Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
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READ: Sara slams PNP chief
VICE President Sara Duterte on Monday lashed out at Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rommel Francisco Marbil over the removal of 75 police personnel from her security detail, calling it a "clear case of political harassment." Marbil earlier said the removal of police personnel from the Vice Presidential Protection Division (VPPD) was due to the need to put more police personnel in the National Capital Region and that there was no immediate threat against her. But in a strongly-worded open letter issued Monday, Duterte called Marbil a "liar" for his statements over the removal of her security detail. While she said that she has no problems with the removal of her police personnel as security of the OVP and that she could work without security, she sees problems in Marbil's statements.
READ: Oil spill hits Cavite coastal villages
The oil spill from the sunken oil tanker in Bataan has already reached the shorelines of Tanza, Naic, Maragondon and Ternate in Cavite, a group of fishermen said Monday. Fishermen and coastal residents in this coastal town could smell the distinctive odor of the fuel oil that seeped out of the MT Terra Nova.
READ: Supreme Court lets Enrile plunder case proceed
THE Supreme Court has allowed the Sandiganbayan to proceed with the plunder charges filed against Chief Presidential Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile. The Supreme Court en banc stressed in a decision penned by Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh that the prosecution should be allowed to present evidence at its discretion and in compliance with the law and regulations. In 2014, the Ombudsman charged Enrile with plunder and graft for allegedly amassing 172 million pesos from his Priority Development Assistance Fund while he was still a senator.
READ: Siargao tops list of best places to visit in Southeast Asia
SIARGAO topped the list of the seven best places to visit in Southeast Asia, according to an article in Lonely Planet's July issue. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Monday thanked Lonely Planet for the recognition, as well as all visitors and locals who contributed to Siargao's status as an exceptional destination.
READ: CA upholds Sulpicio verdict
THE Court of Appeals (CA) has found the owners of Sulpicio Lines Inc. liable for the deaths of 814 passengers and more than 500 still missing in the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars in Romblon in 2008 and ordered them to pay 129.8 million pesos in damages to the families of the victims. In a decision penned by Associate Justice Wilhelmina Jorge-Wagan, a copy of which was obtained by The Manila Times, the appellate court said it found the owners of Sulpicio Lines, now renamed Philippine Span Asia Carriers Inc. guilty of gross neglience.
READ: Villegas wins bout, enters next round
FILIPINA boxer Aira Villegas made an impressive Olympic debut as she outgunned Moroccan Yasmine Mouttaki for a unanimous decision win in the Paris Games women's 50 kilogram round of 32 at the North Paris Arena on Monday (Manila time). Villegas, who turns 29 on August 1, earned scores of 30-27 and four 29-28s from the five judges in the three-round bout.
SPORTS: Petecio begins hunt for Paris gold
BOXER Nesthy Petecio begins her hunt for the gold medal as she opens her Paris Olympics campaign at the North Paris Arena on Tuesday night (Manila time). A silver medalist at the Tokyo Games three years ago, Petecio takes on Indian Jaismine Lamboria in the women's 57 kg round of 32 set at 11:54 p.m. In a previous interview with The Manila Times, Petecio talked about the weight of living up to the people's expectations for her to deliver. The 32-year-old from Davao is the first Filipino female boxer to medal, after all.
BUSINESS: Impact of POGO ban on banks seen limited
Over to business, local banks will be able to withstand associated losses from the government's move to ban Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), Fitch Ratings said. The debt watcher said the ban could impact bank asset quality and performance, but added that loss-absorption buffers were enough to address losses seen to be "limited in scale."
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Orlando Mercado are today's front page columnists. Contreras looks at the flood of problems following last week's heavy downpour, Makabenta says the country should build from the ground up its party and electoral system, while Mercado weighs in on the "Gil Tulog" signage change in Makati City.
Today's editorial discusses battling malnutrition among the young. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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