News Roundup 10 May 2024
May 10, 2024 • 4 min Read
Marcos: No reports of ‘destab plot’ among active police officers | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he is not aware of any plans to remove him from office involving active police officials amid allegations of another ouster plot being hatched against his administration.
In an interview with reporters in General Santos City, the president said that there may be some retired police officials joining the alleged “destabilization plot” against him, but he sees no need to conduct a “loyalty check” among current police personnel.
“Sa ating mga kapulisan at siyempre lalo na sa officer corps, wala naman tayong nakikitang ganun na namumulitika ang mga police (But in the police service, especially the officer corps, we don’t see any politicking),” Marcos said.
The president downplayed the need to assess the loyalty of current police personnel, saying that they should just focus on doing their jobs.
Full Story at: Marcos: No reports of ‘destab plot’ among active police officers | Philstar.com
DFA warns vs ‘false narratives’ on Ayungin | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has warned the public against false narratives being spread by China to sow discord among Filipinos, including its “unverifiable” recording of a phone conversation between a ranking Philippine military officer and a Chinese diplomat purportedly on an agreement on a “new model” for managing the situation in Ayungin Shoal.
In the alleged phone conversation, a voice – supposedly of Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos – could be heard expressing his approval of the new model to the one on the other line, reportedly a ranking diplomat in the Chinese embassy.
The BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded on Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal for more than three decades, serving as an outpost for a small contingent of Filipino soldiers.
Beijing is claiming it has a gentleman’s agreement with Manila to allow only deliveries of food and other provisions to Sierra Madre and not construction materials.
In a statement, the DFA said it is cautioning the public “against falling for false narratives” from China.
“Resorting to tactics such as releasing unverifiable recordings of supposed conversations with Philippine officials could demonstrate efforts to sow discord and confusion among Philippine agencies and the Filipino public,” it said.
The DFA said diplomats should strictly adhere to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, particularly Article 41 which states that “…it is the duty of all persons to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State.”
Full Story at: DFA warns vs ‘false narratives’ on Ayungin | Philstar.com
No goodbye to Hello Garci scandal, Poe says | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — There will be no goodbye to the Hello Garci scandal until the truth is out and perpetrators get punished.
Exactly twenty years ago, the Hello Garci scandal shook the nation. On Friday, Senator Grace Poe recalled how the mess allegedly deprived her father, the late action star Fernando Poe Jr., of becoming the country’s president in 2004.
“Mahirap sabihing goodbye, ‘Hello Garci’ hanggang hindi lumalabas ang buong katotohanan, walang napaparusahan at patuloy pa rin ang dayaan,” said Poe in a statement.
(It’s hard to say goodbye to Hello Garci until the truth is revealed. Those involved remain unpunished, and cheating continues.)
The Hello Garci scandal involved leaked recordings of phone calls between former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and then-election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, supposedly discussing rigging the 2004 national election results.
Full Story at: No goodbye to Hello Garci scandal, Poe says (inquirer.net)
Marcos: Ex-PDEA agent Morales is like a jukebox; will sing anything for money | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has compared former anti-drug agent Jonathan Morales, who linked him to illegal drugs, to a ‘jukebox’ — as the latter would sing whatever song is directed in exchange for money.
In an ambush interview with reporters on Friday, Marcos said that it is hard to give importance to Morales’ claims, believing that the former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) personnel is a professional liar.
Morales testified before the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs and said that pre-operation reports linking Marcos and actress Maricel Soriano to drugs are authentic.
Incumbent PDEA officials, however, debunked this, saying that such a file does not exist.
“Mahirap naman bigyan ng importansya ‘yan. You know, this fellow is a professional liar at parang jukebox ‘yan. Kung anong ihulog mo — basta maghulog ka ng pera, kahit anong kantang gusto mo, kakantahin niya,” Marcos said on the sidelines of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in General Santos City.
(It is hard to give importance to that. This fellow is a professional liar, and he is like a jukebox. Whatever you drop, you drop money. Whatever song you want, he will sing it.)
Full Story at: Marcos: Ex-PDEA agent Morales is like jukebox; he’ll sing anything (inquirer.net)
