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‘Pepito’ makes second landfall FIVE LOCAL HOLIDAYS IN OCT. NEWS / A3
ISRAEL CONTINUES Super typhoon spares Metro from full effect, may exit PAR today TO POUND HEZBOLLAH VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 •
By Rio N.WORLD Araja /and A6 Vince Lopez
PNP resurrecting probe into PCSO official's slay S
UPER Typhoon “Pepito” made its second landfall in the vicinity of Dipaculao, Aurora, and was headed in the direction of Quirino province, which it is expected to reach by Monday afternoon. The powerful typhoon, however, spared Metro Manila from its full brunt. The metropolis, with its almost 15 million population, was only under Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 2 as of 5 p.m. on Sunday. The center of the eye of “Pepi-
to” was estimated in the vicinity of Nagtipunan, Quirino, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its last bulletin on Sunday.
Gov’t readies P1.48b aid as VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 276• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2024 • 'Julian' strengthens
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Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm By Rio N. Araja
T
HE Philippine National Police (PNP) is reopening its investigation into the 2020 murder of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
House launches P750m aid effort for storm victims
On Sunday, PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil said he ordered the reopening of the cold case after whistleblower Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza told the House Quad Committee that he helped carry out the killing at the behest of ex-PCSO general manager Royina Garma. Mendoza narratedRex before conBy Rio N. Araja, gressmen how Garma allegedly faEspiritu Rirao cilitated the and PCSORalph official’s roadside assassination on July 30, 2020 by EVEN astheSuper Typhoon “Pepito” providing necessary information continued to wreak havoc in partshisof about his schedule, details about the country, Congress already vehicle and the funding necessarydisto patched 24 large trucks to deliver carry it out. much-needed relief also goods to disThe whistleblower implicated placed families in the Bicol incumbent National Police region, Combadly battered by consecutive missioner Edilberto Leonardo storms. in the The convoy of 22-wheeler trucks planning of the murder. departed from PamBarayuga wasthea Batasang retired police bansa Complex on Sunday, bringing general and lawyer who supposedly with themtofood, hygiene kits, withcloththreatened expose corruption ing and other essentials. in the PCSO shortly before he was Marcos, in close coordinashotPresident dead in Mandaluyong City. tion with Speaker Martin Romualdez, Garma, herself an ex-police Lt. Nexttop page Colonel, allegedly gained the spot at the PCSO because of her inNext page
DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded'
BAUTISTA
By Darwin Amojelar
PAGASA
THE government has readied P1.48 billion worth of aid for communities that may be hit hard by typhoon ‘Julian’ which PAGASA says could turn into a supertyphoon. As of 5:00 PM on Sunday, PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 over Batanes and the northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands. “’Julian’ is forecast to continue intensifying over the next 24-36 hours as it moves towards Batanes and/or Babuyan Islands. With the current trend in its intensification, the possibility of reaching super typhoon category is not ruled out,” PAGASA said in its advisory. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that a total of 1.9 million family food packs worth P1.48 billion, other food items worth P276 million, and non-food items (NFIs) worth P919 million were already prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Some P171 million in standby fund is also available for utilization by the DSWD, including P123 million which can be allotted as Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the central office of the DSWD. In Batanes, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) advised residents to secure their roofs and install window shutters as Typhoon Julian is expected to make landfall Next page
A WEB OF CRIME? House leaders Aurelio Gonzales and David Suarez presented this matrix during the last QUAD Comm hearing which shows the operations of a criminal syndicate allegedly led by fugitive Michael Yang, then economic adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled the illegal activities of the POGOs and was involved in the drug trade and extrajudicial killings.
Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry
PH lobbies UN for Security Council seat
TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION. Super Typhoon ‘Pepito’ lived up to its billing, laying waste to homes and buildings along its path. Initial government reports
indicate, however, that early warning and forced evacuation of vulnerable communities saved lives. Top right photo shows damage wrought by ‘Pepito’ in the town center of Bagamanoc, Catanduanes. Residents clean up their shattered house in Caramoran, Catanduanes, bottom left photo, while a man, center photo looks at the Philippineprepares government remains of his home in Barangay Puraran, Baras, Catanduanes. At bottom right, a 24-truck relief caravan organized by the House ofTHE Representatives to leaveon Sunday publicly called for the Unithard-hitcounsel provincesofof Bicol. BoLGUBagamanoc-PIO (sourced from Joshua CaballeroofVillegas), Erns Tatualla, Allanactivities Pamplona, Ver Noveno THEforlegal Chinese adviser of former President Rodrigo illegal drugs and illegal
businessman Tony Yang sought to disparage lawmakers’ conclusions about his client’s supposedly sketchy past and his alleged ties with Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators (POGOs) and even organized crime. Lawyer Raymond Fortun questioned the House Quad Committee’s impartiality and its ability to pin Chinese national Yang down for ay wrongdoing in a real criminal court. “I am very interested in how they [Quad Comm members] can prove this criminal network in court. In Congress, lawmakers act as both prosecutor and judge,” he said. Yang, who already admitted having a fake Philippine birth certificate, is the brother of Michael Yang, a presidential economic
Duterte. Fortun, a lawyer who often finds himself at the center high-profile cases, apparently sought to mock congressmen, calling their probe “unacceptable.” However, House members argued they come by their suspicions By did RionotAraja about Yang recklessly. BATANGAS Rep. Deputy GervilleSpeaker Luistro On Friday, Senior has urged the House Quad Committee Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga to recommend the filing criminal and Deputy Speaker Davidof Suarez of charges against ex-President Rodrigo Quezon presented a matrix showing Duterte first for supposed violations inYang’s appearance and ofhis subsequent activities at the Quad Comm hearing. “We saw a pattern, and we tracked it to the top of these corporations... we stripped it of its layers , to get to the top and through it all, we have discovered and identified at least two main actors or players in the issue
THE DESPITE Philippine failing Navy to debunked make on Sunday announceit to thethe Toprecent 12 in the finals TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime ment of by the China it conducted Missthat Universe 2024 Bautista denied an online news report military exercises Bajo de beauty contest off in Mexico claiming that Malacañang was angry Masinloc, also known ScarborCity yesterday, theascountry’s with the increase in airport fees without ough bet Shoal, in theManalo West PhilipChelsea was the approval of the Cabinet members. pine Sea (WPS). named the first-ever Miss “The Bilyonaryo article is maliChina reportedly Universe Asia. made the ancious and unfounded,” Bautista said nouncement the This coinciding year’s Misswith Uniin aWINNERS Viber message, referring to the Victoria ALL. Miss Denmark Multilateral Coverse title wentMaritime to Victoria Kjaerthat Theilvig is crowned in website published the Ms. saidUniverse story. 2024 fourth operative between the Mexico City. She will be joined in her reign by Kjaer Activity Theilvig of Denmark “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” he added. the first ever Four Continental Philippines, who was Australia, crowned by Japan, Miss Bilyonaryo reported onlineQueens that of Miss Universe From left: Miss Finland New Universe Zealand,2023 andSheynnis the United Pa“Bautista and2024. his long-time protege in for Europe & Middle East, Miss Peru for the Americas, Stateslacios within Manila’s exclusive of Nicaragua. Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, economic zone (EEZ) in the reManalo, who succeeded Aviation and Airports Bobby Lim, are Miss Nigeria for Africa and Oceania, and Miss gionalactress-beauty waters over queen the weekend. Michelle at the center of the storm after it was Philippines for Asia. AFP, Ms. Universe PH Next page Philippine Navy Spokesperson Facebook page. for WPS Rear Admiral Roy VinNext page
ed Nations (UN) to give it a seat on the UN Security Council, highlighting the country’s strong record and dedication to upholding the rule of law. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo in a speech delivered at thethe UNPhilippine GenCiting data from eral Assembly in NewAgency York said Drug Enforcement andthevariPhilippines to emphasize ous rightscontinues groups, she noted 6,252 thedeaths “importance upholding the in policeof anti-drug operations rule law and theeven integrity thehuas of May 2022, while of some multilateral the facethat of toman rightssystem groupsincontend some day’s global challenges.” Next page Quoted by reports, Manalo also said: “The Philippines has consistently pursued peace, the sovereign equality of states, the rights and dignity of all persons.” He added that the country is also recognized as the “first Asian Re-
File criminal raps vs. Rody, Batangas solon urges
SCTEX toll fees Solons decry VP Sara’s ‘budol’ to increase anew antics for skipping hearings tomorrow–TRB By Rio N. Araja
Ms. Denmark is Ms. Universe; Chelsea Ms. China Navy spokesisdebunks claim By Darwin G. Amojelar Universeexercises Asia in Scarborough shoal of military By Rex Espiritu By Angelica Villanueva
associated with POGOs,” Suarez said in a mixture of Filipino and English. The solons explained how the matrix details Yang’s connections to other individuals involved in illicit activities, including the operations of illegal POGOs. ternational humanitarian and poAmong the companies law implicated tential murder. are Brickhartz Technology Inc. theTechnology Nov. 13 Quad and During Xionwei Co. Comm Ltd., hearing, presented grimtostatistics which areshebeing linked allegedon casualties from Duterte’s war on drugs, kidnapping. questioning the manner The twothe legality firms ofsupposedly employed under his with administration. have connections the Baofu Compound in Bamban, Tarlac, which, in turn, can be directly traced to disgraced ex-mayor Alice Guo. During Friday’s Quad Comm hearing, lawmakers cited Tony Yang in contempt for “lying” to about his businesses and business partners.
THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has approved a second round of toll increases for the Clark Tarlac cent Trinidad toldSubic reporters that Expressway (SCTEX), effective NoManila troops did not monitor vember 19, 2024. any such activity, adding that BeiAnstatement additional was P 0.64 per km jing’s meant onlyfor Class 1 vehicles, P1.29 per km for for its internal audience. Class and P1.93 pernot km for Class 3 “Our2, troops did observe vehicles will be collected effective Noany exercise, we have to undervember 19, 2024, the TRB said. stand that sometimes, China is Thethisadditional which foldoing for theirrates, internal audilowed strict compliance with regulaence, right? For them not to look tory and procedures and underwent thorweak embarrassed,” Trinidad ough review, were part of the approved said. periodic adjustmentswarships of SCTEXwere due in Two Chinese 2021 and 2023. monitored at a distance ranging increase deferred and fromThe eight to 14 was nautical miles. divided into three tranches that will One of these went up to 1,000 be collected over three to help yards at the MMCA siteyears but evencurb the inflationary strains and ease tually went away. “It was not the impact on the users of the exthreatening, just normal,” accordpressway. Next page Next page
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LAWMAKERS on Sunday hit Vice President Sara Duterte for planning to skip the Nov. 20 House Blue Ribbon Committee hearing and to submit an affidavit to address the supposed mis-
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use of P612.5 million in confidential funds in 2022 and 2023. House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of Zambales and Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V of La Union described Duterte’s move as a deliberate evasion of accountability. Next page
AWARD. Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings, was honored by the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) with its Outstanding Filipino Retailers President Award for his visionary leadership in retail development. (From left to right): PRA Director and of SM Retail Jorge T. Mendiola, CHRISTMAS MAGIC ATDirector SM CITY BACOOR. After fivePRA years Vice President and andGrand COO of Golden, ABC, is Inc. (The Penshoppe Group) of waiting, the SMPresident Supermalls Magical Parade making a grand comeback, Alice T. Liu,with SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans Sy, bringing it joy and excitement to the shoppers in SM City Bacoor andT.all PRA and of Quorum International, (Toby’s Sports) Roberto SMPresident Supermalls inChairman South Luzon until December 29. TheInc. Grand Magical parade S.showcased Claudio, and PRA of Director and President of dwarves, Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc.characters, and a cast cheerful elves, colorful beloved Christmas proponent of PRA OFR and President’s Award Mars C. Chua and dazzling princes princesses, all dressed in eye-catching costumes.