Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, April 20, 2023.
READ: Teves linked to slays in Negros Oriental
RELATIVES of victims of alleged political killings in Negros Oriental linked Negros Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. to the series of murders as Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said there is a "reign of terror" in the province. Teves, who is still in hiding abroad, was implicated in the assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo last March 4. Dela Rosa, in a briefing on Monday, said testimonies of the first batch of witnesses showed that Teves was being pinpointed as "the mastermind" of the murders.
READ: Marcos orders creation of El Niño team
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the creation of an "El Niño Team" that will handle the government's response to the effects of the impending weather phenomenon, an official said on Tuesday. The President gave the order during a sectoral meeting in Malacañang, where he and all concerned government agencies discussed the possible impact of the El Niño phenomenon on food, water and energy security, and public health and safety in the country. At a Palace press briefing, Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said Marcos gave "clear instructions" to spur preparations for the expected negative impact of El Niño that may hit the country this year or until early next year.
READ: Marcos to Liza: Marry me again
AS his surprise gift to his wife Marie Louise "Liza" Araneta-Marcos, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked the first lady to marry him a second time. In a post on his official social media accounts, the President shared the note he gave to his wife as witnessed by members of their family and friends
READ: Ex-DFA secretary del Rosario dies at 83
FORMER Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario has died, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) confirmed on Tuesday. He was 83 years old. The Department of Foreign Affairs said del Rosario was on his way to San Francisco, California, when he passed away. Del Rosario served as ambassador of the Philippines to the United States before being appointed as secretary of the DFA by Aquino. He is known for pushing an arbitral case against China over disputed islands in the South China Sea. The Philippines won this case in 2016. After leaving the DFA in 2016, del Rosario was the chairman of the board of the Stratbase ADR Institute think tank, named after himself.
BUSINESS: Banks not seen gaining from China's reopening
Topping business, just a few banking systems in the Asia-Pacific — the Philippines not included — will benefit from China's reopening, Moody's Investor Service said in a report. The economies and subsequently the banks of Hong Kong, Macao, Mongolia and Thailand will gain the most, the debt watcher said, "given their close economic ties to China through shared borders or tourism." Multinational banks such as DBS Bank Ltd. Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd., United Overseas Bank Ltd., Standard Chartered and HSBC Holdings will also benefit given their sizable exposures to Hong Kong and mainland China.
SPORTS: Finals down to best-of-3 for TNT, Ginebra
Over to sports, following its ego-boosting win Sunday, TNT now shoots for the series lead when it tangles with defending champion Barangay Ginebra in the pivotal Game Five of the PBA Governors' Cup Finals today, April 19, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Game time is 5:45 p.m. with the Tropang Giga looking to build on their 116-104 win over the Gin Kings last Sunday to level the best-of-seven series at 2-2. Game Four saw TNT gunners clicking on all cylinders on the way to establishing a new PBA Finals record 21 three-point shots in humiliating the defending champion and its 16,000 fans at the Big Dome.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists. Tiglao believes the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement will give the United States two international airports to use for a war with China, while Tatad weighs in on the issues surrounding the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the US.
Today's editorial thinks the government should facilitate the registration of SIM cards, as the deadline nears. 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.