SC orders to protect WPS
Writ compels gov’t to stop marine foray
Ateneo grad leads 1,800 Bar passers
By Rey E. Requejo
A
MID Chinese incursions on the country’s islands in the West Philippine Sea, the Supreme Court issued a writ of Kalikasan Friday compelling concerned government agencies to protect, preserve, rehabilitate, and restore the marine environment in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Ayungin Shoal, and Panganiban Reef. During its special en banc session, the Court resolved to grant the prayer for the issuance of a writ of Kalikasan filed by the members of the Kalayaan Palawan Farmers and Fisherfolk Association and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
By Rey E. Requejo VOL. XXXIII • NO. 79 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
A GRADUATE from Ateneo de Manila University led the 1,800 new lawyers who passed the 2018 Bar Examinations, the Supreme Court said Friday. Next page
The petitioners had sought the same relief that the Court issued in 2008 when it ordered all concerned Next page
SUBMITTED, YOUR HONORS. 2018 bar examinees try to get a good elbow space, anxiety on their faces, to look for their names on the screen at the Supreme Court building Friday, with some (inset) in a joyful outburst of uncontrolled passion, with the top 10 (left) headed by a graduate of the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila University. Lino Santos, Norman Cruz
Tears of joy, sadness cap the long wait THE local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community has a new champion in 2018 Bar Examinations topnotcher Sean James Borja. Bullied as a kid for being gay, Borja persevered to become the valedictorian of the Ateneo de Manila University Law School, and now believes topping the exams gives him a
platform to push for LGBT rights. “Other than the mundane, I think what I would really want to show is to keep pushing my limits to show that people like me, people from my community can achieve so much if people will just listen and look out for us,” Borja told ANC on Friday. Next page
El Niño brings havoc to agri areas ‘Bikoy’ uploader tags LP supporters behind videos SOME P8 billion worth of agricultural damage due to El Niño, which forced 43 local government units to declare a state of calamity, has been registered, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The NDRRMC’s report, released on Friday, estimated that agricultural damages went up to P7.962 billion. The affected areas include Regions CAR, I, II, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, V, Vl, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region—or 14 of the country’s 17 regions.
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
A total of 78,691 families or 393,455 persons were affected by the drought or dry spell in Regions XI (Davao Region) and XII (Soccsksargen), the report added. Also, a total of 247,610 farmers were affected in all regions except National Capital Region and Region IV, it added. To compensate for the lack of water, a total of 10 cloud-seeding operations have been undertaken since March 26, it added. Nearly three weeks ago, the Department of Agriculture said damage to
THE uploader of the “Bikoy” videos that accused President Rodrigo Duterte’s family of involvement in the illegal drug trade on Friday said to supporters of the opposition Liberal Party had tapped him to create a website to share them. Next page
CHASING AFTERTHOUGHT.
Rodel Jayme, the self-confessed administrator of the Metrobalita.net, used to upload the controversial and criticized ‘Ang Totoong Narcolist’ video says he wants to turn into a state witness and help the National Bureau of Investigation in uncovering the plot against the government. Norman Cruz
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Namfrel nixes as Comelec citizens’ arm DEPTHS OF DISTRESS. A farmer stands by his lonesome while studying his future
from damaged corn crops caused by El Niño in his Barangay Magbato in Lambunao in Iloilo Thursday. Local agriculturists say losses in agri products have climbed up to P1.026 billion due to the dry spell. Norman Cruz
THE Commission on Elections has yet to take a position on the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections decision to decline its accreditation as a citizens’ arm in the May 13 elections, a spokesman for the poll body said Friday. Namfrel had earlier said it would decline accreditation because the Comelec has denied it access to information Next page
‘Star Wars’ actor Peter Mayhew, 74 LOS ANGELES—Actor Peter Mayhew, who won over fans worldwide as the Wookiee warrior Chewbacca in the blockbuster “Star Wars” movies, has died at the age of 74, his Next page
Palawan resort fun: $100k per night CAN it really be more fun in the Philippines? BANWA Private Island, a new resort in Palawan in this Land of the Morning, has toppled Musha Cay in the Bahamas, owned by David Next page