INQToday: Ochoa shows up at Senate’s probe of PDEA leaked documents

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

Senators warn of new maritime case vs China

The Philippines may file another case against China if it implements its new policy of detaining for up to 60 days without trial foreigners, particularly Filipinos, crossing waters it claims are under its jurisdiction, two senators said on Sunday.

“Should Beijing dare push through with this illegitimate regulation, the Philippines’ hand may be forced to sue them again in the Hague Tribunal,” Sen. Risa Hontiveros said in a statement, referring to the Permanent Court of Arbitration which ruled in 2016 that China’s “nine-dash-line” claims to almost the entire South China Sea were invalid.

Ochoa shows up at Senate’s probe of PDEA leaked documents

Former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. personally appeared before the Senate on Monday to attend a Senate panel’s investigation into allegedly leaked drug documents.

It took two letters, a subpoena, and a threat of arrest warrant from Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa for Ochoa to finally show up at the probe.

Gasoline prices down by 10¢ per liter, diesel up 25¢ effective May 21

Local fuel companies will adjust fuel pump prices starting Tuesday, May 21.

Gasoline is down by 10 centavos per liter, while diesel and kerosene will increase by 25 and 30 centavos, respectively.

‘No sign of life’ at crash site of helicopter carrying Iran’s president, others

Rescuers on Monday found a helicopter that was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and other officials that had apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran the day before, though “no sign of life” was detected, state media reported.

As the sun rose Monday, rescuers saw the helicopter from a distance of some 2 kilometers (1.25 miles), the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Pir Hossein Kolivand, told state media. He did not elaborate and the officials had been missing at that point by over 12 hours.