Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Tuesday, December 3, 2024.
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READ: Groups want VP Sara impeached
Civil society groups filed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives on Monday. The complainants accused Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes. House Secretary General Reginald Velasco's office received the complaint, endorsed by Akabayan Rep. Perci Cendaña, at 4:30 p.m. The House "is constitutionally mandated to act on any impeachment complaint filed in accordance with the 1987 Constitution," Velasco said.
READ: Pro-Duterte groups hit impeachment complaint
THE Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI) think tank warned on Monday that the filing of an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte could exacerbate political divisions, provoke discontent within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and distract the government from addressing pressing economic challenges. In a statement, ACPSSI President Herman Tiu Laurel expressed concern that the "political drama" would undermine efforts to achieve economic recovery and development in the Philippines, which is still grappling with post-pandemic challenges. Laurel added that the impeachment drive could have long-term repercussions for the Marcos administration and its allies in the legislature, suggesting a potential backlash from the public and other political factions. The impeachment complaint, filed on Dec. 1 by the Akbayan party-list and endorsed by Rep. Perci Cendaña, accuses Duterte of various violations.
READ: Overseas voter registration low — Comelec
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has failed to achieve its target number of overseas voters, netting only 1,254,240 registrants at the end of the seven-month registration period. Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Monday said he was disappointed with the results, but noted that even in the past, registration was low for midterm elections. The Comelec projected 1.5 million registered overseas voters for the 2025 polls. The number was much lower than the 1.7 million migrant workers spread across 92 Philippine posts around the world who registered for the 2022 elections.
READ: Russian sub 'worrisome - Marcos
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday tagged the reported sighting of a Russian attack submarine in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last week as "very worrisome." The UFA 490 submarine was spotted 148 kilometers west of Cape Calavite on Thursday, the Philippine military said.
READ: PCG confirms harassment of Filipino fishing vessels
THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it has evidence confirming the harassment late last month of Filipino fishermen by a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter near Rozul Reef in the West Philippine Sea. The PCG said it has video footage and photographs shot by a fishing boat that returned to Quezon, Palawan, after the Nov. 28 incident. PCG spokesman for West Philippine Sea concerns Commo. Jay Tarriela said at a press briefing Monday the Chinese military helicopter, bearing tail number 65, flew as low as 15 feet above the Filipino vessels, a maneuver deemed as an act of intimidation.
BUSINESS: Gov't revises targets
Headlining business, economic managers on Monday approved revisions to the country's medium-term macroeconomic assumptions and fiscal program to reflect emerging domestic and global developments. The gross domestic product (GDP) growth target for this year was narrowed to 6.0-6.5 percent from 6.0-7.0 percent, while those for next year to 2028 were revised to 6.0-8.0 percent from 6.5-7.5 and 6.5-8.0 percent, respectively. Speaking after a meeting of the interagency Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC), Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said that GDP growth this year was unlikely to hit 7.0 percent, hence the reduced target band.
SPORTS: Sahagun bags PH's first gold in 2024 BIMP-EAGA
Over to sports, Filipino tanker Phillip Adrian Sahagun claimed the first overall gold medal at the 2024 Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games Monday morning at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Sahagun won by a hair as he clocked 2:13.52 in the boys 200-meter (m) individual medley, just 0.31 seconds faster than silver medalist Hidayatullah Aril of Indonesia. Another Philippine swimmer in Rodolfo Apilado III registered 2:20.82 to complete the podium finishers of the first event in the entire tournament. Having competed for De La Salle University in the UAAP two weeks ago, Sahagun, a third year Business Entrepreneurship student, said he lacked training for this BIMP-EAGA competition and did not expect to win in his second go in the tourney.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta, and Orlando Mercado are today's front page columnists. Contreras looks at those who could not move on, Makabenta thinks the nation is "overwrought" over the "nightmare" of the Marcos-Duterte rift, while Mercado talks about dying with dignity.
Today's editorial discusses the mitigation of the high incidence of bullying in schools. Read the full version in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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