News Briefs: November 2, 2018

Duterte to announce senatorial picks after Christmas break

President Duterte will announce after the Christmas holidays the senatorial candidates that he will support and endorse in the 2019 midterm elections. In a speech in Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday night, the President said he would support only honest and competent candidates who were not tainted by corruption. “I will campaign, not now, maybe after Christmas. Then I will announce my choices, who those people are,” he said in Visayan. “I’ll come up with a list. I feel like … I will choose people well. You can be sure of that.” Duterte earlier vowed to campaign for his longtime aide, Christopher “Bong” Go, who was running for senator. In recent months, the President also endorsed former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, who was also running for a Senate seat, and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, among several others.  —JULIE M. AURELIO

PH eyeing naval vessels, more aircraft from Spain

The Department of National Defense (DND) is looking to acquire naval vessels and more aircraft through government-to-government deals with its Spanish counterpart. At a press conference on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the DND was discussing military-to-military exchanges with Spain and the drafting of memorandum of agreement for the acquisition of military equipment. “Spain was once a world power, a naval power, so they know how to build boats,” he said. Last month, Lorenzana met with a delegation from the directorate general of armaments and materiel of Spain’s Ministry of Defense, headed by Maj. Gen. Felipe de la Plaza. The Philippine Air Force recently acquired three C-295 tactical military transport aircraft manufactured in Spain by Airbus Defence and Space.  —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE