Newscast: The World Tonight - Broadcast date: 11/08/96
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Copyright © 1996, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
Subject: APEC AND ANTI-APEC PREPARATIONS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/08/96Anti-APEC activists are mobilizing a protest caravan composed of 200-thousand protesters that will snake its way through Central Luzon during the APEC Summit. The demonstration will be the biggest if not one of the biggest protest actions against the conference. The protest organizers promise to abide by the rules set by the government. Malacañang is not taking any chances.
The people's caravan will end in Clark not in Subic, the site of the summit. It's the protestors way of showing they're not simply out to embarass the Ramos government. Supporters of the APEC summit are organizing their own show of force. Government denies it is behind them. Government will be holding dress rehearsals of the summit beginning tomorrow. The summit is the biggest show the Ramos government will be producing. General Paray says the dress rehearsal should give allow them to determine the amount of time needed by security forces to contain unforeseen events these include the demonstrations by groups opposed to the summit.
Human rights groups plan to file charges of human rights abuses against the Ramos administration. They will file their case at the United Nations on Monday. They say the government violated international human rights laws by not allowing some foreigners to join anti-APEC conferences.
Subject: ANTI-APEC: DIVIDED THEY FALL
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/08/96The four biggest groups opposed to APEC may be united by a common goal but if you look closely the cracks among them run deep. Ironically they were once bound by a common cause. They all have an ax to grind with APEC. They either want to slam APEC stop imperialist globalization delay full scale free trade liberalization promote sustainable development or a combination of these causes.
Satur Ocampo ,PCAIG Spokeperson, coments, "Its an exact, of the continung dabate within the people's organizations, the NGO movements on precisely how to respond to the problem of globalization"
But aside from APEC they have very little in common. Ocampo, Renato Constantino Jr., and Walden Bello all came from the communist movement. Their disunity in rallying against APEC is reflective of the factions within the communist party. But APEC could also bring them together. But the divisions are deep. Walden Bello of the Manila People's Forum refused to be interviewed saying his group doesn't want to be "mixed and tainted" with the rest. The Asia-Pacific sustainable develpment initiative doesn't believe a united front against APEC is possible. The four groups claim attendance in the different rallies and counter summits will range from 3 thousand to 200 thousand depending on the event. But a united front would have created a bigger impact.
Subject: APEC AS BARGAINING CHIP FOR HOTEL LABORERS
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/08/96Restive hotel workers say it's not true government has prevailed upon them to delay their protests until after the APEC summit. As our report indicates the leverage being presented to them by the summit is too strong to resist. Manila Hotel's employees don't want to go on strike. US President Clinton will be one of their guests come APEC. But if they do, they want to make sure it's all legal. They filed a notice of strike a month ago and today conducted a strike vote. A representative from the Labor Department witnessed the proceedings. Over half of the union members agreed to go on strike. It's a go. Now it all depends on Monday's talks with management. Andres claims they can cripple hotel operations.
The Labor Department has been mediating the talks. Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing assures they can work things out. Labor disputes are also simmering at the Grand Boulevard Hotel. The 400-member union has already filed 2 notices of strike. The hotel's general manager claims they're on top of the situation. That is something Malacañang will certainly be thankful for.
Subject: ANOTHER PARALLEL SUMMIT
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/08/96Apart from the 18 heads of state President Ramos will also welcome 450 movers and shakers in the APEC Economies the heads of business empires. The president wants to make his mark as APEC host by involving the business sector to hasten the pace of APEC reforms. Two weeks from now, 450 CEOs from the 18 APEC-member economies are coming for the APEC business forum most of them want a hotel suite, it's a big headache but organizers don't really mind.
Never before has a conference like this been organized in APEC as APEC Chair President Ramos wants the business sector injected into the APEC process And another unprecedented event heads of state will listen to the recommendations of business leaders one of the first items on their agenda in Subic In the end when the APEC action plans are drawn up it's the businessmen who will transform the plans into action.
Subject: DRUGS: THE P 500 BILLION INDUSTRY
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/08/96Drug enforcement agencies worldwide have been losing the war against drug cartels. The narcotics trade is now a 500 billion dollar annual business. Delegates to an international conference being held in Manila admit they are losing out to the resources and influence of drug traffickers.
Organizers of the conference say their 21st meeting in Manila was unprecedented in terms of attendance. Conference delegates say the volume of the drug trade has been increasing in the developing world and in developed countries.
COUNTRY ORIGINS OF ILLEGAL GRUGSHeroin, Cocaine and other narcotics are rarely sold in countries where they are manufactured. The cartels would rather sell elsewhere so they can command a better price for their drugs. According to the UN commission on narcotic drugs, governments have difficulty blocking drug shipments because of the influence of the cartels.AMPHETAMINES (Shabu/Ice) :BR> Thailand, Taiwan, China, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, US
OPIUM (Heroine/Morphine) :
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Laos, ColombiaCOCAINE :
Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, North AmericaECSTACY (LSD) :
Europe, US, Singapore
The delegates agreed on more cooperation in intelligence gathering and in lobbying for stronger laws against the drug trade. In the Philippines for instance the international organization vowed to pressure congress into amending the bank secrecy law.
Supnet says this would help government detect drug money that's being laundered and invested into legitimate businesses. But the proposed amendment has been pending in congress since 1992.
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Subject: LEA TASI'S ESCAPE FROM NBI
Newscast: TWTONITE - Air Date: 11/08/96NBI Director Santiago Toledo sacked the NBI official responsible for the escape of Lea Tasi the jail guard accused of helping in the escape of a suspected thai drug trafficker 2 years ago. Toledo formed five teams of agents to find Tasi. The relieved officer Mamerto Espartero was in charge of the security escorts who lost Tasi after a hearing at the Manila RTC, Tuesday.