twitter.com/ MlaStandard
facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH
instagram.com/ manilastandard
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at
manilastandard.net 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net . For advertisement:
email: advertise@manilastandard.net • 0927-9003074 / 85646229
House set to probe Rody-Xi ‘secret deal’ on Ayungin Shoal By Maricel V. Cruz and Charles Dantes
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 63 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2024
THE House of Representatives is set to investigate the alleged gentleman’s agreement between former President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese leader Xi Jinping surrounding the alleged “status
quo” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Senator Hontiveros said in a previous report that she views the agreement as an act of treason, if proven true. The request to probe the supposed agreement came from Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun, said the Next page
DOJ, Navy eye raps vs. Alvarez Probes to determine whether statements seditious, rebellious
By Rey E. Requejo, Maricel Cruz and Vince Lopez
T
HE Department of Justice and the Philippine Navy will investigate the statements of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez to determine whether the lawmaker can be held liable for sedition, inciting to sedition or rebellion for calling on the military to withdraw support from President Marcos. Amid the widespread flak he has been receiving, Alvarez on Tuesday backtracked from his earlier call on the military. “I’m sorry, I just got carried away and my emotions got the better of me,” he said. But Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla already ordered a probe into the lawmaker’s statements, noting that these were “unbecoming of the House of Representatives.” “As a former lawmaker myself, I would like to remind Congressman Alvarez to act in accordance with the highest standards of ethics, morality and nationalism, and avoid remarks unbecoming of a member of the House of Representatives,” he said. The Philippine Navy also ordered the 9th Marine Brigade to investigate the
RESTING SPOT.
Migratory birds rest atop a buoy in Manila Bay near the Manila Hotel, one of the most popular landmarks in the city. Revoli Cortez
Next page
‘No one died, no one was killed’ in record ‘drug bust’—Marcos By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday led the inspection of the more than 1.8 tons of shabu seized in Batangas which said to be the biggest drug
haul in the country’s history. “This is the biggest shipment of shabu na nahuli natin. But not one person died. But not one person died. No one was shot, no one was harmed. We conducted the operation carefully,” Presi-
dent Marcos said. “That should be the approach. For me, that should be the approach for the drug war where the most important thing is to stop the shipment of drugs from entering the Philippines,” the President said.
President Marcos said authorities apprehended the suspect during a road checkpoint in Alitagtag, Batangas, and seized the drugs with a street value of approximately P13.3 billion. Operatives of
PESO WEAKENS 57 TO A DOLLAR BUSINESS / B1
Next page
Power plants Iran ready shut down, to free 4 trigger outages seafarers—DFA Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said the four Filipino seafarers, who were among the crew on board MSC Aries seized by Iran over the weekend, will be released very soon, citing Iranian authorities.
AS METRO Manila faces scorching heat on Tuesday, system operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) announced red and yellow alerts for the Luzon grid with the possibility of power outages from 2pm to 4pm and from 6pm to 9pm after 19 power plants went on a forced outage. Next page
Next page
PH sizzles as heat index hits danger levels at 46°C THE country’s heat index may have soared Tuesday to its highest levels in several areas nationwide, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said. As of 6:55 pm, Aborlan, Palawan heat index was projected to the highest at 46 degrees Celsius, followed by Puerto Princesa, Tanauan, Batangas, at 44 degrees Celsius; Tuguegarao, Dagupan, Roxas City, Capiz; Dumangas, Iloilo; Tacloban, Leyte; at 43 degrees Celsius, and Aparri, Cagayan; Abucay, Bataan; Sangley Point, Cavite; Virac, Catanduanes, and Catarman, Leyte, at 42 degrees Celsius
PBBM INSPECTS MASSIVE DRUG HAUL.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads an inspection of the nearly two tons of “shabu” worth an estimated P13.3 billion seized in Batangas. Authorities continue to investigate the source of the drug haul, which is said to be the biggest in the country’s history.
#ANONGBALITA
Next page
Schmidt heads to Egypt for Miss Eco Int’l
Uwi na kayo! Overtourism backlash in Spain
Celebrity deepfake porn? Meta board to take on cases
NEWS / A2
NEWS / A2
NEWS / A2