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Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. joins senatorial candidates of the Alyansa ng Bayan slate in a video to be released when the official electoral campaign begins on Feb.11. (Story on A3) PCO
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 356 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2025
House impeaches VP Sara 4th complaint transmitted to Senate for impeachment trial
By Maricel Cruz and Ram Superable
T
HE House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte in a historic decision supported by 215 lawmakers – more than double the required one-third vote to bypass deliberations at the committee level – and immediately transmitted the verified fourth complaint resolution to the Senate on the same day. Presidential son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos led the list of solons who crossed party lines in endorsing the fourth complaint that cited a series of grave allealle gations, including conspiracy to assassinate President FerdiFerdi nand Marcos Jr., large-scale corruption, abuse of public funds, and involvement in ex-trajudicial killings. During the plenary session, House Majority Leader Man-nix Dalipe said the number of endorsers exceeded the onethird threshold required under the Constitution and House Next page
Duterte allies cry political persecution, warn of trouble By Ram Superable, Cherrie Anne Villahermosa and Charles Dantes STALWARTS of the Duterte government closed ranks around Vice President Sara Duterte following her impeachment by the House of Representatives, saying administration lawmakers have ganged up on her in hopes of snuffing out her 2028 presidential aspirations.
“The sinister maneuvering of certain lawmakers, led by Rep. Garin, to hastily collect signatures and push for the immediate approval and transmittal of this baseless impeachment case is a clear act of political persecution,” said the Vice President’s brother and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte. “This is not just about VP Sara Duterte—this is about the will of the Next page
Biz groups nix House-led P200 per day wage increase By Othel V. Campos A COALITION of 10 significant business organizations voiced their strong opposition to the proposed P200 Daily Across-theBoard Wage Increase Act, which was recently approved by the House Committee on Labor and Employment.
In a joint statement, the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., along with key business sector partners, warned that the blanket wage hike would have severe consequences for businesses,
IMPEACH VOTE. Various groups
11-member House prosecution panel 1. Gerville Luistro 2. Romeo Acop 3. Rodge Gutierrez 4. Joel Chua 5. Jil Bongalon 6. Loreto Acharon 7. Marcelino Libanan 8. Arnan Panaligan 9. Ysabel Maria Zamora 10. Lorenz Defensor 11. Jonathan Keith Flores
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Planned closure of USAID will affect key DepEd projects THE Philippines is set to lose significant funding for several education projects after the US government announced plans to shut down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The dismantling of USAID will affect five USAID-Department of Education (DepEd) development projects worth approximately P4 billion, in-
cluding one that aims to improve the reading abilities of K-3 learners, according to DepEd Assistant Secretary Roger Masapol. The $94.02 million basic education projects funded by USAID include the ABC+ or Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines project. The ABC+ project provides decodNext page
led by Akbayan and lawmakers rally at the House of Representatives before the vote to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte. Inset at left show Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez presiding over the plenary proceedings while right photo shows Secretary General Reginald Velasco turning over the articles of impeachment to Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug Jr. at the Senate in Pasay City. Senate. AFP, Ver Noveno, SPPA Pool
Rice prices post decline in January By Othel Campos RETAIL prices of rice in the local market declined modestly in January, the first time in nearly four years the staple commodity’s prices went down. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) traced the decline to softening global prices and a reduction in domestic rice tariffs to 15 percent from the previous 35 percent in July last year following Executive Order No. 62 issued by President Marcos. On Wednesday, National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa reported that rice posted a year-on-year deflation of -2.3 percent in January 2025 from the 0.8 increase seen in December 2024. Next page
Quad nations deploy maritime patrols in PH EEZ By Rex Espiritu
pan, and Australia participated in a joint maritime exercise within the Southeast AMID China’s recent patrols in the Asian nation’s exclusive economic zone West Philippine Sea, militaries from (EEZ) on Wednesday. The 6th Multilateral Maritime Cothe Philippines, the United States, Ja-
operative Activity (MMCA) aims to demonstrate a collective commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free Next page