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EALA’S STAR RISES TO NO. 72 IN WORLD WTA RANKINGS
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VILLAR STILL NO. 1 AMONG PINOYS IN FORBES LIST
SPORTS / A8
BUSINESS / B1
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 51 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2025 File photo of US Air Force F-16: Falcon
US okays sale of 20 F-16s to PH
China slams fighter jet deal, says move fueling flames in Asia Palace to OFWs in Taiwan: Stay T put, gov’t ready for eventualities
By Rex Espiritu
HE United States said Tuesday it has approved the sale of $5.58 billion in F-16 fighterjets to the Philippines, as Washington backs its ally in rising tensions over China.
The State Department said it was green-lighting the sale that includes 20 F-16 jets and related equipment to the Philippines, a treaty ally of the United States. China immediately cautioned Manila against the deal, saying such moves are “turning Asia into a powder keg.” “Any defense and security cooperation that the Philippines engages in with other countries should not target or harm the interests of any third party, nor should it threaten regional peace and security or escalate tensions in the region,” said China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. “As for who is fueling the flames, who is provoking military confrontation, and who is turning Asia into a powder keg, we believe that regional countries can see the situation clearly,” he added. The US State Department, however, said in a statement the sale will “improve the security of a strategic partner
By Charles Dantes and Rex Espiritu MALACAÑANG on Wednesday advised overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan to “stay put” following a directive from the military chief for troops to prepare for a possible invasion of the self-ruled island. “Stay put, and they should remember that the government is always ready to assist them,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing. Next page
RESCUE. A joint team of Myanmar and Turkish rescuers pull a man alive from the rubble of a hotel in the capital
Naypyidaw, five days after a major earthquake struck central Myanmar. The shallow 7.7-magnitude earthquake flattened buildings across Myanmar, killing more than 2,700 people and making thousands more homeless. Myanmar Military Information Team / AFP
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By Rachelle Tonelada
Chinese nationals not being targeted for harassment—Palace MALACAÑANG assured Beijing yesterday that the Philippines has not singled out Chinese nationals for harassment, as suggested by a Chinese Embassy advisory warning its citizens about traveling to the Philippines.
The Embassy’s travel advisory came amid a Philippine government crackdown on online gambling and scamming activities that are believed to be operated mainly by Chinese crime syndicates.
“We can assure China that we are not targeting any specific nationality for harassment. Everyone is welcome here, except those involved in criminal activities. We are simply implementing the law,” Presidential Communications
More charges may be filed vs. Rody—ICC spox
Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said. To recall, the Marcos administration’s total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) has caused
MORE charges may be headed the way of former President Rodrigo Duterte on top of 43 alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) that initially served as the basis for the crimes against humanity case he is currently facing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
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It’s author Kaufmann, not Rody lawyer Kaufman AMERICAN author Nicholas Kaufmann reported being flooded by messages, followers, and commenters from the Philippines after being mistaken as the International Criminal Court (ICC)-accredited lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, the lead counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte at The Hague, Netherlands. “I am being absolutely flooded today with followers and commenters from the Next page
Author Nicholas Kaufmann (Alberto Vasari @ Nicholas Kaufmann website)
Atty. Nicholas Kaufman (Jay-vee Marasigan Pangan/GMA Integrated News)
STRENGTHENING NPS. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez receives a plaque
of appreciation and a token from Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, 2nd from left, and officers of the Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines (PLP) following his address during the PLP 34th National Convention and 17th National Election at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City. Story on A3
Val Kilmer of Batman fame dies at 65
Prosecution 80 percent ready for VP Sara’s impeachment trial
AMERICAN actor Val Kilmer, who was first propelled to fame with “Top Gun” and went on to starring roles as Batman and Jim Morrison, has died at age 65, the New York Times reported Tuesday. The cause of death was pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes Kilmer told the Times. She said he had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and later recovered. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer got his start on the big screen with the Cold
By Maricel Cruz
Sara Duterte. “We are preparing our testimonial A MEMBER of the House of Repre- and documentary evidence. And we sentatives prosecution team said yes- have conducted a run through of what terday they are 80 percent ready for the an impeachment court would feel like, impeachment trial of Vice President Next page
US Actor Val Kilmer. @valkilmerofficial/Instagram
War spoof “Top Secret!” in 1984. Two years later, he gained fame as the cocky, if mostly silent aviator Iceman in “Top Gun,” playing a rival to Tom Cruise’s Maverick. A versatile actor whose career spanned decades, Kilmer got a shot at leading man roles in Oliver Stone’s “The Doors” and took a turn as the masked Gotham vigilante in “Batman Forever,” playing Bruce Wayne after Michael Keaton and before George Clooney.
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