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President to meet Romualdez, Escudero on Cha-cha, priority bills By Maricel Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
Charter change efforts as well as priority bills of the administration. House Deputy Majority Leader PRESIDENT Marcos will meet with Erwin Tulfo said this was disclosed Senate President Francis Escudero and by Romualdez before he left for Speaker Martin Romualdez to discuss Next page
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 103 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2024
‘Divorce covers Church unions’ Estrada survey shows Senate split on measure
SC OKAYS TRANSFER OF QUIBOLOY CASE NEWS / A2
SARA ASKS SC TO OKAY CONFI FUNDS NEWS / A2
#ANONGBALITA
Marcos signs ‘Eddie Garcia’ Law NEWS / A2
By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel Cruz
C
ATHOLIC marriages will be covered by the Divorce Law once it is passed by Congress, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said, rejecting the position of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines that the measure will only apply to civil unions. “It’s completely baseless to assert that a ‘sacramental marriage’ or church wedding will not be covered by a future divorce law,” Lagman said. “Church marriage is recognized as a civilly valid marriage under the Family Code and is regulated like civil marriages by the secular laws on marriage,” he added. The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to bring back absolute divorce. At the Upper Chamber, Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Tuesday said he did an informal survey among his colleagues which showed that five were against divorce while six said they were supporting the measure. Aside from Estrada, Senate President Francis Escudero, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, and Senators Joel Villanueva and Ronald dela Rosa said they were not in favor of bringing back absolute divorce based on the informal poll. Those who were in favor based on Estrada’s poll were Senators Risa Hontiveros, Grace Poe, Raffy Tulfo, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos and Pia Cayetano. Based on the public pronouncements, however, seven are in favor of Next page
CLOSER TIES. President Marcos Jr. and His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah shake hands after the signing of several agreements during the Philippines-Brunei bilateral meeting yesterday at the Istana Nurul Iman royal palace. PCO
PH, Brunei ink tourism, maritime security pacts By Charles Dantes THE Philippines and Brunei on Tuesday signed three memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and one letter of intent (LOI) to enhance bilateral cooperation. The MOUs cover tourism coopera-
tion, mutual recognition of standards for training, certification, and watchkeeping (STCW) certificates, and maritime collaboration. Meanwhile, the LOI renews a previous agreement on food security and agricultural cooperation.
“And for that, we hope to expand the partnerships that we have begun and we feel that there is much potential that we can examine,” President Marcos said in his meeting with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Next page
Navy spots 122 Chinese vessels in WPS after Beijing’s fishing ban By Vince Lopez THE Philippine Navy on Tuesday had observed the presence of 122 Chinese vessels along the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The vessels were spotted as China imposed its South China Sea (SCS) moratorium within the said area. Based on the statement of Navy Spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, the vessels seen along the different land features of the WPS from May 21-27 were as follows: In Bajo de Masinloc, about five Chi-
nese Coast Guard vessels (CCGVs), 14 Chinese maritime militia vessels (CMMVs); Ayungin Shoal, five CCGVs, 17 CMMVs; Pag-asa Island, 1 CCGV, 1 PLAN ship, 34 CMMVs; along Kota Island, one CMMV; Lawak Island, one CMMV; Panata Island, three CMMVs; Patag Island, two CCGVs, two CMMVs; and Sabina Shoal, two CCGVs, four PLAN ships, 30 CMMVs. Trinidad emphasized that the Philippine Navy does not recognize the SCS moratorium being imposed by China, neither Next page
FLiRT WATCH. Bureau Of Quarantine personnel monitor incoming passengers through a thermal scanner at the NAIA Terminal 1 to detect passengers who may be infected with the Flirt variant. Joseph Muego
‘Aghon’ leaves 6 dead, PBMM orders relief ops By Charles Dantes
Based on OCD’s report, however, only one of the six fatalities have been TYPHOON Aghon took the lives of verified as of press time. According to PAGASA’s 5 p.m. upsix (6) people, said Edgar Posadas, the spokesperson for the Office of Civil date on Monday, five provinces remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Defense (OCD), on Tuesday.
Signal No. 1 as Aghon moved northeastward from Luzon. These are: Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon including Polillo Islands, and Camarines Norte. Next page
Bohol gov suspended over Choco Hills resort THE Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preventive suspension of Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado over the controversial construction of the Captain’s Peak Resort in the
world-famous Chocolate Hills. Among those charged were former Aumentado and 68 respondents were Bohol Gov. Art Yap, former and incumcharged for grave misconduct, gross bent mayors in Bohol, and former and neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial current regional directors of various to the best interest of the service. Next page
SMART POWER PLANTS. Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) has partnered
with Thailand-based company REPCO NEX Industrial Solutions to introduce the first smart power plants in the country through “Project Arkanghel”. In photo are AboitizPower Chief Finance Officer Sandro Aboitiz (2nd from left) with representatives from AboitizPower and REPCO NEX during the ceremonial project signing in Bangkok, Thailand.