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VOL. XXXVI • NO. 41 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Teves suspended for 60 days House plenary, voting 292-0-0, finds him guilty of ‘disorderly conduct’
By Maricel V. Cruz, Vince Lopez and Rey E. Requejo
T
HE House of Representatives has slapped a 60-day suspension on Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., for refusing to heed its order to return to the Philippines to face murder charges filed against him.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., also called on Teves to return from the United States as he played down supposed threats to his life. Aside from being charged for three murders in 2019, Teves has also been linked to the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, a political ally of the President. The House on plenary session voted 292-0-0 to adopt a committee report declaring Teves guilty of “disorderly
conduct affecting the dignity, integrity and reputation of the House of Representatives.” Speaker Martin G. Romualdez assured the public that the House would not tolerate misconduct and wrongdoing among its members. Speaking before Congress goes on a Lenten break, Romualdez said the call for disciplinary action against Teves was a “pressing matter that Next page
PBBM tells Teves to return, vows protection but doubts threat claim
DOJ says 5 or 6 directly planned Degamo slay, brains known soon During the press conference of SpeBy Rey E. Requejo, Charles Dantes, cial Task Force Degamo, Remulla said Joel E. Zurbano FIVE or six “direct conspirators” were behind the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Wednesday. Remulla issued the statement as the Degamo family said it was readying a murder complaint against 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo A. Teves Jr., in connection with the governor’s killing on March 4.
that there are five to six people who may have played a crucial role in Degamo’s death. “It was a planned attack which was executed with military precision by former military people,” Remulla said. Besides, he added, the sophisticated operation would not be possible without the cooperation of many people. “We now have in our custody 10 persons. Next page
House passed 23 priority bills, says Speaker By Maricel V. Cruz
PLENARY SESSION. Committee on Ethics chairman Rep. Felimon Espares reads the Committee
Report during the plenary session which slapped a 60-day suspension for Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. Inset photo shows Speaker Martin Romualdez thanking all House Members for the approval on third and final reading 23 out of 31 priority measures Wednesday evening ahead of its Holy Week recess from March 23 (Thursday) until May 7. Pecto Camero and Ver Noveno
THE House of Representatives succeeded in approving on third and final reading 23 of 31 bills identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) as priority measures of the Marcos administration before its session adjourns for the Holy Week recess, Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said Wednesday. These measures were already transmitted to the Senate. Lawmakers will continue working on remaining priority legislation even during the congressional break. The House authorized Wednesday night all its committees to hold hearings, if needed, during the period of adjournment from March 23 to May 7, 2023, to process important bills pending in various panels of the chamber. As of press time Wednesday, the House was scheduled to ratify the bicameral conference committee report on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Fixed Term Law, which is also a House priority. In a formal motion raised before the plenary, House Majority Leader and Next page
23 cracks on ship’s surface counted, President: New EDCA sites scattered around PH option to plug or siphon oil raised By Vince Lopez, Charles Dantes and Vito Barcelo
By Vince Lopez and Charles Dantes THE Japanese remotely operated vehicle (ROV) tasked to find the sunken tanker that caused a massive oil spill off Oriental Mindoro has found cracks on the ship’s surface, the mayor of Pola, Oriental Mindoro said Wednesday. “Images show that there is a crack on the ship and the oil is leaking from it. It cannot be saved anymore, more or less,” said Mayor Jennifer “Ina Alegre” Cruz. Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor said the sunken tanker has at least 23 leaking areas.
However, the ROV Hakuyo is not capable of plugging or siphoning oil from the sunken MT Princess Empress, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Artemio Abu said in a television interview. Abu told News5 another vessel from Singapore may have to be contracted by the tanker’s owner, RDC Reield Marine Services, to do this task, following the “spillers pay” principle. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also said Wednesday there is no need to appoint an official who will lead the government’s response to control the oil Next page
Marcos defends devolution review By Vince Lopez and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday defended his decision to review his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte’s devolution order of national government functions to local
government units, saying it is not an “alternative” to the proposed Charter change agenda. Speaking to reporters, the President said he is only worried that poorer municipalities would not be able to handle the additional functions under Next page
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday the four new military bases that US troops may use under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will be located in the northern and southern parts of the country, and in Palawan. In an interview after he attended the 126th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Army in Taguig City, Marcos said Filipino and American officials have already identified and agreed on the new sites under the EDCA and would soon make a formal announcement. “So, there are four extra sites scattered around the Philippines. There are some in the north, there are some around Palawan, there are some further south. So they are really in different areas,” he said. He said the goal is to defend the Next page
TOP BRASS. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. joins the Philippine Army as it celebrates its 126th Founding Anniversary at the Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Rey Baniquet
PH hires int’l lawyer to appeal ICC drug war probe THE Philippines has hired an international lawyer to help the country in its appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reverse its decision to resume the probe into the Duterte ad-
ministration’s war on illegal drugs. erlands,” Solicitor General Menardo “We engaged Ms. Sarah Bafadhel, Guevarra told CNN Philippines’ “The she is a British barrister, she has her Source” on Wednesday. chambers in London, but she is practicThe decision to hire Bafadhel to haning at the ICC at The Hague, the NethNext page