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US slaps 17% levy on PH exports FIVE LOCAL HOLIDAYS IN OCT. NEWS / A3
ISRAEL CONTINUES Opportunities, concerns raised over Trump’s reciprocal tariff TO POUND HEZBOLLAH VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 •
/ A6Othel Campos, Maricel Cruz, and Ram By CharlesWORLD Dantes, Superable
T resurrecting probe PNP into PCSO official's slay HE United States imposed a 17 percent reciprocal tariff on the Philippines, one of the lowest rates among affected nations and the second lowest for Southeast Asian countries, following Singapore's 10 percent.
Malacañang said the move of the Trump administration presents both challenges and opportunities for the local economy. Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said initial assessment from the Department of Trade and Industry suggested the impact will be minimal. "This 17 percent tariff could actually be seen as a good development, considering that many other countries
have been hit with much higher rates,” Castro said. "Since our tariff rate is among the lowest, we believe this is still a manageable situation," she added. The US has imposed higher tariffs on Vietnam (46 percent), Thailand (36 percent), Indonesia (32 percent), Malaysia (24 percent), and Cambodia (49 percent). While the tariff may lead to higher
PAGASA
Gov’t readies P1.48b aid as VOL. XXXIX • NO. 52 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025 • '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 intensifying over the next 24-36 hours as it moves towards Batanes and/or Babuyan Islands. With the current trend in its intensification, the possibility of reaching super typhoon category is not ruled out,” PAGASA said in its advisory. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that a total of 1.9 million family food packs worth P1.48 billion, other food items worth P276 million, and non-food items (NFIs) worth P919 million were already prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Some P171 million in standby fund is also available for utilization by the DSWD, including P123 million which can be allotted as Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the central office of the DSWD. In Batanes, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and ManageSTORYTELLING SESSION. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and hisment dog join a groupie Office (PDRRMO) advised yesterday with grade school students of Miriam College after a storytelling session in Malacanang residents to securePalace. their roofs and Revoli Cortez install window shutters as Typhoon Julian is expected to make landfall
Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm Next page
By Rio N. Araja
Trump’ s sweeping global tariffs HE Philippine National Police sparks war, recession fears (PNP)trade is reopening
T
its investigation intoPresident WASHINGTON—US Donald Trump ignited of a potentially the 2020 murder ruinous global trade war Wednesday Philippine as he slapped 10Charity percent tariffs on imports from around the world and harsh Sweepstakes Office extra levies on key trading partners. (PCSO) board secretary Holding up a chart of the sweeping Wesley Barayuga. measures in the White House Rose
Garden, Trump unveiled particularly On Sunday, PNP Chief stinging tariffs on major tradePolice partGeneral Rommel Marners China and the Francisco European Union bil 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
DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded' Source: White House
on what he called "Liberation Day." "This is one of the most important days, in my opinion, in American history," said Trump. "It's our declaration of economic independence." An official of Fitch Ratings warned the fresh tariffs may cause many countries to fall into recession. Olu Sonola, Fitch Ratings' Head of US Economic Research, said tariff Next page
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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.
China arrests 3 Pinoys suspected ofPHespionage lobbies UN
CHINA said yesterday it had "destroyed" an intelligence network set up by the Philippine espionage agency and arrested three spies from the country even as Philippine authorities announced the arrest of 12 Chinese nationalsof for possession of Rodrigo firearms adviser former President and ammunition. Duterte. The announcement comes the Fortun, a lawyer who oftenasfinds two countries to confront himself at the continue center high-profile each other over disputed in cases, apparently sought territory to mock the South China Sea and congressmen, calling their tensions probe mount over the Philippines' security “unacceptable.” tiesHowever, with ally House the United States.argued members 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
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. “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
Bersamin: Plans for Taiwan OFWs’ mass repatriation nothing new Navy spokes debunks China claim By Charles Dantes BAUTISTA MALACAÑANG sought to soothe jitters over Philippine military preparations in anticipation of a conflict By Darwin Amojelar in Taiwan, even as the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime reported that it is still “business as Bautista denied an online news report claiming that Malacañang was angry with the increase in airport fees without the approval of the Cabinet members. “The Bilyonaryo article is malicious and unfounded,” Bautista said in Viber message, referring to the Bya Charles Dantes website that published the said story. PRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong" “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” he added. Marcos Jr. acknowledged his rolethat in Bilyonaryo reported online Vice President Sara Duterte’s reconcil“Bautista and his long-time protege in iation withAirlines, her father, former president Philippine Undersecretary for Rodrigo Duterte, saying simply, "Glad, Aviation and Airports Bobby Lim, are I could help."of the storm after it was at the center The Vice President earlier said she "has to thank" Marcos for her Next renewed page
At least five Chinese nationals were arrested on suspicion of espionage in January and another two in February by Philippine authorities. And the latest arrests in China come two days after Beijing's embassy illegal in Manila issued a travelactivities warning of drugs and illegal to its citizens frequent "harassassociated withabout POGOs,” Suarez said ment" from of Philippine lawEnglish. enforcein a mixture Filipino and ment Theagencies. solons explained how the On details Wednesday, National Bumatrix Yang’stheconnections to reau of Investigation (NBI)insaid 12 other individuals involved illicit Chinese nationals arrested of in activities, including were the operations raids on three places in an exclusive 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.
of military exercises in Scarborough shoal usual” for the island's population. On Thursday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin told Palace reporters that discussions about the possible By Rex Espiritu invasion of Taiwan by China are not new, and the Philippine government THE Philippine Navy debunked has for years been preparing for the on Sunday the recent announceNext page ment by China that it conducted military exercises off Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). China reportedly made the announcement coinciding with relationship with her father, whothe is fourth Multilateral Cocurrently detained inMaritime The Hague, operative Netherlands.Activity between the Philippines, "This reallyAustralia, is ironic, Japan, but I New Zealand, and the Marcos United have to thank Bongbong States exclusive becausewithin thereManila’s was forgiveness economic zone the rebetween me and (EEZ) [formerinpresident gional waters over Duterte] for all thatthe hasweekend. happened Spokesperson in Philippine our lives," Navy Sara said. for WPS Rear Admiral Roy NextVinpage
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for Security Council seat
subdivision in Muntinlupa City. The NBI agents seized five pistols, along with magazines and ammunition in the first location. They recovered four pistols with magazines and THE Philippine on ammunition, two government Taser guns, three Sunday publicly called for the Unit- a bulletproof vests, tactical knives, ed Nations (UN) to give itand a seat on kitchen knife, handcuffs, identifithe UN Security Council, highlightcation cards in the second site. ing On the the country’s strong record and third target place, the agents dedication to upholding the rule seized a pistol with a magazine andof amlaw. munition, tactical gear for pistols, and Departmentcards. of Foreign Affairs identification Two vehicles were (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo in also seized by authorities. Next page 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.” addedSuperable that the country is also ByHeRam recognized as the “first Asian ReSENATE President Francis Next page “Chiz” Escudero said he already signed the subpoenas for two resource persons whose presence is being demanded by the foreign relations panel but decided to have the chamber’s legal department review them first instead of transmitting them directly to the intended recipients. During yesterday's Kapihan sa Senado, he disclosed that the subpoenas currently under review
Escudero takes action to avert Consti crisis
cent Trinidad told reporters that Manila troops did notChairs monitor EMPTY CHAIRS. reserved for Cabinet secretaries remain empty as they any invoked such activity, executiveadding privilegethat andBeideclined to attend the invitation to appear on the jing’s statement was only second hearing on the meant arrest and surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte of the Next page for Committee its internalonaudience. Foreign Relations headed by Senator Imee Marcos. Lino Santos “Our troops did not observe any exercise, we have to understand that sometimes, China is doing this for their internal audience, right? For them not to look weak and embarrassed,” Trinidad said. a directive Ferdinand investigation. AWARD.from HansPresident Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings, ByTwo Charles Dantes Chinese warships were Marcos Jr. to ensure welfare and Association Upon learning of the arrests, Mr. was honored by the their Philippine Retailers (PRA) with its Outstanding monitored at a of distance Filipino Retailers President Award for his visionary leadership in retail development. secure their immediate freedom. Marcos immediately instructed the DEPARTMENT Migrantranging Workfrom eightSecretary to 14 nautical miles. (From left to right): and Director DMW, of SM Retail Jorge T. Mendiola, PRA The OFWs, alongPRA withDirector three minors, in coordination with the Departers (DMW) Hans Cacdac on One of these wenttheup17tooverseas 1,000 Vice President and COO Inc. (The Affairs Penshoppe Group) were arrested onand the President night of March 27of Golden, mentABC, of Foreign (DFA) and the Thursday announced Liu, SM Prime Holdings Chairman Executive Embassy CommitteeinHans T. Sy,to proyards atworkers the MMCA site detained but evenin Alice DohaT. for allegedly participating in of the Philippine Doha, Filipino (OFWs) in President and Chairman of Quorum International, Inc. (Toby’s Sports) Roberto tually over went"suspected away. “Itunauthorized was not an PRA illegal assembly. While the minors vide legal and welfare assistance to the Qatar S. Claudio, and PRA Director and President of Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and threatening, just normal,” accordwere released earlier, 12 men and five political demonstrations" have been proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Marsdetained C. Chua Filipinos. Next page women remained in detention pending Next page granted provisional release following
PBBM to VP Sara: ‘Glad I could help’ Marcos push helps free 17 pro-Rody protesters in Qatar