News Roundup 12 April 2023
Apr 12, 2023 • 4 min Read
US, PH to conduct joint patrols with ‘like-minded partners’ in South China Sea | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The United States and the Philippines on Wednesday bared their plans to conduct maritime activities, including joint patrols, with “like-minded partners” in the South China Sea later this year.
This was among the points discussed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, and Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. during a “2+2” ministerial dialogue in Washington on Tuesday.
The top defense and foreign officials from the two longtime allies vowed to “finalize plans for the resumption of combined maritime activities, including the conduct of joint sails by the U.S. and Philippine navies, in the South China Sea.”
“Both sides also discussed plans to conduct multilateral maritime activities with other like-minded partners in the South China Sea later this year,” said a joint statement from the US and the Philippines released Wednesday.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez had earlier mentioned that Japan and Australia are likely to join the joint patrols in the contested waterway.
Full Story at: US, PH to conduct joint patrols with ‘like-minded partners’ in South China Sea | Global News (inquirer.net)
Pagasa: 11 provinces now under Signal No. 1 as TD Amang crosses Caramoan, CamSur | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is now raised over 11 provinces, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday afternoon, as Tropical Depression Amang traverses the coastal waters of Caramoan in Camarines Sur province.
In its 2 p.m. cyclone bulletin, Pagasa said Amang maintained its maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph as it was moving north-northwestward at 10 kph.
“Amang is forecast to track generally northwestward in the next 12 hours and is expected to pass over the eastern localities in Camarines Sur, Lamon Bay, and Quezon (with the possibility of passing near or over Polillo Islands),” the state weather service disclosed.
“Considering the weak and disorganized nature of this depression, considerable changes in the track forecast of succeeding bulletins are not ruled out,” it added.
Full Story at: Pagasa: 11 provinces now under Signal No. 1 as TD Amang crosses Caramoan, CamSur | Inquirer News
Police general denies cover-up in shabu case | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — There was no attempt to cover up the arrest of a former anti-narcotics officer from whose property 990 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P6.7 billion were seized in October last year, one of the police officials accused of being involved in the supposed cover-up said yesterday.
At a press conference at Camp Crame, Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) director Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo justified the decision to uncuff and release former master sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr., saying it was a “tactical move” approved by Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. and former PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr.
Azurin and Santos could not be reached when sought for confirmation of Domingo’s pronouncement.
In a statement, the PNP expressed support for Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos’ call on Domingo, Santos and eight other police officers to take a leave of absence or face suspension while an investigation of their alleged involvement in the cover-up of Mayo’s arrest in Manila on Oct. 8 is underway.
Domingo said he and other senior police officials present in the aftermath of the operation agreed to utilize Mayo for another operation.
He explained they were planning to use Mayo for a follow-up operation after the ex-policeman revealed there was another huge cache of illegal drugs stored in a warehouse in Pasig City.
Full Story at: Police general denies cover-up in shabu case | Philstar.com
US investment in EDCA expected to breach $100M by September | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — With four new sites identified under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the United States sees its infrastructure investments in both old and new locations to total as much as $100 million by the end of the 2023 fiscal year.
The US government’s 2023 fiscal year started last year, October 1, and it will end on September 30, 2023. Washington has so far invested over $82 million to develop projects across the existing five locations in Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Palawan, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III expects the financing to “spur job creation and economic growth” in local communities.
“These sites will support combined training exercises and interoperability between our forces to ensure that we’re even better prepared for future crises,” Austin said in a joint press briefing early Wednesday, Manila time.
The additional EDCA investment is also separate from the additional $100 million allocated for foreign military financing for medium lift helicopters that the US announced last year.
Full Story at: US investment in EDCA expected to breach $100M by September | Philstar.com
