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FIVESara LOCAL Rody, flyHOLIDAYS offNEWSto/ A3INHKOCT. with ‘inner circle’ ISRAEL CONTINUES
TO POUND HEZBOLLAH
FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday he has received reports that the International Criminal Court has issued WORLD / A6 a warrant for his arrest for alleged "crimes against humanity' during his administration's anti-illegal drugs campaign. “Sa totoo lang ang balita ko may warrant daw ako sa ICC or something. Matagal na akong hinahabol ng ptng *na,” Duterte said during his speech before Filipino overseas workers in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. "Ano man ang kasalanan ko, ginawa ko ‘yun para magkaroon ng konting katahimikan at mapayapa ang buhay ng Pilipino," he added. Former presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo, who is reportedly also in Hong Kong, denied allegations that the former President had fled the country to escape possible arrest due to the ICC warrant.
SPEAKER URGES PINOYS TO JOIN COAST GUARD NEWS / A3
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 • VOL. XXXIX • NO. 27 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2025 •
DTI’S ROQUE MEETS STARLINK OFFICIALS BUSINESS / B4
PNP resurrecting probe ICC arrest warrant vs. Duterte into PCSO official'sfinally slay out? PAGASA
Gov’t readies P1.48b aid as 'Julian' strengthens
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 ‘Matagal intensifying over na the akong next 24-36 hours as it moves towards Batanes hinahabol and/or Babuyan Islands. With the ngtrend mgain pxxxxxa. current its intensification, the possibility of reaching super Anocategory naman ang typhoon is not ruled out,” PAGASA said in its advisory. kasalanan ko?’ Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and ManageROA said that mentRODRIGO Council (NDRRMC) a total of 1.9 million family food DUTERTE packs worth P1.48 billion, other foodFormer items worthPresident P276 million, and non-food items (NFIs) worth P919 March 9, 2025 million were already prepared by the Department of Social Welfare andFor Development (DSWD). his part, Solicitor General MeSome P171 said, million in standby nardo Guevarra "We have not refund alsonotice available for utilization ceivedisany or communication by the DSWD, including P123 Nextmilpage lion 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 tions revealed that Kang aided and install window shutters as Na’s escape, as supportedTyphoon by Julian is expected makeintellandfall CCTV footage and toother ligence information gathered bypage Next authorities. The same CCTV footage showed that the BI personnel assigned to accompany Na to court facilitated his escape. "Actually, we have already established that he did not escape through a CR. He left the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon
Palace, Rody aware of warrant but no confirmation yet Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm ALACAÑANG said yesterday the government is —“— prepared to act for any eventuality amid reports By Rio N. Araja Next page
IN HONGKONG.
T
HE Philippine National Police (PNP) is reopening its investigation into the 2020 murder of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
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 narrated before congressmen how Garma allegedly facilitated the PCSO official’s roadside assassination on July 30, 2020 by providing the necessary information about his schedule, details about his vehicle and the funding necessary to carry it out. The whistleblower also implicated incumbent National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo in the planning of the murder. Barayuga was a retired police general and lawyer who supposedly threatened to expose corruption within the PCSO shortly before he was shot dead in Mandaluyong City. Garma, herself an ex-police Lt. Colonel, allegedly gained the top spot at the PCSO because of her inNext page
Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte speaks at a rally yesterday with overseas Filipino workers at Southern Stadium in Hongkong. He was accompanied by senatorial candidates of Team Duterte.
that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued an arrest warrant against former President Rodrigo Duterte. ((See related story at the left column.)
“We’ve heard that an arrest war warrant has been issued by the Interna International Criminal Court against former President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity,” Presidential Com Communications Office (PCO) Ad Interim Secretary Jay Ruiz said in a statement on Sunday. “The government is prepared for any eventuality,” he added. However, the Palace clarified that it had not received official notice from the ICC regarding the supposed arrest warrant, even as it reiterated its willingness to cooperate with the
global tribunal provided it courses its requests through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). “But as ES [Executive Secretary Lucas] Bersamin and SOJ [Secretary of Justice] said before, if Interpol will ask for the necessary assistance from the government, it will provide [the requested assistance],” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said. She added that a hold-departure order would likely follow if a warrant of arrest is issued.
Korean in daring escape recaptured; 3 guards sacked By Vito Barcelo
possible through the collaborative efforts of the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit and Intelligence Division, in GOVERNMENT agents successpartnership with the Angeles City fully re-arrested South Korean fufu Police Station, Regional Special gitive Na Ikhyeon, who was taken A WEB OF CRIME? House leaders Aurelio Gonzales Suarez during the last PRO QUAD 3, PNPOperations Unit back and into David custody justpresented five daysthis matrix Comm hearing which shows the operations of a criminal syndicate allegedly led by fugitive Michael Yang, then economic Intelligence Group, and the Naval after his escape in Quezon City on adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled the illegal activities of the POGOs and was involved in the drug Intelligence and Security Group March 4, Bureau of Immigration trade and extrajudicial killings. of Northern Luzon. (BI) Commissioner Joel Viado Also arrested was his cohort, said yesterday. another fugitive wanted in South The three BI officers who aided Korea identified as Kang Changthe escape have been dismissed, beom. according to Viado. The BI chief said investigaNa's apprehension was made
Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry 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. commercial exploitation of the pro“I am very interested in how they tected area. [Quad Comm prove Former ACTmembers] Teacherscan party-list this criminal network in court. In Representative Antonio Tinio urged Congress, lawmakers act as Jr. both President Ferdinand R. Marcos, to prosecutor and judge,” said. intervene, asserting thathethe DENR's Yang,contradict who already admitted actions its core mandate of having a fake Philippine birth environmental protection. certificate, is the brother of Michael Tinio highlighted Masungi GeoYang, a presidential economic reserve's "exemplary" conservation
DOTr’ s Bautista Solons hit DENR, asks PBBM says online news to intervene in Masungi issue report ‘unfounded' By Rio Araja LAWMAKERS have voiced concerns over the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) decision to terminate its agreement with Masungi Georeserve's developer; with one urging the President to intervene in the issue. The lawmakers also warned that this move could pave the way for
M
adviser of former President Rodrigo 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 did not come by their suspicions about Yang recklessly. On Friday, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga and Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon presented a matrix showing Yang’s first appearance and his 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
PH lobbies UN for Security Council seat
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of illegal drugs and illegal activities 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. Among the companies implicated are Brickhartz Technology Inc. and Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd., which are being linked to alleged kidnapping. The two firms supposedly have connections with 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 Philippine government on Sunday publicly called for the United 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 the UN General Assembly in New York said the Philippines continues to emphasize the “importance of upholding the rule of law and the integrity of the multilateral system in the face of today’s global challenges.” 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-
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Navy spokes debunks China claim UNDESIRABLES. of military exercises in Scarborough shoal
Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado (rightmost) presents undesirable aliens Na Ikhyeon and Kang Changbeom who were arrested following a manhunt operation on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Bureau of Immigration
BAUTISTA
By Darwin Amojelar
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 THE PHILIPPINES' LARGEST SPORTS PLAYGROUND. in a Viber message, referring to the SM Supermalls launches Active Hub at the SM Mall of Asia and at SM malls Cofourth Multilateral Maritime website that published theSM said story. nationwide, 44 pickleball courts and 14 running Activity hubs, creating the operative between the “Bilyonaryo is featuring inconsistent,” he added. country's largest sports playground. Everyone is invited to join Australia, a dynamic sports Philippines, Japan, Bilyonaryo reported online that community with pickleball exhibitions, run club gatherings, and exclusive New Zealand, and thesponsor United “Bautista and his long-time perks, all accessible throughprotege the SM in Malls Online app. At the launch yesterday States within Manila’s exclusive Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for were (from left ot right): Run with Pat founder Patrick Rubin, Toby’s Sports economic (EEZ) in the reAviation andToby Airports Bobby are President President Claudio Jr., SMLim, Supermalls Stevenzone Tan, SM Supermalls waters overfounder the weekend. at the center Vice of the storm for after it was Jonjongional Executive President Marketing San Agustin, RunRio Rio de Philippine Navy Spokesperson la Cruz, and RunRio Inc.’s Nicole de la Cruz for WPS Rear Admiral Roy VinNext page
House asks Senate to provide Comelec warns space for impeach prosecutors Senate candidates
cent Trinidad told reporters that Manila troops did not monitor any such activity, adding that Beijing’s statement was meant only for its internal audience. “Our troops did not observe any exercise, we have to understand that sometimes, China is By Rio N. Araja doing this for their internal audience, right?ofFor them not tohas look THE House Representatives reweak Trinidad questedand theembarrassed,” assignment of a work area said. in the Senate building for the Public Two Chinese were Prosecution Panel inwarships preparation for monitored at a trial distance ranging the impeachment of Vice President from eight to 14 nautical miles. Sara Duterte. OneIn of these5 letter, wentHouse up toSecretary 1,000 a March yards at the MMCA site but General Reginald Velasco askedevenSentually went Francis away.Escudero “It wasto pronot ate President threatening, just normal,” vide a space that will serve as aaccordholding and work area for the HouseNext prosecupage
on illegal posters
tors and the House Secretariat Support Group (SSG) for the duration of the impeachment trial. By Vito Barcelo Velasco requested an inspection ofAWARD. the designated room to ensure SIX senatorial have been isHans Sy, Chairman of the it Executive Committee ofcandidates SM Prime Holdings, meets the needs of Philippine the prosecution sued a(PRA) show-cause order by the Comwas honored by the Retailers Association with its Outstanding team. Filipino Retailers President Award for his visionary leadership in retail (Comelec) development. mission on Elections for viThe left request came as Congress (From to right): PRA Director and Director of SM Retail Jorgelaws T. Mendiola, olating election on the PRA placement Vice President and COO ABC, Inc. (The Penshoppe Group) moves forward and withPresident its role in the up-of Golden, of their campaign posters and ordered Alice T. impeachment Liu, SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee T. Sy, coming trial, following them to remove them Hans or risk disqualiPresident and Chairman of Quorum thePRA transmittal of the Articles of Im- International, fication. Inc. (Toby’s Sports) Roberto S. Claudio,against and PRAVP Director andinPresident Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and peachment Duterte Feb- of Sportshouse proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Poll Chuachairman George Garcia said ruary. Next page Next page