HELICOPTERS buzzed in the shadow of a smoldering volcano and boats rescued dummies from the sea this week in a show of maritime unity by Japan, the United States and the Philippines. The joint coast guard exercises held off Japan’s southwest shore follow a warning from the three countries about Chinese activity in disputed regional waters. Tensions between China and other claimants to parts of the East and South China Seas have pushed Japan to deepen ties with the Philippines and the United States. This week marked the second time the countries’ coast guards have held training drills together, and the first in Japan. They took place over five days off the coast of Kagoshima, where Sakurajima volcano dominates the
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PRIDE MARCH.
PORT CALL. The JS Suzunami, a Takanamiclass destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, docks at the international port in Manila on Saturday, June 21, 2025. AFP
PH SETS ALERT LEVEL 3 INPROSECUTORS WAR-TORN IRAN, ISRAEL MAY RAISE IMPEACH CASE BEFORE SC T
‘Lov3Laban Sa Diliman’ kicks off with a vibrant celebration of love, identity, and resistance as the UP community gathers in solidarity for Pride Month. Edd Castro
QC GOV’T HOSTS DOE TO DISCUSS LARGEST PRIDE STAGGERED FEST IN S.E.PRICE ASIA By Maricel V. Cruz HIKE, DISCOUNTS FOR PUVS MONDAY
The Quezon City government is leading the way towards a more environmentally responsible celebration as it hosted yesterTHE Department of Energy will meet day the largest Pride festival in with oil firms on Monday to discuss a the Philippines and Southeast possible Asia.staggered implementation of next Co-organized week’s major oil hike, by price the local with diesel price increase now seen government, Pride PH, and the to hit P5.10 per liter. University of the Philippines JettiDiliman, Petroleum Leo Belthispresident year’s LoveLaban las said the possibility of extending 3 Pride Festival is committed to promos and discount offerings of sustainability. gas stations to help are mitigate the the imOrganizers steering pact ofevent the price increase will also be away from unnecesraisedsary during the meeting. plastics and waste, while Crude futures have soared as the promoting a circular economy Israel-Iran conflict showed no signs among participants, vendors, of easing, with investors pricing in the and partners, Quezon City Mayrisk ofor tighter oil supplies that would Joy Belmonte said in a statelikely weigh ment. on economic growth. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on “Climate change affects the Friday lives warned consumer prices could of our citizens, especially exceedthose 5 percent if global oil benchin marginalized sectors, marks, particularly Dubai crude, reach Turn to A4 $100 per barrel and the Philippine peso sharply depreciates. Turn on A4
DFA SAYS PINOYS IN TEL AVIV PREFER TO STAY DESPITE TENSIONS
are calm, they don’t want to go home. They beHE Department of Foreign Aflieve in the Israeli system to protect them, to take fairs on Saturday advised Filipicare of them,” Ferrer added. nos in Israel and Iran as well as Under Alert Level 3, “all overseas Filipinos in Israel and Iran are enjoined to return to the Philtheir relatives here in the Philippines ippines.” to stay calm and not panic after the agency raised Alert Level 3, paving Tech-fueled misinformation ecution panel spokesperson Antonio Bucoy said. By Maricel V. for Cruz the way voluntary repatriation, “If we do not trust the process, there will be Iran-Israel noting that there havepanel beensaid several chaos.distorts We are a democracy. We arefighting governed by HE House prosecution rules. We are governed by law. That is why the law “misinformation” posts on social it trusts the impeachment process WORLD A4rule of law is priis there – for order. That is why/the media. for the trial of Vice President Sara mordial,” he added. Foreign Assistant Secretary Robert FerSenate President Francis Escudero earlier said Duterte, but itAffairs is ready to bring it up rer said: “The ones panicking are the relatives the impeachment “Travel by Filipinos to vote bothon these countries court may the case even is to the Supreme Court asThey a last resortin Israel without here in the Philippines. (Filipinos highly discouraged, hearing evidence.due to the ongoing crisis andsenator-judges Iran) are the ones dismiss reassuringthe their relatives should case and the closure their air space and seaAsked if itactual is possible forof the impeachment case back here.” ports,” the DFA said in its advisory. to be dismissed without going through a formal even without a formal hearing.
at the embassy, including Philippine Ambassador Robert Manalo. The DFA said the majority of around 1,200 Filipinos living and working in Iran are married to Iranian citizens while only over a dozen are workers. Nine have so far requested to be repatriated. “We are considering all the possible safe border exits from Iran. Tehran is now almost like a ghost town and many FilipiIn such a scenario, hehave said left, the including matter may be nos,”to Ferrer said. raised the Supreme Court. There areBucoy over dismissed 30,000 Filipinos in the Israel, of Meanwhile, as absurd claim at least 191 have requested be repatribywhich the Vice President’s camp that theto absence of a ated. contract undermines the charge of orderwritten De Vega said the first 26 repatriates Israel ing assassinations, noting that such actsfrom are illegal scheduled return to the Philippines next byare nature and aretonever formalized through docuweek. ments. Israel’s war withofIran rages for ayou second “The contracting a murderer, don’tweek, write with Israel’s on to Saturday it killed that. That is notmilitary writtensaying as ‘I agree kill.’ There is no three Iranian commanders and such thing because it is illegal,” hestruck said. Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site forare a second time.about? A nota“So what contract we talking “fighter struck and eliminated in the rizedIsraeli contract?” hejets added. area Qom the of the Palestine In herofAnswer Ad commander Cautelam submitted to ConCorps ofVice the Quds Force,defense and the team key coordinator gress, the President’s noted
BUCOY: WE TRUST SENATOR-JUDGES, BUT SC A LAST RESORT
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“It isthe as ifprocess the Filipinos there are hardened. Foreign said: Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose “Everything is possible.” “We trust of impeachment. We (also)They trial, Escudero treat the these missile attacks super typhoons. De Vega added all Filipino diplomats the Bucoy, a lawyer bythat profession, admitted thatat the trust that senator-judges willasperform their They areduty vigilant, after, okay andproslife goes House Philippine Embassy in Tehran stay in Iran to prosecutors cannot stop thewill senator-judges constitutional andbut abide byit’s their oath,” on.” monitoring and assisting the situation. fromcontinue doing so. “If you ask most of our Filipinos in Tel Aviv, they At present, there are a total of nine diplomats
VP SAYS NOT OBLIGATED TO REVEAL DETAILS OF PRIVATE TRIPS ABROAD
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XIAOMI GETS ALMOST 300,000 SUV PRE-ORDERS IN 2 MINUTES
PBBM ON IMPEACHMENT, LEGACY, WPS
have official functions. The situation Vice President Sara Duterte said she becomes different because she said it is under no obligation to disclose was a personal trip but it turned out details of her recent personal trip to she will undertake official functions,” Australia after the Palace called on her Castro said. to be more transparent in her travels “There will be ethical and accountabroad. ability concerns…They even used the “That is really an example of how OVP Facebook, which is part of the stupid they are,” she said in an intergovernment, but was used for a perview with local media in Davao City on sonal trip. So, there is confusion and Friday. conflict of interest,” she added. “If you use government funds for Castro urged Duterte to be more your trip, it becomes official business. “honest” with the nature of her trips, Then you must report,” the Vice Presiadding that the Office of the President dent added. has always approved the Vice PresiEarlier, Palace Press Officer Claire dent’s requests for travel authority. Castro urged Duterte to be more Castro noted that in just less than a transparent in her travels, especially if month, Duterte went to four countries she has official functions during a priLEAP performs duringQatar, Go Skateboarding – the Netherlands, Malaysia and vate trip. OF FAITH. People watch as a skater Day 2025that in Manila on Saturday, June 21, 2025. AFP Australia. “She did not disclose she will Turn to A4
‘I CHOOSE NOT TO INTERFERE IN VP TRIAL’ By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is focused on attending to the needs of the country and the Filipino people and has no intention to intervene in how Congress handles the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte. In the latest episode of his podcast aired on Saturday, Mr. Marcos responded to a comment that the President has a “say” on whatever the decision would be on Duterte’s impeachment case. Turn on A4
‘SIGNIFICANT, TANGIBLE CHANGES FOR THE BETTER’ PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is focused on bringing “significant and tangible” changes to the country in his last three years in office. In the latest episode of his podcast aired on Saturday, Mr. Marcos said giving Filipinos a more comfortable life is the legacy he wants to leave behind when his term ends in 2028. “We’ve made a change for the better. This has been my guide in all the positions I’ve taken,” he said. “So, I absolutely insist that in 2028 when I leave this office, there are significant and tangible changes for the better and the life of a Filipino,” the SELLING LIKE HOTCAKES. President added.
Mr. Marcos said he is eyeing a quarterly assessment of government performance as part of his efforts to recalibrate his administration. He earlier announced a “more rigorous” performance review extending beyond the Cabinet level. Turn on A4
The Xiaomi YU7 SUV car is seen during a launch event in Beijing on May 22,
2025. The Chinese electric vehicle maker got almost 300,000 pre-orders within US HIGH COURT 6.1 MAGNITUDE QUAKE HITS OFF DAVAO OCC. an hour for its first sport utility vehicle. AFP OMBUDSMAN ASKS HOUSE: WHY GIVE ‘DON’T MESS WITH OUR FISHERMEN OR ELSE…’ GRANTS TRUMP A magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck deep off thePRESIDENT coast of Davao Occidental on Satand 128,000 lock-in orders,” Lei said in Beijing Chinese electric vehicle Ferdinand “Bongbong” ippines –must stand firm in protecturday, the United States Geological Survey said.Marcos Jr. warned against making COPYVICTORY OF PANEL REPORT ON VP? ‘GIANT’ a video distributed after the vehicle’s maker Xiaomi rights received ing its sovereign in the almost West There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the quake, which
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METH SEIZURES IN EAST ASIA HIT 236 TONS IN 2024
OMBUDSMAN Samuel Martires questioned the House of Representatives for giving the body a copy of its report on the allegations against Vice President Sara Duterte. Martires made the statement after NEWS/ A3 House spokesperson Princess Abante
even the slightest concession in the USGS reported occurred a depth of 101 kilometers, 70 kilometers said the Committee on GoodatGovernmaritime about disputes, adding thefrom Philthe nearest areas ofAccountability the province. did ment and Public was notagainst that strong, but the tables and computers here at the office not“The file shake a complaint the Vice shook forbefore (aboutthe fiveOmbudsman. seconds),” Marlawin Fuentes, a provincial rescuer from the President island Sarangani, toldusAgence France-Presse. “Whyofdid they furnish a copy of the No of tsunami alert was triggered. result their investigation? Do they expect us to use scratch paper? We’re in the Philippines, which is situated on the Quakes are ita as near-daily occurrence not even“Ring a partof of that of the seismic activity that stretches Pacific Fire,”investigation an arc of intense from Japan NEWS / A2 on the A4 Pacific basin. AFP through Southeast Asia and Turn across
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300,000 pre-orders within an hour for Philippine Sea. its first utility vehicles in what “Likesport they say–you give them thean company said was inch, they’ll takeaa“miraculous” mile. moment the industry. So, youfor cannot allow even Lei founder and CEO of the oneJun, inch,” Mr. Marcos electronics-turned-car company, said said, underscoring he the wasimportance astonished ofbya the reaction from customers. Turn on A4 “My goodness, in just two minutes, we received 196,000 paid pre-orders
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launch. “We may be witnessing a miracle in China’s automotive industry.” The company’s electric vehicle division said later on its official Weibo account that there had been 289,000 pre-orders for the five-seater YU7, priced from 253,500 yuan (about $35,000), within the first hour of sales. Turn to A4
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