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Marcos swears in new Bangsamoro Transition Authority leaders By Charles Dantes
OATHTAKING. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administers the oath-taking to the newly appointed members of parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) yesterday at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace. The President also joined in the symbolic Iftar which marks the end of the day’s fasting as Moro leaders reaffirm their strong partnership for sustained peace and progress in Mindanao. RTVM
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday welcomed the newly-appointed members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), urging them to uphold their responsibilities in building a just and prosperous region. Speaking at their oath-taking in Malacañang, Mr. Marcos highlighted the significance of the BTA’s role in achieving lasting peace and self-governance in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
TRUMP, PBBM MEET POSSIBLY IN JUNE—ENVOY NEWS / A3
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VOL. XXXIX • NO. 42 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2025
Transport strike won’t stall modernization But government open to changes in PTMP
TENNIS PRODIGY EALA UPSETS AUSSIE OPEN CHAMP SPORTS / A8
FUEL PRICES HIGHER TODAY
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Charles Dantes, Joel E. Zurbano, Minerva Newman, Caloy Lozada, and Cherrie Anne Villahermosa
NEWS / A6
T
HE Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday said the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) will push through even while the government is now open to making some changes in its implementation to address the concerns of transport groups.
MRT-3 operations extended by one hour NEWS / A2 Next page
China spokes denies Rody asylum request Palace, Aquinos reject Rody-Ninoy comparison BUSINESS AS USUAL. There was no change in the bumper-to-bumper traffic situation (top photo) at the
intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Elliptical Road in Quezon City on the first day of the transport strike organized by the group Manibela (bottom photo). Bottom left photo shows passengers waiting for their morning rides at Philcoa in Quezon City. Ed Castro, Norman Cruz.
By Rachelle Tonelada
By Charles Dantes
CHINA yesterday denied claims that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his family sought asylum in the country to evade arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC), stating it “never received” any application of sort.
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RALLY AT THE HAGUE.
Vice President Sara Duterte waves to supporters of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte during a rally at The Hague, in the Netherlands to demand his return to the Philippines. ABS-CBN grab
MALACAÑANG took exception to Vice President Sara Duterte’s attempt to draw parallels between her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., suggesting that would be a lopsided
comparison. In a press briefing on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the elder Duterte, who currently faces crimes against humanity charges in The Hague, considered himself more akin to German dictator Adolf Hitler.
She cited a controversial remark by Duterte, in which he said, “Hitler massacred three million — actually, supposed to be six million — Jews. Now, there are three million drug addicts in the Philippines. I’d be happy to slaughter them. At least if Germany had HitNext page
Rody confident of winning ICC case—Sara FORMER Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte believes he has no case to answer at the International Criminal Court and is confident he has a strong legal argument, Vice President Sara Duterte said Sunday. The vice president, who is still in the The Hague, told reporters her father was now in better health after appearing fatigued and dazed at his Next page
NBI probing 20 fake news suspects THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is investigating at least 20 individuals for spreading “fake news” on various issues, including the recent alleged arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte concerning crimes against humanity cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC). NBI Director Jaime Santiago stated that his agency has held meetings with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). “We have discussed how we can, once and for all, stop these fake news spreaders, vloggers who provide fake news, and creators who create content without regard for its accuracy,” Santiago said. Santiago also indicated that they are exploring the possibility that the dissemination of false information online is a coordinated effort led by a specific Next page