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VOL. XXXIX • NO. 67 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2025
Pope’s funeral set for Saturday World leaders expected to attend
H
OLY SEE—Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday, the Vatican announced yesterday, as world leaders from US President Donald Trump to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy said they would attend to honor the Catholic leader. The Argentine pontiff, 88, died on hospital battling double pneumonia. Monday from a stroke, less than a month His funeral, which is expected to after returning home from five weeks in draw huge crowds, will take place at
10:00 am (0800 GMT or 4 p.m. Manila time) Saturday in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Francis’s coffin—which he previously ordered should be of wood and zinc— will then be taken inside the church and from there to the Rome basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial. The date was set by the first so-called “general congregation” of cardinals on Next page
REST IN PEACE. The late Pope Francis clasps a rosary between his fingers as he lies in state at the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. AFP
Tagle joins list of ‘favorites’ as next pope THE April 21 death of Pope Francis triggered a period of mourning in the Catholic Church, but also kick-started the race for his successor. Whether diplomats, theologians, mediators or Vatican insiders, here are 15 cardinals—including Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle—who are among the potential favorites to become the next pope, known as the “papabile.” This list compiled by Agence France Presse, however, is by no means exhaustive and Francis’ successor could well be someone else. Next page
ALEX EALA WINS OPENING MATCH IN MADRID OPEN SPORTS / A8 HONORING AUNOR.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza AranetaMarcos condole with the bereaved family of National Artist Nora Aunor during her wake at Heritage Park in Taguig City. Inset shows pop icon Hajji Alejandro who died of cancer on Monday. PPA Pool
Filipinos bid farewell to music, screen icons By Charles Dantes and Jasper Valdez
known as Nora Aunor, at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig yesterday. Before being interred, Aunor’s remains were brought from Heritage A STATE funeral befitting a national Park, where her wake took place, to the artist of the highest caliber was held for Nora Cabaltera Villamayor, better Metropolitan Theater in Manila for a
state necrological service. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said he will miss how Aunor, the country’s “Superstar,a “ performed as a singer and actress.
FIVE QC COPS RELIEVED FOR OFFENSES NEWS / A4
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Lacson urges VP Sara’s lawyers confident of acquittal in Senate impeach trial PNP to recover Que ransom Speaker eyes straight Alyansa win; VP explains endorsements By Rachelle Tonelada and Maricel V. Cruz
impeachment trial, she assured the public that her legal team is “more than confident” they will win the case. “After returning from The Hague, I WITH nearly a month to go before the start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s met with my legal team to discuss the
case. They told me they are more than my case. That’s all I can say.” confident about winning the impeachHer remarks came in response to statement trial,” Duterte said during an am- ments from lawmakers, including La Unbush interview in Cebu on Tuesday. “I ion 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V, who Next page am confident in the lawyers handling
By Joel E. Zurbano
SENATORIAL candidate Panfilo Lacson called on authorities to recover the ransom money paid in the kidnap-slay case of Filipino-Chinese businessman Anson Que and his driver Armanie Pabillo, saying this is crucial to restoring public trust—especially among the Chinese-Filipino community. He stressed the need for the AntiMoney Laundering Council (AMLC) to track digital transactions, noting that at least 20 ransom payments were reportedly made via e-wallets, potentially amounting to P200 million in pesos and dollars. The Philippine National Police
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By Maricel V. Cruz and Rachelle Tonelada
RALLYING THE TROOPS. Lakas-CMD President and Speaker Ferdinand Martin
G. Romualdez joins a groupie with Lakas stalwarts during an assembly of governors, lawmakers, city mayors and local leaders from Luzon Visayas and Mindanao held yesterday at Imelda hall in Aguado, Malacañang Compound, Manila. Ver Noveno
HOUSE Speaker Martin Romualdez, president of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), yesterday rallied the party’s leaders to secure a “sweeping victory” for the 11-member Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate in next month’s midterm elections. Speaking before governors, legislators, city mayors, and other leaders from across the country, Romualdez urged them to mobilize all their political re-
sources in support of pro-administration candidates, whom he said would sustain President Marcos’ reform agenda. “Please… please, straight [wins for] Alyansa. We will leave no one behind. That is the desire of our President. They are our true partners. They have proven themselves. They will not let us down before the people,” he said in Filipino during a breakfast meeting held at Imelda Hall, Aguado Residence, Malacañang. “The victory of the Alyansa is the victory of the people. Our citizens are Next page