News Roundup 24 March 2024
Mar 24, 2024 • 4 min Read
US condemns China’s latest aggression in WPS | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The United States on Saturday denounced China’s latest assault in the West Philippine Sea and vowed to uphold its defense commitments with Manila.
The Philippines reported on Saturday that the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) blocked and damaged a Filipino supply boat with water cannons while it was on its way to Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), causing injuries to personnel onboard.
“The United States stands with its ally the Philippines and condemns the dangerous actions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea on March 23,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“This incident marks only the latest in the PRC’s repeated obstruction of Philippine vessels’ exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and disruption of supply lines to this longstanding outpost,” he added.
The latest confrontation between Philippine and Chinese vessels came four days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Manila and said that the US stood by its “ironclad” commitment to defend its longtime ally against armed attack in the South China Sea.
Miller reaffirmed this commitment, saying the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft—including those of its Coast Guard—anywhere in South China.
Full Story at: US condemns China’s latest aggression in WPS | Philstar.com
Expelled solon Teves eyes political asylum; detention extended | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr.’s camp is considering seeking political asylum in Timor-Leste as they explore various legal options following his arrest.
This has been revealed by Ferdinand Topacio, Teves’ lawyer in a message to reporters on Saturday.
“Trial will resume on Monday. The Timor-Leste lawyers by then will submit arguments in support of other options for Rep. Teves, including political asylum,” Topacio’s message read.
It could be recalled that Teves applied for political asylum in Timor-Leste but was rejected in May 2023.
“The Timor-Leste legal team will meet tomorrow to explore other legal moves, including bringing the persecution of Rep. Teves to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. One of the lawyers in Timor-Leste is a recognized expert on international human rights,” he added.
Topacio also said that Teves’ detention has been extended by a Timor-Leste court to another 15 days maximum or for the possible duration of the trial.
“Visitors allowed are his lawyers and close Filipino friend pre-screened by the Timor-Leste authorities, and others upon the consent of Mr. Teves,” the legal counsel said.
Teves was arrested on Thursday by Timor-Leste law enforcement while playing golf in Dili.
On Friday, the Department of Justice said that the government will “consider all possibilities” which include extradition and deportation, for the expelled lawmaker to be returned to the country.
Full Story at: Expelled solon Teves eyes political asylum; detention extended | Philstar.com
House urged to probe into encroachments in Masungi Georeserve | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro urged the leadership of the House of Representatives to probe into the commercial encroachments of various resorts within the Masungi Georeserve in Tanay, Rizal.
Besides the inquiry on Captain’s Peak Resort’s operations within the Chocolate Hills protected area in Bohol, Castro also called on House leaders to look into the growing encroachment at the Masungi Reserve.
“While it is good that a hearing on the issue of the Captain’s Peak Resort was constructed in the area of Chocolate Hills, we are asking the House leadership to also call for a hearing on House Resolutions 867 and 1598,” the teacher solon said in a statement issued on Sunday.
Previous reports revealed the Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc. (MGFI) called the attention of Erin’s Place and Lihim na Batis on March 19. These two resorts are located in an area within the Upper Marikina River Basin (UMRB), under the municipality of Baras, Rizal.
Last March 21, the foundation announced that it had found seven more resorts and private developments in areas covered by the UMRB.
Of the seven, it identified five — Joeylot, Damun Bakery, Eastside Resort and Campsite, GSB Farm, and Bangui Farm.
Full Story at: Solon urges House to probe into Masungi encroachments (inquirer.net)
Pope skips Palm Sunday homily but continues service | INQUIRER.NET – VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis at the last minute skipped reading his homily during a Palm Sunday Mass for tens of thousands of people St. Peter’s Square but continued presiding at the service.
In recent weeks the 87-year-old pope has been suffering on and off from bronchitis and influenza and has delegated an aide to read his addresses for him but on Sunday his prepared text was not read at all.
It is very unusual for a pope to totally skip a homily at a major event such as Palm Sunday.
The Vatican gave no immediate explanation for why the pope skipped the homily. The television coverage showed only the crowd for a few minutes, instead of a close up of the pope.
An announcer on Vatican Radio then said the pope had decided to not read the homily. The pope, dressed in red vestments, continued presiding, reading parts of the Mass.
Full Story at: Pope skips Palm Sunday homily but continues service (inquirer.net)
