Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, August 30, 2024.
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READ: More police pour into Quiboloy base
SOME 100 more police officers were deployed inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KoJC) compound in Davao City as the search for the fugitive evangelist Apollo Quiboloy, wanted for sexual abuse and human trafficking, entered its sixth day. The 100 policemen, carrying shields, reinforced the 2,000 police personnel already inside the compound, which was raided on Saturday, August 24. KoJC members complained as the Philippine National Police (PNP) brought a blue box about the size of a chest freezer into the compound, saying it had not gone through the X-ray scanner before entering. Police would not say what was inside the blue box. At the same time, the PNP brought in a long-range acoustic device or LRAD, equipment that produces sound at high power for communicating at a distance. It is also commonly used for perimeter security and crowd control.
READ: Money laundering complaint poised vs Alice Guo, 'sister' Shiela
THE Department of Justice (DoJ) said Thursday that it is poised to file a money laundering complaint against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and her sister Shiela. The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has already been asked to expedite the filing of anti money laundering charges against Guo and her cohorts. AMLC deputy director for Investigation and Enforcement Department Adrian Arpon said the agency hopes to file the first money laundering case within the week for preliminary investigation. Earlier, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission filed qualified trafficking in persons complaint against Alice Guo before the DoJ in connection with the reported criminal activities of a Philippine offshore gaming operator in her town of Bamban. A separate case for alleged violation of the National Internal Revenue Code, particularly the attempt to evade taxes and failure to file capital gains tax and documentary stamp tax have been filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. On the other hand, Shiela is facing charges for disobedience to summons issued by the Senate in violation of Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code and for using a fake Philippine passport in violation of Section 22, paragraph (b)(2) of Republic Act 11983, the Philippine Passport Act.
READ: AFP eyes midrange missiles, 40 fighter jets
THE Philippines wants to upgrade its military with midrange missiles and advanced fighter jets, two senior security officials said on Thursday, spending at least $33 billion as it modernizes its defense in the face of growing regional tensions. The military wants to acquire more cutting-edge weaponry, Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner told reporters, hours after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro announced the Philippines was reviewing offers to buy more weapons.
READ: Mpox awareness key to cutting risks
COMMUNICATING the risk of mpox to a wider audience will be the key to preventing the spread of the disease in the country, the Department of Health (DoH) said. The DoH stressed the importance of informing more people about the threat of mpox as the country detected two more cases, one of them a 12-year-old male, so far the youngest to contract the disease. There are now 14 confirmed mpox cases in the country, the DoH reported. During a public briefing on Thursday, Health Assistant Secretary Albert Francis Domingo stressed the importance of communicating the risks of mpox to a wider audience while cases remain low. Domingo compared the response of the government to a flashlight, where previously undetected cases will be exposed through an intensified information drive.
READ: Marcos signs law on climate disaster fund
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law a measure that grants the Philippines the legal personality and capacity to be part of the body of the climate disaster fund called the "Loss and Damage Fund." Signed on August 28, Republic Act 12019, also known as the "Loss and Damage Fund Board Act" enables the board to contract, acquire and dispose immovable and movable property, as well as institute legal proceedings. It also acquires the legal capacity to negotiate, conclude, and enter into a hosting arrangement with the World Bank as interim trustee and host of the fund's secretariat, and undertake activities as necessary for discharging its roles and functions.
BUSINESS: PH to get $500M climate funding
Headlining business, the Philippines is set to receive $500 million in climate action funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a Cabinet official said. During a high-level meeting on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said they have secured additional support from ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa for climate action efforts under the Climate Change Action Program Subprogram 2. Asakawa confirmed that they are finalizing a $500 million financing package, which is part of ADB's $10-billion climate finance commitment to the Philippines from 2024 to 2029. This funding aims to enhance climate resilience through investments in public transport, clean energy, disaster risk management, and social protection. Asakawa also pledged to leverage regional facilities like the Asean Catalytic Green Finance Facility and the Green Climate Fund for additional grant financing
SPORTS: Rain or Shine guns for 4-0 start
Over to sports, Rain or Shine stakes its unblemished 3-0 slate against winless Phoenix as action continues in the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate, Manila. The Elasto Painters zoomed to the top of the standings with their third straight win after lambasting the NLEX Road Warriors, 124-105, last Wednesday. With momentum on their side, the charges of coach Yeng Guiao shoot for their fourth straight victory in their 5 p.m. encounter versus the Fuel Masters.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists, as they both weigh in on the Quiboloy saga in Davao.
Today's editorial calls for a regional response against scammers across Asia. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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