Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:
No FBI extradition request yet for Quiboloy, PH envoy to US says
There is no official communication yet from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation to extradite sect leader and alleged rapist Apollo Quiboloy, Philippine ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez said Thursday.
In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Romualdez said the Philippine embassy in the United States has yet to receive such a request.
“No request has been made…if we get one, we transmit [it] to our Department of Justice, [care of] the Department of Foreign Affairs,” said Romualdez.
PNP may cancel Quiboloy’s gun permits this week
The Philippine National Police may finally revoke this week the firearms licenses issued to fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who is facing arrest on several charges, including child abuse.
Col. Jean Fajardo, the PNP spokesperson, said at a forum in Manila on Wednesday that PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil was already studying the recommendation of the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) to revoke Quiboloy’s gun permits.
Balikatan a ‘perfect training ground’ for PH’s new defense concept
The ongoing Balikatan war games is a “perfect training ground” for the government’s new archipelagic defense paradigm made in view of mounting tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a United States marine general said on Wednesday.
Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commanding general of the 1 Marine Expeditionary Force, said the war games between Manila and Washington will contribute with the Department of National Defense’s Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept.