Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, April 14, 2023.
READ: Court orders arrest of Bantag, Zulueta
A MUNTINLUPA CITY court has ordered the arrest of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former BuCor jail officer Ricardo Zulueta in connection with the killing of broadcaster Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa and the death of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of Lapid. Judge Gener M. Gito of Regional Trial Court Branch 206 issued arrest warrants for the two former prison officials. Bantag and Zulueta were tagged as the masterminds in the murder of Lapid. The murder complaints against Bantag and his co-accused before the Department of Justice (DoJ) were jointly filed in November 2022 by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). The DoJ wrapped up its preliminary investigation last February.
READ: Teves to attend Senate probe
SEN. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said on Thursday Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. will attend the April 17 Senate hearing on the assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo and other political killings in the province. Dela Rosa, chairman of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee, said Teves "made his commitment through his secretary, communicating with my committee secretariat that he is going to attend virtually during the hearing." He said it is "very important" for his Senate committee to get the side of the congressman, who has not returned to the country since the massacre of Degamo and eight others in Pamplona town on March 4. Degamo was distributing aid to beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer program in his house when he was gunned down.
READ: US, PH troops fire Javelins in war games
US and Philippine troops turned their Javelin anti-tank missiles on cars standing in as enemy vehicles on Thursday, in the allies' largest-ever war games. Under a plume of black smoke, three sedans parked on scrubland were crushed by missiles fired from about 600 meters (0.37 miles) away by three soldiers at a military base in Palayan, Nueva Ecija. The annual Balikatan maneuvers follow a three-day Chinese military exercise that simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory.
READ: China insists on 'indisputable' sovereignty in SCS
CHINA rejected the call of the Philippines and the United States to comply with the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea (SCS), maintaining that it is "illegal, null and void." Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin on Wednesday said China has "indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and adjacent waters." Wang was apparently referring to the Spratly Island group parts of which are also being claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
READ: Expert sees lifting of Covid emergency this year
AN infectious disease expert on Thursday believes that the Covid-19 public health emergency may be lifted this year. In a televised briefing, Dr. Rontgene Solante, vice president of the Philippine College of Physicians, said he agreed with the Department of Health (DoH) that the country should be fully prepared before it can lift the health emergency. The World Health Organization is set to decide on the status of the Covid health emergency when the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee for Covid-19 meets this month. Other countries, such as the United States, already lifted the emergency phase of their Covid-19 response. Solante said that his assessment that the country is ready to lift the state of a public health emergency is based on the current case numbers, which have stabilized to less than 1,000 cases per day and the positivity rate reaching an average of 5 to 6 percent.
BUSINESS: BSP 'probably pausing' next month – Medalla
Topping business, monetary authorities could pause from raising interest rates next month if inflation falls further in April, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla said on Wednesday. Inflation slowed for a second month in a row in March to 7.6 percent following an easing to 8.6 percent a month earlier from January's 14-year high of 8.7 percent. The BSP's policymaking Monetary Board has raised interest rates by 425 basis points (bps) since May last year as inflation began surging. The latest involved a 25- bps hike ordered last March 23. Inflation data for April is scheduled to be released on May 5 and the Monetary Board will next meet to discuss policy on May 18. Medalla said that the Federal Reserve's (Fed) actions remained relevant — the US central bank will meet on May 2 to 3 — but will be less of a factor in the Monetary Board's decision-making.
SPORTS: TNT, Ginebra aim for 2-1 series lead
Over to sports, buoyed up by its strong bounce-back win last Wednesday, TNT guns for a 2-1 series lead as the Tropang Giga collide with the Barangay Ginebra Kings today, April 14, in the 2022-23 PBA Governors' Cup best-of-seven Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. The Tropang Giga dominated the Gin Kings from start to finish to take Game Two, 95-82, and tie the series at 1-1. Ginebra subdued TNT, 102-90, in Game One on Easter Sunday. Adding size and experience for TNT is the return of veteran slotman Kelly Williams. The 6-foot-7 Williams injured his calf during the Tropang Giga's lopsided quarterfinals win over the Phoenix Fuel Masters last month. TNT interim coach Jojo Lastimosa has tempered his expectations on the one-time PBA Most Valuable Player since Williams has been out of the loop for more than two weeks.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao takes a look at an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) site in Cagayan, while Tatad honors lawyer Estelito "Titong" Patdu Mendoza in his 70th year at the bar.
Today's editorial discusses what the EDCA sites are for. 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 Isabelle Dignadice.