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DEVOTEES MARK FEAST OF STO. NINO NEWS / A3
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 339 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2025
House to probe POGO vloggers Panel to unmask spreaders of fake news vs. Quad Comm Quad Comm to train guns on drug smuggling via ports THE Quad Committee will focus on alleged drug smuggling done through various ports across the country when it resumes hearings on Tuesday, panel lead chairman Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said. “We are waiting for a resource person whom we expected to confirm attendance. The hearing will focus on the increase in drugs that allegedly are smuggled through ports in
the past years,” Barbers told dzBB in an interview yesterday. He said the super committee will propose measures to ensure those behind drug smuggling are punished, including government officials. Barbers said former Bureau of Customs official Jimmy Guban and Customs “fixer” Mark Taguba are among the resource persons to be in-
T
HE House of Representatives will form a special committee to investigate vloggers allegedly under the payroll of illegal POGOs who have been spreading disinformation against the Quad Committee, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said Sunday. Barbers, lead chairman of the Quad Comm, said banned POGOs still operating in the country are believed to be bankrolling these vloggers. “There is a need for a regulatory framework so that these vloggers do not abuse their influence,” he told dzBB in
an interview. He said a Tri Committee will be formed to conduct the probe and work on passing legislation that will prevent vloggers and influencers from spreading disinformation and misinformation. The lawmaker said criticisms are
welcome and even protected by the Constitution as long as these are “anchored on the discharge of our official duties and functions.” In November, Barbers requested the National Bureau of Investigation to identify and pursue the unnamed vloggers who he accused of being paid to “malign and spread lies” about the Quad Comm. “The ultimate goal of the trolls is to create chaos and disorder by sowing false information, confusion, fear and slander their subjects. We must Next page
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WINNERS ALL. Team Blue, skippered by Marty Romualdez (left), receive their trophies after beating Team White, 9-7, in the high goal game on Sunday during the Manila Polo Club Chairman’s Cup. Joining Romualdez are (from left) Ignacio O’Dweyer, Gus Aguirre and Gen Gelosi. Inset photo shows Speaker Martin Romualdez with members of Manila Standard’s circulation team (from left) Elvin Clarete, Circulation Manager Edgar Valmorida, Ferdie Cubinar and Manny Bungay. Revoli Cortez
Enrile: INC rally political pressure vs. Congress’ Constitutional duty By Pot Chavez THE Iglesia Ni Cristo national rally for peace last week served as a “political pressure” to deter an independent branch of government from performing its Constitutional duty when it comes to an impeachment process, chief presidential legal counsel Juan
Ponce Enrile said. Enrile, in a Facebook post, said he never questioned the peaceful conduct of the rally even as he pointed out that the gathering was held even if there were no actual grievances to be redressed. “To me, although it was well-intentioned, the peace rally was more like a Next page
HISTORIC COMEBACK. US President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump watch fireworks during a reception in his honor at the Trump National Golf Club Washington DC in Sterling, Virginia, on January 18, 2025 (Sunday, Manila time). AFP
Inauguration Day, Trump-style: What will happen? EVERY four years America’s president is sworn in on Inauguration Day, whether newly elected or returning to office, in a long-established ceremony held amid pageantry influenced by the incoming leader’s tastes. The United States Constitution man-
dates that each new president’s term begin at noon on January 20 [or the day after if it falls on a Sunday] and that the president take the oath of office. Recently, American presidents have been sworn in from an enormous temporary platform on the Capitol’s scenic
West Lawn. This time, owing to a frigid forecast, it will take place inside the Capitol Rotunda. In a social media post, Trump said the event was moved indoors due to the forecasted freezing temperatures. Next page
TikTok goes dark within US MARITIME EXERCISE. A US carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson joins Filipino forces in the West Philippine Sea during the first Maritime Cooperative Activity of 2015. Inset photo shows senior leaders of Armed Forces of the Philippines aboard the USS Carl Vinson. US Embassy in the Philippines and US Pacific Fleet
US carrier strike group joins PH in WPS training THE Armed Forces of the Philippines said the United States deployed a carrier strike group to the West Philippine Sea for the first Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) of 2025 with Filipino
Participating forces from the Philforces. The MCA with the United States ippines included the guided missile Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPA- frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF151); COM) took place in Palawan from Jan- offshore patrol vessel BRP Andres uary 17 to January 18, the military said. Next page
WASHINGTON—TikTok disconnected access to its users in the United States late Saturday shortly before a national ban on the app was to take effect, with President-elect Donald Trump unable to intervene until he takes office. “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US,” said a message to users attempting to use the app. “Unfortunately, that means you can’t use
TikTok for now.” “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office,” the message added. “Please stay tuned!” After months of legal tussles, the US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law that would ban the popular video-sharing platform in the Next page
GAZA TRUCE BEGINS AFTER DELAY NEWS / A2