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Lifetime support for kidney transplant patients—PhilHealth THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) support for kidney transplant patients applies for a lifetime, the Department of Health (DOH) clarified on Sunday, June 22. “Post-kidney transplant patients will
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 128 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2025
receive support for life. PhilHealth now offers lifelong support for these patients,” said DOH Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Albert Domingo in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo. Next page
US bombs Iran nuke sites
Trump, Netanyahu celebrate; UN, world leaders alarmed Pinoys in Israel, Iran told to stay in safe places
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HE United States has carried out “targeted” airstrikes against Iran, using its $2.1-billion B-2 stealth bombers to drop 30,000-pound bombs on key nuclear facilities, effectively ending speculation over whether President Donald Trump would back ally Israel’s week-old military campaign.
By Ram Superable and Othel Campos THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippine government remains in the dark on whether Filipinos were hurt in the United States’ bombardment of three nuclear facilities in Iran. In a radio interview yesterday, DFA Assistant Secretary Robert Ferrer said, “We don’t have any information yet on whether there were Filipinos in the facilities that were bombed in Iran, but we have already advised our countrymen to stay away from Iranian facilities.” He noted that nine out of some 1,200 Filipinos in Iran have so far requested repatriation. “It’s very hard to move from Tehran to the Turkmenistan border. It’s a 13-hour drive. I think in the next few days, they will be able to do it with God’s help,” Ferrer told Super Radyo dzBB He assured that the Philippine Embassy in Tehran is working on sending
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the bombers destroyed three Iranian nuclear sites, including the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, which he referred to as the “primary site [target].” “We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan,” the US Next page
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AT WAR. US President Donald Trump (at left) addresses the American people from the White House in Washington, DC yesterday following the announcement that the US bombed nuclear sites in Iran using bunker buster weapons (center photo) for the first time in US military history. At right, Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi delivers Iran’s response to the US bombings during a press conference at the Lutfi Kırdar Congress Center in Istanbul. AFP
IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. – US President Donald Trump
House lauds Ombudsman’s action on VP complaint MANILA Rep. Joel Chua on Sunday welcomed the “extraordinarily” prompt action of the Office of the Ombudsman to initiate a preliminary investigation into the supposed misuse of public funds by Vice President Sara Duterte
VP loses right to reply if no answer to summons NEWS / A7
and several of her employees. Meanwhile, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro lauded the Ombudsman’s order for the Vice President to respond to the consolidated plunNext page
MEET UP WITH OSAKA PINOYS.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta join Filipinos based in Osaka in a groupie after meeting with them. In his address, the President recognized the valuable contributions of OFWs and affirmed the strengthened support for Filipinos abroad through good services, secure jobs, and more opportunities for those who wish to return to the Philippines.
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They crossed a very big red line by attacking (Iran’s) nuclear facilities. – Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
VP Sara urges supporters to lobby for Rody release from The Hague Duterte said her presence at the event was not to support any interim release VICE President Sara Duterte on Sun- of former President Rodrigo Duterte, day criticized the International Criminal but to express protest against the ICC Court in a speech at the “Free Duterte case involving her father. Now” rally in Melbourne, Australia. Next page
By Ram Superable
SC strikes down 2nd placer rule in poll contests THE Supreme Court (SC) has struck down the controversial “second placer rule,” long used by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in proclaiming election runnersup as winners when the top vote-getter is disqualified or found ineligible. In a decision promulgated on April
22, 2025, the SC en banc ruled that the doctrine, established in the 2012 case Jalosjos Jr. vs. Comelec, “has no legal basis” and instead affirmed that succession under Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code (LGC), must be followed.
“In fine, the Court hereby abandons the second placer rule and declares that the rules on succession under the LGC shall apply in all cases where a permanent vacancy results from a local elective official’s disqualification from Next page
MELBOURNE RALLY. Vice President Sara Duterte speaks at the ‘Free Duterte Now’ Rally in Melbourne, Australia. SolidPhNews Screengrab