Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Saturday, April 1, 2023.
READ: NBI nabs Degamo slay 'main player'
ONE of the main suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo has been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Friday the suspect, which he did name, is one of the "main players" in Degamo's assassination. Remulla called the suspect's arrest "a breakthrough," and declared that the case is "99 percent solved." Remulla said the suspect was no longer in Negros Oriental when he was apprehended, and that the authorities have been tracking him for over two weeks. He also said the person's name was mentioned in the affidavits of the other suspects already in NBI custody.
READ: Trump indicted, cries 'political persecution'
Former US president Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a historic reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings, and an abrupt jolt to his bid to retake the White House. The exact nature of the charges was unclear Friday because the indictment remained under seal, but they stem from payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. Prosecutors said they were working to coordinate Trump's surrender, which could happen early next week. They did not say whether they intended to seek prison time in the event of a conviction, a development that wouldn't prevent Trump from seeking and assuming the presidency. The indictment, the first against a former US president, injects a local district attorney's office into the heart of a national presidential race and ushers in criminal proceedings in a city that the ex-president for decades called home.
READ: Huge potential seen in exporting halal products
THE head of the Islamic Da'wah Council of the Philippines (IDCP) sees a big, untapped potential in exporting halal products. In an interview organized by The Manila Times on Friday, IDCP President Abdul Rahman Linzag also debunked the misconception that halal products are exclusively for Muslims. Linzag said it is this wrong notion that is preventing non-Muslims from purchasing halal-certified products in the Philippines.
READ: Palace suspends govt work for Holy Week
MALACAÑANG suspended work in all government offices beginning Wednesday noon to give workers ample time to prepare for the observance of Holy Week. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, by the authority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., signed Memorandum Circular 16 suspending government work. Meanwhile, the suspension of work in private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their respective employers. This circular, which was released to the public on Friday, shall take effect immediately. Malacañang earlier declared April 6 and 7 as regular holidays in observance of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
READ: 'No need for big power plants'
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said that the Philippines no longer needs large-scale energy projects such as the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant as his administration eyes the creation of more power storage facilities to address the problems of energy supply in the country. Marcos made the statement as he promised to improve the policy and regulatory framework for the renewable energy industry, especially for the Energy Storage System (ESS) technology, to encourage further development of the industry.
BUSINESS: BSP: March inflation could fall to 7.4-8.2%
Topping business, inflation could have markedly slowed in March as fuel and food prices fell, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Friday. Following an easing to 8.6 percent last month from January's 14-year high of 8.7 percent, the central bank forecast a deceleration to 7.4 to 8.2 percent. In a statement, the central bank said the recent rollback in domestic petroleum prices, lower prices of fruits and vegetables, as well as the decline in chicken and sugar prices, are expected to contribute to easing price pressures during the month.
SPORTS: PH fencers vie in world tilt
Over to sports, a total of 26 Filipino fencers will test their skills against the best in the 2023 World Fencing Championships Junior and Cadet slated from April 1 to 9 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Shawn Nicollei Felipe of foil and Andre Dominic Agatep of sabre, who will represent the Philippines in this year's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, lead the Filipino contingent in the tournament. Rolando "Amat" Canlas Jr., a former national team head coach and co-founder of Canlas Fencing, said that more than the development of skills, world level events also build confidence.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras wants an inquiry on the silencing of a law over the Masungi Georeserve, Makabenta believes the country's criminal justice system is marred by fugitive tradition, and Remoto believes immigration officers and airport x-ray scanners are in serious hot water.
Today's editorial hits the property sector over their lack of climate plans. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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For The Manila Times, this is Kim Luden Salinas reporting.