos na ang kaso (I accepted that they want to settle to finally lay the issue to rest),” Duterte had said last September.
Duterte earlier said that the Marcos family allegedly kept the wealth supposedly because they were planning to return to Malacañang anyway. He said he accepts the explanation, whether it is true or not, because there is really nothing more to it anymore.
However, he is leaving up to the government to decide on how to acquire the wealth and if it would still pursue further cases against the former First Family.
Collection of unpaid taxes
Duterte also boasted about how the government was able to collect unpaid taxes of large corporations, namely the tobacco manufacturer Mighty Corporation, and the Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Malacañang welcomed Mighty’s 140billion tax settlement as it would help the administration’s ambitious 11.097-trillion “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program to materialize. The Palace also noted that is is the biggest tax settlement in Philippine history.
The government has accused Mighty Corporation of using counterfeit tax stamps to avoid paying 137.88 billion in taxes. During his second State of the Nation Address in July, Duterte ordered the Department of Finance (DOF) to accept Mighty Corporation’s tax settlement.
Malacañang also welcomed PAL’s 16-billion settlement as this will fund the education of students in local and state universities and colleges (LUCs and SUCs). It was disclosed that the flag carrier finally paid its financial obligations, including unpaid navigation fees, to the government, which were incurred since the 1970s up to July 2017.
Laws, EOs, signed
Among the landmark bills Duterte signed into law this year was the Republic Act (RA) 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act last August. This grants free tuition to all local and state universities and colleges (LUCs and SUCs) in the country despite uncertainty on the budgetary allocation for the program.
Duterte revealed that he signed the bill into law, despite the opposition of his economic managers, to give a chance to poor students.
Last August, he also signed the laws extending the validity of passports and driver’s licenses to 10 years and five years, respectively. These are two laws which Duterte promised will be signed within his term during his first State of the Nation Address.
Last May, Duterte signed EO 26 on the implementation of the Nationwide Smoking Ban. Under the EO, smoking while in enclosed public places and transportation servicing the general population, whether stationary or in motion, except designated smoking areas (DSAs) is declared unlawful.
Meanwhile last June, Duterte signed EO 28 which provides for the regulation and control of the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices. Under the EO, the use of firecrackers will be confined to community fireworks display to minimize the risk of injuries and casualties.
Before the year ended, Duterte also signed the 2018 General Appropriations Act (ACT) and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act into law. However, Duterte vetoed five provisions from the TRAIN, the law which he said was the administration’s biggest Christmas gift to the Filipinos.
Defending Aquino
But Duterte was not always on attack mode this year. Duterte defended his predecessor Benigno Aquino III from the usurpation of authority charge filed against the latter by the Ombudsman related to the Mamasapano incident where 44 members of the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) died in an operation. He said Aquino cannot usurp what is inherently his duty.
Duterte also believes that Aquino implemented the now controversial dengue immunization program on good faith, thinking this would help the Filipinos against the deadly disease. Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur recently revealed that the vaccine could worsen the effects of dengue on those who have not been exposed to the virus.