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Garma arrested in California after flying to US on Nov. 7 By Pot Chavez and Vito Barcelo
flew to the United States on Nov. 7 where she and her daughter were promptly FORMER police Col. Royina Garma, flagged and detained for a cancelled visa. Garma, who was released by the House who implicated former President RodQuad Committee from detention on Nov. rigo Duterte to the drug war model that Next page rewarded cops for every suspect killed,
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 271 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2024
‘Train guns on drug trade big fish’ Marcos adopts policy shift from street-level arrests, buy-busts By Charles Dantes
T
HE Marcos administration is redirecting its anti-drug campaign to dismantle supply networks and pursue high-level drug suppliers, signaling a major shift in the country’s approach to combating illegal drugs.
NEW TARGETS IDENTIFIED. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with heads of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police to discuss a new policy in combatting illegal drugs, with a focus on top-level suppliers.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced the strategic pivot on Tuesday, following a high-level meeting led by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the Palace. President Marcos convened the meeting on Monday with the Interior chief, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Moro Virgilio Lazo, and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Benjamin Marbil to outline a new approach to curb the nation’s drug trade. The Interior Secretary said the consensus was to prioritize going after major suppliers and dismantling drug distribution channels over streetlevel arrests and buy-bust operations. “For the longest time, we have been concentrating on the consumption side—arresting lowlevel offenders and conducting buy-bust operations,” Remulla said in a briefing. “This time, we are going after the big guns: Next page
House wary of ‘propaganda’ Rody will face Quad By Maricel V. Cruz and Ralph Harvey Rirao HOUSE leaders expressed wariness over the reported plan of former President Rodrigo Duterte to finally face the Quad Comm today (Wednesday) to answer questions on his bloody war on drugs. Quad Comm chairman Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte
said the mega-panel sent a notice of cancellation of today’s hearing to Duterte’s lawyer, Martin Delgra III, at 10:53 p.m. Monday. He said Delgra acknowledged receipt of the notice at 7:14 a.m. Tuesday. Barbers said vloggers claimed on social media that Duterte will attend the hearing after the announcement of the cancellation, and that the committee received no formal response from Du-
terte or his camp of his attendance. He, however, expressed hope the former President would accept another invitation to attend the Quad Comm inquiry on November 21 or any day after that at his convenience. House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun said: “If our former President doesn’t really have a direct statement that he will come (today), Next page
Speaker brings AKAP to 4 malls, benefiting 53,000 By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE Speaker Martin Romualdez launched the Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) mall tour on Tuesday, benefitting over 53,000 mall employees and tenants’ employees in four large SM Supermalls in Metro Manila. The activity enabled the House leader and fellow lawmakers present to deliver a total of P268.5 million in financial aid to qualified beneficiaries. Romualdez said the AKAP mall tour was in response to President Ferdinand SOCIAL PROTECTION. Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is assisted by Pasay City Rep. Antonio Calixto in distributing the ‘Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita’ Program or Marcos Jr.’s call for a whole-of-governAKAP to 16,766 beneficiaries during AKAP mall tour at the SM MOA Activity Center in ment approach to address the impact of Pasay City on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Ver Noveno
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NIKA’S WRATH. Photo shows roof-level floods in low-lying parts of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, as Tropical Cyclone ‘Nika’ left the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Cagayan Provincial Information Office
‘Ofel’ intensifies; Supplies, aid already prepositioned—Marcos By Charles Dantes, Rio N. Araja Reception in Parañaque City, President Marcos said equipment and relief supand Rex Espiritu PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. assured the public that both local and national governments are fully mobilized to protect lives and provide relief as the country braces for a series of typhoons. Speaking on the sidelines of the Seatrade Cruise Asia 2024 Welcome
plies have been strategically prepositioned, enabling response teams to act swiftly once storm conditions permit. He also acknowledged the complex challenges posed by the rapid succession of storms. Tropical storm “Ofel” slightly intensified while moving northwestward Next page
SC says BARMM polls can’t be put off despite Sulu dilemma
Meralco: Power rates to increase this month
By Pot Chavez and Joel Zurbano
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE first-ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), scheduled for May 12 next year, cannot be deferred, a Supreme Court (SC) official said on Tuesday. SC spokesperson Camille Sue Mae Ting made this remark in response to a query on whether the High Tribunal’s
ruling on Sulu’s exclusion from BARMM takes effect immediately despite the pending motion for reconsideration. “The SC ruling on BARMM shall take effect immediately. ‘Immediately executory’ means that the decision should be fully implemented despite the pending motion for reconsideration. There would be no reason for Next page
CONSUMERS of Manila Electric Co. can expect higher electricity bills of P0.4274 per kilowatt hour this month due to higher generation charges arising from the impact of the peso depreciation. Meralco’s overall rate for a typical household will go up to P11.8569 per kWh this November from last month’s P11.4295 per kWh. “For customers who have a consumption of 200 kWh Next page