Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Wednesday, October 25, 2023.
Today's episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner.
READ: PH mulls legal move vs China
SOLICITOR General Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said they were waiting for the final report on a collision between Chinese and Filipino vessels near Ayungin Shoal on Sunday before making a recommendation on what legal actions the government should take about the matter. Guevarra said that there would be a grave disregard for certain international conventions like the United Nations Charter, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the convention on the prevention of collisions at sea, the convention on safety at sea, and many others.
READ: Diokno, in or out?
Manila Times chairman emeritus Dr. Dante A. Ang talks about the rumors of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno getting replaced. Read more on the Times' print, digital, and online versions.
READ: 2 village bets killed
TWO candidates for village council and a supporter in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections were killed while installing campaign posters in Barangay Rosary Heights 12 in Cotabato City on Monday night. LtCol. Carmelo Mungkas, city police spokesman, identified the fatalities as Nur-Moqtadin Butucan, a candidate for village council in Barangay Rosary Heights 12; Alfar Singh Ayunan Pasawilan, a candidate for village councilman in Barangay Kalanganan 2; and supporter Faizal Abas, also of Barangay Kalanganan 2. Injured were Saipul Sapalon and Fajeed Daud, both of Barangay Kalanganan 2.
READ: Lawmaker files complaint vs ex-president Duterte
HOUSE Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro on Tuesday filed a complaint against former president Rodrigo Duterte before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Quezon City. Castro accused the former president of grave threats in relation to Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, in the complaint which stemmed from his statements earlier this month in a program on S.M.N.I. wherein he talked about Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte's plans for confidential funds.
BUSINESS: Unscheduled rate hike 'on the table' this week
Topping business, an off-cycle rate hike could be announced this Thursday to rein in inflation, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Eli Remolona Jr. said on Tuesday. The last time the BSP implemented an off-cycle or unscheduled rate hike was in July 2022, when it raised the policy rate by 75 basis points to 3.25 percent to control surging inflation. That increase was announced five weeks ahead of a scheduled meeting and was also higher than expected. The central bank's policy-making Monetary Board, which has paused for the last four meetings following 425 basis points of rate hikes starting in May last year, is supposed to next tackle interest rates on November 16. During their last meeting on September 21, monetary authorities said that inflation was on a "higher path." They added, however, that it was still expected to return to the 2.0- to 4.0-percent target in the fourth quarter of this year. The rate accelerated for a second straight month to 6.1 percent in September, up from 5.3 percent in August. Inflation had fallen for the six months prior after hitting a 14-year high of 8.7 percent in January.
SPORTS: NU, Ateneo look to continue winning ways
Over to sports, National University and Ateneo de Manila University look to continue their winning ways at the start of the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament second round at the Mall of Asia Arena today. The only teams with active winning streaks heading to the start of this second round, the Bulldogs and the Blue Eagles look to sustain their momentum as they battle separate foes slated in the middle of a quadruple-header.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, Francisco Tatad, and Jeffrey Sachs are today's front page columnists. Tiglao calls out Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro of being misinformed, Fr. Aquino talks on war and peace, Tatad asks if the super-rich class can save the Maharlika Investment Fund, while Sachs looks to peace in Ukraine.
Today's editorial calls for the end of nuclear proliferation. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
For more news and information, read The Manila Times on print, subscribe to its digital edition or log on to www.manilatimes.net. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and LinkedIn; and be part of our communities on Viber, Telegram, and Mastodon.