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Metro Manila, Philippines –  It was during a gala dinner on the sidelines of the 2012 ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after China’s rejection of the Philippines’ proposal for a peaceful settlement of the South China Sea dispute, that then-President Benigno Aquino III decided Manila should begin preparing its landmark arbitration case, said former ambassador Henry Bensurto. In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Bensurto, one of the architects of the Philippines’ legal strategy, said Aquino called him and then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario aside after the event and concluded that Beijing would not agree to the Philippine proposal to resolve the dispute through international adjudication. “The president gathered me and Secretary del Rosario after, I think it was a gala dinner, and then told us, ‘Secretary, Henry, I think China will not agree with us. So we need to start working on filing a case,'” Bensurto recalled. “He…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  Former Philippine lead counsel Paul Reichler said former President Rodrigo Duterte abandoned efforts to build international support for the landmark 2016 arbitral victory against China, a move he said squandered momentum after the ruling and made it harder for succeeding administrations to advance Manila’s maritime claims. In an exclusive interview on The Newsmaker, marking the 10th anniversary of the arbitral award, Reichler said the legal team expected the Philippines to capitalize on the unanimous ruling by leading a coalition of countries that support international law in the South China Sea. “We expected that there would be a joint effort led by the Philippines  joined by other states that share rights in the South China Sea, as well as other states that have historically been the greatest proponents of the rule of law,” Reichler said. Reichler said the strategy changed after Duterte took office, just days before…

Metro Manila, Philippines – An elementary student died of infection following a routine deworming activity, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Monday, July 13. The student, who attended the Hugo Perez Elementary School-Annex in Trece Martires City, Cavite, was hospitalized after experiencing severe vomiting on July 3—a day after the campus health activity. Initial medical findings revealed that the cause of death was an infection that rapidly progressed to septic shock. DepEd acknowledged that several other learners also experienced adverse symptoms and felt unwell after undergoing the deworming procedure. “We are committed to fully understanding what happened and are working closely with health authorities as they investigate,” DepEd said in a statement.  The agency also noted that it is actively reviewing its health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of its learners. “We are providing the necessary emotional, psychological, and logistical support to the family during this difficult…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The death toll from the combined effects of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and Typhoon Inday has risen to 21, while 16 individuals remain missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Monday, July 13. In its latest situational report, the NDRRMC noted that 738,407 individuals, or 154,472 families, have been affected across the country. Current displacement figures show: Evacuation Centers: 4,058 families (12,937 individuals) are temporarily staying in emergency shelters. Property Damage: Disaster response officials recorded 385 houses completely destroyed and another 385 partially damaged. Tropical Cyclone Bavi (locally named Inday) officially exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday. However, state meteorologists are already monitoring a new low-pressure area outside PAR that has intensified into a tropical depression.

Washington, United States- U.S. and Iranian forces have exchanged heavy missile and drone assaults, with Tehran targeting U.S. facilities in states across the Gulf on Sunday and saying it had again closed the vital Strait of Hormuz. The strikes were the latest in a cycle of attacks and counter-attacks as Iran seeks to assert control over shipping through the strait. However, the barrage marked an escalation in pace and range. The strikes extended to Qatar, a mediator in ceasefire talks that had not come under attack since April, while the United Arab Emirates, which had not been targeted since early May, said its air defenses had engaged missiles and drones from Iran. The renewed violence casts further doubt on the future of an interim U.S.-Iranian agreement signed last month that aimed to reopen the strait and end the war after a further 60 days of negotiations. In the past week, U.S. President Donald Trump has…