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(Story on A4) FIVE LOCAL TINGOG EMERGES AS TOP PARTY-LIST IN PULSE ASIA POLL HOLIDAYS IN OCT.
File photo dated July 27, 2016 shows President Duterte during a National Security Council meeting attended by four former presidents including (from left) Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Fidel V. Ramos and Benigno Aquino III. Presidential Spokesman Harry NEWS / A4 Roque says Malacanang is inclined to ask the four ex-presidents to attend a meeting on issues besetting the West Philippine Sea. NSC file
POGO ‘muscle’ eyed in Que case NEWS / A3
ISRAEL CONTINUES TO POUND HEZBOLLAH
PNP chief says to reveal 'big twist' in kidnap-murder after filing cases WORLD / A6
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 •
A resurrecting probe PNP into PCSO official's slay GROUP of debt collectors related to illegal POGO operations may be behind the kidnapping and murder of businessman Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo, the Philippine National Police said yesterday.
In a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said the same group was previously tagged in a similar kidnap-for-ransom case last year, but did not elaborate. "The manner on how the kidnapped were killed -- even By Riovictims N. Araja the use of duct tape to cover their victims faces, our two victims were put HE Philippine inside a nylon bag, and their hands were tiedNational behind -- it isPolice similar to the first incident involving a Chinese na(PNP) is reopening tional last year," Fajardo said. its“The investigation into in the group we mentioned first incident and may the 2020 murder be ofconnected with this new case was involved
All is well with Gov’t readies PBBM's health, saysaid Palace P1.48b as Charles Dantes 'ByJulian' strengthens PAGASA
Malacañang on Friday brushed off speculation over has President THE government readiedFerdiP1.48 nand Marcos Jr.’s health, calling the billion worth of aid for communiVOL. XXXIX • NO. 60 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2025 • rumors motities thatbaseless may beand hit politically hard by typhoon vated. which PAGASA says ‘Julian’ could Next page 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 Management Office (PDRRMO) advised residents to secure their roofs and COMMITMENT. PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil welcomes officials of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. as Typhoon install window shutters (FFCCCII) in a meeting yesterday in Camp Crame where he committed to capture the perpetrators of the kidnap-murders of businessman Anson Que hislandfall Julian is expected to and make
Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm
T
Philippine Charity Next page Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga.
7 cops detained for slay attempt on Espinosa
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 ex-PCSO general THE of Philippine Nationalmanager Police Royina Garma. (PNP) is currently holding seven of narrated before conits Mendoza personnel on suspicion of involvegressmen Garma allegedly fament in how the botched assassination cilitated official’s attempt the on PCSO Albuera, Leyte roadside mayoral assassination on July 30, “Kerwin” 2020 by candidate Rolan Eslabon providing Espinosa. the necessary information about schedule, details policemen about his “Wehisnow have seven vehicle and the funding necessary to under custody… they are being incarry it out. on whether or not they vestigated Theanything whistleblower alsothe implicated have to do with shooting incumbent National Comof Mr. Espinosa,” PNPPolice spokesperson missioner Leonardo in told the Brigadier Edilberto General Jean Fajardo planning murder. reporters of in the Filipino on Friday. Barayuga a retiredaspolice They were was later identified Cologeneral and lawyer supposedly nel Reydante Ariza, who Lieutenant Colothreatened to expose corruption withnel Leonides Sydiongco, Sergeant in the PCSO before he Jose was Alrose Astilla,shortly Corporal Arvin shot dead Corporal in Mandaluyong City. Baronda, Jeffrey Dagoy, Garma, herself an ex-police Lt. Next page Colonel, allegedly gained the top spot at the PCSO because of her inNext page
DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded'
driver, Armanie Pabillo. The faces of the FFCCCII officials were blurred for security reasons. Radyo Pilipinas
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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.
PH lobbies UN Chiz castigates Imee for unauthorized detention of special envoy By Ram Superable
tional Crime Ambassador Markus Lacanilao without securing his required approval. "For reasons unknown, Senator Imee Marcos appears to have disregarded this longstanding ruleRodrigo or conadviser of former President 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
veniently forgotten it that the approval of the Senate President is not automatic nor ministerial simply because she desires it," he said yesterday. Escudero explained that this safeguard exists to prevent abuseactivities of powof illegal drugs and illegal 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. SOME 62 percent or about Co. six out of and Xionwei Technology Ltd., 10 Filipinos believe that former Preswhich are being linked to alleged ident Rodrigo Duterte should face the kidnapping. charges at the InThe leveled two against firms him supposedly ternational Criminal Court (ICC). have connections with the Baofu This was in the result of a Tarlac, survey Compound Bamban, conducted by WR Numero Research, which, in turn, can be directly traced which also indicated onlyGuo. 20 perto disgraced ex-mayorthat Alice cent of respondents disagreed with During Friday’s Quad Comm Duterte’s impending ICC trial, while hearing, lawmakers cited Tony Yang 19contempt percent remained uncertain. in for “lying” to about his Moreover, 52 percent of responbusinesses and business partners. dents have already decided that he
Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry SENATE President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero sharply criticized Senator Imee Marcos for ordering the detention oflegal Special Envoy of on TransnaTHE counsel 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
MARCOS OKAYS SAFE CONDUCT PASSES FOR REBEL RETURNEES
for Security Council seat
er and to ensure that the rights of all parties are protected. The Senate President clarified that he did not refuse to sign the conTHE government on tempt Philippine order, contrary to what Marcos Sunday publicly called for theNext Unitpage ed 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 should answer for crimes against huPhilippines continues to emphasize manity arising from his administrathe “importance of upholding the tion's warintegrity on drugs, rule of so-called law and the of while the 24 percent system disagreed andface 25 of percent multilateral in the towere global unsure.challenges.” day’s "We've by seen a lot Manalo of support Quoted reports, alsofor the process that the former said: “The Philippines has president, consisRodrigo Duterte, is currently a part tently pursued peace, the sovereign of, a process involving equality of states, the rightsthe andInternadigtional Criminal Court where there nity of all persons.” were cases that launched against him,” He added the country is also WR Numero recognized as Chairman the “first Robin Asian Garcia Resaid.
6 in 10 Pinoys believe Rody must face charges before ICC—survey
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NEWS / A2
Navy spokes debunks China claim of military exercises in Scarborough shoal
SURRENDERED. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. inspects firearms surrendered by rebels after ceremonial
signing yesterday of the memorandum order directing the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) to issue Safe Conduct Passes to qualified amnesty applicants at the Officers’ Clubhouse, Camp Siongco, the headquarters of the 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division. BAUTISTA
By Rex Espiritu
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 doing this for their internal audience, right? For them not to look weak andsaid embarrassed,” Trinidad CHINA yesterday it would raise said. tariffs on US goods to 125 percent Chinese warships were butTwo would ignore further levies by monitored at a distance rangingit President Donald Trump because from eightmakes to 14economic nauticalsense miles. no longer for One of these up to 1,000 importers to buywent from America. yards at the MMCA site butmayhem evenAfter a week of market tually went away. “It economies was not as the world's two largest threatening, accordtook turns tojust put normal,” up trade barriers,
Tariff war trigger for bigtime fuel China strikes back, price rollback next week—DOE pushes tariffs vs. By Darwin Amojelar
TRANSPORTATION Secretary Jaime Bautista denied an online news report claiming that Malacañang was angry with the increase in airport fees without the approval of the Cabinet members. Bilyonaryo is maliBy“The Alena Mae S.article Flores cious and unfounded,” Bautista said CONSUMERS can expect a big-time in a Viber message, referring to the oil pricethat rollback next the week of story. up to website published said P4 per liter is due to the impact of es“Bilyonaryo inconsistent,” he added. calating trade tensions the Bilyonaryo reported between online that US and China which could slowdown “Bautista and his long-time protege in global oil demand. Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for This will be the second weekare of Aviation and Airports Bobby Lim, consecutive price rollback to at the center oil of the storm after due it was the volatility in world oil prices. Department of Energy Oil IndusNext page
THE Philippine Navy debunked on Sunday the recent announcement by China that it conducted military exercises off Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).Bureau (OIMB) ditry Management China reportedly thebased anrector Rodela Romero made said that nouncement on the four-daycoinciding trading in thewith Meanthe of fourth Multilateral Maritime CoPlatts Singapore (MOPS), “we will be operative Activity between the expecting another round of rollbacks Philippines, Australia, Japan, for prices of petroleum products at the New pump.”Zealand, and the United States within Manila’s Romero estimated the exclusive rollback economic zoneto (EEZ) in the to reach P3.30 P3.75 per liter refor gional waters the weekend. gasoline, P2.90over to P3.40 per liter for Philippine Navy Spokesperson diesel and P3.40 to P3.50 per liter for for WPS Rear Admiral Roy NextVinpage
US to 125 percent
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AWARD. Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings, was honored by the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) with its Outstanding Filipino Retailers President Award for his visionary leadership in retail development. (From leftWEEK to right): PRA Director The and Good Director of SM Retail Jorge T. the Mendiola, PRA HOLY RITUAL. Friday procession with crucified Vice President and President and COO of Golden, ABC,Week Inc. (The Penshoppe Christ as its center will be common sight this Lenten in most places inGroup) the Alice T. Liu, SMcapital Primetown Holdings ChairmaninofCamiguin the Executive Committee HansinT.its Sy, country. The of Mambajao province takes pride PRA President and Chairman of it Quorum Inc. (Toby’s Sports) Roberto elaborate Good Friday ritual as displaysInternational, in the procession century-old carrozas S.depicting Claudio, various and PRAscenes Director andPassion President of Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and in the of Christ. Camiguin Tourism Office proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Chua