(Story on A4) 21 PINOY CREW IN HUTHI-ATTACKED SHIP RESCUED, ONE STILL MISSING
File photo dated July 27, 2016 shows President Duterte during a National Security Council meeting attended by four former presidents including (from left) Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Fidel V. Ramos and Benigno Aquino III. Presidential Spokesman STORYHarry BELOW Roque says Malacanang is inclined to ask the four ex-presidents to attend a meeting on issues besetting the West Philippine Sea. NSC file
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A Muslim girl shows the smallest Koran in the country in Quiapo, Manila on Saturday, June 15, 2024. The government earlier declared Monday, June 17, a regular holiday for the commemoration of Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice. Danny Pata
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G7 LEADERS SLAM CHINA FOR DANGEROUS SCS ACTS SAYS NO LEGAL BASIS FOR ‘EXPANSIVE’ CLAIMS
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HE Group of Seven on Saturday called out Beijing for its “increasing use” of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Filipino vessels as new Chinese coast guard rules allowing it to detain “trespassers” in the South China Sea took effect yesterday. In a communiqué following the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, the leaders of the powerful economic grouping raised concerns about the situation in the East and South China Seas, reiterating their “strong opposition to any unilateral attempt
to change the status quo by force or coercion.” “We continue opposing China’s dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea and its repeated obstruction of countries’ high seas freedom of nav-
igation,” they said in the statement. “We express serious concern about the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine vessels.” The G7 leaders reaffirmed their rejection of China’s maritime claims beyond the zones specified by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, citing the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated Beijing’s massive nine-dash-line claim over the SCS, including areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. “We reaffirm that there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and
we oppose China’s militarization, and coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea.” The G7 represents the world’s leading industrialized democracies – Canada, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. China deploys coast guard and other boats to patrol the disputed waters and has turned several reefs into militarized artificial islands. From Saturday, China’s coast guard can detain foreigners “suspected of violating management of border entry and exit,” according to the new regulations published online. With AFP
PH FILES UN CLAIM TO EXTEND CONTINENTAL SHELF IN WPS THE Philippines has formally asked the United Nations to register its extended continental shelf (ECS) in the Western Palawan region in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday. DFA Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez said the submission is a declaration not only of the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under the UN Con-
vention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) but also of Manila’s commitment to the responsible application of its processes. “Incidents in the waters tend to overshadow the importance of what lies beneath,” he said. “The seabed and the subsoil extending from our archipelago up to the maximum extent allowed by UNCLOS hold significant potential resources that will benefit our nation and our
people for generations to come. Today, we secure our future by making a manifestation of our exclusive right to explore and exploit natural resources in our ECS entitlement.” Alferez said the submission would also help secure the Philippines’ sovereign rights and maritime jurisdictions in the West Philippine Sea, noting that the 2016 Arbitral Ruling confirmed the country’s maritime
entitlements and rejected those that exceeded geographic and substantive limits under UNCLOS. The submission of information at the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) was made through the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York. This is the second time the Philippines has registered an ECS entitlement.
NEWS | A2
21 PINOY CREW IN HUTHI-HIT SHIP RESCUED, ONE MISSING TWENTY-ONE out of 22 Filipino seafarers aboard the MV Tutor that was attacked by Huthi rebels in the Red Sea earlier this week have been rescued, the Department of Migrant Workers said yesterday. Only one remains missing as combined international forces launched the rescue mission Friday evening, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said without naming the countries involved. “The ship was adrift in the southern Red Sea. It was immobilized but stable. They were able to extract the 21 Filipino seafarers and they were boarded into a security ship,” he said. “There is only one more remaining. He was in the engine room when the Huthi drone attacks happened. We are still searching for him,” Cacdac added. He said the government is studying its policy on the deployment of Filipino seafarers to ships sailing through the Red Sea. “In light of this recent incident, we are reviewing this current policy. Just give us room to review the policy,” Cacdac said. Pending the new deployment policy, Cacdac said Filipino seafarers have the “right to refuse sailing” if they think their ship would sail through dangerous waters. The DMW chief said search and rescue operations would continue for the missing seafarer.
PAOCC TO FILE NON-BAILABLE CHARGES VS. BAMBAN MAYOR By Charles Dantes and Maricel Cruz
100 JOB FAIRS AND COUNTING. SM Supermalls reaches a milestone with its 100th job fair in a bid to foster economic growth by empowering Filipino job seekers. Mr. Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls, said: ‘Reaching our 100th job fair is a testament to our commitment to empowering Filipinos through meaningful employment. We are honored to play a pivotal role in nation-building by providing opportunities that transform lives and contribute to the overall well-being of our communities.’
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THE Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission said it will file non-bailable criminal charges against Bamban Mayor Alice Guo next week for her part in suspected illegal POGO activities. “There are quite a few criminal charges we could bring against the mayor of Bamban. What we discussed last night was that we should start with the most serious and non-bailable charges first, and then deal with the other charges later on,” PAOCC spokesperson Winston John Casio said on Saturday. He said an interagency council, including the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police, will meet Tuesday to finalize charges against the key figures of the POGO firm Zun Yuan
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Technology Incorporated in Bamban. Guo is under Senate investigation for her alleged involvement with Zun Yuan, which was raided by police and military in March for suspected illegal activities at the Baofu Land Development Inc. compound behind Bamban Municipal Hall in Tarlac. Casio said Guo’s name and signature appeared on numerous documents recovered from the POGO hub, but declined to give specifics. As this developed, PAOCC said the document found in Lucky South 99, another raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga that bore the name of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was “innocent.” “The document is not of suspicious criminal nature. We know that former secretary Roque is the lawyer of the Whirlwind Corporation, the lessor of
Lucky South 99. So, how the document found itself there is not something that I personally looked at as something suspicious,” Casio said. He said they are now conducting an inventory after searching the 46 buildings within the Lucky South 99 Compound. As this developed, House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas called on her colleagues to pass a measure banning POGOs. “The negative impacts of POGOs far outweigh any potential benefits. With its influx in recent years, a number of crimes have already been recorded which was evident in the previous raids by various agencies. It is even more disturbing that such operations are banned in China, yet are fully operational and are taking advantage of our laws,” she said.
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