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FIVE LOCAL MIDDLE CLASS IN OCT. ATHOLIDAYS RISK OF POVERTY
Go allays fears tariff deal unfair to Philippines
NEWS / A3 BUSINESS / B4
ISRAEL CONTINUES US COURT JUNKS TO POUND HEZBOLLAH BIRTHRIGHT ORDER WORLD//A6 A6 WORLD
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 • VOL. XXXIX • NO. 159 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2025 •
PNP resurrecting probe Weather woes persist as ‘Emong’ strengthens into PCSO official's slay Marcos tells for agencies in climate change Speaker grateful PMA Classto '83factor vote of confidence in Quad Comm
By Rio N. Araja, By Rio N. Araja Rex Espiritu, Darwin G. Amojelar, V. CamHE Othel Philippine pos, and Charles Dantes
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National Police ROPICAL cyclone (PNP) is reopening “Emong” into yesterday its investigation intensified the 2020 murder of into a typhoon while Philippine Charity continuously moving Sweepstakes Office slowly over thesecretary West (PCSO) board Philippine Sea, causing Wesley Barayuga. authorities to preemptively On Sunday, PNP Chief Police suspendRommel classesFrancisco and work General Marbil said he ordered the reopening of today, and President the cold case after whistleblower Marcos to call forMendoza a Police Lt. Col. Santie told the House Quad Committee that calamity response strategyhe helped carry out the killing at the that factors in climate behest of ex-PCSO general manager Royina Garma. change.
Mendoza narrated before congressmen howthe Garma allegedly Yesterday, Department of the faIncilitated PCSOGovernment official’s roadside terior andtheLocal (DILG) assassination July 30, suspension 2020 by announced theon widespread providing necessaryfor information of classes inthe all education both public about his schedule, details about and private schools, as well as workhis in vehicle and offices, the funding necessary to government up to Friday. carry it out. The suspension orders covered 34 The whistleblower implicated provinces as well as thealso National Capiincumbent tal Region. National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo in the Meanwhile, the President urged the planning of the murder. government to rethink its approach to Barayuga was anot retired police disaster response, as seasonal general and lawyer who supposedly Next page threatened to expose corruption within the PCSO shortly before he was shot dead in Mandaluyong City. Garma, herself an ex-police Lt. Colonel, allegedly gained the top spot at the PCSO because of her in-
By Charles Dantes and Othel V. Campos SPECIAL Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go on Thursday defended the Philippines’ reduced US tariff ratePAGASA and assured the public that the new arrangement will boost investments, protect local agriculture, and ease consumer prices. The announcement follows President Ferdinand ‘‘Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr.’s successful negotiations with US officials that led to a drop in the universal tariff rate on Philippine exports from 20% to 19% after his recent visit to the THE United government readied States. has ’’This tariff isP1.48 not billion aid for it’s communiuniqueworth to the of Philippines; a unitiesversal that may be hit hard by United typhoon rate imposed by the ‘Julian’ which could States on manyPAGASA countries,’’says Go clariturn a supertyphoon. fiedinto during a virtual press briefing As of 5:00 PM on Sunday, PANext page GASA 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 install window shutters as Typhoon Julian is expected to make landfall
Gov’t readies P1.48b aid as 'Julian' strengthens
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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 NO RESPITE. Hours after his arrival from a three-day visit the United States, President adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled theto illegal activities of the POGOs Ferdinand and was involved in the drug R. Marcos, Jr. visited two evacuation centers to hand out relief goods and other assistance to flood victims trade and extrajudicial killings. taking shelter in Maly Elementary School in San Mateo, Rizal. The continuous rains however did not prevent burial of a deceased in Laurel, Batangas, top left photo, and rescuers from taking residents to safety by banca in Occidental Mindoro. Bottom right photo shows vehicles navigating potholes in a Metro Manila street. Albert Frias, Renejay Biscocho, Manny Palmero
Yang's lawyer mocks probers amid heated inquiry
PH lobbies UN for Security Council seat
House bats PBBM says calamity response speedy but shelters overcrowded for simple SONA ByRamCharles Dantes, Superable, and Rio N. Araja ceremonies DOTr’ s Bautista Next page
By Maricel V. Cruz says online news and Ram Superable report‘unfounded'
LEYTE Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Thursday called for the simplification of red carpet and ceremonial arrangements for the opening of the 20th Congress and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), citing the need for sobriety and sensitivity in the wake of recent natural disasters.
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It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are BAUTISTA still in recovery. By Darwin Amojelar — Leyte Rep. Martin
Romualdez Secretary Jaime TRANSPORTATION Bautista denied an online news report At the Upper Chamber, Senate Presiclaiming that Malacañang was angry dent Francis Escudero personally inwith the increase in airport fees without spected the Senate complex to ensure the approval of the Cabinet members. that“The all facilities are ready for Monday’s Bilyonaryo article is maliopening of the 20th Congress. cious and unfounded,” Bautista said the past weeks, typhoons in a"InViber message, referringCrising, to the Dante, and Emong have famiwebsite that published displaced the said story. lies, destroyedislivelihoods, andhe leftadded. many “Bilyonaryo inconsistent,” of our kababayanreported strugglingonline to get back Bilyonaryo that on their feet," Romualdez, who served in as “Bautista and his long-time protege Speaker in the 19th Congress, said. Philippine Airlines, Undersecretary for "It would out of touch to Lim, maintain Aviation andbe Airports Bobby are a show of pageantry people are at the center of thewhile stormour after it was still in recovery," he added. Nextpage page Next
THE legal counsel of 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 Marcos, Fortun PRESIDENT Ferdinand Jr., questioned thethe quick Houseresponse Quad yesterday lauded to 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
adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Fortun, a lawyer who often finds himself at the flooding center high-profile the widespread triggered by cases, apparently to mock the combined effectssought of tropical storm congressmen, theirmonsoon probe Crising and thecalling southwest “unacceptable.” (habitat) but decried the state of evacuHowever, ation centers.House members argued theyRelief did not come by their suspicions and rescue operations were about Yang recklessly. prompt, he pointed out, but overcrowded 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
Navy spokes debunks China claim of military exercises in Scarborough shoal By Rex Espiritu 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). China reportedly made the announcement coinciding with the fourth Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity between the Philippines, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States within Manila’s exclusive economic (EEZ) in the reBy Vincezone Lopez gional waters over the weekend. PHILIPPINE Police (PNP) Philippine National Navy Spokesperson chief Gen.Rear Nicolas Torre IIIRoy saidVinhe is for WPS Admiral
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 NEWS/ A2 Trinidad weak and embarrassed,” said. Two Chinese warships were monitored at a distance ranging from eight to 14 nautical miles. One of these went up to 1,000 yards theeager MMCA ready at and to gosite onbut his evenmuchtually went away. “It was not ballyhooed boxing match with Davao threatening, just normal,” City acting Mayor Sebastianaccord“Baste” Duterte, but admitted that youth and Next page
of illegal drugs and illegal activities associated with POGOs,” Suarez said in a mixture of Filipino and English. The raised solonsalarms explained how the shelters over potential dismatrix details Yang’s connections to ease outbreaks. other individuals involved in and illicit "One person gets sick there, the activities, including the operations of illness will spread like wildfire," the illegal POGOs. chief executive said after visiting two Among the companies evacuation centers in Rizalimplicated province. are ToBrickhartz Technology Inc. address this, the President ordered and Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd., which are being linked to alleged kidnapping. The two firms supposedly have connections with the Baofu Compound in Bamban, Tarlac, which, in turn, can be directly traced to disgraced ex-mayor Alice Guo. During Friday’s Quad Comm hearing, lawmakers cited Tony Yang in contempt for “lying” to about his businesses and business partners.
THE Philippine government on Sunday publicly called for the United Nations (UN) to give it a seat on the UN Security Council, highlighting the country’s strong record and that every evacuation sitethe be rule equipped dedication to upholding of with medical teams from both local and law. national government agencies.Affairs Department of Foreign "Our national duty is to ensure (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalothere's in enough medicine and medical equipa speech delivered at the UN GenmentAssembly on the ground," heYork said. said the eral in New Next page Philippines continues to emphasize the “importance of upholding the rule of law and the integrity of the multilateral system in the face of today’s global challenges.” Quoted by reports, Manalo also said: “The Philippines has consistently pursued peace, the sovereign equality of states, the rights and dignity of all persons.” He added that the country is also recognized as V. theCruz “first Asian ReBy Maricel
Romualdez set to be Speaker anew—Garin
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THE speakership bid of reelected Leyte Next page Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has garnered what Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin described as ‘‘overwhelming’’ support, with 291 out of the 314 lawmakers signing a manifesto backing his return as leader of the House of Representatives in the 20th Congress. ‘‘With 291 members of the 20th Congress expressing support for Congressman Martin Romualdez, that’s a significant number considering the total membership is just over 300,’’ Garin said during a media briefing via Zoom on Thursday. With the House set to open its First Regular Session on Monday, Garin said Romualdez’s election as Speaker appears inevitable. ‘‘Of course, the official election has not taken place yet,Prime but based on how AWARD. Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Holdings, things (PRA) are progressing and with this bewas honored by the Philippine Retailers Association with its Outstanding ing my sixth and final development. term in Congress Filipino Retailers President Award for his visionary leadership in retail (From left to right): PRA Director and Director it of is SMvery Retail Jorge T. Mendiola, PRA Marclear that Congressman Vice President and President and COO of Golden, ABC, Inc. (The Penshoppe Group) tin Romualdez will be the next Speaker Alice T. Liu, SM not Prime Chairman Committee Hans T. Sy, stamina might beHoldings on his side and of the ofExecutive the 20th Congress,’’ she said. PRA President androunds. Chairman of Quorum International, (Toby’s Sports) Roberto would not last 12 GarinInc. noted that support for RomualS.The Claudio, and PRA Director and President of Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and 37-year old Duterte, however, dez cuts across party lines, regions, and
FUJIWHARA EFFECT HEIGHTENS IMPACT OF STORMS
Torre all set but Duterte sets condition for fight to happen
proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Chua Next page
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