INQToday: VP Duterte’s election announcement signals early politicking – Escudero

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

Chinese ships have left Sabina Shoal in West Philippine Sea – navy

Chinese ships appear to have left the waters at the Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, according to the Philippine Navy.

From June 18 to June 24, no China Coast Guard (CCG) ships, People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) warships, or Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels were spotted in Sabina Shoal.

Escudero: VP Duterte’s election announcement signals early politicking

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Vice President Sara Duterte’s earlier pronouncement that her father and brothers are gearing up for their respective senatorial bids signals that the politics and politicking in the country have begun ahead of the 2025 midterm polls.

The newly-instated Senate chief, however, stressed that a lot more can happen before the official filing of certificates of candidacy in October.

NBI compares fingerprints of Mayor Alice Guo, Guo Hua Ping

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is currently comparing the fingerprints of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Leal Guo and Chinese passport-holder Guo Hua Ping, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Senate probe into the alleged illegal activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) in the country and Mayor Guo’s alleged involvement in these, Hontiveros said she asked the NBI to compare the fingerprints.

PSA endorses to SolGen the cancellation of Guo’s birth certificate

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has recommended to the Office of Solicitor General the cancellation of suspended Mayor Alice Guo’s birth certificate.

“We already endorsed to the Office of the Solicitor General for canceling the [Certificate of Live Birth] COLB,” said Marizza Grande, Assistant National Statistician of PSA’s Civil Registration Service.

DMW: Deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait resumes

The Philippines and Kuwaiti authorities have agreed to resume the deployment of Filipino skilled and domestic workers to the Middle Eastern country, according to Migrant Workers chief Hans Leo Cacdac.

In a press briefing, Cacdac said Undersecretary Bernard Olalia met with Kuwait officials, the Ministry of Interior and Industry of Foreign Affairs, and other government officers to discuss the matter after the ban on Filipino workers’ deployment, which lasted for over a year.