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Teves asks for 2-month leave, cites ‘grave security threats’ against him By Maricel V. Cruz NEGROS Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. has asked for a two month leave from legistative duties in the House of Representatives, citing “very grave threat” to his life and that

of his family. He also appealed to Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla to keep an open mind and give him “a fair trial” as he lamented having already been judged guilty by public perception. Next page

VOL. XXXVII • NO. 34 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House gives Teves ultimatum Told to explain his absence in 5 days or be suspended or expelled

By Maricel V. Cruz, Charles Dantes, Rey E. Requejo and Vince Lopez

HE House of Representatives on Wednesday told Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. to explain in five days his absence from the chamber or risk being suspended or expelled.

LTFRB to roll out PUV fare discounts next month

PUV FARE DISCOUNTS.

The government will soon implement fare discounts for jeepneys, buses and UV Express in place of free EDSA bus carousel rides.

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will implement a fare discount scheme for Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) that is set to start next month, first in Metro Manila before

being expanded to nearby provinces. “The agency is just waiting for the monLTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III ey to be downloaded to the LTFRB. After said the proposal is being prepared while that the SCP immediately push through,” the budget for the Service Contracting Pro- he said. gram (SCP) is already “ready.” Next page

Oil spill affects 61 tourism sites, DOT raises alarm By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Charles Dantes and Maricel V. Cruz THE Department of Tourism on Wednesday raised the alarm over 61 tourism sites—including beach resorts—that are affected by the massive oil spill in Oriental Mindoro. Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco raised this concern during the Tourism Stakeholders’ National Summit on Wednesday. “It’s an ongoing collaborative effort to manage the situation that is led by the DENR (Department of the Environment and Natural Resources) and we are here to assist our tourism workers,” she added. The oils spill from the sunken tanker MT Princess Empress, which was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel, has already affected 70 barangays in the region, and will surpass the devastation caused by the 2006 Guimaras oil spill, said Senator Cynthia A. Villar. She pushed for assistance to residents who are affected by the oil spill of the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Presiding the Committee on environment, natural resources, and climate change hearing, Villar asked resource persons from various government agencies what

THE Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of laws will conduct a public hearing on Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6, which calls for a constitutional convention that would propose changes to the Charter’s

Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil

Garafil breezes through CA confirmation By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vince Lopez

By Rio N. Araja.

COMMUNICATIONS Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil was formally confirmed by the Commission on Appointments on Wednesday as she

THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Wednesday found guilty the three accused in the carnapping with homicide case involving Venson Evangelista, the son of Volunteers Against

Crime and Corruption president Arsenio Evangelista. QC RTC Branch 215 Judge Rafael Hipolito sentenced Rolando Talban, the self-confessed gunman, with Jason Miranda and Roger Dominguez

(Nike), Jerome Ochoco Balot (Allie), Sandro Victorino (Loki), Michael Ricalde (Alcazar), Mark Muñoz Pedrosa (Makoy), and master initiator Daniel Perry (Sting) for violation of the AntiHazing Law of 2018. The DOJ said two separate criminal information for violation of the AntiHazing Act will be filed before the Biñan City Regional Trial Court. Next page

PAGASA declares La Niña over but says summer isn’t here yet THE La Niña weather episode is now over, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, but it stopped short of declaring the start of the summer season. In an advisory, the weather bureau

economic provisions. House Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his part, said the 301 lawmakers who voted to amend the restrictive provisions of the Constitution are “in a rush.” “If we do our jobs quickly, this is because the people’s interest is at stake. Not politics but the country’s economy.

Court sentences to life 3 accused in Evangelista carnap-killing case

DOJ indicts 7 fraternity members over death of hazing victim Salilig THE Department of Justice has approved the indictment of seven members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity over the alleged hazing death of Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig. In a statement, the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors said it found probable cause to indict Earl Romero (alias Slaughter), grand triskelion Tung Cheng Teng Jr.

Padilla sets Cha-cha public forum, Speaker pushes economic reform By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Rey E. Requejo

Teves, who has been charged with three 2019 murders and linked to the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, has been in the United States and has refused to return to the Philippines even though his travel authority has expired. Rep. Felimon Espares, chairman of the House committee on ethics and privileges, said the panel wanted to give Teves the opportunity to explain his side. “It is a very simple but very important action,” Espares said. “Our move is to hear his side. Five days should be enough for him to reply.” Teves’ travel authority expired on March 9. Espares also echoed the appeal of Speaker Martin G. Romualdez for the Negros Oriental lawmaker to return home. “We want to consider his side, give him an opportunity to explain. So the public would know that we did not neglect our role here while we consider our colleague,” Espares said.

declared the end of the La Niña phenomenon or the cold phase of a climate cycle. Most climate models predict a neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) — neither El Niño (hot or dry phase) nor

FIRE SAFETY.

The Bureau of Fire Protection and SM Supermalls conducted a nationwide simultaneous fire drill in more than 90 SM malls this week. With the theme ‘Sa Pag-Iwas ng Sunog Hindi Ka Nag-iisa’ and #thinkfiresafetynow, the fire drill on highly dense occupancies such as SM supermalls is one of the highlights of the celebration of Fire Prevention Month 2023.