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VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 •
PNP resurrecting probe into PCSO official's slay
PAGASA
Gov’t readies P1.48b aid as 'Julian' strengthens
BARNSTORMING QUEZON. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raises the hands of nine Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates in a rally held yesterday at the convention center in Lucena City. With him are senatoriables (from left to right) Rep. Erwin Tulfo, Tito Sotto, Sen. Lito Lapid,THE Mayor government has readied P1.48 Abby Binay, Sen Bong Revilla, Ping Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Sen. Francis Tolentino and Benhur Abalos. Joseph Muego billion worth of aid for communi-
ties 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 By Rio N. Araja intensifying over the next 24-36 as it dismissed claims that the probe is By Charles Dantes hours as it moves towards Batanes politically-motivated. HE Philippine and/or Babuyan Islands. With the "The investigation has already startMALACAÑANG yesterday ancurrent trend in its intensification, National Police ed today, led by LWUA," Presidential nounced that the Local Water Utilities the possibility of reaching super Communications Office Undersecre(PNP) is reopening Administration (LWUA) has launched typhoon category is not ruled out,” tary Claire Castro said during a Palace an investigation into PrimeWater InPAGASAMAY said in advisory. its investigation into VOL. XXXIX • NO. 76 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •SATURDAY, 3,its2025 • press briefing. frastructure Corp. (PrimeWater) in reMeanwhile, the National DisasNext page the 2020 murder of sponse to consumers’ complaints even ter Risk Reduction and ManagePhilippine Charity ment Council (NDRRMC) said that a total of 1.9 million family food Sweepstakes Office packs worth P1.48 billion, other (PCSO) board secretary food items worth P276 million, and non-food items (NFIs) worth P919 Wesley Barayuga. million were already prepared by the Department of Social Welfare On Sunday, PNP Chief Police and Development (DSWD). General Rommel Francisco MarSome P171 million in standby bil said he ordered the reopening of fund is also available for utilization the cold case after whistleblower by the DSWD, including P123 milPolice Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza told lion which can be allotted as Quick the House Quad Committee that he Response Fund (QRF) in the cenhelped carry out the killing at the tral office of the DSWD. behest of ex-PCSO general manager By Charles Dantes and Vito Barcelo "The President will not do that," ened, due process should be upheld, and However, Castro In Batanes, the emphasized Provincial that DiRoyina Garma. said Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, no one should abuse any power, no matthe President expects all parties to abide saster Risk Reduction and ManageMendoza narrated before conwhen asked if the President would interter who you are," she said. strictly by the law and follow estabRESIDENT Ferdinand "Bongbong Marcos ment Office (PDRRMO) advised gressmen how Garma allegedly favene in favor of Garcia. The Office of the Ombudsman relished procedures. residents to secure their roofs and Jr.PCSO willofficial’s not shield cilitated the roadsideCebu Governor Gwendolyn Castro emphasized that the chief excently ordered Garcia’s suspension "So, window we will shutters follow what the law install as Typhoon assassination on July 30, 2020 by Garcia from the Ombudsman’s suspension ecutive is committed to upholding the over alleged grave abuse of authority, says and what procedure should be Julian is expected to make landfall providing the necessary information rule of law and will not allow political prompting a standoff as the governor done," she said. orderhisdespite her being a key political ally and about schedule, details about his Next has pagea affiliations to influence legal processes. refused to vacate her post, citing a legal "If Governor Gwen Garcia vehicle the funding necessaryOne to head and of the influential Cebu Party, Malacañang "Our President also clearly stated prohibition on suspensions during the defense and is saying that a 90-day A WEB OF CRIME? House leaders Aurelio David Suarez presented this matrix during the last QUAD carry it out. Next page thatGonzales the rule and of law should be strength90-day election period. assured yesterday. Comm hearing which shows the operations of a criminal syndicate allegedly led by fugitive Michael Yang, then economic The whistleblower also implicated adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled the illegal activities of the POGOs and was involved in the drug incumbent National Police Comtrade and extrajudicial killings. missioner Edilberto Leonardo in the planning of the murder. Barayuga was a retired police general and lawyer who supposedly threatened to expose corruption withpect as alleged masterminds in the a media forum at Camp Rafael CraBytheVince in PCSOLopez shortly before he was kidnap-murder case of steel magme in Quezon City, PNP chief GenTHE Philippine government on shot dead in Mandaluyong City. nate Congyuan Guo, also known eral Rommel Francisco Marbil was Sunday publicly called for the UnitGarma, herself an ex-police Lt. THE legal counsel of Chinese adviser of former President Rodrigo of illegal drugs and illegal activities THE Philippine National Police ingNations “a State musttobe a State Party By Rachelle Tonelada as Anson Tan, and Yang his driver, asked whether the masterminds beed (UN) give it a seat on at Colonel, allegedly gained the are top businessman Tony soughtArto Duterte. associated with POGOs,” Suarez said (PNP) yesterday said they the time of the exercise of jurisdicmanie Pabillo. hind the heinous crime already the UN Security Council, highlightspot at the PCSO because of herKelindisparage lawmakers’ conclusions Fortun, a lawyer whohad often finds in a mixture of Filipino and English. considering David Tan Liao, tion.” THE legal team of former President In a chance interview following been identified. ing the country’s strong record and Next page Next page about his client’s supposedly himself at the center high-profile The solons explained how the ly Tan Lim, and an unnamed sus“The to Philippines’ withdrawal Rodrigo Duterte has formally condedication upholding the rule of sketchy past and his alleged ties cases, apparently sought to mock matrix details Yang’s connections to from the Rome Statute became eftested the jurisdiction of the Internalaw. with Philippine Overseas Gaming congressmen, calling their probe other individuals involved in illicit fective on 17 March 2019. When the tional Criminal Court (ICC) over the Department of Foreign Affairs Operators (POGOs) and even “unacceptable.” activities, including the operations of formerSecretary Prosecutor filed Manalo her request, case involving alleged crimes against (DFA) Enrique in organized crime. However, House members argued illegal POGOs. and the Pre-trial Chamber issued its humanity linked to his controversial a speech delivered at the UN GenFINAL TEST. Lawyer Raymond Fortun they did not come by their suspicions Among the companies implicated decision, more than two years later, war on drugs. eral Assembly in New York said the The Commission on questioned the House Quad about Yang recklessly. are Brickhartz Technology Inc. the preconditions to to theemphasize exercise of In a document submitted to the Elections (Comelec) Philippines continues Committee’s impartiality and its On Friday, Senior Deputy Speaker and Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd., jurisdiction could no longer ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I dated conducted the the “importance of upholdingbe,thenor ability to pin Chinese national Yang Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga which are being linked to alleged wereofthey, fulfilled,” Duterte’s lawFinal Testing and May 1, 2025, Duterte’s lawyers, rule law and the integrity of the down for ay wrongdoing in a real and Deputy Speaker David of kidnapping. yers said. Sealing (FTS) ofSuarez the Nicholas Kaufman and Dov Jacobs, multilateral system in the face of tocriminal court. Quezon presented a matrix showing The two firms supposedly The defense further questioned the Automated Counting argued that the ICC lacks legal auday’s global challenges.” “I am very interested in how they Yang’s first Machines appearance have connections with the Baofu (ACMs)and his Prosecutor’s authority, assertingalso that thority over the Philippines following Quoted by reports, Manalo [Quad Comm members] can prove subsequent activities the Quad Compound in Bamban, Tarlac, yesterday atatthe the ICC has yet to prove it is “legally its official withdrawal from the Rome said: “The Philippines has consisPateros Elementary this criminal network in court. In Comm hearing. which, in turn, can be directly traced authorized to exercise after Statute in March 2018. tently pursued peace, jurisdiction the sovereign in and Pateros, Congress, lawmakers act as both “We saw aSchool pattern, we tracked to disgraced ex-mayor Alice Guo. the Philippines’ effective withdrawal The lawyers invoked Articles 12, equality of states, the rights and digManila. The prosecutor and judge,” he said. it to the top Metro of these corporations... During Friday’s Quad Comm fromofthe Statute.” Next page 13, and 19 of the Rome Statute, saynity allRome persons.” activity was led by Yang, who already admitted we stripped it of its layers , to get to hearing, lawmakers cited Tony Yang Comelec Chairman He added that the country is also having a fake Philippine birth the top and through it all, we have in contempt for “lying” to about his George Garcia and recognized as the “first Asian Recertificate, is the brother of Michael discovered and identified at least two businesses and business partners. attended by teachers Yang, a presidential economic main actors or in on the issue Next page whoplayers will serve Next page
Probe on PrimeWater Speaker grateful forunderway; PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm Sara hit for imputing political motives
T
PBBM won’t coddle Gov. Garcia
But Palace expects all concerned parties to 'follow what the law says'
P
PH lobbies UN for Security Duterte’ s lawyers insist ICC has Masterminds in Que murder identified—Marbil Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry Council seat
no jurisdiction over former leader
DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded'
the Electoral Board, as well as DESO technical support staff who observed the FTS process. Norman Cruz
Navy spokes debunks China claim of military exercises in Scarborough shoal
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 theirfrom internal audiminor improvement its score of ence, right? For them not to 43.36 (difficult situation) in the look 2024 weak index. and embarrassed,” Trinidad said. RSF computes its scores based on Two Chinese were political, economic, warships legislative, social, monitored at a distance ranging and security indicators. from eight to 14 nautical miles. It then determines a country's press One of situation these went upserious" to 1,000 freedom as "very (0 to yards at the MMCA(40 sitetobut even40 points), "difficult" 55 points), tually went (55 away. was"satisnot "problematic" to 70“It points), threatening, factory" (70 tojust 85 normal,” points), andaccord"good" Next Nextpage page (85 to 100 points).
PCG monitoring PH scores highest ranking in 21 10,000 anti-WPS years in World Press Freedom index socmed trolls
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. “The Bilyonaryo article is malicious and unfounded,” Bautista said in aRex ViberEspiritu message, referring to the By website that published the said story. “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” he added. THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reBilyonaryo online that ported on Friday reported that it is now monitor“Bautista his long-time protegethe in ing 10,000and alleged trolls opposing Philippineclaims Airlines, Undersecretary for country's in the West Philippine Aviation and Airports Bobby Lim, are Sea (WPS). at the center the storm after it was "When weofstarted the transparency initiative, we could only monitor
Next Next page 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 (WPS).recorded its highest THE Sea Philippines Chinainreportedly the anranking 21 years onmade the Reporters nouncement coinciding with Press the Without Borders' (RSF) World fourth Maritime FreedomMultilateral Index 2025, placing 116thCoout operative Activity betweenworldthe of 180 countries and territories Philippines, Australia, Japan, wide. New and the United The Zealand, country jumped by 18 spots States Manila’s exclusive from lastwithin year's index, where it ranked economic zone (EEZ) in the re134th. gional waters over however, the weekend. It must be noted, that the Philippine Spokesperson Philippines onlyNavy received a score of for WPS Rearsituation) AdmiralthisRoy 49.57 (difficult yearVin—a
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 left to right): PRA Director and Director of SM Retail Jorge T. Mendiola, PRA Vice President and President and COO of Golden, ABC, Inc. (The Penshoppe Group) ‘TUKATARUNGAN CANDLES’ Members of Committee the Movement Alice T. Liu, SM Prime Holdings Chairman of.the Executive Hansfor T. Media Sy, Safety Philippines and campus journalists light 'Tukatarungan' candles to mark PRA President and Chairman of Quorum International, Inc. (Toby’s Sports) Roberto World Press Freedom Since the campaign period started in Leisure, February, least S. Claudio, and PRA Day. Director and President of Sportshouse Int’l. Inc.atand 15 proponent incidents of threats against media were recorded, in cluding the killing of veteran of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Chua journalist Johnny Dayang on April 30 in Kalibo, Aklan. Edd Castro