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US VOWS MORE AID AS QUAKE TOLL NEARS 40K
DA ALLOTS P177M TO COMBAT AVIAN INFLUENZA SPREAD
NEWS / A2
NEWS / A3 VOL. XXXVI • NO. 367 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
China hit over laser use denial DFA stands by PCG account of incident contrary to Beijing’s version
By Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
T
HE Philippines and China on Thursday traded statements and barbs on the Chinese Coast Guard’s use of alleged militarygrade laser lights against local ships in the West Philippine Sea.
Chinese officials said its ships did partment of Foreign Affairs stood by the not do so, even as the Philippine Coast PCG account of the encounter during a Guard criticized the denials and the De- resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal in
the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Chinese Foreign Minister spokesman Wang Wenbin issued a statement disputing the Philippine Coast Guard account after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian on Wednesday to express his concern over the latest incident. The spokesman said the Chinese
envoy “provided the facts and China’s principled position on that.” China stood its ground that it “did not direct lasers” at the crew of the PCG vessel BRP Malapascua at Ayungin Shoal last week, with Wang saying the handheld laser device meant to check speed and intended for navigation safety “does not inflict damage.” Next page
GUINNESS RECORD. Musicians and dancers gather at the Kalinga Sports Complex in Tabuk City on Wednesday as Kalinga Province set two Guinness World Records for the largest
PH-US biggest military drills in 8 years set Apr. THE Philippines and the United States will carry out their biggest joint military drills since 2015, Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner said, against a backdrop of growing tensions with China in the South China Sea. This year’s “Balikatan” military exercises between American and Filipino troops will take place in April, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar had said in a statement Monday. The exercises underscore improved ties with the US under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and come as the Philippines condemns China’s “aggressive” actions in the disputed waterway, including its use of a “military-grade laser” against one of Manila’s vessels earlier this week (see related story on A1 – Editors). The 38th annual Balikatan exercises will be conducted in the second quarter and involve more than the previous year’s 8,900 troops, Brawner told reporters. “All of these exercises that we are doing are in response to all types of threats that we may be facing in the future, both man-made and natural,” Brawner said. Next page
gong ensemble and largest banga dance. A total of 3,440 men played gongs while 4,681 women danced with clay pots called “banga” balanced on their heads during the Feb. 15 attempt to set the Guinness records, the provincial government said on Facebook. Dave Leprozo
GMA, 18 other solons throw support PCC looks into price spikes in onions, eyes cartel behind Du30 vs. ICC drug war probe By Othel V. Campos
By Maricel V. Cruz SENIOR Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led her fellow Pampanga legislators and 15 other congressmen in urging the 19th Congress to rally behind former President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. Arroyo, the former President, led the 19
legislators in filing House Resolution 780, which called on the House of Representatives to declare “unequivocal defense of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.” The bill is titled “A Resolution in Defense of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Against Investigation and/or Prosecution of the International Criminal Court.”
for possible cartel or abuse of domi- House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez nance conduct since November last year and House Resolution No. 681 filed by Marikina Rep. Stella A. Quimbo. THE Philippine Competition Commis- when it started to escalate. In a statement, the PCC said this was The commission said it launched its sion (PCC) said Thursday it has been investigating the high prices of onions consistent with the probe prompted by Next page
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RICE MEETING. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. listens to officials of the Department of Agriculture and National Irrigation
Administration in a meeting Wednesday at Malacanang Palace as they planned the reorganization of government agencies to achieve sufficient rice production in the country in just two years. PCO Photo
Speaker vows to help ease plight Scientists nix 6.1 QUAKE HITS MASBATE; of ‘sacadas’, boost PH sugar supply health claims of HOSPITAL PATIENTS FLEE NEWS / A2 QUAKE DAMAGE. This handout photo received from the City of Masbate Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office on February 16 shows officials assessing the damage at Magallanes Coliseum in Masbate, after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake rocked the province. AFP
SPEAKER Martin G. Romualdez has vowed to probe the plight of 12,000 sugarcane farm workers from Nasugbu, Batangas affected by the closure of Central Azucarera Don Pedro Inc. (CADPI). During a meeting at Speaker’s Office,
Romualdez listened to the concerns of sugarcane farm workers led by Sugar Folks Unity for Genuine Agricultural Reform Spokesman Christian Bearo, Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawang
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Expert warns Omicron XBB.1.5 may already be locally transmitted By Willie Casas
COVID-19 is being locally transmitted, after the first case was detected in AN INFECTIOUS disease expert said a Filipino with no recent travel history. “When we can detect a case without Thursday there is a possibility that the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 of travel history, it’s possible that there is
already local transmission happening. Technical Advisory Group for InfecBut we have to detect more cases so tious Diseases. we can say that the local transmission While the DOH continues to is sustained,” said Dr. Edsel Salvana, monitor developments about these Next page a member of the Department of Health
formula milk
THE vast majority of health claims used to advertise baby formula worldwide are not supported by rigorous scientific evidence, a study said Thursday, leading researchers to urge the breast milk substitutes be sold in plain packaging. The study comes a week after a group of doctors and scientists called for a regulatory crackdown on the $55-billion formula industry for “predatory” marketing, which they Next page