INQToday: 2 Filipino sailors killed, 2 severely hurt in Houthi missile attack

Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:

2 Filipino sailors killed, 2 severely hurt in Houthi missile attack

Two Filipinos have been killed while two were severely injured following a missile strike on a cargo vessel off Yemen, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed on Thursday.

“With great sadness, the DMW confirms the deaths of two Filipino seafarers in the most recent attack by Houthi rebels on ships plying the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” DMW said in a statement.

Damaged PH vessel was on ‘test mission,’ not loaded

The Philippine supply boat that bore the brunt of a water cannon attack and dangerous blocking maneuvers by China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels on Tuesday was just on an experimental voyage to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, a top military official said.

The Unaizah May (UM) 4 did not even carry supplies for the rotation and resupply (Rore) mission as its sole objective was to check whether it can enter the low-elevation shoal, said the chief of military’s Western Command (Wescom), Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, who was onboard the vessel during the eventful trip.

No, Imelda Marcos is not dead — Palace

Circulating rumors that former first lady Imelda Marcos is dead are untrue, said the Palace on Thursday.

Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil told reporters that this was fake news.

SC junks plea vs PUVMP; 2 petitions still pending

The Supreme Court has dismissed on technicalities a transport group’s petition challenging the constitutionality of the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP) because it doubted the legal standing of the petitioner who also disregarded the hierarchy of courts.

The high court did not rule on the merits of the petition for certiorari and prohibition filed in 2020 by Bayyo Association Inc. and its president Anselmo Perweg, who complained that part of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Order No. 2017-011 was “an invalid delegation of legislative power” and violated the due process and equal protection clauses of the Constitution.