Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:
PCG: PH maritime drills don’t provoke China, ‘China has always been like that’
The Philippines’ deepening security ties with the United States (US) and other countries are not linked with China’s escalating aggression in the West Philippine Sea, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official said on Monday.
In a radio interview, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela dispelled talks that Manila’s cooperative maritime exercises with other countries in the disputed waters are provoking an already irate China.
VP Duterte maintains her silence on West Philippine Sea territorial row
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has “no comment” on issues about the West Philippine Sea as she preferred to be silent when asked about her stand on China’s continued aggression in the area.
Duterte also echoed what her brother, Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte, had said — that questions on China-related attacks should be addressed by government agencies responsible for the country’s foreign policy and external defense.
PNP on Quiboloy’s surrender conditions: ‘He’s entitled to his opinion’
Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) founder and alleged sex offender Apollo Quiboloy is “entitled to his own opinion,” by laying certain conditions for his surrender, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, however, said they respect the judicial power of the court, which mandates them to serve the arrest warrant against him for sexual abuse and child abuse cases.
DepEd: Return to old school calendar can’t be rushed
The return to the old school calendar cannot be rushed, Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte said, as she emphasized the need to consider the rest period of teachers and learners.
“We cannot compromise the rest period of our teachers and learners. We cannot conduct continuous classes because they need rest,” Duterte said in Filipino in an ambush interview after a joint event of DepEd and Go Negosyo on Monday.
Meralco cuts April electricity rate by nearly P1 per kilowatt-hour
Electricity consumers get some relief as power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) announced a rate reduction of almost one peso per kilowatt-hour in April due to lower generation and transmission charges.
In a statement on Monday, Meralco said this month’s overall power rate declined by P0.9879 per kWh to P10.9518 per kWh in the April billing period from P11.9397 per kWh in March.
Taylor Swift impersonator Taylor Sheesh hurt after ‘homophobic’ attack
Drag performer Taylor Sheesh was assaulted by a member of an audience during the Kalutan concert in Bayambang, Pangasinan last Saturday, April 6, in what appeared to be an act of homophobia.
On X, Sheesh, whose real name is John Mac Lane Coronel, and uses the pronoun she/her, said she was still traumatized by the incident wherein a member of the audience had deliberately stuck out his hand and hit the performer in the neck as she was passing by the crowd during a performance.