MALAYSIA'S ANWAR CALLS FOR COMMON ASEAN POSITION ON CHINA, SOUTH CHINA SEA

MANILA - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim believes it will be beneficial for all the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) if the organization takes a common position on the issue of China and the disputed territories in the South China Sea.

Ibrahim said he and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. both believe that the best way to deal with China is to take a position without provoking tension in the region. He said taking a multilateral approach in dealing with Beijing is better since all claimant countries have similar issues with China.

"We did tackle the subject which is quite contentious because of the position we have with China but both of us agree that the mechanism should be bilateral and multilateral to try and engage with the Chinese and to take a position," he said in an interview with ANC's Headstart.

He added: "We have to take a common position and then engage with the Chinese because if we take too combative a view, we will not dissolve, we will not ease the tension. So I think let us start first with an option to get the consensus within ASEAN and take a position with the Chinese to suggest that these are our concerns and I think the best route is to get into an amicable resolution to this."

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored an international court ruling that its claims have no legal basis.

As the leaders of claimant countries in the South China Sea, Anwar said he and Marcos Jr. also suggested "high level" discussions within the ASEAN to come up with a common position.

"Precisely with this concern and I raised the subject with President Bongbong and we did suggest that we should explore a more high level sessions within ASEAN so we could take a common position. Well, the Chinese are willing to discuss and that is certainly positive as far as I'm concerned. Not an easy resolution but we must secure some sort of a basic understanding among ASEAN vis-à-vis China," he also said.

The ASEAN has yet to finalize the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea, which will guide member-states in avoiding tensions over the contested waters.

MALAYSIA WILLING TO SETTLE WITH BANKS INVOLVED IN 1MDB SCANDAL: ANWAR

MANILA — The Malaysian government is willing to settle with other banks involved in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal if the proposals are reasonable.

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also finance minister, said the government does not expect to recover all of the funds that were lost but that any deal should be fair.

Two Abu Dhabi state funds earlier agreed to a $1.8 billion settlement with the Malaysian sovereign fund and the ministry of finance to end a legal dispute in London.

Anwar has also asked Goldman Sachs to pay up after the bank admitted its role in the scandal. He added that the 1MDB scandal could have been avoided if only certain institutions were not involved in the process of the crime.

"It could not have happened in that scale if international financial institutions like Goldman Sachs is not complicit to the crime. It's a tough stance. We cleared it with Goldman Sachs and it's not right for you to say 'Now, we're going to pay you some minor composition,'" Anwar told ANC Headstart.

The 1MDB scandal was a large-scale corruption and money laundering conspiracy in 2015 that involved then-PM Najib Razak transferring over 2.67 billion Malaysian ringgit (around P32 billion today) from Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund to his personal bank accounts.

The scandal only came to light after a document leak from The Wall Street Journal exposed the embezzlement, with the US Department of Justice discovering that more than US$4.5 billion was diverted from 1MDB to global conspirators including officials from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The fund remains the subject of corruption and money laundering investigations in several countries.

MALAYSIAN PM ANWAR: ASEAN NEEDS TO 'ENGAGE MORE EFFECTIVELY' OVER MYANMAR CRISIS

MANILA — Southeast Asian leaders have to "engage more effectively" to bring stability to coup-hit Myanmar, as diplomatic efforts to bring peace flounder and alleged atrocities continue, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.

Heavily persecuted in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, thousands of the mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya have risked their lives on perilous boat journeys in an attempt to reach Malaysia or Indonesia after fleeing a brutal military crackdown in 2017.

Anwar said Malaysia was hosting around 200,000 refugees from Myanmar, where a coup in 2021 brought the current junta to power.

"People are still being killed. Hundreds of thousands are leaving or force to leave their villages and house are being burned... We cannot see that this is purely an internal issue," Anwar told ANC's "Headstart."

"I have appealed to the friends ASEAN to say, ‘Look we have to be tougher' ...I think of my partners have to engage more effectively and probably more assertive. If necessary, engage with forces of these countries," he continued.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) "has to prove that it is relevant and able to ease some of the problems," Anwar said.

PH FORMULATING GUIDES ON JOINT PATROLS IN WPS

The government is drawing up guidelines for joint patrols with allies in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the face of increasingly aggressive behavior by China in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

Operational details, including the possible engagement of other regional partners, will be part of talks between the Philippines and the United States, which have a mutual defense treaty, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

Earlier this week, President Marcos said the military must adjust accordingly to the changing security situation.

The Philippine Coast Guard said Monday it would make public all incidents of Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.

PCG adviser for maritime security Commodore Jay Tarriela said this would compel China to react and acknowledge its actions.

'WE ARE NOT PREPARING FOR WAR': DND CHIEF ON EDCA PROJECTS

MANILA—Projects under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US are aimed to boost the Philippines' defense capabilities and not intended for agression with other countries, the Department of National Defense said Thursday.

“Our projects under EDCA and our other defense partnerships are not intended for aggression. We are not preparing for war, rather we are aiming to develop our defense capabilities against eventualities and threats to our security," DND officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez said in a statement.

He said efforts under the security deal with the US are meant for enhancing the Philippine military's "facility readiness".

Galvez noted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's order to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to shift its focus "towards territorial defense, especially in the West Philippine Sea".

“Our previous engagements and exercises with our partners used to focus on internal security operations. Now, we are eyeing to strengthen our abilities to respond to external threats that may arise along our border areas," he said.

POSSIBLE DEBRIS FROM MISSING PALAWAN-BOUND CHOPPER FOUND NEAR LAST KNOWN LOCATION

MANILA — Authorities have found suspected debris from a missing Palawan-bound helicopter near its last known location, an official said on Friday.

"May mga ilang debris nang na-recover yung ating mga search and rescue team sa pangunguna po ng Philippine Coast Guard doon sa last known location, malapit po sa last known location ng chopper," said Jeremias Alili, head of Palawan's disaster risk reduction and management office.

The debris included a pillow and shoes, which a relative said belonged to the patient on board the chopper, Alili told ABS-CBN's TeleRado. .

"Meron din pong nakita yung coast guard na canister o tangke ng gas at ito ay for verification pa at ipapa-identify pa namin sa operator ng helicopter," he added.

The chopper took off at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday to pick up a female patient, who complained of abdominal pain, in Mangsee Island in Balabac town in Palawan.

After fetching the patient, the aircraft left for Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital in Brooke's Point, Palawan, north of Mangsee Island.

The medical evacuation flight — with registry no. N45VX and operated by Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services — was expected to arrive at 10:30 a.m. at the said hospital.

"Pero 9:28 a.m. pa lang ay hindi na ito nagbato ng kanyang location," Alili said.

He said the search for the missing passengers would continue on Friday.

"Medyo malawak po ito, may siguro, umaabot ‘to ng 100-150 square kilometers ang sasakupin nito, considering po may factor po ng current. Yung current po ay going southeast," he said.

The official said the Philippine Navy, the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, other local disaster response officials, and residents who own small boats are helping with the search.

The helicopter is the third aircraft reported missing this year in the Philippines.

6 FRATMEN FACE HAZING RAPS OVER DEATH OF ENGINEERING STUDENT, OTHERS STILL AT LARGE

MANILA — Six members of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity have been charged for the hazing death of John Matthew Salilig, a chemical engineering student at Adamson University, while another suspect surrendered to the authorities.

The Philippine National Police assisted John Michael Salilig, the victim’s brother, in filing complaints for violating the Anti-Hazing Act.

Named respondents in the complaints were tattoo artist Michael Lambert Ritalde, 31; Mark Edrosa, 39; and students Romeo Earl Anthony, 21; Tung Cheng Teng Jr., 22; Jerome Balot, 22; and Sandro Victorino, 28. They were arrested on March 2.

John Matthew’s fellow fraternity neophyte, Adamson student Roi Osmon Tuazon Dela Cruz, was also assisted by the PNP in filing another complaint against the six fraternity members.

When presented for inquest before the DOJ, Police Lt. Col. Virgilio Jopia, police chief of Imus, Cavite, said the six arrested suspects asked for a preliminary investigation.

“We filed the case but they exercised their right for the conduct of a preliminary investigation,” Jopia said.

“They will submit their counter-affidavits for the preliminary investigation this March 10,” he said.

In the meantime, Jopia said all six suspects will remain in police custody.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects who dumped Salilig’s body in an empty lot in Cavite surrendered Thursday.

Cavite Provincial Police Office said 23-year-old suspect Daniel Perry surrendered to Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla at about 1:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, Salilig’s remains arrived Thursday in his hometown in Zamboanga City.

Salilig’s family and Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe and Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja met the remains of John Matthew at the Edwin Andrews Air Force base. A Philippine Air Force C130 plane transported his remains.

John Matthew’s father Joeffry Salilig said that they are seeking justice for the death of his son. “My son was still young, and he had so many ambitions in life. He was taken from us so early,” he said.

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FUEL FROM TANKER BLACKENS COASTS

Clean-up efforts were under way on the blackened coasts of a central Philippine island Thursday after spillage from a sunken oil tanker washed ashore, the country’s environment chief said, as fears of economic and environmental harm grew.

The oil spill off Naujan town on Mindoro island reached the shores of the next four municipalities on the island’s east coast around noon Thursday and appeared to be flowing further south, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga said in a statement.

As it sailed into rough seas off Naujan on Tuesday, the Princess Empress sank with its cargo of 800,000 liters (210,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil.

Another vessel rescued the 20 crew members on board, but the Princess Empress leaked some of its cargo into the sea after initially spilling diesel fuel which had been powering the vessel, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

Environment personnel “are now focusing on coastal clean-up” given the extent of the affected shoreline, Loyzaga said.

Divers will meanwhile assess the impact on reefs, mangroves and sea grasses, as “possible contamination might actually affect the viability of these systems.”

The spill had spread over 24 square kilometers (nine square miles) of water by Wednesday, the coast guard said previously.

It is not known how much diesel fuel and industrial fuel oil is in the water.

SEN. IMEE TO GIVE FINANCIAL AID TO SINGLE MOTHERS, PREGNANT WOMEN

Sen. Imee Marcos has committed to distribute financial assistance to single mothers, senior citizens, and pregnant women for one month in various parts of the country in line with the celebration of Women’s Month this March.

On Thursday, Marcos started giving financial aid through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) program Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).

The beneficiaries reached about 2,000 women from Antipolo City and Rodriguez, Rizal, with each getting P3,000.

This weekend, Marcos will go around Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, and La Union for AICS payouts.

She will also hold a dialogue with members of the Young Farmers Club of the Philippines.

Marcos hopes the financial aid will help women and their families after being hit by the pandemic and amid the continuing increase in the price of food and other commodities.

TRANSPORT GROUPS SPLIT ON STRIKE

The weeklong transport strike starting March 6 will push through even as more groups on Thursday said they would not join the protest and distanced themselves from its Manila-based organizers.

This early, the government said it is already preparing contingency plans to mitigate the impact of the strike, including free bus and van rides for affected commuters.

“The transport strike will push through. Nothing has happened in the Senate hearing. The bottomline is the PUV phaseout will still happen,” Manibela said in a Facebook post after yesterday’s hearing of the Senate public services committee chaired by Senator Grace Poe.

Transport group PISTON said it will not stop protesting until the government revises it PUV Modernization Program, noting that merely extendint the deadline is not enough.

The Northern Mindanao Federation of Transport Service Cooperative (Nomfedtrasco), however, said it opposes the declaration of Manibela, led by its chairperson Mar Valbuena, for a nationwide transport strike.

Pampanga-based members of the Federation of Jeepney Drivers at Operators (FEDJODA) also announced that they would pull out of the planned national transport strike.

The National Public Transport Coalition (NPTC) also announced the cancellation of the mass transport strike to give way to the Senate’s ongoing probe of the PUV modernization program.

A group of Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers also said they will not participate in the one week transport strike.

42 STILL SUFFERING AMOEBIASIS, ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS IN SAN CARLOS

MANILA - The San Carlos City Hospital in Negros Occidental is treating more than 42 patients for amoebiasis and acute gastroenteritis, a local official said Friday.

"As of 5 p.m. yesterday, we have around 42 active cases (in) San Carlos City Hospital. Nadagdagan po ng 5 panibagong cases. Out of 42 po, 20 po yung amoebiasis and 22 po yung acute gastroenteritis," said San Carlos City incident management team spokesperson Joe Alingasa.

Mayor Renato Gustilo declared on February 22 a state of health emergency "due to the increasing cases of amoebiasis" in the city.

Alingasa said their local hospital has treated 469 cases of suspected amoebiasis in 18 barangays from February 1-March 1.

He said E. coli has been detected in some water sources in the city.

"Initial report, meron pong mga areas na wala pong traces ng chlorine so may big possibility na contaminated ito ng bacteria that may cause the acute diarrhea. And then meron pong mga areas po na nag-confirm talaga na may presence of E. coli and saka coliform in initial testing," he said.

He also said two 3-year-old boys have died from amoebiasis.

NO MORE JACKETS, POCKETS FOR NAIA SCREENERS

MANILA — Security screening officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will soon no longer be allowed to wear uniforms or jackets that have pockets in them to prevent more incidents of theft at the NAIA, the country’s premier gateway.

Cesar Chiong, Manila International Airport Authority general manager, said the MIAA also prohibited the security screening personnel or SSO to interact directly with passengers or bring passenger bags into their areas of

assignment.

These measures are among the MIAA service standard policies for employees of government and non-government agencies that Chiong ordered “to be implemented strictly” at the NAIA following reports that a Thai and a Chinese tourist were robbed of cash and watch, respectively.

Chiong stressed in a statement that incidents like these “negate all efforts of the MIAA to improve the image of NAIA.”

SPORTS

NLEX DEF. TERRAFIRMA, 142-125

NLEX Road Warriors (7-3) defated TerraFirma Dyip (2-7), 142-125 to grab their seventh win in the 2023 PBA Governors' Cup on Thursday, March 2 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

The Scores:

NLEX 142 - Trollano 44, Selden Jr 38, Ganuelas-Rosser 19, Alas 15, Paniamogan 6, Nieto 5, Rosales 4, Pascual 4, Miranda 3, Doliguez 2, Semerad 2, Celda 0, Ighalo 0, Gabo 0.

TERRAFIRMA 125 – Tiongson 38, Williams 29, Cahilig 17, Gabayni 13, Ramos 5, Cabagnot 5, Calvo 4, Camson 4, Daquioag 3, Gomez de Liano 3, Alolino 2, Ferrer 2, Mina 0.

Quarters: 31-27, 66-49, 110-87, 142-125

MAGNOLIA DEF. NORTHPORT, 129-109

Magnolia Timplados Hotshots (5-4) defeated NorthPort Batang Pier (2-7), 129-109 to grab their fifth win in the 2023 PBA Governors' Cup on Thursday, March 2 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Magnolia uses strong second quarter and outscored the Batang Pier, 42-16, to hold a 73-47 lead at the half. Antonio Hester had a another double-double for the Hotshots with 28 points (12/17fg, 4/6ft) to go with fourteen rebounds, three assists and one steal in 30 minutes of play.

Mark Barroca had 21 points, two rebounds and game-high eight assists while Rome Dela Rosa finished with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and perfect 2-of-2 from the line along with six rebounds.

The Scores:

MAGNOLIA 129 - Hester 28, Barroca 21, Dela Rosa 19, Abueva 18, Lee 16, Dionisio 15, Escoto 7, Jalalon 3, Mendoza 2, Reavis 0, Corpuz 0, Ahanmisi 0, Wong 0, Zaldivar 0.

NORTHPORT 109 – Murphy 31, Bolick 30, Munzon 11, Calma 9, Chan 8, Taha 6, Tolentino 4, Salado 4, Zamar 3, Sumang 2, Balagasay 1, Caperal 0, Ayaay 0, Santos 0.

Quarters: 31-31, 73-47, 98-84, 129-109

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 55.01

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Those who do not hear the music think the dancer is mad. - African Proverb