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Fuel prices up for 9th week in a row; DBM sets P3b in transport subsidies -- the ninth consecutive week of hikes for diesel and kerosene and the eighth for gasoline. Over the past nine weeks, diesel pricDOMESTIC pump prices for fuels went up anew on Tuesday by P1.20 per es have gone up by a total P14.40 per liter for diesel, P1.10 per liter for kero- liter, and kerosene by P13.75 per liter. Next page sene, and P0.50 per liter for gasoline
By Alena Mae S. Flores and Julito G. Rada
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 202 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • TUEESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
P2b aid for rice retailers eyed Speaker: House to find funds after PBBM order on price ceiling
By Maricel V. Cruz, Charles Dantes and Vito Barcelo
T
HE House of Representatives will find ways to allocate P2 billion to help retailers who will be hurt by the price ceilings on rice imposed by the Palace last week, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said Monday.
Marcos in Indonesia for ASEAN gab, keen on meeting with other leaders By Charles Dantes and Vince Lopez grant welfare issues, as well as pursue JAKARTA—President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived here on Monday night as he readies to meet other world leaders before the opening of the 43rd ASEAN Summit today. Mr. Marcos stressed he would discuss security, economy, agriculture, and mi-
a statement on the country’s ongoing incursions with China in the regional meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The President was joined by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, his son and Ilocos Norte first district Rep. Sandro
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PBBM IN INDONESIA. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos are welcomed by Indonesian officials and performers at Jakarta’s international airport as they arrived at 6:59 p.m. last night to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit. Seeing the President off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport earlier were Speaker Martin Romualdez, Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro (inset from left). PCO Photos
Romualdez said he had instructed Ako Biko party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, to coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the swift allocation of P2 billion to support the rice retailers, who said they bought the grain from traders at a price higher than the price ceilings. “Our goal is to ensure that we can extend assistance to rice retailers who may be affected by this rice price ceiling, as it is a directive from our President aimed at protecting consumers,” Romualdez said. Hours before flying to Indonesia for the 43rd ASEAN Summit, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with the heads of several government agencies to discuss the implementation of the price ceilings on rice, which starts today (Sept. 5). Some local retailers said they would rather close their shops temporarily than sell their current stocks at the ceiling prices, adding they would face huge losses if they did. “It’s hard because you’re already selling at a loss, you’re working your store, and you’ll just get tired, for no profit,” said Aldrian Flores, a rice retailer at the Next page
Chinese woman kidnapped by cop rescued By Vince Lopez and Maricel V. Cruz A CHINESE woman kidnapped by a police officer and his brother was rescued by the Pasay City Police, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Monday. The kidnapping was one in a recent string of incidents involving cops, 24 of whom were relieved after testing positive for drug use in Mandaluyong City. In a report by state-run Philippine News Agency, NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said Zhou Yunqiing, 26, was abducted by Staff Sgt. Lordgin Antonino, 34; and his brother Nelson, 20, at around 10:48 p.m. Sunday in Pasay City. Next page
More rain seen over next 3 days NEWS / A2
JOINT EXERCISES. The navies of the Philippines and the United States conduct a bilateral sail exercise in the waters west of Palawan province under the Mutual Defense Board activity, while a medical team from the Philippine Army and the combat medics of the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps perform Tactical Combat Casualty Care as part of Exercise Carabaroo 2023 at the Channel Island, Northern Territory, Australia on September 3. AFP Photos
Manila court acquits drug lord Kerwin Espinosa of firearms charge By Rey E. Requejo A MANILA Regional Trial Court on Monday acquitted self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa of charges of illegal possession of
firearms and explosives. In a decision dated Sept. 4, 2023, Manila City RTC Judge Janice Yu l o - A n t e r o absolved EsEs
pinosa of violations of Republic Act No. 9516 on illegal possession of explosives, and RA 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act. “The prosecution miserably failed
HEADING HOME.
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DICT: ‘Text blast’ machines used in polls, scams seized By Darwin G. Amojelar
A father fixes his daughter’s raincoat after the cancellation of classes at the Justo Lukban Elementary School in Paco, Manila on Monday, as most of Metro Manila suspended classes due to stormy weather. Norman Cruz
to prove the guilt of accused Rolan Espinosa y Eslabon alias ‘Kerwin Espinosa’ beyond reasonable doubt that he was in effective control and possession over the firearms/weapons
THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Monday said it confiscated a large number of illegal China-made “text blast” machines used by organized syndicates for text scams via mobile phone messaging. This developed as the PLDT Group vowed to support two bills -- one in the
House of Representatives and the other in the Senate – that will strengthen the country’s current laws on cybercrime and imprison individuals who act as “mules” in the commission of cybercrimes. “Many” of the text blast machines were confiscated, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy said in a Viber message to reporters, without indicating a number.
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