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ICI closes shop FIVE LOCAL onHOLIDAYS March 31, IN OCT. NEWS / A3Jr. says Reyes ISRAEL CONTINUES TO POUND HEZBOLLAH
Jeep drivers ask for P1-2 fare hike, others under study
By Joel E. Zurbano
THE Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) announced Friday it is concluding its operations after transferring all documents, and WORLD / evidence, A6
VOL. XXXVIII • NO. 227• 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 •MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 • VOL. XL • NO. 32 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2026 •
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Palace warns oil firms: PNP resurrecting probe No excessive price hikes into PCSO official's slay Fuel prices to go up next week by as much as P22.90/l Speaker grateful for PMA Class '83 vote of confidence in Quad Comm
By Charles Dantes and Alena Mae Flores By Rio N. Araja ALACAHEÑANG Philippine warned National Police oil companies is reopening against (PNP) excessive fuel price increases as its investigation the intogovernment to safethe 2020moves murder of guard supply and cushion Philippine Charity the impact of global Sweepstakes Office market volatility driven (PCSO) board secretary by geopolitical tensions in Wesley Barayuga. the Middle East.
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On Sunday, PNP Chief Police This asRommel industry sources warned General Francisco Marc o n s u m bil said he ordered the reopening of ers cold mustcase after whistleblower the Mojtaba: brace Lt. forCol. Ayatollah Police Santie Mendoza told pump price the House Quad Committee that he Strait of Hormuz increases helped carry out the killing at the will remain that ofareex-PCSO behest generalshut manager higher than Royina Garma.Philreca: Power p r Mendoza e v i o u s narrated before conof electric fgressmen o r e c a s thow , rates Garma allegedly fawith diesel coopsofficial’s to go uproadside too cilitated the PCSO price hike on July 30, 2020 by assassination likely tothe necessary information providing reach P22.90 per literdetails or higher. about his schedule, about his Nextand week’s increases may to vehicle the funding necessary moveitpump carry out. prices to about P74 to The P77whistleblower per liter foralso gasoline, implicated P82 to P85 per liter for diesel, incumbent National Police Comand P96 for kerosene. missioner Edilberto Leonardo in the planning of the murder. Next page Barayuga was a retired police general and lawyer who supposedly 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-
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DOTr’s Bautista says online news report‘unfounded'
Palace denies Lacierda at DICT; NUP eyes alleged DOH bid-rigging
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 a Viber message, referring to the website that published the said story. By Charles Dantes, Maricel “Bilyonaryo is inconsistent,” he added. V.Bilyonaryo Cruz andreported Rolando Ngthat III online “Bautista and his long-time protege in MALACAÑANG Friday deniedfor ruPhilippine Airlines,on Undersecretary mors of aand leadership the are DeAviation Airportsreshuffle Bobby at Lim, partment of Information and Communicaat the center of the storm after it was tions Technology (DICT), dismissing Next page
TRANSPORT group Manibela on Friday urged regulators to grant a P1 to P2 provisional fare increase for public utility vehicles PAGASA(PUVs), saying drivers are struggling to cope with rising fuel costs amid the Middle East crisis. “Supposed to be, this is our last resort if we should be given cash assistance, and the excise tax and value-added tax would be reduced or suspended,” Manibela president Mar Valbuena said in a television interview. “What will happen next week is THE government P1.48 the price would gohas up readied to P15 (per libillion ter). So worth maybe of it’said timeforforcommunius to join ties thatfor may hit hard byiftyphoon the call an be increase even it’s just ‘Julian’ which PAGASA could a provisional or temporary says increase of turn supertyphoon. Next page P1 orinto P2,”a he said. 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 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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SKY HIGH. Diesel fuelQUAD price shot up to P112.30 at a gas station along Kalayaan A WEB OF CRIME? House leaders Aurelio Gonzales and David Suarez presented this matrix during the last
avenue, right,Yang, yesterday even as militant groups separately called for a wage hike Comm hearing which shows the operations of a criminal syndicate allegedly led by fugitive Michael then economic and rollback in gas prices, and end to the US-Israeli war vs. Iran in the Middle adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, that controlled the illegal activities of the POGOs and was involved in theandrug East. Abante video grab, Manny Palmero, Norman Cruz trade and extrajudicial killings.
PH lobbies UN for Security Council seat
Yang's lawyer mocks probers amidForeigners heated inquiry to get visa extensions; More funds to move OFWs vowed COLLATERAL DAMAGE.
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 Fortun questioned the House Quad 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
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, top, met with a grieving Mr. Bernie Lavarias, adviser of former Rodrigo husband of the late MaryPresident Ann De Vera, Duterte. at Beit HaNassi (President’s House) in Fortun, a lawyer who his often finds Jerusalem to personally convey himself following at the center high-profile condolences her tragic death during a recent missile attack. Photo cases, apparently sought to mock below shows the 24 distressed overseas congressmen, calling their probe Filipino workers (OFWs) repatriated from “unacceptable.” JeddahHowever, through a House joint effort by the argued members Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah they did not come by their suspicions and Singapore’s Consulate-General there, about Yang recklessly. amid limited flight availability due to Senior Deputy Speaker MiddleOn EastFriday, tensions. Philippine embassy Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga in Israel/Department of Foreign Affairs
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
BAUTISTA
By Rio Araja, Darwin Amojelar, Ram Superable, and Maricel Cruz
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 thisdisagreed, for their and internal bill, 17% 19% audiwere ence, right? For them not to look undecided. weak and for embarrassed,” Trinidad Support this bill was particularsaid. ly strong in Metro Manila, where 69% Two Chinese warships were of respondents agreed, followed by the monitored at a distance ranging rest of Luzon at 74% and the Visayas from to 14however, nauticalrecorded miles. at 73%.eight Mindanao, One of these went up to the lowest level of agreement at 1,000 32%. yards the MMCA sitethat butwhile even-a Theatsurvey also found tually went away.(76%) “It was nota significant majority believe threatening, just normal,” accordban should be implemented at both
of illegal drugs and illegal activities associated with POGOs,” Suarez said in a mixture of Filipino and English. explained howV. the ByThe Potsolons Chavez, Maricel matrix details Yang’s connections to Cruzindividuals and Katrina Manubay other involved in illicit activities, including the operations of THE government illegal POGOs. has stepped up assistance Filipinos affected by esAmongtothe companies implicated calating tensions in the Middle are Brickhartz Technology East, Inc. with agencies and Xionwei mobilizing Technologyrepatriation Co. Ltd., efforts, are Congress which being preparing linked toadditional alleged funding, and authorities granting visa kidnapping. relief foreigners in the The to two firmsstranded 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 country due to thestrong crisis.record and dedication to upholding the rule(DOJ) of The Department of Justice law. on Friday ordered the Bureau of ImDepartment Affairs migration (BI) of to Foreign grant visa exten(DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo sions to foreign nationals affectedinby aongoing speech hostilities delivered in at the the region. UN GeneralJustice Assembly in New Frederick York said the Secretary Vida Philippines to emphasize directed thecontinues BI to allow visa extenthe “importance of mass upholding the sions following the cancellation rule of law and the integrity of the of outbound flights. page multilateral system in the faceNext 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 the “first Asian Re-
Baligod 18 delivered cash to solon during Speaker Velasco’s time
Next page By Pot Chavez, Joel E. Zurbano, and Ram Superable
ONE of the alleged cash deliveries involving the purported 18 former Marines took place during the term of former President
Next page Rodrigo Duterte, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday. Meanwhile, the supposed former Marines who allegedly delivered significant amounts of cash to government officials clammed up when they appeared at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Next page
Most Pinoys back anti-dynasty measure, only 17% oppose it 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). ByChina Katrina Manubay reportedly made the anand Maricel Cruz with the nouncement coinciding fourth Multilateral Maritime CoA SIGNIFICANT majority of Filipioperative Activity between the no adults supportAustralia, the passage ofJapan, a law Philippines, againstZealand, political dynasties, 64% New and thewith United expressing agreement, according to a States within Manila’s exclusive survey conducted Pulsein Asia economic zone by (EEZ) theInc.reIn the recentover Ulatthe ng weekend. Bayan poll, gional waters results showed Navy that while 64% of rePhilippine Spokesperson spondents agreedAdmiral with theRoy proposed for WPS Rear Vin-
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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 SINING FILIPINA. Organizers, judges, diplomatic dignitaries, guests, and winning Vice President and President and COO of Golden, ABC, Inc. (The Penshoppe Group) artists gather at SM Supermalls for Sining Filipina 2026: Babae Para sa Bayan: Women Alice T. Liu, SM Prime Holdings Chairman of the Executive Committee Hans T. Sy, Leading Change from Home to Nation. The event at SM Podium honors women’s voices PRA President and Chairman of Quorum International, Inc. (Toby’s Sports) Roberto and creativity nationwide in celebration of Women’s Month. Presented by BDO Unibank S. Claudio, and PRA Director and President of Sportshouse Int’l. Leisure, Inc. and and SM Supermalls, Sining Filipina champions female creativity and empowerment in proponent of PRA OFR President’s Award Mars C. Chua support of the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs.