News Roundup 21 August 2024
Aug 21, 2024 • 5 min Read
Philippines discusses China’s ‘illegal, dangerous’ actions with US security exec | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ security adviser and his counterpart in the United States have exchanged information on maritime tensions in the region following China’s “aggressive” actions toward Philippine vessels and aircraft this month.
According to a statement on Wednesday by the National Security Council, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan discussed China’s “recent illegal, aggressive and dangerous actions” through a phone call the day before.
Both parties raised “grave concerns” on two recent incidents: Chinese fighter jets’ dropping of flares near the flight path of a Philippine aircraft on August 8, and the ramming of two Philippine Coast Guard vessels by Chinese Coast Guard vessels last week.
Año reaffirmed the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award that invalidated China’s sweeping claims of ownership in the South China Sea.
The Philippine official also expressed appreciation for the ongoing support of the United States, which reiterated its commitment to its mutual defense treaty with the Philippines in a statement on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Sullivan praised the recent Philippines-Vietnam joint coast guard exercise and Manila’s efforts to enhance maritime cooperation with regional partners, according to the statement.
“The two NSAs look forward to the implementation of strategic priorities to accelerate the Philippines’ capability development and to continuously modernize the alliance,” the statement read.
Full Story at: Philippines discusses China’s ‘illegal, dangerous’ actions with US security exec | Philstar.com
House answers VP Sara: Auditing your secret funds not tied to impeachment plot | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Wednesday again denied Vice President Sara Duterte’s allegation that the lower chamber is preparing an impeachment case against her, saying that efforts to access the audit report of her confidential and intelligence expenditures are “part of the regular budgeting process.”
During a press conference, Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega (La Union, 1st District) also challenged Duterte to name her “friends” in the House who informed her of the alleged impeachment case being readied against her.
“Perhaps she should just identify her friends who made the claims so that those friends can confirm if the information they are receiving from the grapevine is correct. But here in the House of Representatives, nothing of that sort is being discussed,” the House assistant majority leader said.
This comes after Duterte said in a press conference on Tuesday that House lawmakers are eyeing to impeach her using the findings of the Commission on Audit on the confidential and intelligence expenses of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education from 2022 to 2023.
The vice president said her “friends” in the House, who are remaining silent “out of fear,” informed her that the impeachment plan is being talked about openly.
Makabayan bloc lawmakers, including Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers), moved to subpoena the Commission on Audit last week to submit its audit reports on OVP and DepEd’s confidential and intelligence expenses to the powerful House appropriations committee.
Full Story at: House answers VP Sara: Auditing your secret funds not tied to impeachment plot | Philstar.com
Hontiveros eyes realigning VP Duterte’s P10M budget for children’s book | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday said she wants to realign the budget for the “duplicating” items in the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed funding for 2025, including the “improper” P10-million allocation for the distribution of Vice President Sara Duterte’s children’s book.
“At the proper time, sa period of amendments, magpo-propose po ako ng amendment dun sa items ng program sa OVP na katulad lamang doon sa mga programa ng mga line agencies natin, including Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),” Hontiveros said at the Kapihan sa Senado forum.
(At the proper time, in the period of amendments, I will propose an amendment to items under the OVP’s programs that are similar to the programs of other line agencies, including the DSWD, DOH, and DOLE.)
Hontiveros would also seek amendments to the controversial allocation for the distribution of Duterte’s children’s book “Isang Kaibigan.”
“Yung item ng P10 million para sa pagmumudmod ng mga kopya ng Isang Kaibigan ay papasukan ko rin po ng amendment. Yun naman ang purpose ng interpellation sa hearing eh, para i-explore,” she told reporters.
(I would also insert amendments to the P10-million item that would be used to distribute copies of Isang Kaibigan. That’s the purpose of interpellation in a hearing, to explore.)
Full Story at: Hontiveros eyes realigning VP Duterte’s P10M budget for her book (inquirer.net)
Hontiveros to VP: Gratitude is one thing, violence, fund misuse are another | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines – While she knows how to be grateful to those who helped her win a seat in the Senate, it’s a different story when there is violence or misuse of funds involved.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros had this to say, a day after Vice President Sara Duterte brought up an “old and unrelated issue” to the budget request of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
The two clashed during Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate finance subcommittee on the proposed OVP’s P2.037-billion budget for 2025.
“Ang naramdaman ko ay pagkagitla nanaman. Ano naman kinalaman ng kwento nyang iyan na kwnenento na n’ya dati sa tinanong kong budget questions?” Hontiveros asked during the regular Kapihan sa Senado.
(What I felt was surprise again. What does that story, which she has already shared before, have to do with the budget questions I asked.)
The senator was asked about the support she supposedly sought from then Davao City Mayor Duterte during the 2016 elections.
“Ako po ay isang taong marunong tumanaw ng utang na loob lalo na sa taongbayan. Pero kung humantong ang isang administrasyon sa patayan o paglustay ng kaban ng bayan, ibang usapan na ‘yan,” Hontiveros went on.
(I am someone who knows how to show gratitude, especially to the people. However, if an administration reaches a point where there is violence or misuse of funds, that’s a different story.)
Full Story at: Hontiveros to VP: Gratitude is one thing, fund misuse is another (inquirer.net)
