News Briefs: April 2, 2019
Palace dares Yang’s detractors to file charges in court
Malacañang has dared those who accuse Chinese businessman Michael Yang of involvement in the illegal drug trade to file charges in court.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the allegations against Yang, a former economic adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte, should be proven in court.
“They have to prove [in court], whatever charges they have [against] Michael Yang. If it’s true, then file the charges. We cannot be doing this in media or social media,” Panelo said at a press briefing.
Former police official Eduardo Acierto accused Yang last week of involvement in illegal drugs.
Acierto also claimed that his superiors ignored a report he submitted detailing Yang’s drug links. —Julie M. Aurelio
Farm losses due to El Niño balloon to P4.4 billion
The El Niño phenomenon has continued to cripple the agriculture sector as farm losses rose to P4.35 billion at the end of March.
The Department of Agriculture’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council released a report on Sunday showing the losses incurred by the farm sector, which ballooned to P4.35 billion from P1.33 billion in less than two weeks.
The report detailed the weather phenomenon’s toll on rice and corn, which reached P2.69 billion and P1.66 billion, respectively.
A total of 149,494 hectares of farm land and 233,077 metric tons of crops were damaged, affecting the livelihood of 138,859 farmers. —Karl R. Ocampo
Follow safety measures, Coast Guard advises beachgoers
With the onset of the summer season, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) advised beachgoers on Monday to keep in mind several safety measures to prevent untoward incidents.
People should first check if there are lifeguards in the area or any life-saving equipment on standby before they go into the water, the PCG said.
While resorts should have first-aid stations, the PCG noted that vacationers should also come prepared with their personal emergency kits.
From March to May last year, the PCG recorded 69 cases of drowning throughout the country. —Jovic Yee
