HEADLINES: China: US meddling fans tensions in SCS | June 29, 2024
HEADLINES: China: US meddling fans tensions in SCS | June 29, 2024
Good day. Here are the top stories of The Manila Times for Saturday, June 29, 2024.
Today's podcast is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, the Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer -- your trusted building partner.
READ: China: US meddling fans tensions in SCS
THE Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has accused the United States of stoking tensions in the South China Sea (SCS) to advance its own geopolitical interests in the region. The embassy was reacting to remarks by US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson during an event held by the East-West Center in Hawaii that the chorus against threats to peace and stability in the South China Sea was growing louder and stronger. Carlson called on China to cease the "harassment" of Philippine vessels in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The embassy said it was ironic that the US, which has neither signed nor ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), "never failed to use Unclos to denounce others." The embassy said the US' application of international law and international order "is selective. It sends aircraft and warships to the South China Sea to flex muscles under the pretext of exercising freedom of navigation." In Washington, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell "raised serious concerns" about Chinese aggressive actions in a call with China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, the State Department said. Campbell also "reiterated that US commitments to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty remain ironclad," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
READ: Guo faces more cases as probe deepens
SEN. Risa Hontiveros said on Friday that if Bamban Mayor Alice Guo would be convicted in any of the cases related to online gaming operations, she would eventually be deported, but not before she serves prison time. Hontiveros said she expects Guo, who has been suspended as mayor by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, to face a slew of cases as the Senate probes deeper into her background. A biometric analysis by the National Bureau of Investigation has revealed that the fingerprints of Mayor Guo and Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national, matched, indicating that they were the same person. Guo has already been charged with trafficking in persons by the Department of Justice over her alleged links with the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) site in her town. Guo has denied the charge. Hontiveros said a conviction means that Guo must complete her sentence before she is deported. The Office of the Solicitor General is also expected to file a quo warranto case, along with the cancellation of Guo's birth certificate. Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality conducting the inquiry on POGOs, believes there is substantial and compelling evidence against Guo. In a Zoom press briefing, she said Guo could also be charged with identity theft for using the information and identity of a Filipino citizen in her pursuit of public office. The senator reiterated her warning that Guo would be held in contempt if she missed the next hearing of Hontiveros' committee. Guo skipped the hearing Wednesday, saying she was "stressed" and feeling "prejudged" guilty by the committee.
READ: Biden, Trump trade insults in fiery debate
ATLANTA, United States — A halting Joe Biden struggled on Thursday to hold off a forceful offensive from Donald Trump as the two traded personal insults in the fiery first debate of a razor-close presidential race. A bombastic Trump lashed out at his successor, calling him a failure on the economy and the world stage. Biden looked to hit back, but his delivery was hesitant as he spoke rapidly in a soft, trailing-off voice and stumbled on his words several times. It was the first debate ever between a president and former president — and each accused the other of being history's worst. Trump and Biden, who were each the oldest president when first elected, even accused each other of being childlike as they argued over their golf swings. Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, did not shake hands as they walked to their podiums at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta. There was no live audience, and their microphones muted as the other spoke — rules agreed as they opened a campaign in a deeply polarized country. Biden, who was reported to have a cold, hit Trump with clearly rehearsed lines as he sought to remind millions of television viewers that Trump would be the first convicted felon in the White House. Trump, a veteran of rallies and reality television, spoke loudly as he rushed through a long list of complaints about Biden's record.
READ: NAIA travelers urged to wear facemasks
TRAVELERS at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were advised to wear facemasks as a precaution against a new virus spreading from Japan. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) spokesman Chris Bendijo said on Friday reminders have been posted at the airport advising individuals to wear masks, sanitize their hands, and cover their mouths and noses when coughing and sneezing. Japan is facing a serious outbreak of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an uncommon yet severe bacterial infection that progresses rapidly and can become life-threatening. As of June 2, about 977 cases of STSS were recorded in Japan, a notable increase compared to previous years. Early symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting. Bendijo said the MIAA is in constant communication with the Department of Health (DoH) through the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) regarding the monitoring of passengers arriving from other countries. Bendijo emphasized that wearing a facemask at the airport is just a recommendation and has not been declared mandatory. At the moment, the DoH does not view STSS as a public health concern. The department, however, emphasized the need for heightened public awareness and preventive measures on water-borne and influenza-like illnesses, leptospirosis, and dengue.
In Business
READ: PH kept on dirty money watch list
AN anti-money laundering watchdog has kept the Philippines on a watch list of countries with faulty systems, noting that the country had yet to fully address previously identified deficiencies. The country still needs to address three strategic deficiencies to exit the "gray list" of states subject to increased monitoring, the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said on Friday. The country, previously blacklisted from 2000 to 2004, was placed in the FATF's "gray list" in 2021 due to "strategic deficiencies" in its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism systems. Blacklisting had caused foreign banks to avoid processing Philippine transactions, increasing funding costs and deterring investors. Along with increased FATF monitoring, being on the gray list means a country has committed to act on the identified deficiencies within agreed timeframes. The Philippines already missed a January 2023 deadline to remedy its deficiencies and was initially reported to have received a one-year extension. With eight deficiencies still remaining at the start of 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in January ordered all concerned agencies to expedite efforts to get the country out of the FATF watch list.
Topping Sports
READ: Cebu City Sports Complex reopens
CEBU CITY — After being closed for over a year, the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC) reopened to the public on Thursday, in time for the city's hosting of the 2024 Palarong Pambansa. Acting Mayor Raymond Garcia, who looked after the CCSC facelift since Mayor Mike Rama's preventive suspension, led the inauguration activity. During the event, Garcia thanked Rama for his contributions in bringing the event back to Cebu City after 30 years. This is the third time the city is hosting the annual games for elementary and secondary student athletes from July 6 to 17.
READ: Bronny James picked by Lakers in draft
NEW YORK — Bronny James, the 19-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, was selected 55th overall by the Lakers in Thursday's (Friday in Manila) second round of the NBA Draft, setting up the first father-son combination in NBA history. It's a dream come true for four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron, who said for years he dreamed of playing alongside his son. LeBron, a 39-year-old Lakers playmaker and four-time NBA champion, will be busy on the US team at the Paris Olympics next month while son Bronny is set to join the Lakers in NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas. LeBron posted photos on Instagram with the one-word caption "LEGACY!!!!!!" and images of himself with Bronny as a child, of both of them dunking and another with father and son side-by-side in Lakers jerseys. Bronny, a guard for the University of Southern California, averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Trojans last season after a stellar high school career and also impressed scouts at an NBA combine.
READ: Opinion
The Times, in its editorial, says repeating fallacies will not save POGOs. Read the full version on print or digital or listen to the Voice of the Times. Featured columnists on the front page are Antonio Contreras, Yen Makabenta and Danton Remoto. Contreras writes about negotiating from a position of strength in the West Philippine Sea; Makabenta on why energy transition won't happen; power-hungry cloud and AI will require more energy than ever and Remoto on the exploding galaxies of Linda Ty-Casper.
SMC tops the list of leading Philippine corporations anew, according to The Manila Times 500. Get a copy now.
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.