News Briefs: June 7, 2019

Holiday in Manila on June 24; city marks 448th year

Malacañang has declared June 24 a special nonworking day in Manila to mark the city’s 448th founding anniversary. “It is but fitting and proper that the people of the city of Manila be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies,” read Proclamation No. 731 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. The City of Manila was established on June 24, 1571, by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first governor-general of the Philippines under Spanish rule. —JULIE M. AURELIO

Palace lifts ban on gov’t execs’ travel to Canada

Malacañang on Thursday lifted its restrictions on official travels to Canada, after the 69 containers of garbage that Canada had dumped in the country in 2013 were finally shipped back on Friday. “In view of the Canadian government’s retrieval and reshipment to Canada of the containers of garbage mentioned in the aforesaid directive, please be informed that such directive is hereby lifted, effective immediately,” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a memorandum, referring to a May 20 directive limiting the Philippine government’s interactions with Canada over the trash row. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has also advised Philippine diplomats recalled from Ottawa to return to their posts after the resolution of the garbage row. —JULIE M. AURELIO

DOJ to probe Co, 16 others on drug links

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has assigned three prosecutors to investigate alleged Chinese drug lord Xu Zhi Jian, also known as Jacky Co, whom Sen. Panfilo Lacson linked to the smuggling of some P1.8 billion worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) through the Manila port last March. The DOJ panel led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Clarisa Kuong will also investigate 16 others who, along with Xu, were accused by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency of being part of the shabu smuggling. The other panel members are Assistant State Prosecutors Rodan Parrocha and Noel Antay Jr. —DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN

Zambo siege hero honored with school marker

Scout Ranger Pfc. Ian Paquit, who died a hero in the 2013 Zamboanga City siege was honored with a marker at his alma mater, Otto Lingue National High School in Pagadian. Armed Forces vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Salvador Mison Jr. graced the ceremonies on Wednesday. Paquit was posthumously bestowed a medal of valor for his acts of gallantry in the attack on the city by rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front. Paquit was with the 3rd Scout Ranger Company and served as rifleman before being felled by enemy fire. —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE