DUTERTE: I KILL CRIMINALS; PUTIN BOMBS WOMEN, CHILDREN
MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday reiterated friendship with Vladimir Putin but said there’s one thing that makes him different from the Russian leader.
"Ako kaibigan ko si --- Huwag ninyo ilabas ito sa TV ha? Putulin niyo. --- kaibigan ko si Putin pero sumobra," Duterte said after the ceremonial signing of the Public Service Act.
Lashing out at critics who call him a killer, Duterte defended himself.
"Ang pinapatay ko kriminal. Si Putin binobomba pati babae, bata, lahat na," he said.
Duterte then launched a tirade, cursing at the International Criminal Court, and reiterated that he does not recognize it.
The ICC is looking into alleged crimes against humanity in Duterte's bloody war against illegal drugs, but has suspended its investigation as part of due process following the Philippine government's deferral request.
The livestream of his speech was cut in the RTVMalacañang YouTube and Facebook accounts.
The video was back online at around 9:40 p.m. Monday, but the portion wherein Duterte compared himself to Putin was removed.
In the same video, Duterte claimed that Manila may be caught in a crossfire if China also invades the Philippines.
After oil prices surged in the past weeks, Duterte said the war in Ukraine can only end "if Putin wants it or he is taken out."
"The name of the game is pressure. So hindi natin alam... Ang presyo sa gobyerno it’s nakatali doon sa production ng oil. So iyan siya. And if by unfortunate chance, per chance, talagang maipit si Putin at tusukin niya 'yung pula na butones, ah wala na," Duterte said.
"Then my thinking is 'pag mag ganoon 'yan, ang China will invade. Pero sa intelligence briefing, tatamaan talaga tayo," he added.
Duterte said he allowed unrestricted access to American forces in the Philippines to help protect the country.
"Let us not kid each other. Nandito 'yung America. The reason I said why I gave the orders to our military is to allow them unrestricted (access) para matapos na. Huwag lang sana 'yung China," he added.
Duterte added he will not support calls from the global community to rally behind Ukraine.
"I will not send my soldiers upon the request of anybody to join the cause against Russia," he said.
DUTERTE SIGNS AMENDED PUBLIC SERVICE ACT ALLOWING FULL FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF TELCOS
MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday signed into law the amendments to the Public Service Act (PSA) which redefine what sectors are considered public utilities, and thus allow full foreign ownership of telecommunications firms.
Proponents of the measure have said that it will boost foreign direct investments and fuel economic recovery following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Republic Act 11659 amended the 85-year old PSA and identified the following as public utilities, which are subject to a 40 percent foreign equity cap.
-Distribution of electricity
-Transmission of electricity
-Petroleum and petroleum products pipeline transmission systems
-Water pipeline distribution systems and wastewater pipeline systems, (including sewage pipelines)
-Seaports
-Public utility vehicles
Any industry not included in the list will remain as public services and will be liberalized, the measure said.
Prior to the amendment, foreigners were restricted from full ownership of companies considered to be public utilities, which include telecommunications firms.
Analysts say this has stunted investment in telcos and resulted in a duopoly that is disadvantageous to consumers.
Besides telcos, domestic shipping, railways and subways, airlines, expressways and tollways, and airports are also excluded from the definition of public utility and can thus be 100 percent owned by foreigners.
Duterte said the amendment would "lead the path to economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic" while providing the public more choices, better services, and lower prices.
The measure will generate more jobs and allow the exchange of skills and technology with the country's foreign partners, he added.
Major local business groups, as well as foreign chambers, backed the measure.
DUTERTE SAYS P200 MONTHLY AYUDA FOR THE POOR SHOULD BE INCREASED TO P500
MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the P200 monthly subsidy given to poor households should be increased to P500.
The P200 amount is too small for a month's expenses for a family of four to five, according to a feedback he got from the ground, Duterte said during the ceremonial signing of the Public Service Act.
"Inipit ko na si Carlos Dominguez III. Sabi ko na, 'Iyong P200 medyo kulang ‘yun. So how much can you stretch? Sabi ko, P500 kaya?'" he said, referring to the Finance Secretary.
"Sabi ko, 'Maghanap ka ng pera kung saan,'" he added.
Duterte said that Dominguez warned him of problems in funding six months down the line.
The next administration will have to solve how to keep up giving P500 monthly to those most affected by the pandemic, he added.
"Sabi ko sa kaniya kanina, 'Buang, wala na tayo diyan, bahala na sila'," said Duterte.
"The next president will just have to borrow."
Duterte approved last week the P200 monthly subsidy for poor Filipino families as an alternative to suspending fuel excise taxes amid skyrocketing oil prices.
This, after the Department of Finance recommended a P33.1 billion subsidy for the "bottom 50 percent of all Filipino households," instead of suspending fuel taxes, which it said would "benefit more the people who have cars and the other richer people."
Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes said the P200 monthly subsidy would not be enough for basic commodities.
Sen. Grace Poe also described the cash aid as a "pittance," saying the daily P6.66 it amounted to would not be enough for jeepney fare.
Meanwhile, Duterte said the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act should be used in preparation for other health-related crises.
"'Yung nandiyan na, huwag na lang galawin kasi kung may — madisgrasya tayo ulit, there’s another contamination that could be widespread," he said.
FILIPINOS ASSISTED IN LEAVING UKRAINE NOW AT 382
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs said it has assisted 382 Filipinos to exit Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
In a Twitter post on Tuesday morning, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Arriola said the department helped bring home 330 Filipinos and 52 have been evacuated from Ukraine.
The department on March 7 raised an Alert Level 4 in Ukraine due to the attacks of neighboring Russia. The crisis alert level also gave way for a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos living in Ukraine, done at the expense of the Philippine government.
The DFA said Filipinos will be assisted by its embassies in Europe, including the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw and the Philippine Embassy in Budapest for those near the southern border of Ukraine.
ROBREDO VOWS TO END PADRINO SYSTEM IN GOVERNMENT
MANILA — Presidential hopeful Vice President Leni Robredo vowed to end the padrino or palakasan system under her administration.
Speaking before an estimated 130,000 supporters in Pasig City on Sunday night, Robredo said her government would not tolerate a system where one gets favored over the other.
“There’s no need for people to get connections to get services, people don’t need to beg for a padrino (a friend), because each of you must be strong in the system,” she said in Filipino.
Robredo promised a kind of government that looks after people and uplifts their lives.
“A politics that is not based on family, all of you should be treated special, all should be considered part of the first family, all are included, all are important,” she said.
In her speech, Robredo also stressed that the heart of the people’s campaign is hope.
“It’s very clear to me now: hope is the heart of our people’s campaign. Hope that is not carried by the candidate on stage, but hope given by our fellow Filipinos,” she said.
“Unity that is rooted in hope,” Robredo said, apparently taking a swipe at rival and former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign slogan.
PDP-LABAN DECLARES SUPPORT FOR MARCOS
MANILA — A faction of the administration PDP-Laban party has declared support for presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Marcos and running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio are running under the UniTeam slate of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. PDP-Laban previously declared support for Mayor Duterte — daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is party chairman.
The party's National Executive Committee, in a resolution, said that it had decided after "careful and exhaustive deliberations" that it will "[endorse] the candidacy of Senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. for president of the Republic of the Philippines [in] the forthcoming 2022 National Elections."
The committee said Marcos' platform is "most aligned with the development program of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte" and with the party's legislative and political agenda.
In a statement, the Marcos campaign thanked PDP-Laban for the support and said the "trust [the party] placed in him inspires us beyond measure, for it signals that our message of national unity is gaining ground."
"We are glad the PDP-Laban has joined the bandwagon of support for the BBM-Sara UniTeam of major political parties in the country," Marcos spokesperson Vic Rodriguez said.
LOCAL OFFICIALS PUSH 'BEST OF BOTH WORLDS' ROBREDO-SARA DUTERTE TICKET
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio are the best people to lead the Philippines, especially during a crisis, a group pushing for an alternative tandem for president and vice president
A group supporting the presidential bid of Robredo and the vice-presidential bid of Duterte-Carpio launched “ROSA 2022” in Cagayan de Oro City.
Rep. Joey Salceda (Albay)—the national convenor of ROSA—said he had wanted the presidency to stay with a Mindanaoan and for Duterte-Carpio to run for president to “correct the historical wrongs” done to the region.
He chose Robredo “not because she is the second best” but because Bicol region is also one of the “most neglected parts” of the country.
According to Salceda, a Robredo-Duterte leadership would be “good for the country, good for the economy, good for the provinces, and good for Mindanao.” The former Albay governor is one of the first government officials who expressed support for Robredo and Duterte-Carpio.
He added the tandem will be able to build up investor confidence in the Philippines and get the public to trust the government.
A group in February urged voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to consider an "Is-Sa" ticket of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Mayor Duterte. Another group made a similar call at a formal launch earlier this month.
VESSEL MONITORING SEEN TO DETER UNLAWFUL FISHING, PROTECT SMALL FISHERS
MANILA — Small-scale fishermen in marine life-rich Tañon Strait are already content if they catch five kilos a day even if it is nowhere near the 15 to 20 kilos they used to get, said Ven Carbon, a fisherfolk leader in Cebu.
"That’s enough to buy three kilos of rice and a dish," Carbon said. "But crude oil is so expensive right now."
Carbon fishes in the country’s largest marine protected area. Tañon Strait, located between the islands of Cebu and Negros, is a source of food and income for many residents of the central Philippines.
However, the rich fishing ground is also a hotbed of illegal fishing. Large vessels and those with purse seines encroach on Tañon Strait even though they are prohibited from the legally protected seascape.
A large part of the narrow seascape is also reserved for artisanal fisherfolk or those allowed to fish inside municipal waters within 15 kilometers from the shoreline.
"It’s true that our fishing grounds are degraded. The problem is the hauls of commercial fishers are getting bigger, while our catches are getting smaller," Carbon said.
To protect the rights of small-scale fishers—who are among the poorest in the country—and to ensure the seas will restore their bounty, fisherfolk and conservation organizations are pushing for the full implementation of vessel monitoring measures.
PDP-LABAN FACTION TO ENDORSE PRESIDENTIAL BET TODAY
MANILA — The PDP-Laban faction composed of the allies of President Duterte is expected to announce today the presidential candidate it will endorse for the upcoming elections.
PDP-Laban officials and Cabinet members Alfonso Cusi and Melvin Matibag will hold a press conference to discuss the party’s choice for president, according to an advisory sent to media yesterday.
Duterte, chairman of the Cusi-led faction, previously said he would not endorse a presidential aspirant unless there is a “compelling reason” for him to do so.
FPJ, LGBTQ+ GROUPS ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR MARCOS-DUTERTE
MANILA — Actors and artists under the Filipinos for Peace, Justice and Prosperity Movement (FPJPM) and LGBTQ+ cause-oriented group United Beki of the Philippines (UBP) declared their support for the Unity tandem of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and running-mate, vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
The groups, at a joint press conference yesterday in Quezon City, vowed to gather up to three million votes among their combined memberships for the Marcos-Duterte candidacies in the May 9 polls.
Joseph Cadsawan, chairman of the FPJPM, said they were supporting the UniTeam tandem of Marcos and Duterte, as they held the belief that the country needed leaders who can “restore decency, vibrancy and sanity in national governance.”
FPJPM was the advocacy group mostly made up of actors and workers in the movie industry that had garnered three million signatures to convince movie icon Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) to launch his candidacy in 2004.
Cadsawan expressed confidence that his group could again muster an effort for Marcos and Duterte in the coming elections.
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COPS LINKED TO CASE OF MISSING SABUNGEROS
MANILA — An official of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) yesterday vowed to file criminal charges against police officers implicated in the disappearance of at least 34 sabungeros or cockfight players.
During the resumption of the probe by the Senate committee on public order, resource persons tagged some policemen in the disappearance of the cockfight enthusiasts.
The panel was chaired by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa.
CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz said they would file cases against police officers based on the testimonies of four female witnesses.
“We believe that these witnesses are credible. They are victims and complainants too,” Cruz told senators.
He said they would file the complaints before the Department of Justice pending the result of the investigation.
ISKO MORENO OPEN TO RESUMING PEACE TALKS WITH REDS
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno is open to resuming peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines and other armed rebel groups.
In a chance interview in Lucena City, Quezon, Moreno said he is willing to talk to rebel groups while still protecting the government from being overthrown.
“We must seek for it not only with the Communist Party, but also other armed groups,” he said.
The presidential candidate cited the success of the more independent Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as a result of the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
56 RESCUED AS BOATS CAPSIZE OFF NEGROS
BACOLOD CITY — Fifty-six people were rescued when two motor boats capsized in the waters off Sagay City and San Carlos City, both in Negros Occidental, on Sunday.
One of the boats sank off the coast of Sipaway Island in San Carlos City where 10 people were rescued.
Forty-six others were rescued from another boat that capsized off Molocaboc Island in Sagay City.
No one died in the incidents. Some of the survivors were taken to the Alfredo E. Marañon Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Sagay City for checkup, according to Joe Luviz Mercurio, chief of the the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sub-station in the area.
The boats reportedly encountered a squall believed caused by local thunderstorms.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
MEET THE CAST OF ALEXA, KD ESTRADA’S ‘RUN TO ME’
MANILA — ABS-CBN has unveiled the cast members joining lead stars Alexa Ilacad and KD Estrada in their launching series “Run To Me.”
The iWantTFC original title gathered its cast and creative team Monday for its story conference, followed by the cast reveal with photos from producer Dreamscape Entertainment.
To be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dwein Ruedas Baltazar, “Run To Me” will also star screen veterans Nikki Valdez and Malou Crisologo.
Ilacad’s fellow “Goin’ Bulilit” graduate CJ Navato is among the younger cast members, along with Karl Gabriel, Ivan Carapiet, Margaux Montana, Henz Villaraiz, Matty Juniosa, Sean Tristan, and Haira Palaguitto.
“‘When me?’ no more,” Ilacad tweeted shortly after the announcement, referring to her long wait to be the lead star of her own series.
Details of the story of “Run To Me” have yet to be revealed.
Co-produced by the streaming platform Kumu, the limited series is expected to be released later this year.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES MAR 20
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Grizzlies49-23 30 26 28 38 122
Rockets17-54 21 23 27 27 98
TOYOTA CENTER, HOUSTON, TX
SCORING LEADERS
D. Bane MEM
24 PTS 5 REB 7 AST
D. Schroder HOU
17 PTS 4 REB 4 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Trail Blazers26-44 22 26 34 16 98
Pacers25-47 35 34 25 35 129
GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
SCORING LEADERS
J. Hart POR
26 PTS 3 REB 4 AST
O. Brissett IND
24 PTS 9 REB 1 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pelicans30-41 35 25 31 26 117
Hawks35-36 18 32 26 36 112
STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA
SCORING LEADERS
J. Valanciunas NO
26 PTS 12 REB 4 AST
D. Gallinari ATL
27 PTS 5 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Thunder20-51 25 18 21 21 85
Magic19-53 31 14 17 28 90
AMWAY CENTER, ORLANDO, FL
SCORING LEADERS
D. Bazley OKC
18 PTS 1 REB
W. Carter Jr. ORL
30 PTS 16 REB 2 AST
FINAL/OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
Suns58-14 22 27 34 27 17 127
Kings25-48 26 33 28 23 14 124
GOLDEN 1 CENTER, SACRAMENTO, CA
SCORING LEADERS
D. Booker PHO
31 PTS 7 REB 5 AST
D. Mitchell SAC
28 PTS 3 REB 9 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Jazz45-26 26 34 25 23 108
Knicks30-41 31 22 20 20 93
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NY
SCORING LEADERS
D. Mitchell UTA
36 PTS 8 REB 6 AST
R. Barrett NY
24 PTS 7 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Celtics44-28 33 35 30 26 124
Nuggets42-30 27 16 32 29 104
BALL ARENA, DENVER, CO
SCORING LEADERS
J. Tatum BOS
30 PTS 6 REB 7 AST
N. Jokic DEN
23 PTS 8 REB 4 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Spurs28-44 36 27 20 27 110
Warriors47-24 22 35 27 24 108
CHASE CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
SCORING LEADERS
J. Richardson SA
25 PTS 2 REB 1 AST
J. Poole GS
28 PTS 5 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Raptors40-31 27 30 12 24 93
76ers43-27 37 17 20 14 88
WELLS FARGO CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA
SCORING LEADERS
P. Siakam TOR
26 PTS 10 REB 5 AST
J. Embiid PHI
21 PTS 13 REB 2 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 52.35
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are. - Talmud
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