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House okays bill legalizing absolute divorce on final reading By Maricel V. Cruz
predominantly Catholic country. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, the prinVOTING 126-109-20, the House of Rep- cipal author of House Bill (HB)9349, resentatives on Wednesday approved on titled, “An Act reinstituting absolute third and final reading the measure le- divorce as an alternative mode for the Next page galizing divorce in the Philippines—a
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 97 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2024
CASUAL DINNER. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos hosted a ‘casual dinner’ for senators at the Bahay Pangulo Tuesday night, a day after the change in leadership at the Upper House. Present during the dinner were newly-installed Senate President Francis Escudero and Senators Robin Padilla, Alan Cayetano, Francis Tolentino, Raffy Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, Mark Villar, Cynthia Villar, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Jinggoy Estrada and Loren Legarda. Courtesy: Liza Marcos/Facebook
‘China manipulated recording’
Ex-Wescom chief admits convo with embassy official, but no secret deal By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vince Lopez
T
HE Chinese embassy in Manila was accused of manipulating an illegal recording of a phone conversation between former Western Command head Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos and a Chinese military attaché to make it appear they discussed a “new model” on how to ease tensions in the West Philippine Sea. Carlos, who has since been relieved “Colonel Li,” but denied entering into as WesCom head after he extended secret deals that would compromise nahis personal leave, told senators on tional interests. Wednesday he had talked to a certain “I condemn the act of the Chinese em-
bassy to record the conversation without my consent, much more to divulge it to the public with malicious twist and manipulation in order to appear that our discussion supported the corrosive narrative of PRC (China),” he said during the first hearing of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security on the wiretapping issue. “The terms ‘common understanding’ and ‘new model’ were not part of our conversation,” he added. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, for his part, vowed to
PH won’t recognize China regulation—DFA By Rey E. Requejo and Maricel over waters which it claims jurisdiction, including the South China Sea, Cruz Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique THE Philippines will not recognize Manalo on Wednesday said. “They could make the announceChina’s new regulation allowing its Coast Guard to detain trespassers Next page
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Mayor Guo’s story on parents full of holes—Risa
Marcos okays return to old school calendar
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
By Charles Dantes
THE parents of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo were married as indicated on her birth certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), according to Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros. During the resumption of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing on Wednesday, Hontiveros described Guo’s testimonies about her background as riddled with holes. In her earlier testimony, Guo said she was a “love child” of her Chinese father
PRESIDENT Marcos gave his go signal on the return to the traditional academic calendar, with the upcoming 2024-2025 school year starting on July 29, 2024 and ending on April 15, 2025. In a sectoral meeting in Malacañang on Tuesday, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte presented two options to President Marcos for adjusting the academic calendar. The first option included 180 school days with 15 in-person Saturday classes, while the second offered 165 school days with no Saturday classes, both ending on March 31, 2025. President Marcos, however, rejected the 165-day school year and an alternative that included Saturday classes, citing concerns over reduced instructional time and student well-being.
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DECENT HOUSING FOR ALL UNDER PBBM—SPEAKER NEWS / A2
55 NEW HIV CASES RECORDED DAILY, WARNS HERBOSA NEWS / A4
SINE DIE. House Speaker Martin Romualdez presides over the closing session of the House of Representatives. In his address, Romualdez assured Filipinos of access to decent housing, basic education during the term of President Marcos. (Story on A2). Aram Lascano
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No need for border controls, mandatory masking amid new COVID variants—DOH By Charles Dantes DEPARTMENT of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa is not keen on recommending border control amid the increased report of new COVID-19 cases in other countries. In a Palace briefing, Herbosa said the
Bureau of Quarantine is closely monitoring tourists entering the country, especially those showing symptoms of respiratory infections. “The Bureau of Quarantine is still keeping an eye on this - remember you have a declaration form when you enter the Philippines but it’s online - that e-
travel - right? You declare if you have symptoms - so, our Bureau of Quarantine under the Department of Health is monitoring that, so we will have data if we have many tourists entering with respiratory symptoms and fever,” Herbosa said. “But I will not recommend any bor-
der control, banning travel or whatever to Singapore or to India,” he added. Herbosa also said he would also not suggest the mandatory wearing of face masks in public, but reminded the public to follow minimum public health standards. Next page