Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, March 5, 2023.
GUNMEN opened fire at Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo in front of his house in Pamplona town Saturday morning, killing him and five others in the latest attack against local officials. Authorities reported that three suspects were arrested by the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office in Sitio Punong, Barangay Cansumalig, Bayawan, Saturday afternoon. The suspects were identified as Joric Labrador, 50, a former Army soldier from Cagayan de Oro City; Joven Aber, 42, another ex-Army soldier, from Barangay Robles, La Castellana, Negros Occidental; and Benjie Rodriguez, 45, from Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental. The three were arrested during a hotpursuit operation launched by the Bayawan police station and the Philippine Army. Still being hunted are three other suspects. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the killing of Degamo, and the Department of Justice (DoJ) has offered a P5 million reward for information leading to his killers' arrest. The governor's wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice Vallega-Degamo, confirmed in a Facebook livestream that Degamo died at 11:41 a.m. at the Silliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete City. The 56-year-old governor was attending to some constituents in front of his residence in Sitio Nuebe, Barangay San Isidro, Pamplona, when men in "pixelized uniform and in full battle gear" shot him several times, police reported. At about 2 p.m, Saturday, a Mitsubishi Pajero, with license plate NQZ 735, a green Isuzu van (GRY 162) and a black Mitsubishi Montero (YAP 163), believed to be the killers' getaway vehicles, were found in Barangay Kansumalig, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental. Witnesses said bloodstains were found inside the Montero. They also said at least 10 persons were seen leaving the vehicles and walking toward a mountainous area. The killing of Degamo followed the wounding of another governor, Lanao del Sur's Mamintal Adiong, in an ambush that killed his driver and three police escorts, on February 17.
Hazing master 'initiator' in inquest proceedings
THE "master initiator" in the fraternity hazing that resulted in the death of 24-year-old Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig underwent inquest proceedings at the Department of Justice (DoJ) on Saturday. Police said Daniel Perry, alias "Sting," was with Salilig from the beginning of the hazing until Salilig's body was buried in Imus. Perry surrendered to Cavite Gov. Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla last Thursday. Salilig's brother, John Michael, has filed a hazing complaint against Perry. Another victim, Roi Osmond de la Cruz, filed a separate count of hazing against Perry, based on the complaint submitted to DoJ prosecutors on Saturday. Perry will remain in the custodial facility of the Biñan police. He will join six other suspects who had been subjected to an inquest at the DoJ. A 21-year-old student of Adamson University, who according to Biñan police is the youngest among the four alleged hazing victims, also appeared at Perry's inquest. Salilig was laid to rest in Zamboanga City on Saturday. Family members and hundreds of sympathizers attended the Mass for John Matthew and his grandfather, Romulo Salilig, whose coffins lay side by side, at the Metropolitan Immaculate Conception Cathedral. John Matthew was reported missing on February 18, the same day he underwent hazing rites by the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity in Cavite City. He was found to have died of hazing-related injuries. On Friday, police confirmed that a person of interest implicated in the Salilig case took his own life by hanging. The person of interest was a member of Tau Gamma Phi but was not a student, investigators said. He was allegedly the driver of the gray AUV that brought Salilig's body to Imus where it was buried in a shallow grave.
Govt braces for weeklong transport strike
THE government has laid out contingency plans to help commuters find a ride during the weeklong transport strike that starts Monday. Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Friday that during the interagency meeting presided by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra Friday, the Philippine National Police (PNP), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Transportation (DoTr), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) agreed to mobilize 106 of their vehicles to ferry commuters to their destinations during the strike. The plans were put in place despite the assurance that 94 percent of jeepney drivers in Metro Manila will not be joining the strike. Around 40,000 jeepneys are expected to join the strike in Metro Manila and other parts of the country. Garafil said police units will be deployed to monitor the situation in the affected areas and routes. The MMDA will set up a command center for the DoTr and PNP to help monitor the traffic situation. The MMDA and the DoTr will also be closely coordinating for the possible suspension of the number coding scheme in Metro Manila during the strike. Several transport groups said their members will stay off their routes to protest the government's plan to replace traditional jeepneys with modernized ones. Garafil said the DoTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) have explained to transport groups that the consolidation requirements under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) have been moved from June 30 to December 31 this year. The LTFRB said only about 6 percent of the PUVs nationwide are expected to join the strike.
TMTCS joins preparations for CLuzon Prisaa Games
THE Manila Times College of Subic (TMTC-Subic) joined more than 20 private schools in a meeting in Bulacan to prepare for the Central Luzon Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) Games in May. The Central Luzon Private Schools Sports Heads and Directors' meeting was held at the Meycauayan College. The Central Luzon Prisaa games is an annual event that brings together private schools in the region to participate in various sports competitions. Columban College Inc. will host this year's tournament to be held from May 2 to 6, 2023. TMTC-Subic is committed to providing its students and staff with learning opportunities and experiences in the field of sports, and its participation at the Prisaa Games is a testament to this commitment.
CARLOS "Caloy" Yulo shone once again in his favorite event, bagging the gold medal in the floor exercise of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series at the Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar on Friday. Yulo impressed the judges with his twoand-a-half twist to front double pike, a triple full side pass, a one-and-a-half twist to Randi, and a three-and-a-half twist to close, to finish with a score of 14.833. Minami Kazuki of Japan finished second with 14.200 and Luke Whitehouse of Great Britain third with 13.966. The 23-year-old Olympian advanced to the finals by scoring 14.5 during the qualifications last Thursday. He will try to secure two more gold medals on Saturday in the vault and parallel bars finals. Yulo redeemed himself after failing to make the cut in the same event in the first World Cup leg in Cottbus, Germany, last week, where he finished in 20th place by scoring 13.400.
Gin Kings, FiberXers clash in crucial tiff
Sticking to sports, with the top four and twice-to-beat incentive at stake, Barangay Ginebra and Converge duke it out in a huge Sunday match up in the 2022-2023 PBA Governors' Cup at the Philsports Arena. he Gin Kings looking to get their fourth straight win and grab a share of second spot with sister team San Miguel Beer. Ginebra enters the game with a 6-2 record, and the team fresh off a 109-89 demolition of Phoenix on Friday night. And while the Gin Kings are still without injured starters Japeth Aguilar (knee) and LA Tenorio (groin), they remain deadly with Fil-German big man Christian Standhardinger stepping up big time the last four games. The 33-year-old Standhardinger is averaging import-like numbers of 28.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists.
Marcos: PH will be 'ideal' export player
Over to business, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured traders that his administration is taking steps to make the Philippines an "ideal" player in the export sector. Speaking to exporters, diplomats and international trade partners at the first "Tanyag" trade networking event of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions in Taguig City, Marcos touted the Filipinos' "unique" products and services that deserve global recognition. The President said the government has carried out various reforms to provide businesses an "enabling environment," and improve the country's infrastructure and expand domestic capabilities necessary for the development and growth of the export sector. He said his administration's digital transformation bid would also help spur economic activities in the country, as it is intended to make transactions "faster and more securely."
Marlen Ronquillo is today's front page columnist, as he talks about a policy edifice built on discarded 20th century tropes.
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For The Manila Times, this is Paulo Dimaapi.