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MARCOS HAILS EALA’S ‘HISTORIC, AMAZING’ RUN AT MIAMI OPEN
20 .00
IN MET R MANILAO
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 47 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES MARCH 30, 2025
By Charles Dantes
www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
PH CHALLENGES CHINA NAVY NEAR PANATAG US-PH DEFENSE ALLIANCE GETTING ON CHINA’S NERVES – ANALYSTS ENHANCING INTEROPERABILITY. BRP Jose Rizal of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is joined by multi-mission frigate JS Noshiro of Japan and guided missile destroyer DDG Shoup of the United States during a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity in the West Philippine Sea on Friday, March 28, 2025.
By Rex Espiritu By Rex Espiritu
T
HE Philippine Navy has HE Philippine Navy has challenged China’s People challenged a China’s People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) monitored presence during the vessel that shadowed participating multilateral maritime cooperative naval forces during the multilateral activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine maritime cooperative activity Sea with the United States and Japan (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea naval forces Friday. with the United States and Japan The PLAN vessel, identified by the bow number 574, came Friday.
as close as eight nautical miles to the exercise area where naval the Philippines, the States, and Japan Theforces PLANofvessel, identified byUnited the bow number 574, camepresent. as close as eight nautical miles to the exercise area were where navalthe forces of thevessel Philippines, United States, “Initially, Chinese was notthe responding, but and Japan were present. because of our efforts to constantly challenge then, they “Initially,that thethey Chinese vessel was not responding, but” responded are just conducting normal navigation, because of our to constantly challenge Commander Irvinefforts Ian Robles, commanding officerthen, of thethey BRP responded thatreporters they areonboard just conducting normal navigaJose Rizal , told the Philippine warship. tion,” Commander Irvin Ian Robles, commanding officer of
“We were able to safely conduct the series of activities the BRP were Jose Rizal , told reporters onboard the Philippine andthey all successful, ” he added. warship. The Philippine contingent included the guided missile “WeBRP were able to safely conduct the series of activities frigate Jose Rizal, an AW-109 helicopter, a C-90 aircraft, andthey were all successful,” he added. and the Air Force’s search-and-rescue assets. The Philippine contingent included the guided missile Japan contributed the multi-mission frigate JS Noshiro frigate BRP Jose Rizal, an AW-109 helicopter, a C-90 aircraft, (FFM-3) by the maritimeassets. helicopter SH-60K and the accompanied Air Force’s search-and-rescue while the United States participated with the guided misJapan contributed the multi-mission frigate JS Noshiro sile destroyer USS Shoup the multi-mission naval (FFM-3) accompanied by(DDG-86), the maritime helicopter SH-60K helicopter MH-60R, and participated the maritimewith patrol while the United States theaircraft guidedP-8A misPoseidon. sile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG-86), the multi-mission naval The exercise, which coincided with theaircraft visit ofP-8A US helicopter MH-60R, and the maritime patrol Defense Poseidon.Secretary Pete Hegseth, featured a variety of activities, such as communications checks, rotary flight The exercise, which coincided with the visit of US Deoperations, maritime domain awareness and contact fense Secretary Pete Hegseth, featured a variety of activities, reporting, division tactics, personnel exchanges, and such as communications checks, rotary flight operations, maritime domain awareness and contact reporting, division photo exercises. tactics, personnel exchanges, and photo exercises. “We are really proud to support our allies in the Indo“Weand areitreally proud support allies in the IndoPacific goes so far totobuild theseour relationships and get Pacific and goes sowhich far to is build these and get us closer to it our goal a free and relationships open Indo-Pacific for us of closer to our goalAir which is a free Detachment and open Indo-Pacific all us,” USS Shoup Department Officer Lt. for all of us,Horvath ” USS Shoup Alexander said.Air Department Detachment Officer Lt. The Alexander Horvath said. exercise was conducted southeast of Panatag or The exercise was conducted of Panatag or Scarborough Shoal. Turn to Page southeast 4 Scarborough Shoal. Turn to Page 4
RODY ASKS SUPPORTERS: DON’T DISCUSS ICC CASE; 17 PINOYS ARRESTED IN QATAR FOR JOINING RALLY
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. congratulated Filipino tennis star Alex Eala on her “historic and amazing run” at the 2025 Miami Open, praising her resilience and determination on the international stage. “Truly, what you did showed the whole world what a Filipino athlete is all about — determined, steadfast, and never one to back away from any challenge,” Mr. Marcos said in a social media post on Saturday. “Alex’s unprecedented feat serves as an inspiration to everyone, especially to ordinary Filipinos who face life’s daily challenges with the same grit and determination...We are one with the entire nation in thanking Alex for her sacrifices and hard work in her quest for glory and honor. I’m sure that the elusive championship title is within reach soon,” he added. The 19-year-old Eala, ranked No. 140 in the world, captivated tennis fans with a stunning performance throughout the tournament, scoring impressive wins over three Grand Slam champions: 25th seed Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Eala, however, fell short against world no. 4 Jessica Pegula in the semifinals of the Miami Open on Friday. “I literally gave everything I had. I’m half tape, I’m like a mummy. I did everything and I have no regrets,” Eala said after ending her Miami Open in fighting fashion.
For Eala, the Miami Open journey has been remarkable, cementing her as a rising star in women’s tennis. “To have a week like this, the stars need to align, and they did this week. Hopefully, I can keep that up. That is my goal now,” she said. In a separate statement, the Presidential Communications Office said Eala made the country proud and showed the world a “great fight,” despite her loss to Pegula in their semifinal bout. “Alex surmounted a string of setbacks in her journey to be among the best in the Miami Open 2025. Through her sheer persistence, Alex proved that anything is possible,” the PCO said. “We, Filipinos, are like Alex. We are all tenacious in the toughest of environments. We thrive and excel in the harshest conditions all over the world.”
Alex Eala
QUAKE TOLL BREACHES 1,000; PH READIES EMERGENCY TEAMS By Rex Espiritu THE death toll from a huge earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand passed 1,000 on Saturday, as rescuers dug through the rubble of collapsed buildings in a desperate search for survivors. The Philippines sent its condolences to its ASEAN neighbors and said it is ready to dispatch three emergency teams. “We would like to convey our condolences to our friends and neighbors — Myanmar and Thailand,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said in a television interview yesterday. He said the Philippine embassies in Yangon and Bangkok said there were no Filipino casualties as of Friday. There are at least 600 Filipinos in Myanmar and about 29,000 Filipinos in Thailand, De Vega said.
“We still do not know the extent of damage. So far, no Filipino has died. If anyone wants to go home to the Philippines, we will help them,” he added. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said three Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Teams (PEMATs) are ready to help in post-earthquake response. He said the PEMATs are on standby for deployment once a request is received and international coordination protocols with the affected countries are complete. “The DOH can send our PEMAT should there be a need for humanitarian medical assistance in Myanmar and Thailand. We are ready,” Herbosa said. The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar in the early afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. Turn to Page 4
By Rachelle Tonelada
FAMILY VISIT. Honeylet
Avanceña and her daughter Kitty Duterte are seen leaving the International Criminal Court detention facility in The Hague after visiting former President Rodrigo Duterte for almost three hours. Screengrab from ABS-CBN
FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte has appealed to his supporters to allow the legal process before the International Criminal Court at The Hague to continue without external interference, Vice President Sara Duterte said yesterday after gatherings in the Philippines and in other parts of the world marked her father’s 80th birthday on Friday. This as 17 Filipinos were arrested in Qatar for participating in an “unauthorized” political protest on March 28, which Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said may have been related to Duterte’s arrest. “My father said that if you want to express your support, anger, or joy – that you not discuss his case or its developments, particularly regarding the complainants or complaints filed with the ICC,” the Vice President said. She also confirmed that her father’s common-law partner Honeylet Avanceña and daughter Veronica were finally able to visit him at the ICC detention center for almost three hours on Friday. The Vice President also disclosed that her father’s legal team is still in the process of recruiting another lawyer for his defense, aside from looking for a Filipino lawyer to join the defense panel.
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RESCUE EFFORTS. Heavy construction equipment is pictured at the site of an under-construction building collapse in Bangkok on Saturday, March 29, 2025, a day after an earthquake struck central Myanmar a nd Thailand. The death toll from the huge earthquake passed 1,000 as rescuers dug through the rubble of collapsed buildings in a desperate search for survivors. AFP
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