I N S I D E
BIDEN DISMISSES CALLS TO QUIT RE-ELECTION BID
BODY OF MISSING BEAUTY QUEEN, PARTNER FOUND
MARCOS HOPES NEW UK LEADER TO BOOST TIES
WORLD | A4
NEWS | A2
NEWS | A3
20 .00
IN MET R MANILAO
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 142 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES JULY 7, 2024
www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
EXTERNAL DEFENSE FOCUS. President Marcos vows continued support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines as it shifts to external defense during his visit to the 11th Infantry Division at Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Sulu.
REMAIN VIGILANT VS. EXTERNAL THREATS, MARCOS TELLS MILITARY INTIMIDATION CONTINUES. China Coast Guard’s biggest vessel, dubbed ‘The Monster,’ is seen deploying a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) with personnel onboard (inset) while in Escoda Shoal. Facebook page of Philippine Coast Guard
CHINA BULLYING TACTICS CONTINUE IN WPS – PCG BEIJING’S ‘MONSTER’ SHIP STAYS IN ESCODA SHOAL
By Charles Dantes and Rachelle Tonelada
T
HERE is no let-up in the “intimidation” tactics of Beijing in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard said, noting that China Coast Guard’s massive ship, dubbed “The Monster,” also deployed a rigid-hull inflatable boat around Escoda Shoal. “It is an act of intimidation on the part of the China Coast Guard,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said. Despite the CCG-5901 staying just less than 800 yards or some 700 meters from the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua at Escoda Shoal, Tarriela said Manila will
not withdraw its vessel. “Regardless how many China Coast Guard vessels that they deploy there – regardless of whether it’s a People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel – the Philippine Coast Guard will not be intimidated not are we going to pull back and direct Teresa Magbanua to go back
to Palawan,” he said. “With the clear guidance of our President and the intention of the commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard to maintain our presence in Escoda Shoal, we’re not going to pull out and we’re not going to be intimidated,” he added. Beijing’s deployment of “The Monster” came a day after China agreed to deescalate maritime tensions with the Philippines during the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) in Manila. Former US Air Force officer Ray Powell said China’s deployment of its giant coast guard vessel is meant to project its force and maximize its leverage in the consultations. “From a Chinese perspective,
it helps them to have more force projected and especially something large like the monster ship helps them to say,‘We have you at a disadvantage so you should have to negotiate more on our terms,’” Powell told ABS-CBN News. “China always places the first responsibility for the de-escalation on the other party. So, China has deployed its coast guard into the Philippine waters as a way of letting the Philippines know that it still claims jurisdiction and again they want to be able to negotiate on the de-escalation on terms favorable to China,” he added. Tarriela said it is China that needs to de-escalate as it is also the one “escalating the tension” in the West Philippine Sea.
PAOCC SAYS IT HAS LEADS ON PORAC POGO ‘LEAK’ SOURCE By Charles Dantes THE Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission said it has leads on who were possibly behind the alleged “leak” of the plan to raid the POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga. “We already gathered leads in these past three days,” PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said in a press forum yesterday. Casio earlier floated the possibil-
ity of a possible leak after the Porac raid resulted only in the rescue of 158 foreign nationals, far below the estimated 1,000 foreigners working in the POGO hub. He said PAOCC will coordinate with other agencies involved in the POGO raid on Monday to discuss the leads the agency has gathered. “We will give them the leads then we will allow the agencies to do the investigation,” Casio said. As this developed, Casio said
it is unlikely to have controversial Bamban Mayor Alice Guo as a state witness in the illegal activities of the POGO hub in her town unless she can name someone higher in the alleged crime. Casio said Guo appears to be the primary culprit, which disqualifies her from becoming a state witness. “Any state witness, for that matter, would have to be the least guilty in the entire conspiratorial chain in the commission of the
crime,” Casio said. “We’re not considering that option unless we can target someone higher up,” he added. Guo faces a non-bailable trafficking charge at the Department of Justice, while the Office of the Solicitor General has petitioned to cancel her birth certificate after the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed the mayor and Chinese passport holder Guo Hua Ping have the same fingerprints.
By Charles Dantes THE Armed Forces of the Philippines should remain vigilant amid growing external regional threats, President Marcos said during his visit to the 11th Infantry Division at Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Sulu. He said the government will create a task force with a maritime force and Navy component to enhance the Philippine Coast Guard’s presence and enforce maritime security. “That’s what we’re going to do to make ourselves more secure, especially here in your area because I’m sure there are many instances where we have reports of ships passing by,” the President said. “So, we just have to stay alert and keep an eye on everything that’s happening to make sure we monitor everything,” he added, noting AFP’s shift to external defense. He likewise called on the AFP to help ensure the holding of peaceful elections for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliament next year. “We must hold a peaceful election [next year]...It’s important that we make sure that members of the parliament are elected the right way,” the President said. “There should be no terrorism or political violence. Those should be minimized,” he added. This will be the first time for the country to conduct parliamentary elections for the BARMM, which will coincide with the midterm legislative elections on May 12, 2025. Mr. Marcos reminded the military that elections must be won in peace. “Let us not sit on our laurel. Let us not become complacent because these are challenges that we will have to manage,” he said. “That is all in the interest of peace. We do this because we want peace to continue in this area, in the southern Philippines. We do not want to see the kind of fighting that we saw many decades ago,” he said.
AMORSOLO PAINTING STOLEN IN BROAD DAYLIGHT By Caloy Lozada
STOLEN MASTERPIECE. Fernando Amorsolo’s ‘Mango Harvesters,’ painted in 1936, was stolen from the Hofileña Museum in Silay, Negros Occidental on July 3. Facebook page of Eileen Hofilena
@mnlstandardph
AN 88-year-old painting titled “Mango Harvesters” by renowned national artist Fernando Amorsolo was stolen from the Hofileña Museum in Silay, Negros Occidental. The broad daylight heist occurred at around 10 a.m. on July 3, the museum said. According to Lt. Col. Anthony Mark Darroca, head of the Silay City Municipal Police, a tour guide noticed the painting was missing during a routine inspection of the premises and reported the incident at around 11 a.m. on the same day.
@ManilaStandardPH
@manilastandard
CCTV footage from the museum revealed the suspects entered the museum posing as tourists. The video showed the thiefs – a man and a woman – discreetly removing the painting while blending in with other visitors and exploiting blind spots within the museum. Darroca said the police have identified a person of interest with a history of theft and similar offenses. “We ask anyone who sees this painting or hears about someone trying to sell it to immediately inform the police or report it to any nearby police station,” Darroca said.
@ManilaStandardYT
The arts and culture community in Negros Occidental also called for help to locate the painting, a 12x18 masterpiece painted by Amorsolo in 1936. “Let us all help to find the stolen Amorsolo from the Hofileña Heritage House,” the Art Association of Bacolod-Negros, headed by Tey Sevilleno, said in a Facebook post on Saturday. Solomon Lopez-Locsin, chair of the Negros Occidental Historical Council, said those who have information or sighting of the artwork can contact the Silay Component City Police Station at 0998-5987443 or 0998-9674432.
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net . For advertisement: email: advertise@manilastandard.net • 09173382170 / 85646229