Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
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READ: De Lima granted bail
AFTER seven years behind bars, former senator Leila de Lima was allowed to post bail on Monday for her remaining drug case. The bail was granted by the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court Branch 206. Bail amounting to 300,000 pesos each was also granted to de Lima's co-accused, former Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) director Franklin Bucayu, former aides/ drivers Ronnie Dayan and Joenel Sanchez, and Jose Adrian Derain. In deciding to grant bail, Judge Gener Gito said the prosecution "was not able to discharge its burden of establishing that the guilt of the said accused is strong." De Lima has been detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City, since 2017 after being implicated in drug trafficking operations at the New Bilibid Prison while she was Justice secretary. Several witnesses recanted their allegations against the former senator. Two other drug charges against de Lima were dismissed after the witnesses, including confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, retracted their testimony.
READ: 6 contenders for police chief
THERE are at least six contenders for Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., who will relinquish the post when he retires next month, said. Acorda, who was given a testimonial parade by the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City last Saturday, said he has a list of potential candidates he wanted to submit to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who will ultimately decide who will be the next head of the 228,000-strong police force.
READ: Marcos names Maharlika CEO
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Rafael Consing Jr. as president and chief executive officer of the Maharlika Investment Corp., Malacañang said Monday. Consing was executive director of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Investment and Economic Affairs. A graduate of the De La Salle University, Consing also served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of International Container Terminal Services Inc., where he received several awards and recognition for his work in capital structuring, management and execution, treasury and risk management, investor relations, corporate finance, and compliance.
READ: Jinggoy: Recall envoy to China
SEN. Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada has stressed the need to recall the country's ambassador to Beijing to discuss strategies on how to seek "redress" for China's continued harassment of Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Estrada made the proposal on Monday to recall Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz amid the "recurring acts of aggression against our countrymen in the West Philippine Sea." Sen. Francis Tolentino on Sunday also sought to recall FlorCruz to express the country's "strong condemnation" over the China Coast Guard's repeated harassment of Philippine vessels on resupply missions to Filipino troops in Ayungin Shoal.
BUSINESS: Palace orders tariff cut to boost infra, housing
Headlining business, import duties on natural gypsum and anhydrite, minerals used in the manufacture of plasterboard and cement, have been temporarily cut to zero in support of the government's housing and infrastructure programs. Executive Order 46, signed on November 3 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, states that the modification of the import duty would also help revitalize and increase the competitiveness of the local plasterboard and cement industries.
SPORTS: Cool Smashers stake clean slate vs Movers
Over to sports, defending champ Creamline eyes continued perfection as it faces F2 Logistics in the 2023 PVL 2nd All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today. Going for win No. 6 in as many games that would tighten their grip at the top, the Cool Smashers battle the Cargo Movers at 6 p.m. in one of the most anticipated matchups this tournament. The Creamline-F2 Logistics contest serves as the main event of another triple-header that starts with the Farm Fresh-Gerflor battle and Akari-Nxled match.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Orlando Mercado are today's front page columnists. Contreras thinks the Office of the Vice President overplayed their cards, Makabenta asks what life without fossil fuels is like, while Mercado talks on passports, corruption and national security.
Today's editorial looks into how Philippine universities can improve in global rankings. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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