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Vol. I No. 73
MANILA, PHILIPPINES |
MANILA – The Philippines and Japan are set to convene the 2+2 ministerial meeting on defense and foreign affairs on July 8, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced Friday.
Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara will lead the meeting with Secretaries Enrique Manalo of Foreign Affairs and Gilberto Teodoro Jr. of Defense.
This is the second time Manila and Tokyo will hold the Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (2+2), with the inaugural one held in Japan in April 2022. PAGE 2
Chinese 'manager' of Porac POGO nabbed
in Pampanga raid
MANILA – A Chinese national believed to be one of the "big bosses" of the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) facility in Porac, Pampanga was arrested in an operation at a resort inside the Clark Freeport Zone in Mabalacat town.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Friday, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco said the foreigner, whose name was withheld, was arrested on Thursday night, during the service of the search warrant by the CIDG and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) covering five villas inside the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino. PAGE 2
MANILA – Filipinos must not lump the Filipino-Chinese community in their "anger" amid the issues on suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and the ongoing maritime row with China, a political science professor said Friday.
In the PTV program “Punto de Vista,” Antonio Contreras said he is alarmed by the reaction of some Filipinos over the dispute in the West Philippine Sea that drags even those who are Filipino-Chinese.
“Sa nangyayari ngayon na gulo sa West Philippine Sea, nakababahala ang reaksyon ng ilan sa ating mga kababayang Pilipino na hindi alam kung papaano i-separate ang China bilang isang bansa sa mga kapatid nating mga Chinoy o mga Chinese-Filipinos
(With what is happening in the West Philippine Sea, it is alarming to see the reaction of some Filipinos who don’t know how to differentiate China as a country to our fellow Filipinos of Chinese descent),” he said.
He said the hostile reaction is also being fueled by Guo, accused of being an enabler of illegal
Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) hubs.
She was earlier confirmed by the National Bureau of Investigation to have matching fingerprints with a certain Chinese national Guo Hua Ping.
“Iyong galit natin sa gobyerno ng Tsina, iyong galit natin sa kanilang Coast Guard, iyong galit natin sa ginagawa nila sa West Philippine Sea,
it should stay there. Let us not direct it towards) Chinese-Filipinos,” Contreras said.
He reminded the public that there are a number of Filipinos of Chinese descent in the Philippines who have made huge contributions to the economy.
“Ang kanilang mga ninuno ay binigyan na ng Filipino citizenship, at ang puso nila ay Pilipinong-Pilipino na. Huwag po tayong magkakamali na i-lump natin sila sa (Their ancestors were given Filipino citizenship and their heart is Filipino. Let’s not make a mistake of lumping them with) China,” he said.
Debris from the Long March 7A rocket from China is likely to fall within two identified drop zones in Northern Luzon, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) said Friday.
In an advisory that PhilSA sent to government agencies, it said parts of the rocket, set to be launched between 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on June 28 to 30, could fall 75 nautical miles away from Burgos, Ilocos Norte, and 126 nautical miles away from Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
The rocket will be launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, China.
"Usually, the debris falls within minutes after the launch," PhilSA Director Marc Talampas said.
Meanwhile,
PhilSA has been urging the public to report to local authorities sightings of suspected debris, which could float and wash toward nearby coasts.
Retrieving or coming in close contact with the debris should be avoided as they may contain remnants of toxic substances such as rocket fuel.
Immediate washing of hands is advised if the debris was accidentally touched.
Unburned debris from rockets, such as booster and faring, are designed to be discarded as the rocket enters outer space.
The uncontrolled re-entry of the rocket's upper stages to the atmosphere is also possible, PhilSA said. (PNA
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Thursday evening that expelled Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. is expected to be returned to the Philippines as Timor-Leste authorities granted the country's extradition request for the expelled lawmaker.
The announcement was made to reporters by DOJ spokesman, Undersecretary Mico Clavano.
This elicited a quick reaction of Teves’ lawyer, Atty. Ferdinand Topacio who said, “The judgment is still appealable, a recourse that we intend to take.”
“Then we still have the option of political asylum,” he added, without providing other details as to when they intend to file legal remedies.
Teves is facing 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder and four counts of attempted murder before the Manila Regional Trial Court
t Branch 51 in connection with the March 4, 2023 shootings in Pamplona, Negros Oriental that killed Governor Roel Degamo and nine others.
Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla expressed gratitude to Timor-Leste for its judicious decision.
“Teves will now have his day in court, face his long-delayed trial and prove his innocence if indeed he is innocent,” Remulla said in a statement.
“Teves' hide and seek tactics have come to an end, he can no longer evade the legal consequences of his actions and should answer the charges fair and square," he added.
Topacio, for his part, cautioned Clavano that they have not won yet.
“Even if you bring Mr. Teves back,
“Even if you bring Mr. Teves back, you will still have to prove him guilty in the face of recantations by all witnesses previoously against him who were tortured and intimidated into testifying falsely against him. You still have to defend your planted evidence, in light of the recent rulings of the courts revealing their bogus nature and the admission to bail of Mr. Teves’ co-accused on the ground of weak evidence,” Topacio said.
The lawyer advised Clavano: “I wouldn’t gloat if I were you. Your department couldn”t even win an open-and-shut case against De Lima because you deliberately dropped the ball. All you can do is convict rape victims. Convict Mr. Teves with finality first. Then and only then can you say you have won. I don’t think you’ll be in DOJ long enough to do that.” (with a report from PNA)
Irrigation
project
in Bohol
soon to be completed:
PBBM
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday said the construction of the Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project will soon be completed to help increase the income and productivity of farmers in Bohol.
During the distribution of Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families (PAFF) in Bohol, President Marcos said the irrigation facility is expected serve more than 500 hectares of agricultural lands in Mabini and Alicia.
"Kinagagalak ko na ipabatid sa inyo na ang Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project ay malapit ng matapos. Nawa ay mapapakinabangan na [nga] ito sa lalong madaling panahon, nang mabigyan ng sapat na patubig ang lampas na limang daang ektaryang sakahan sa bayan ng Mabini at ng Alicia (I am delighted to tell you that the Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project will be completed soon. Hopefully, this would be utilized at the soonest time in order to provide irrigation to over 500 hectares of farmlands in Mabini and Alicia)," Marcos said.
The President stressed the need for stronger coordination between the national and local governments as his administration takes on a whole-of-government approach in its effort to help communities recover from the El Niño crisis. PAGE 2
