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Fellow Rody Cabinet exec files disbarment vs. Roque A FELLOW Duterte administration Cabinet official filed a disbarment case against former presidential spokesman Harry Roque for his alleged “fake news” posts on social media. "He is a friend and this has noth-
OPEN AGAIN. Ruben Cunanan, a
weather observer from DOST-PAGASA, conducts a demo presentation on basic astronomy at the Planetarium in the PAGASA Science Garden Complex in Quezon City yesterday. After a four-month closure for renovations, including leakproofing of the ceiling and beautification, the planetarium has reopened to the public from Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM. Manny Palmero
ing to do with politics or personal… Hopefully this will provide an opportunity for the court to give guidelines on how officers of the court can use social media," said Melvin Matibag, acting Cabinet Secretary of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Matibag was also a former secretary-general of Duterte's political party, PDP-Laban.
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BEATRIZ ZOBEL DE AYALA, 88
LA NINA ONSET SOON — PAGASA NEWS / A2
‘A’ RATING FOR PH IN 2028 — RECTO BUSINESS / B1
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 222• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 •
BUSINESS / B4
Guo to name POGO syndicate mastermind Senate executive session paves way for disclosure —“—
By Rex Espiritu and Roland Ng III
HE Senate panel investigating illegal POGO activities held an executive session with dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, opening the floodgates for the unmasking of the Chinese criminal syndicate network “mastermind.”
Di po ako mastermind. Masasabi ko po na isa po akong victim. —Alice Guo
"Di po ako mastermind. Masasabi ko po isa po akong victim (I am not the mastermind. I can say that I am a victim),” Guo told the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality yesterday. “I think with the length of this investigation, the Senate committee already knows who is really at the back of everything...It's not that I was used. If I ever helped anyone, I am a helpful person. That's all. But regarding the activities and the allegations, I don't have anything to do with them," Guo added. Senator JV Ejercito initiated the closed-door meeting, which took place at Majority Leader Senator Francis Tolentino's office.
ATTENTIVE GUO. Alice Guo listens intently to the answers of Yang Jian Xin, alias Tony Yang and Antonio Maestrado Lim, as he was grilled by senators during the public hearing conducted by the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality Tuesday, September 24, 2024. Yang was listed as the president of Oro One Corporation, a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) service provider to Xionwei, a company linked to Lin Weixion, also known as Alan Lim, a central figure in the Pharmally controversy. The committee is investigating POGO’s alleged link to human trafficking and other illegal activities. Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau
T
When asked if she could identify the “most guilty” person, Guo responded in the affirmative. At least two names have cropped up in previous panel hearings as possible “boss of all POGO bosses” – Huang Zhiyang and Duanren Wu. Huang, who is in Hong Kong, was reportedly identified by Guo as her mysterious benefactor who orchestrated her short-lived escape from the country. He is said to hold five different passports, including from China, Cyprus, Cambodia, Dominica, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Wu, on the other hand, was a former Chinese police officer and godfather of Guo's associate, Cassandra Li Ong. Next page
251 Chinese ships currently swarming all over WPS Rice prices to decline by as much SOME 251 Chinese vessels are currently positioned in various locations within the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in what is seen as an escalation of Beijing’s effort to challenge the steely resolve of its stoic neighbor. In a press briefing on Tuesday, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad,
the Philippine Navy’s (PN) spokesperson for the WPS, said the number of Chinese ships presently inside internationally recognized Philippine territory represents a “record-high” this year. He declined to speculate on what triggered the significant increase in
China’s maritime presence in the disputed waters, which is significantly higher than the previous norm of around 157 Chinese ships or less. Trinidad said that in the one week from Sept. 17 to 23, the PN has recorded the presence of 16 People's Next page
Romualdez thanks public for latest uptick in approval By Maricel V. Cruz
CARE CENTER. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez (center) in partnership with
Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc.(CSFI) President Rose Marie Arenas (3rd right), Chairperson Yedda Marie K. Romualdez (2nd left) , MVP Group of Companies Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan (left), AFP Chief of Staff Gen.Romeo Brawner Jr. (2nd right) and Makati Medical Center Foundation President Dr Victor Gisbert (right), signs the Manifesto of Partnership and Support for the Casualty Care Center during a simple ceremony at the Speaker's Social Hall in the House of Representatives Tuesday morning.The program Bagong Bayaning Mandirigma Casualty and Cancer Care Center (BBM-CCCC) is a joint project of CSFI 19th Congress and the MVP Group of Companies for AFP Medical Center. Ver Noveno
HOUSE Speaker Martin Romualdez attributed his improved satisfaction and trust numbers, as reflected in the results of the latest Tangere survey, to the public’s growing confidence in him and the institution he represents. "I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the trust and confidence that our people have placed in me, as reflected in the recent survey results. These numbers may seem like small Next page
as P7/kilo in January—Agri chief
THE Marcos administration forecasts significant rollbacks in the retail prices of rice, amid the domestic harvest season and an overall softening in the Southeast Asian market. On Tuesday, President Marcos said in a Presidential Communications Office (PCO) statement that the movement of rice prices has been consistent with their expectations and there is reason to believe that they will go down further.
“It seems that the prices are within our projections. And it seems to be consistent again with the same experience of other ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] countries like Thailand and Vietnam,” the chief executive noted. Additionally, rice harvest in the Philippines typically begins before October, ensuring consumers have sufficient stocks of the staple for the year's fourth quarter. Next page
Solons raise resign option for VP Sara By Maricel Cruz VICE President Sara Duterte should resign if she has no intention of fulfilling her duties as the official holding the second highest position in government, House solons said yesterday. "If she is no longer interested in her duties and functions as vice president, we can ask her to step down," Rep. Jil Bongalon (Ako Bicol Party) said at a
press conference. Bongalon was referring to Duterte’s refusal to attend the proceedings for the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed 2025 budget. Rep. Jay-Jay Suarez (Quezon, 2nd District) also said the sentiments expressed by lawmakers are also shared by other House members because it is a government official’s job to show up. Next page