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NIA LAYS OUT EL NIÑO WATER PLANS; RAIN, FLOODS PARALYZE TRAFFIC IN NCR By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Darwin Amojelar THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said Thursday it is prepared for the El Niño phenomenon as its field office nationwide has action plans that include water delivery schedules, alternate wetting and drying technology, crop diver-
sification, and the use of early maturing drought-resistant crop varieties. Meanwhile, day-long rains owing to the southwest monsoon led to flooding —and huge traffic jams—in portions of Metro Manila on Thursday. The operator of the Skyway System apologized to motorists affected by the heavy flooding at the ground level of the Next page
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 149• 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
WATER CONTRAST. Long lines form on the southbound lane of the South Luzon Expressway as flooding in Bicutan, Paranaque stalled traffic on Thursday. Gutter-deep waters also plague a motorcycle rider in Manila after day-long rains– while ironically the water levels of Angat Dam, Ipo Dam, and Bustos Dam, all in the province of Bulacan, continue to drop (inset photos). Joan Bondoc, Danny Pata, and Norman Cruz
China rips ‘US-led’ SCS effort Says rival 'roping in allies to gang up' on Beijing into accepting arbitral ruling
By Rey E. Requejo
Philippines (AFP) on Thursday said it deployed additional assets to the Kalayaan Group of Islands in the West Philippine HINA on Wednesday accused the United States Sea amid continued Chinese incursions in the disputed waters. of masterminding efforts to rally countries against Additional ships were deployed in the Beijing and instead support the 2016 decision by the islands to hold sovereignty patrols, which Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated its expansive AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said was part of the military's mission to claims to the South China Sea and upheld Manila’s exclusive "protect Filipinos and the state" together with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. Aguilar did not disclose how many asIn a statement released by the Chinese Beijing to pressure it into accepting the sets were deployed but assured the AFP Embassy in Manila, China accused the arbitral ruling. would devote more time to patrol wider US of mobilizing countries to gang-up on Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Next page
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UN: PH STILL HIGH ON HIV/AIDS LIST IN ASIA PACIFIC NEWS / A2
BORACAY STAYS IN TRAVEL MAG’S TOP 10 ISLANDS NEWS / A2
DOTR NIXES CLAIM IT FAILED TO HELP PUV DRIVERS NEWS / A5
MTRCB EXECS TOLD TO QUIT OVER ‘BARBIE’ NEWS / A6
SolGen: ICC may indict gov’t execs in probe on drug war By Rey E. Requejo SOLICITOR General Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor could proceed with an indictment of certain individuals if there is sufficient evidence. This was predicated, however, on the possibility that the appeals of the Philippines against a resumption of the ICC drug war probe are dismissed, Guevarra hinted. Meanwhile, the ICC has set July 18 for the release of a ruling on the appeal of the Philippine
government against its decision to allow the court’s prosecutor to proceed with the probe on the killings in the drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte and the so-called Davao Death Squad. "If it is dismissed, the ICC prosecutor will be authorized to resume his investigation into the Philippine situation and he may indict certain individuals based on whatever evidence he may be able to gather," Guevarra said. Guevarra made the statement as the ICC's appeals chamber is expected to issue next week its decision on the Philippines' appeal. In a three-page order signed by Presiding Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, the appeals chamber said; "Judgment in Next page
LOCKING AND LOADING. A US Marine checks an ordnance loaded into a F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet during the semi-annual Philippine-US military exercise dubbed Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 23, at the former US naval base in Subic Bay on July 13. AFP
SC junks 3 petitions to invalidate IATF issuances during pandemic THE Supreme Court has junked three petitions seeking to declare as unconstitutional the various issuances on the COVID-19 pandemic by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), local government units, and other govern government agencies. In a resolu resolution adopted during the
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‘Blasphemous’: Church, solons livid over video
PBBM unveils ‘green lanes’ for investors
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday stressed the need for reforms to streamline the process of investing in the country and launched “green lanes” for investors to make that happen. During the official launch and signing of Executive Order No. 18 in Pasay City, Mr. Marcos remarked that to create a conducive business environment, the government should fix its bureaucratic processes. “It is, indeed, long overdue to have reforms that will not only attract more investments into the country but will also create an environment conducive to business growth and development,” the President said. Next page
SC’s en banc session on July 11, the high tribunal resolved to dismiss the petitions for violating the doctrine of the hierarchy of courts. It said the issues raised required determination “and adjudication of extremely technical and scientific facts that necessitates the conduct of full-blown proceedings before the court of first instance.” The SC stressed that the petitions
FOR EASE OF BIZ. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. explains his Executive Order No. 18, ‘Constituting Green Lanes for Strategic Investments,’ in launching the ease of business measure Thursday at Hotel Sofitel. Revoli Cortez
THE Catholic Church has slammed as “blasphemous and disrespectful” the use of Jesus Christ’s image and costume for entertainment purposes. Lawmakers also joined the chorus in condemning the video of a certain Pura Luka Vega wearing clothes to depict Jesus Christ at a party while singing the punk rock version of “Ama Namin” or The Lord’s Prayer. It went viral on social media, mustering millions of views in a country that is predominantly Catholic. The country’s first transgender legislator, Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, called Next page