INQToday: Baby boy, 2 others die in Quezon due to Aghon; PH protests China’s fishing ban

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

Signal no. 1 up in 6 areas as Typhoon Aghon moves away from PH

Six areas in Luzon remain under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 1 as Typhoon Aghon moves away from the Philippine landmass.

Baby boy, 2 others die in Quezon due to Aghon

A 7-month-old baby boy drowned and two others died Sunday after they were hit by falling trees in Quezon province at the height of Severe Tropical Storm Aghon (international name: Ewiniar).

The Quezon police reported Monday that four fishermen spotted around 11 a.m. the floating body of the baby in the waters off Barangay Ilayang Polo in Pagbilao town.

PH protests China’s fishing ban encroaching West Philippine Sea 

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday protested China’s unilateral fishing ban in the South China Sea which encroaches on the West Philippine Sea.

DFA said the unilateral fishing ban started on May 1, 2024 and is expected to last until September 16, 2024.

Gasoline, diesel prices up 40 centavos per liter

Oil companies are raising local pump prices by up to 40 centavos per liter effective Tuesday, May 28.

In separate advisories, the oil firms announced a 40-centavo increase in the prices of diesel and gasoline per liter while kerosene would go up by 30 centavos.

Quarantine bureau told to screen travelers from COVID-hit countries

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has instructed the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) to hold thorough screenings at entry points for travelers coming from countries where the new COVID-19 “FLiRT” variants have been detected.

The “FliRT” variants refer to KP.2 and KP.3, which have been tagged by the World Health Organization (WHO) as variants under monitoring.

Escudero: ‘Unfair’ to tag me as Palace lackey for replacing Zubiri

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday protested insinuations he was picked to head the upper chamber for being a Palace lackey.

“That’s unfair because nobody ever accused Senator Zubiri [of] being a Palace lackey, that he was chosen by the Palace to be our Senate president. We’ve always stood up and said that we chose him as our Senate president,” Escudero said in an interview over ANC’s “Headstart.”

FAMAS sorry for ‘replacing’ Eva Darren, says she could not be located at event

The organizers of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) apologized to Eva Darren after her removal as one of the presenters of the ceremony on Sunday, May 26, claiming she had to be “replaced” as she couldn’t be “located by the production team” at the ceremony.

Hours after Darren’s son Fernando de la Peña called out FAMAS on Facebook, the awards-giving ceremony publicly apologized to Darren, saying her sudden replacement as a presenter was a “misjudgment” and not “intentional.”