Philippine defence chief vows to press on against China’s ‘wickedness’ after sanctions
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines defence chief said on Friday he would continue to do his duty in the face of China’s “wickedness”, a day after he was sanctioned by Beijing for what it described as repeated “erroneous remarks”. Ties between China and U.S. ally the Philippines have soured in the past few years, with frequent spats as Manila, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, pushes back at what it sees as aggression by Beijing. China has accused the Philippines of repeated encroachment in its waters in the disputed South China Sea. “That is truly what they do to those who speak the truth against their deception,” Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said in a statement on Friday. “I will just keep doing my duty and uphold our nation in the face of the wickedness they are committing here and even in our seas,” Teodoro added. China’s foreign ministry announced sanctions on Thursday against Teodoro and his…
No plan to overthrow gov’t – Duterte
Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte said on Friday, June 12, she has no intention to “overthrow the administration,” while vowing to uphold the Constitution as a “constitutional successor.” Duterte threw shade, however, on her former ally before a political falling out. “Wala sa aking mga kamay ang pagsasagawa ng extra constitutional means to overthrow the current administration. At hindi ko din gusto ‘yun. Hindi ko gusto agawin ‘yung posisyon ni Bongbong Marcos,” Duterte said, when asked about unverified calls from retired military officers and some groups to lead a revolution. “Gusto ko makita ng taong bayan hanggang sa dulo kung gaano ka walang hiya si BBM,” she added. [Translation: Carrying out extra-constitutional means to overthrow the current administration is not in my hands. And I don’t want that either. I don’t want to seize Bongbong Marcos’s position. I want the people to see all the way to…
China sanctions Philippine defence chief over ‘erroneous remarks’
Beijing, China – China’s foreign ministry announced sanctions on Thursday against Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and his close relatives, saying he had “repeatedly made erroneous remarks concerning China” which had undermined China’s “legitimate interests” and bilateral ties. The sanctions mean Teodoro and his wife and child are prohibited from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, the ministry said in a statement, and that entities in China “are prohibited from engaging in any transactions, cooperation, or other activities with Teodoro and his spouse and child.” The measures were imposed to “safeguard China’s national sovereignty, security, and development interests,” the ministry added, without specifying what remarks by Teodoro it particularly objected to. Teodoro’s office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. REPEATED STANDOFFS Last week Beijing accused the Philippine defence chief of having no gratitude for China’s supply of important commodities and of using issues about people’s wellbeing for political showmanship, after Teodoro’s remarks about China…
Kapunan, nine others to serve as private prosecutors in Duterte impeachment trial
Metro Manila, Philippines – Seasoned litigation lawyer Lorna Kapunan and nine others from top law firms will serve as private prosecutors in the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the head of the House prosecution panel announced on Thursday, June 11. Batangas 2nd District Rep. Jinky Luistro introduced the 10 private prosecutors, whom she said comprised the first batch of lawyers assisting the lawmaker-prosecutors in the case. The private prosecutors come from three different law groups. They are: Kapunan and Castillo Law Lorna Kapunan Lino Kapunan Sonya Castillo Deanna Lorenzo-Singian Bettina Zamora PECABAR Law, formerly Ponce-Enrile-Reyes and Manalastas Marforth Fua James Bryan Ibrahim Alih Erwin Matib Justine Lamarca SaLiGal Law Amando Ligutan Luistro said the lawyers accepted the case pro bono, which means free services. She noted that their addition to the team was a boost, given that the majority of the House prosecutors paused legal practice when…
Senate website down for a day after defacement
Metro Manila, Philippines — The Senate website was unavailable for the entire workday on Thursday, June 11, following the defacement claimed by a hacktivist group. The group, Nullsec Philippines, claimed responsibility for the defacement of the Senate website at around midnight. On its social media page, the group posted a screenshot of a black screen stating that the Senate website had been “hacked” and included a message addressed to the chamber. “We are watching. The Filipino people entrusted you with power, responsibility, and the duty to serve the nation – not personal interests, political dynasties, or corrupt networks,” the message read. “Transparency is not optional. Accountability is not negotiable. Public office is not a shield from scrutiny,” it added. The Senate Electronic Data Processing and Management Information System Bureau confirmed the defacement at around 10 a.m. on Thursday, but assured the public that no confidential or sensitive information had been…
