News Roundup 12 May 2024
May 12, 2024 • 4 min Read
Ex-Pres. Duterte’s adviser Michael Yang to be invited to House drug probe | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Michael Yang, former President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic adviser, will be invited to the House of Representatives’ next hearing relating to the over P3 billion drug bust at a warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga last year.
According to Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, Lincoln Ong, Yang’s interpreter who was also linked in the Pharmally scandal, “was found to be an incorporator of a company with links to other companies including Empire 999.”
The lawmaker, who chairs the committee on dangerous drugs, revealed Empire 999 owned the warehouse where the P3 billion worth of shabu (crystal meth) was found.
He explained that the company was allegedly operated by some Chinese, who also have bogus firms managed by personalities previously linked to anomalous activities during the past administration.
To further find the connection between Yang and Ong, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, head of the public order committee, moved to invite the two to the next hearing.
“It will be remembered that Pharmally cornered billions in favored contracts with the PS DBM (Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management), then headed by Christopher Lao, to supply medical needs during the pandemic,” the statement issued by Barbers on Sunday reads.
Full Story at: Ex-Pres. Duterte’s adviser Yang to be invited to House probe (inquirer.net)
House to begin plenary debates on Rice Tariff Law amendments this week | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is scheduled to start its plenary debates on a bill amending the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) — a measure geared at substantially reducing rice prices — this week, according to Speaker Martin Romualdez.
In a statement on Sunday, Romualdez said that the lower chamber aims to secure the bill’s approval on second reading by Wednesday (May 15).
“We recognize the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by consumers due to high rice prices. Through these plenary debates, we are taking decisive action to bring about meaningful change and ease the financial strain on Filipino households,” the lawmaker said.
He added that plenary debates for the RTL amendment bill will begin once sponsored by the agriculture and food committee, headed by Quezon 1st District Rep. Mark Enverga.
Full Story at: House to begin plenary debates on Rice Tariff Law amendments (inquirer.net)
Bato gives more details on ‘Judas’ cop | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bato dela Rosa yesterday gave more details about the unnamed ranking police official allegedly convincing cops to testify against him in his drug war crimes case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a dwIZ interview yesterday, Dela Rosa said the unnamed “upper classman” who betrayed him is in a powerful position under the present administration.
The unnamed official was an appointee of the late president Benigno Aquino III and was supposed to get the ax under former president Rodrigo Duterte but got to retain his post with Dela Rosa’s help.
“So sad of my upper classman. When PRRD (Duterte) was about to remove you from your post because you are a PNoy appointee, I moved heaven and earth to dissuade him,” Dela Rosa said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
“You finished the whole six-year term. Now, you are busy convincing PNP officers to testify against us in the ICC. God bless you, sir,” he added.
In the radio interview yesterday, Dela Rosa said he would identify the official “in the proper time.”
Full Story at: Bato gives more details on ‘Judas’ cop | Philstar.com
Inter-agency body to meet Monday over rise in Chinese students | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students (IACFS) will meet on Monday to discuss the increase in Chinese nationals studying in the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Sunday.
BI Commission Norman Tansingco said that he had requested a high-level meeting of the IACFS, chaired by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), after both houses of Congress called for probes into the influx of Chinese students in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province.
“We have requested the high-level meeting to reiterate our previous requests for immediate joint inspections, and for it to become a regular conduct by the IACFS given new developments in national security concerns,” Tansingco said.
“We also believe that it is high time that the inter-agency be active in matters of national security by including security assessment as a regular agenda in meetings,” he added.
A review of the agency’s records found that 1,516 student visas were granted to Chinese nationals in Cagayan, all endorsed by a major Philippine university.
Reports, however, showed that only 485 were enrolled as of April, with only 96 onsite with student visa.
The BI said the meeting also seeks to clarify the role of each agency in permitting foreigners to study in the Philippines.
Full Story at: Inter-agency body to meet Monday over rise in Chinese students | Philstar.com
