manilastandard.net
@ManilaStandardPH
@mnlstandardph
@manilastandard
@ManilaStandardYT
Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net . For advertisement: email: advertise@manilastandard.net • 09173382170 / 85646229
PH HARVESTS 5 GOLDS, 5 SILVERS, 19 BRONZES ON DAY 3 OF SEAG By Riera U. Mallari BANGKOK—The Philippines banked on the brute force of jiu-jitsu and the fluid motion of artistic gymnastics to deliver the good tidings in the form of three gold medals for the Philippines in Day 3 of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games here on Thursday. At the Navaminda Kasatir yahiraj
Air Force Academy, jiu-jitsu standouts Kimberly Custodio and Dean Roxas spearheaded the charge. Custodio, a three-time world champion making her SEA Games debut, turned a tense tactical duel into gold in the women’s 48kg newaza event, scraping ahead of Thailand’s Sugun Nutchaya with a decisive three-point control in the final 30 seconds. Next page
GOLDEN HARVEST. The Philippine team harvested four more golds yesterday in
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 300 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025
the Bangkok SEA Games, with women swimmers, led by Olympian Kayla Sanchez, (left photo) taking first place in the 4x100m relay freestyle event. Gymnast Aleah Finnegan, (right photo), topped the vault finals in women’s artistic gymnastics to secure the Philippines’ third gold medal in Day 2 of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. Two more gold medals were won by three-time world titlist Kimberly Anne Custodio and Dean Roxas in their respective jujitsu bouts. POC
‘Bato’s arrest will depend on SC’ DOJ says petitions vs. Rody’s ICC arrest must be resolved first
By Pot Chavez and Vince Lopez
S
HOULD the International Criminal Court formally issue an arrest warrant against Senator Bato dela Rosa, the lawmaker won’t immediately be sent to The Hague unlike what happened to former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Department of Justice on Thursday said.
Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon said he believes the Supreme Court should first resolve pending petitions questioning Duterte’s arrest before executing any arrest warrant against Dela Rosa. “I think that is the only time we will have clarity on the issue. It is better, in our view, to have a resolution first,”
Fadullon said. “This petition was only filed by Senator Bato after or during the time when the former President was about to be brought to The Hague. So now that there is a petition, we have to be a bit more cautious, be a bit more prudent,” he added.
Next page
Bojie, Sandro file bill vs. pol dynasties
By Maricel V. Cruz, Pot Chavez, and Katrina Manubay FORMER Ako Bicol party-list representative Elizaldy Co is now a “fugitive from justice” after being declared such by the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division, which consequently ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to immediately cancel his Philippine passport. “It is the court’s view that the deliberate refusal to submit to the lawful authority of the court, unless his demands are met, confirms his clear intent to remain outside the jurisdiction of the court,” the anti-graft court stated in an eight-page resolution dated December 10. “It must be emphasized that the accused left the country at the time investigations into alleged corruption
By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE Speaker Faustino Dy III led on Thursday the filing of a landmark Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, a reform he vowed to pursue to promote fairness, competition and integrity in public service. Dy filed House Bill (HB) 6771 together with Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, marking the first major push by top leaders of the House of Representatives to operationalize constitutional provisions intended to prohibit political dynasties. The move follows the Speaker’s declaration during the resumption of session on Nov. 11, when he identified the Anti-Dynasty Bill as a central pillar of his reform agenda. Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima,however, balked at the proposed bill, saying that “at first look, the proposed bill seems reasonable since ang ideya ay isa-isa lang ang pwedeng umupo per elective position Next page
Next page
JOB SKILLS E-HUB. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr applauds new hires at the Job Fair + Skills E-Hub initiated by the Office of the President (OP), in partnership with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and SM Supermalls. PCO
Marcos hopes successor will continue reforms By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said yesterday his push for structural reforms and his personal drive
to “keep going” are rooted in a longterm vision for the country, expressing hope that future administrations will sustain and institutionalize the changes initiated under his watch.
Speaking with students in the latest episode of the PBBM Podcast, Mr. Marcos said reforms must be built to last. Next page
Bicam meet resked to Dec. 13 to fix technical matters—House By Maricel V. Cruz and Ram Superable THE Bicameral Conference Committee hearings on the 2026 national budget shall begin on Dec. 13, Saturday, the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations said Friday. Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing, the panel’s chairperson, said that tomorrow’s scheduled start of the Bicam hearings on the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB)
Zaldy Co now a ‘fugitive from justice’
was postponed “to allow time for the technical staff to prepare.” “Both Houses have mutually decided to start the bicam on Saturday (Dec. 13) to allow time for the technical staff to prepare,” Suansing said. “Intensive preparations are required given that this is the first time that the bicam will be livestreamed and we would need a matrix of disagreeing provisions for the deliberations,” she noted. Suansing is part of the 12-man Next page
SOLAR ENERGY. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin (left to right)
joins Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, and DENR Assistant Secretary for Environment Jacqueline Caancan at the ceremonial switch-on event was held at SM North EDSA, home to the largest rooftop solar PV system in the country. SM Supermalls is now powered by over 100 megawatts of peak solar energy, solidifying its commitment toward environmental sustainability. With 200,000 solar panels installed across 59 properties, SM Supermalls is running on clean energy that can power 43,000 homes, charge 41.3 million smartphones, and energize 62,000 electric vehicles annually. The milestone is also a significant contribution to SM Prime Holdings’ Net Zero 2040 goal.
DOJ accepts Patidongans as state witnesses By Pot Chavez THE Department of Justice (DOJ) admitted e-sabong whistleblowers Ellakim and Julie Patidongan as state witnesses under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) in relation to the case of missing sabungeros (cockfighting enthusiasts). In a press briefing on Thursday, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon explained the dismissal of the charges against them since they were admitted into the program. “Julie Patidongan and Ellakim Patidongan were initially charged also as respondents in this case, but their testimonies were evaluated, and they were admitted into the program. Now, as a consequence to their admission into the program, that would mean they would have to be dropped in the information, their names will no longer be included, and that is the reason for Next page