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7 nanlaban drug suspects dead after Baste Duterte declares drug war
Less than a week after Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte declared a "war on drugs" in the city, at least seven drug suspects were killed during a buy-bust operation in the city — violence that highlights the seriousness of the mayor's recent threat of outright killing persons caught using illegal drugs......»»
7 dead after Davao City Mayor Duterte declares war vs. drugs
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 March) – Two more drug suspects died in separate buy-bust operations in Toril District here before dawn Tuesday, after they allegedly resisted arrest, a police official said. This brought the number of fatalities to seven since Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte declared a “war” on illegal drugs last March […].....»»
Kalayaan declares Chinese envoy persona non grata
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The municipal council of Kalayaan unanimously approved Wednesday a measure declaring Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian persona non grata, signifying their strong opposition to his presence in their area at any time. Councilor Maurice Philip Alexis Albayda’s resolution will be forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Senate, and the Chinese Embassy in Manila to convey the sentiments of the island town. Albayda said this will serve to inform high government officials of their feelings and to make Xilian aware of their strong concerns regarding his country’s oppressive actions in the West Philippine Sea, where their hometown Kalayaan is located. The resolution was prompted by the 5 August incident during which China Coast Guard ships attempted to ram and used a water cannon on two supply boats being escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard. Albayda said the aggressive behavior by China not only put the lives of the supply boats’ crew and passengers at risk but also of the crew aboard the escorting PCG’s BRP Cabra who included three Kalayaan residents. “Did you know that we had fellow Kalayaan residents on board the BRP Cabra? Yes, they were there,” he said. “Without a doubt, the actions of our neighboring country are truly infuriating.” The Kalayaan residents were en route to Lawak Island at the time to build a shelter for coastal enforcers, he said. “I want to propose that we declare Ambassador Huang Xilian persona non grata in the town of Kalayaan, the only town in the West Philippine Sea,” Albayda said in his privilege speech shortly before the resolution was passed. Albayda also said he was calling on the DFA to downgrade the Philippines’ diplomatic relationship with China given what it is doing in ignoring the safety of the people in the WPS. Kalayaan Vice Mayor Beltzasar Alindogan supported Albayda’s move declaring Xilian persona non grata. “I’ve personally experienced China’s harassment, like being driven away, but the situation with the two supply boats was much more intense,” Alindogan said, emphasizing that Kalayaan should also communicate to China their strong disapproval of its actions. He said he has volunteered to join the reservists and encouraged the military to conduct training on Pag-asa Island, to allow residents to display their patriotism. Former Kalayaan Mayor Joel Bito-onon, who is now a municipal councilor, also voted to approve the declaration against Xilian, but cautioned that it might jeopardize diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines given what happened in the past when two government officials were denied entry to Hong Kong. “Since way back, I’ve thought that due to China’s deceptive behavior, very deceitful. They say one thing, do another. I’ve seen countless instances on YouTube of them overturning ships, like what they did to Vietnam. I’ve wondered when that will happen in the Philippines. And now, this incident with our supply boats, it’s the worst that I have seen so far,” Bito-onon said. “But I’m thinking, maybe we should add a bit more wisdom, because you might end up like me, being told not to go to any city in China,” he added. Meanwhile, Senator Francis Escudero on Wednesday said he will propose the allocation of at least P100 million in the 2024 national budget to fund the construction of permanent structures at the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea “to strengthen the country’s presence in the contested maritime territory.” “I will propose the allocation of a minimum of P100 million to fund the construction of a pier and lodging structures for our soldiers assigned in the area, and for our fishermen who might seek temporary refuge in times of bad weather,” Escudero told the Senate reporters. The senator said the structures could serve as permanent lodging for military personnel stationed at the old BRP Sierra Madre, a warship intentionally grounded in the shoal in 1999 as a Philippine military outpost. It can also serve as temporary shelter for foreign fishermen “who will be caught in bad weather” in the waters. Lade JEAn Kabagani @tribunephl_Lade The post Kalayaan declares Chinese envoy persona non grata appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BSP bans six money service firms for violations
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has banned six money service businesses from registering their companies further in the Philippines they were caught operating without a license. In a statement released on Monday, BSP’s policy-making body Monetary Board has disqualified the entities and any sole proprietorship owned and/or controlled by their respective owners/operators from registering with, and/or obtaining a license from the BSP to engage in any activity that is authorized or supervised by the BSP for operating as MSB without prior BSP registration. "The (disqualification) is pursuant to Section 901-N of the Manual of Regulations for Non-Bank Financial Institutions, and is part of BSP’s efforts to address the proliferation of entities engaged in the operation of unauthorized MSBs," the Central Bank explained. Of the six MSBs that BSP recently banned, three are located in Makati City, two in Pasay City and one in San Fernando, Pampanga. Last February, the BSP also disqualified one MSB in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, and another one in Panglao, Bohol. Last year, the BSP disqualified 10 MSBs from obtaining a license to operate because they failed to register with the BSP. MSBs are non-bank entities that provide remittance, money changing and foreign exchange dealing services. MSBs can also deal in virtual assets, which are digital representations of value that can be traded or used for payment. As of the end of 2022, the BSP has registered 7,584 MSBs, an 0.18 percent increase from 7,570 in 2021. The BSP said it is committed to ensuring that MSBs are properly regulated and supervised to protect the public. The post BSP bans six money service firms for violations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippine ferry with 120 people aboard catches fire, all safe
A ferry with around 120 people on board caught fire on Sunday morning off Bohol province in the central Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. The coast guard station in Cebu City told Xinhua that all the passengers and crew were rescued safely. The PCG in Manila later confirmed the information. The PCG spokesperson Armando Balilo said fire engulfed the M/V Esperanza Star around 4:30 a.m. loc.....»»
Philippine ferry with 65 passengers catches fire, no casualties
MANILA, June 18 (Xinhua) -- A ferry with 65 people on board caught fire on Sunday morning off Bohol province in the central Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. The PCG spokesperson Armando Balilo said fire engulfed the M/V Esperanza Star around 4:30 a.m. local time (2030 GMT) off Panglao Island. The PCG station in Cebu City told Xinhua that there were no casualties in the accident. The PCG.....»»
Fish dwindling in Gensan seas
GENERAL SANTOS CITY— The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. in Region 12 says that the fishing industry in General Santos City is dwindling. Speaking with members of the City Council here, Carolina de Leon member of the board of PHILEXPORT 12 said that the fishing industry is now facing a very big problem. De Leon said that General Santos City (GenSan for short) which was once known as the Tuna Capital of the Philippines must resolve immediately the factors that are causing the fast decline of tuna caught in the open sea. She also acknowledged a statement made earlier by General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. or GSCCCI representative, former Sarangani Province Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez who said that the Gensan fishing industry is now already a sunset industry. Operations ceased “A lot of fishing businessmen have already stopped operations,” De Leon told the city councilors. According to her, Gensan, which used to be one of the country’s top exporters of tuna is now just in in fifth place. She said this data came from the Bureau of Customs which reported on export volumes associated with tuna. “Since 2014, when we did not continue the bilateral talks with Indonesia, the supply of tuna reduced,” she said. Bilateral agreement The PHILEXPORT 12 executive stressed that the government must revive the bilateral agreement between Indonesia since this is considered as the main solution for GenSan’s dwindling fishing industry. Meanwhile, City Councilor Khan Balleque disclosed that about eight percent of tuna being processed in the city comes from outside the country. De Leon said that only 20 percent of fresh catch are intended for local consumption. However, she said, this does not go to the city but to other areas like Mati City in Davao Oriental and Tacloban City where there is a high demand for the catch. De Leon is optimistic that once the bilateral agreement between Indonesia and the Philippines resumes, substantially positive developments in the local fishing industry will take place. Indonesian waters Citing the rich supply of fresh catch in Indonesian waters, she believes that more fishermen will once again set sail for the open sea, resulting in much economic activity. The high fresh catch will definitely turn things around since processing and canning factories in the city will spend less against the frozen fish that are already value-added. The Sanggunian, through vice mayor Rosalita Nunez believe that it is high time for the national government to do something about the matter. She said that the Sanggunian should pass a resolution to urge the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to once again renew bilateral talks with Indonesia in line with the fishing industry. The post Fish dwindling in Gensan seas appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Intensify search for missing passengers — Sulu LGU
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Sulu provincial government on Tuesday has called on concerned agencies to intensify the search and retrieval of missing passengers of the Ill-fated M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 which caught fire near the coast of Baluk-Baluk island in Mohammad Adjul, Basilan on 29 March. Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan believed that much has yet to be done and lamented that government authorities who were involved in the search and rescue operation have not exerted much effort in their search and rescue operation. “I think not so much has been done by the search and rescue operatives to address the recent sea tragedy involving the Ill-fated M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 of the Aleson Shipping Lines,” Tan said. “I hope other government agencies can step in and conduct an in-depth investigation on the tragedy,” he added. Tan said the provincial government believed that 19 more passengers are still missing and authorities should continue their search for the missing passengers, all not listed in the boat list of passenger manifest. It was reported that a total of 197 passengers were rescued, 16 of them died in the incident and were identified while 17 charred bodies were recovered inside the vessel accommodation section and remained unidentified. Families of the 19 passengers continue to claim that their relatives boarded and bought their ticket on board the vessel on that fateful night. According to the governor, the Sulu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council are checking daily with families for an update on the missing member of their family. Tan also lamented that government agencies tasked to investigate the incident have different numbers of reported missing persons. As this developed, senior officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao led by BARMM Deputy Minister for Island Provinces Albakil Jikiri visited Tan to seek update on the search effort made by authorities to account for the missing passengers of the ferry. Jikiri was accompanied to Jolo, Sulu by Hja Nur-Ainee Misuari Lim, deputy minister MSSD-BARMM, Nurredha Misuari, member of Parliament and Tarhata Ibrahim Miisuari, wife of Moro National Liberation Front founding chair Nur Misuari. Tan said close to 100 lawyers, most of them Tausug and from Zamboanga City, have joined other lawyers who expressed their willingness to assist the victims of the sea tragedy in seeking justice for the death of their loved ones. The post Intensify search for missing passengers — Sulu LGU appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Public warned: Don’t give alms to beggars on Cebu City streets or you will be apprehended, fined
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Starting Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, the Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Board (CCAMB) will conduct rescue operations and issue citation tickets to mendicants and those who will be caught giving cash or any material goods to these mendicants. This is because the city government aims to be more assertive in enforcing City […] The post Public warned: Don’t give alms to beggars on Cebu City streets or you will be apprehended, fined appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
LTFRB-7: 112 PUVs caught violating health protocols in Metro Cebu
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Operators of 112 public utility vehicles (PUVs) were issued show cause orders and inspection report summons (IRS) by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB) for violating health protocols since the new quarantine statuses were imposed on different areas of Metro Cebu. Majority of the traditional jeepneys […] The post LTFRB-7: 112 PUVs caught violating health protocols in Metro Cebu appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cebu City declares state of calamity in 28 mountain barangays due to el Niño
CEBU CITY, Philippines – In response to the escalating effects of the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, Cebu City has declared a “state of calamity” in 28 mountain barangays. This decision comes after a resolution was passed with reports of dwindling water sources and agricultural distress, prompting urgent measures to assist affected communities in the city. .....»»
Antipolo City throws support on Ajido
The Antipolo City government led by Mayor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III will provide support to Antipolo-born swimmer Jamesray Mishael Ajido, who won the country’s lone gold medal in record-breaking fashion at the recent 11th Asian Age-Group Swimming Championships......»»
CHR alarmed by war vs drugs in Davao City
THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is alarmed by Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s “war against drugs”, as seven drug users were killed from different barangays in the city over the weekend, just a few hours after his declaration......»»
Councilor Javi’s FB account hacked
DAVAO City Second District Councilor Javi Campos confirmed that his account has been hacked by still unknown individuals......»»
Mayor Uy posts cryptic messages amid Igacos power problems
ISLAND Garden City of Samal (Igacos) Mayor Al David Uy posted cryptic messages regarding the power crisis in Igacos......»»
Capitol mulls putting ‘integrated south bus’ terminal in Talisay instead of at SRP
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Instead of at the South Road Properties (SRP), the new location of a new south bus terminal in Cebu might be in Talisay City. Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Wednesday, Mar. 27, said that they had received an unsolicited proposal of developing a brand new, south bus terminal. READ: Mayor Rama.....»»
CHR probes Davao drug war deaths
The Commission on Human Rights yesterday expressed grave concern over Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s recent declaration of a war on drugs in the city......»»
Belmonte: No tolerance for corruption
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte yesterday reiterated her zero-tolerance policy against corruption following the arrest of an official for alleged extortion......»»
Public utility trike operators urged to renew franchise, warned vs overpricing
THE Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) conducted a dialogue with the different Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Associations (Todas) of Toril District to remind drivers of the provisions of the Traffic Code of the City......»»
Rama reconsiders, unites with councilors for 2025 midterm elections
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Despite previously expressing doubts about his confidence in some incumbent councilors due to their cooperation with his vision, City Mayor Michael Rama appears to have reconsidered his stance. He recently announced that these councilors would still be part of his alliance for the 2025 midterm elections. READ: Rama: 2025 election candidates.....»»