Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:
Marcos: PH will push back vs China if maritime interests ignored
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Philippines will cooperate with China in areas where their interests align but would push back when its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in South China Sea are ignored.
Ties between neighbors the Philippines and China have soured since Marcos took office in 2022, with repeated spats over disputed features in the South China Sea at a time when Manila has been forging closer defense ties with longtime military ally the United States.
PH refutes China remark vs Ambassador Romualdez
The Philippine Embassy in Washington trashed the Chinese embassy’s remarks against Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, emphasizing that the official is “not a mouthpiece for another country” nor is “spreading erroneous threats.”
In a statement sent to INQUIRER.net, the Philippine Embassy in Washington simply stated that none of China’s remarks were true.
China didn’t get permission to conduct research at Philippine Rise — NSC
The two Chinese research vessels reported in the Philippine Rise did not ask for permission to conduct explorations, said National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya on Monday.
Spanning 24 million hectares, the Philippine Rise (formerly known as Benham Rise) is on the eastern side of the country and is separate from the heavily disputed West Philippine Sea, said Malaya. The area spans half the Philippines’ land mass and is rich in marine resources.
Chinese research ships spotted in Benham Rise now out of PH’s EEZ
The two Chinese research vessels seen in the Benham Rise are now out of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a Philippine Navy official said Monday.
Research ships Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao and Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao were spotted 800 nautical miles east of Casiguran, Aurora as of Sunday, March 3, according to Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad.
NFA head, 138 others suspended over rice buffer stocks sale
National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Roderico Bioco and 138 other officials and employees were placed under preventive suspension for their alleged involvement in the sale of rice buffer stocks.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Office of the Ombudsman’s order for their preventive suspension takes effect Monday, March 4, and will be implemented for six months.
DOJ orders filing of child abuse, trafficking case vs. Quiboloy
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the filing of sexual abuse of a minor case and qualified trafficking against Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy,
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla made the announcement on Monday as the DOJ granted the petition for review, pending before the DOJ for over four years.
Andi Eigenmann says mother Jaclyn Jose died of heart attack
Andi Eigenmann was emotional as she confirmed the death of her mother Jaclyn Jose, also known as Mary Jane Guck in real life, who died of myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
Accompanied by her paternal brother Gabby, Eigenmann tearfully announced in a press conference that her mother had died on March 2, or a day before her death was discovered and disclosed to the public. She was 60.