Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 8 February
Philippines: US military can build barracks in camps South Korea plans

MANILA, Philippines (AP) country may get entan- president got his informa- to question former
— Philippine President Ro- gled if fighting erupts be- tion but I corrected it,” leader Park soon
drigo Duterte has given the tween China and the U.S. Lorenzana told reporters
go-ahead for the U.S. mili- He identified three areas Tuesday. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) —
tary to build barracks and where U.S. forces were sup- He said he also told Duterte South Korean prosecutors
fuel depots in designated posedly bringing in their that construction in the said Tuesday they expect
local camps where Ameri- armaments, including the camps has not started and to interview President Park
can forces are allowed western Philippine province was scheduled later this Geun-hye this week over
to temporarily station un- of Palawan, which faces year or next year. her alleged involvement
der a 2014 defense pact, the disputed South Chi- “I actually asked his deci- in a political scandal that
Defense Secretary Delfin na Sea. sion if we will continue with toppled her from power.
Lorenzana said Tuesday. He had said if the U.S. builds the EDCA construction or
New U.S. Ambassador to the Duterte last month threat- an arms depot “I will con- not,” Lorenzana added. Park was impeached by
Philippines Sung Kim address- the opposition-controlled
es the media in suburban Pa- ened to abrogate the sider a review and maybe “He said OK, let’s proceed, parliament in December
say city, south of Manila, Phil- agreement if the United ultimately abrogate” the but make sure that there is over allegations that she
ippines. States stores weapons in pact all together. no stockpiling of ammuni- let her longtime confi-
(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) local camps, saying his “I don’t know where the tion there.”q
dante Choi Soon-sil inter-
fere in state affairs and ex-
tort money from businesses
in collaboration with presi-
dential officials.
Park, who has immunity
from prosecution while in
office, has said she’s willing
to undergo questioning.
Prosecution spokesman
Lee Kyu-chul said Tuesday
that Park’s questioning is
expected to take place
“around Feb. 10.” He did
not elaborate.
Prosecutors have tried to
search Park’s presiden-
tial compound twice, but
her aides rejected the re-
quests, citing a law that
can block searches in ar-
eas with official secrets.
The Constitutional Court is
deliberating about wheth-
er to formally unseat her
and trigger an election to
choose her successor.
On Tuesday, four former
top government officials
were indicted for allegedly
blacklisting thousands of
artists critical of the gov-
ernment. The four include
former Culture Minister Cho
Yoon-sun, who became
the first incumbent Cabi-
net member of the Park
government to be arrested
over the allegation. She re-
signed after her arrest.
The ex-top officials alleg-
edly pressured culture-
related organizations to
exclude blacklisted artists
from state funding pro-
grams, Lee said. They face
charges such as abuse of
power and coercion, he
said.
Three other senior officials
including another former
culture minister have al-
ready been indicted over
the blacklist allegation,
which surfaced as authori-
ties were expanding their
probe into the political
scandal.q