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File photoon datedA4) July 27, 2016 shows President Duterte during a National Security Council meeting attended by four former presidents (Story including (from left) Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Fidel V. Ramos and Benigno Aquino III. Presidential Spokesman Harry
STATE WORKERS MAY GET PAY HIKE AS EARLY AS THIS MONTH
NEWS / A4
Roque says Malacanang is inclined to ask the four ex-presidents to attend a meeting on issues besetting the West Philippine Sea. NSC file
IMPEACH SARA MERE RUMOR NEWS / A2
PH TO MANUFACTURE ARMS UNDER BILL NEWS / A2
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 179• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2024 •
PH protests China ‘risky’ air acts in Scarborough
DFA hits ‘escalatory’ move; Beijing slams PH ‘intrusion’
Lawmakers hit VP’s ‘deafening silence’on China WPS incursions By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE leaders sounded the alarm over what they described as Vice President Sara Duterte’s “deafening silence” on Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea and the involvement of some Chinese nationals in transnational crimes in the country, calling for a “survey” to reveal the foreign policy positions of elected officials. “It's like the silence is deafening,” Assistant Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union said. “Personally, I'm trying to question why when there was a flare of Chinese (actions in the WPS), she remained silent about it,” added Next page
By Rachelle Tonelada, Rex Espiritu, Maricel Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
T
HE Philippines will file a diplomatic protest against China's “escalatory” actions involving “risky maneuvers” against Philippine aircraft in Bajo De Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. “Definitely we will protest,” DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo said. “The President has come out very strongly on this and we will maintain that position.” “We are committed to try and settle disputes or whatever through diplomatic and peaceful means. I don't know why they did it,” he said.
PH SATELLITE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. listens
to Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Director General Dr. Joel S. Marciano Jr., and Deputy Director General Dr. Gay Jane P. Perez as they explain about the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment (MULA) 150 kg Earth Observation Satellite before proceeding yesterday to the 8th Philippine Space Council Meeting by PhilSA at the agency's head office in Quezon City. PPA Pool
Next page
Electricity rates up as pump prices decline anew By Alena Mae S. Flores ANOTHER bitter-sweet moment awaits consumers as Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) gets set to implement a “slight upward adjustment” in power rates this month even after local oil firms substantially rolled back fuel
prices today. The power company announced a P0.0327 per kilowatt-hour increase in electricity rates in August, bringing the overall rate for a typical household to P11.6339 per kWh from the previous month’s P11.6012 per kWh. For residential customers consum-
ing about 200 kWh, the adjustment will bring about an increase of around P7 in their total electricity bill. Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said certain developments derailed their previous forecast of an electricity price reduction. Next page
MMDA gets set for Olympic heroes’ homecoming parade By Maricel V. Cruz and Joel Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that the homecoming parade in honor of Carlos Yulo, Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, and other Filipino Olympians has been rescheduled for
Wednesday, and advised motorists take note of the motorcade’s route to avoid being inconvenienced. It was originally set for Tuesday, the same day the Filipino Olympic delegation’s flight will touch down at the Villamor Airbase, but time constraints compelled organizers to put the event off for the following day. Next page
NEWEST LAKAS-CMD MEMBERS. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez administers the oath of membership to Lakas-CMD to local officials of San Antonio, Quezon led by Mayor Aniano Ariel M. Wagan, Jr. and Tiaong, Quezon led by Mayor Vincent Arjay M. Mea, during simple rites held yesterday at the Social Hall of the Speaker’s Office in the House of Representatives. They are among the latest batch of new party members, from four provinces, sworn in to the party's ranks. Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr., Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez, Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe, and Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino II, witnessed the event. Ver Noveno
No more umbrella cops, orders PNP chief DOTr orders hunt for colorum PUVs amid surprise strike
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Rommel Marbil has ordered a stop to police officers carrying umbrellas for VIPs. Marbil said that such an act is not part of a police officer’s job and considers it is degrading for persons in uniform. “I want to bring back the dignity of our uniform,” Marbil said in his speech after the regular Monday flag ceremony in Camp Crame, Quezon City. "I am now prohibiting that. Every time we have an anniversary, we see police in uniform, especially those with
the rank of corporal or those in lower ranks, carrying umbrellas," he added. "That’s not right. That’s not the job of the police. Let’s respect our uniform. Let’s show that we are a people with dignity, and not a mere person. We are police, not a bodyguard, not a driver, and not a helper. We are not paid lackeys, we are police," said Marbil. It was not clear what triggered Marbil's directive but the PNP has been criticized because some of its personnel have acted as bodyguards for influential personalities.
TRANSPORT Secretary Jaime Bautista yesterday said the department will launch a crackdown on public utility vehicles whose franchises have expired or operating without them. Bautista said that the franchises of jeepney operators who have not Next page
PARADE ROUTE. This will be the route taken on Wednesday by the
parade of the Paris Olympic contingent led by double gold medalist Carlos Yulo and bronze medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas. MMDA