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ALL RICE. Filipino farmers plant rice varieties being developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos, Laguna on July 19. IRRI Director General Jean Balié earlier said ‘there is an urgency to focus the discussions on how to provide holistic science-based solutions to the combined impacts of climate extremes, looming rice crisis, conflict and economic shocks to the rice value chain.’ AFP VOL. XXXVII • NO. 155 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Rody, Bato told: Limit travel Remulla: PH to ‘stop engaging’ with ICC despite probe
By Rey E. Requejo, Charles Dantes and Macon Ramos-Araneta
F
ORMER President Rodrigo Duterte, who initiated a bloody war on drugs that killed thousands of suspects during his term, should stay away from countries where the International Criminal Court (ICC) has influence, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Wednesday. Remulla said the same holds true for war on drugs when he was Duterte’s naSenator Ronald dela Rosa, who led the tional police chief.
Both are subjects of an ICC investigation triggered by charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed under Duterte’s leadership. Remulla also said the Philippines will stop engaging with the ICC as he will advise the Office of the Solicitor General to stop engaging with the court. “They are citizens of the republic who also need our protection so we
need to tell them,” Remulla said, as he pointed out that countries to be avoided are those in Europe. On ICC’s prosecutors, the Justice chief said in Filipino: “We don’t need them in our country. We don’t want them coming over here. And they shouldn’t try coming over because what they’ll do is the usurpation of the authority of the Philippine government.” Next page
NEDA says initial Maharlika funds not part of 2024 national budget By Charles Dantes, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
the public that the signing of the Maharlika Investment Fund will not affect the 2024 national budget. In a briefing in Malacañang, BalNATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Ar- isacan said that the money put in the senio Balisacan on Wednesday assured sovereign wealth fund are idle funds
Brawner
and not funds included in the P5.77-tril- NEDA secretary said. lion national budget. He added that the Maharlika fund “And what the fund is trying to do will allow the country to decrease its is to put those into more productive, reliance on debt. higher-yielding instruments so that you Asked about the selection of its board can earn more from those funds,” the Next page
President wants list of gov’t land good for housing By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered all government agencies to identify national and local government lands suitable for the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH), which he declared as his administration’s flagship housing program. “The inventory of lands shall include government-owned idle lands or lands that have not been used for the purposes for which they have been originally reserved or set aside for at least 10 years and on which no improvements have been made by the owner as certified by the concerned LGU, pursuant to Section 8, Paragraph 2 of Republic Act No. 7279 (or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992), as amended, and Sections 5.II (d) and 24 of RA No. 11201 (the law that created the Department Next page
Centino
BRAWNER NEW ARMED FORCES CHIEF; CENTINO WPS ADVISER
PBBM okays P170-b pitch to rehab NAIA
NEWS / A2
By Charles Dantes and Darwin G. Amojelar
NEW TRAINS. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. steps off one of the 4th Generation Light Rail Vehicles for the Light Rail Transit Line 1
system during their inauguration on Wednesday. Behind him is Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista (See story on A3). Revoli Cortez
SC upholds dismissal of forfeiture case vs. Marcoses
Mendoza II
TRANSPO GROUP HEAD MENDOZA TAPPED FOR LTO
By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal by the Sandiganbayan of the P1.05 billion civil forfeiture case filed against the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and several of their cronies
who allegedly acted as their dummies in acquiring expensive artworks, clothes, jewelry, and properties here and abroad, including franchises to operate tourist duty-free shops. In a 25-page decision penned by Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario that was made public on July 19, the SC First Di-
vision dismissed for lack of merit the petition for review filed by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). The PCGG was seeking the reversal of the Sandiganbayan’s decision issued on September 25, 2019, dismissing the Next page
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a P170-billion proposal to rehabilitate and expand the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Wednesday. The project is one of three additional infrastructure projects the President approved as part of the administration’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, Balisacan said. Balisacan said that the proposed NAIA rehabilitation project, which will be undertaken through a publicprivate partnership, aims to improve Next page
NEWS / A2
DOH: RESPECT PWDS AT WORK NEWS / A2
Duterte confirmed for SONA; MMDA sets traffic management plan By Maricel V. Cruz and Joel Zurbano Marcos Jr. on July 24.
the event. would be the sitting arrangement for House Secretary General Reginald “He has confirmed attendance, as the past Presidents and incumbent ofFORMER President Rodrigo Duterte Velasco confirmed this Wednesday, well as his daughter, Vice President ficials such as the Vice President. “We would need clearance from the will attend the State of the Nation Ad- adding Vice President and Education Sara Duterte,” Velasco said. Next page Secretary Sara Duterte will also attend But Velasco has yet to disclose what dress (SONA) of President Ferdinand