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PDEA debunks Rody drug claim, Marcos ‘never on any narco-list’ By Rio N. Araja, Charles Dantes, Marcos was never in its National Drug Information System (NDIS), a dataMaricel V. Cruz base of drug suspects. and Macon Ramos-Araneta
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 349 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2024
Comelec shelves people’s initiative Senators, congressmen OK move By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta
T
HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has decided to indefinitely suspend all proceedings concerning the people’s initiative (PI) to push for amending the 1987 Constitution. Congress welcomed the decision, with senators considering it a victory and congressmen saying they “had no problem” with it. In a press briefing, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the com commission has decided to suspend all people’s Comelec chairman George Garcia
initiative proceedings to make way for reviewing and amending rules regarding the initiative. “We honestly believe, based on our initial assessment, that we have to review, enhance, or add to the existing IRR concerning PI because we think that there is something that is lacking in the guidelines,” Garcia said. “For example our rules on withdrawal, our rules on opposition, and the rules on notices that we need in the end to avoid problems, confusion, and misunderstandings when it comes to the interpretation of the provisions of our rules,” he added.
THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Monday denied the claim of former President Rodrigo Duterte that President Marcos was on a list of politicians linked to illegal drugs, which he was shown when he was still mayor of Davao City. In a sign of the rapidly deteriorating relations between the two camps, the President said Duterte’s accusation could be the result of fentanyl, a deadly drug that Duterte admitted he had taken in the past. “I think it might be the fentanyl--it is highly addictive and it has serious side effects,” the President said in a chance interview before flying to Vietnam for a state visit. “I think that’s why it happens,” Mr. Marcos added in Filipino. “I hope his doctors take better care of these emerging issues and don’t neglect them.” In its statement, PDEA said that since its inception in 2002, President
Duterte was Davao City mayor from 1988 to 1998, 2001 to 2010 and 2013 to 2016. “It is worthwhile to note that, when the former President took over in 2016, his administration came out with a list, which was then initially called the narco-list, sometimes referred to as the Duterte list, and upon continuing validation and revalidation, it became the Inter-Agency Drug Information Database or IDID,” PDEA said. “The name of President Marcos is also not in the said list,” it added. During a prayer rally in Davao on Sunday, Duterte said the country’s president is a drug addict and part of the drug watch list. “If Bongbong Marcos was high before, now he’s the president, he’s still high,” Duterte said in Filipino. “You in the military, you know that, especially those in Malacañang. Next page
Invest in PH, President tells Vietnamese biz
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PBBM ARRIVAL. President Marcos (second from left) walks with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos as they arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam on Monday. KJ Rosales/PPA POOL
day afternoon for a two-day state visit. sidiary VinFast. President Marcos visited the VingVinFast plans to sell and launch roup Company, Vietnam’s largest electric vehicles (EVs) in the PhilipHANOI—President Marcos urged Vietnamese firms to invest in the Philip- private company with a $21.1-billion pines through dealership business by Next page pines as he arrived in this city yester- market capitalization through its sub-
By Charles Dantes
HOUSE SUPPORT.
Leaders of the House of Representatives led by Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe (seated, 6th from left) face the media to explain a House Resolution affirming their support to the administration of President Marcos on Monday. HOR PIO
ARMBANDS FOR SOLIDARITY. Senators show their armbands on Monday to express
the Senate’s solidarity against the people’s initiative amid the Charter change issue. Lino Santos
Sara in Cabinet ‘not tenable’ with widening rift, says Colmenares By Maricel V. Cruz IT MAY no longer be tenable for Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio to be part of the Cabinet given the widening rift between her father and her principal, President Marcos, Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares said Monday. “How can you maintain your position in the Cabinet after your father and
your brother called your principal (out) for being a drug addict and at the same time that (Marcos) should resign,” Colmenares told reporters. “That is no longer tenable for her to stay in the Cabinet. What will you do in Cabinet meetings?” he added. Over the weekend, Davao Mayor Sebastian Duterte challenged the President to resign while his father, former Next page
House men not attending Senate probe on ‘Cha-cha’ people’s initiative to propose a single bribes were offered in exchange for amendment to the Constitution. signatures, had invited members of Senator Imee Marcos, who ac- the House to the hearing. MEMBERS of the House of RepreBut House Majority Leader and sentatives said Monday they would not cused congressmen of being beattend a Senate hearing on the ongoing hind the initiative in which she said Next page
By Maricel V. Cruz