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FIVEfisherfolk LOCAL 30,000 IN OCT. getHOLIDAYS payouts for NEWS / A3 Mindoro oil spill ISRAEL CONTINUES SOME 30,000 fisherfolk are being paid from the International Oil Pollution Compensation (IOPC) fund nearly two years after an oil spill seWORLD / A6 verely impacted Oriental Mindoro, according to Governor Humerlito Dolor. He said that some of the beneficiaries were getting as much as P700,000, ABS-CBN News reported. The oil spill, caused by the sinking of the tanker Princess Empress on February 28, 2023, affected the livelihoods of local residents, particularly fisherfolk, prompting compensation claims. In addition, around 300 individuals from the tourism sector have started receiving their compensation, with an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 more expected to benefit. In total, approximately 35,000 to 40,000 individuals from Oriental Mindoro are expected to receive compensation from the IOPC.
TO POUND HEZBOLLAH
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 •
PNP resurrecting probe into PCSO official's slay BALLSY . Young muscled men wearing the traditional bahag
(loincloth) and holding letters of Baguio City's annual Panagbenga 2020 lead the grand flower float parade along Session Road. Angie de Silva
Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm Next page
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 13 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2025 •
By Rio N. Araja
T Pope Francis ‘critical’, HE Philippine National Police (PNP) is reopening its investigation into the 2020 murder of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
Vatican calls for prayers
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 outFrancis the killing at the OPE behest of ex-PCSO general manager is in a "critical Royina Garma. Mendoza narrated before concondition", a gressmen how Garma allegedly faday after he suffered a cilitated the PCSO official’s roadside prolongedonrespiratory assassination July 30, 2020 by providing the necessary information attack and required blood about his schedule, details about his transfusions, according vehicle and the funding necessarytoto carry it out. the Vatican. The whistleblower also implicated incumbent Police ComThe HolyNational See however said yestermissioner Edilberto Leonardo in the day morning that the 88-year old Ponplanning the murder. tiff spent of a quiet night in the hospital. Barayuga a retired police "The nightwas passed peacefully, the general and lawyer who supposedly pope rested," the Holy See said in a threatened to expose corruption withshort update. in the shortly before he was As PCSO this developed, the Catholic shot dead in Mandaluyong City.PhilipBishops' Conference of the Garma, herself an ex-police pines (CBCP) reiterated its callLt. to Colonel, allegedly gained the praytop Filipino Catholics to continue spot at the PCSO because of her ining for Pope Francis, following reNext page ports from the Vatican that his health is deteriorating. "Let’s continue to pray for Pope Francis,” the CBCP said in a statement on Sunday. Roman Catholics account for nearly 79 percent of Filipinos, or almost 86 million individuals as of a 2020 census. The Argentine pontiff, head of the Catholic Church since 2013, was initially admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital with bronchitis, but it developed into double pneumonia. "The Holy Father's condition continues to be critical, therefore, as explained (Friday), the pope is not out of danger," the Vatican said in a regular medical bulletin on Saturday evening. "At the moment the prognosis is reserved," it said further.
Pontiff receiving breathing support, blood transfusions
P
DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded'
Next page
BAUTISTA
By Darwin Amojelar
PAGASA
Gov’t readies P1.48b aid as 'Palace: Julian' strengthens Rody a
‘one-man fake news’ factory
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 By Rex Espiritu Wind Signal No. 3 over Batanes and the northeastern portion of BaMALACAÑANG called former buyan Islands. President Rodrigo Duterte a liar and a “’Julian’ is forecast to continue “one-man fake-news factory” after he intensifying over the next 24-36 accused his successor, President Ferhours as it moves towards Batanes dinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., of and/or Babuyan Islands. With the plotting to declare martial law, so he current trend in its intensification, could stay in power beyond his term. the possibility of reaching super “We treat the former president’s typhoon category is not ruled out,” baseless and ridiculous statements in PAGASA said in its advisory. the same way that Filipinos are disMeanwhile, the National Disasmissive of them: a tall tale from a ter Risk Reduction and Manageman prone to lying and to inventing ment Council (NDRRMC) said that hoaxes. This hoax is another 'budol' a total of 1.9 million family food [scam] emerging from a one-man packs worth P1.48 billion, other fake-news factory,” said Executive food items worth P276 million, and Secretary Lucas Bersamin in a statenon-food items (NFIs) worth P919 ment on Sunday. million were already prepared by The Palace official reassured Filithe Department of Social Welfare pinos that Mr. Marcos harbors no and Development (DSWD). such thoughts. Some P171 million in standby “As our actions have consistently fund is also available for utilization demonstrated, we will stay the course by the DSWD, including P123 milin upholding the Constitution, in adlion which can be allotted as Quick hering to the rule of law, and in reResponse Fund (QRF) in the censpecting the rights of the people,” tral office of the DSWD. Bersamin said. In Batanes, the Provincial Di“We will not backslide into the saster Risk Reduction and Manageoppressive ways of the previous adment Office (PDRRMO) advised ministration, when critics were jailed residents to secure their roofs and on trumped-up charges and when kill install window shutters as Typhoon orders were publicly issued with glee Julian is expected to make landfall and obeyed blindly,” the Palace offiNext cial added. Nextpage 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.
PH lobbies UN Convening Senate for Security forCouncil impeachment seat Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry up to PBBM—Chiz THE legal counsel of Chinese 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
adviser of former President Rodrigo of illegal drugs and illegal activities Duterte. associated with POGOs,” Suarez said Fortun, a lawyer who often finds in a mixture of Filipino and English. himself at the center high-profile The solons explained how the cases, apparently sought to mock matrix details Yang’s connections to congressmen, calling their probe other individuals involved in illicit “unacceptable.” activities, including the operations of However, House members argued illegal POGOs. they did not come by their suspicions Among the companies implicated about Yang recklessly. are Brickhartz Technology Inc. On Friday, Senior Deputy Speaker and Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd., Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga which are being linked to alleged and Deputy Speaker David Suarez of kidnapping. Quezon presented a matrix showing The two firms supposedly Yang’s first appearance and his have connections with the Baofu subsequent activities at the Quad PRAYERS Compound Bamban, Tarlac, FORin POPE Comm hearing. which, in turn, can be directly traced FRANCIS. People pray at the “We saw a pattern, and we tracked to disgraced ex-mayor Alice Guo. statue of John Paul II outside the it to the top of these corporations... During Friday’s Quad Comm Gemelli hospital in Rome where we stripped it of its layers , to get to hearing, lawmakers cited Tony Yang Pope Francis has been hospitalized the top and through it all, we have in contempt for “lying” to about his for the past seven days. Inset shows discovered and identified at least two businesses and business partners. students praying during a holy hour main actors or players in the issue Next page for the healing of the 88-year old pontiff at the Manila Cathedral. AFP
THE Philippine government on Sunday publicly called for the United to give it a seat on ByNations Ram (UN) Superable the UN Security Council, highlightand N. Araja ing theRio country’s strong record and dedication to upholding the rule of PRESIDENT Marcos will have to law. call a special session for the Senate Department of Foreign Affairs to proceed with the impeachment trial (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo in Vice President Senaofspeech delivered Sara at theDuterte, UN Genate Assembly President in Francis Escudero said eral New York said the yesterday. Philippines continues to emphasize Senate cannot unilaterally the 'The “importance of upholding thedecideofto law holdand a special session.ofThere’s rule the integrity the a process, system a procedure, and of a tobasis multilateral in the face needed before calling one. It’s not day’s global challenges.” that simple,” he told Super Radyo Quoted by reports, Manalo also dzBB“The in Filipino. said: Philippines has consisPresident the other tently pursued Marcos, peace, theonsovereign hand, has said that he would equality of states, the rights andcall dig-for a special session if the Senate asks nity of all persons.” forHe it.added that the country is also Escudero's comment came Reafter recognized as the “first Asian Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III argued Nextthat pagethe trial could proceed even during Congress' break and asked for an all-senators caucus on the issue. Next page
Navy spokes debunks China claim of military exercises inMore Scarborough Pinoysshoal can access PhilHealth benefits—Speaker By Rex Espiritu
THE Philippine Navy debunked on Sunday the recent announceTRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime ment by China that it conducted Bautista denied an online news report military exercises off Bajo de claiming that Malacañang was angry Masinloc, also known as Scarborwith the increase in airport fees without ough Shoal, in the West Philipthe approval of the Cabinet members. pine Sea (WPS). “The Bilyonaryo article is maliChina reportedly made the ancious and unfounded,” Bautista said nouncement coinciding with the in a Viber message, referring to the fourth Multilateral Maritime Cowebsite that published the said story. operative Activity between the “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” he added. Philippines, Australia, Japan, Bilyonaryo reported online that New Zealand, and the United “Bautista and his long-time protege in States within Manila’s exclusive Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for DROPPING 'FAKE NEWS'. A participant drops with a rubber slipper economic zone (EEZ) in the reAviation and Airports Bobby Lim, are a can marked with the words 'fake news' during the “NILARONG PINOY" event waters over the Park. weekend. at theledcenter of the it was by “Buhay angstorm Peopleafter Power Campaigngional Network” yesterday at Rizal Philippine Navy Spokesperson Norman Cruz for WPS Rear Admiral Roy VinNext page
cent Trinidad told reporters that Manila troops did not monitor Bysuch Rioactivity, N. Araja any adding that Beijing’s statement was meant only SPEAKER for its internal Ferdinand audience. Martin Romualdez on Sunday lauded “Our troops did not observe the Philippine Health Insurance any exercise, we have to underCorp.’sthat(PhilHealth) stand sometimes, expansion China is of benefits as their instructed by Presidoing this for internal audience, right? For them not to look weak and embarrassed,” Trinidad said. Two Chinese warships were monitored at a distance ranging from to 14 nautical miles. THE eight Commission on Elections One of these went up to 1,000 (Comelec) has issued guidelines reyards at the MMCA site but evenlated to the conduct of poll debates tually went away. “It to wasensure not on television and radio threatening, just normal,” accordfairness and neutrality.
Most adult Pinoys favor AKAP—OCTA NEWS / A3
dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr., particularly its new outpatient emergency care coverage and increased case rate packages for critical illnesses, calling it a significant step toward making universal healthcare more accessible and affordable for Filipinos. Next page
Comelec issues tv-radio poll debate guidelines Next page The poll body's Resolution No.
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 outlines left to right): PRAstandards Director andfor Director of Retail Jorgetools T. Mendiola, PRA the 11115 the areSMnecessary in fostering Vice President and President and COO of Golden, ABC, Inc. (The Group)elecconducting debates on television emergence of a Penshoppe fully-informed Alice T. Liu, SM Prime Holdings Chairman Executive Committee Hans T.interest Sy, and radio, emphasizing that such of the torate in which the public is PRA President and Chairman of Quorum International, Inc. (Toby’s Sports) Roberto events serve as essential tools for an served whenever political debates S. Claudio, and PRA Director and President of Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and informed electorate. effectuated," the Comelec said proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Marsare C. Chua "Organized political debates in a statement on Sunday. Next page