Here’s a quick roundup of today’s top stories:
Typhoon Ofel keeps strength; Signal No. 2 up over 2 areasTyphoon Ofel (international name: Usagi) has maintained its strength as it moved west northwestward over the Philippine sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported on Wednesday.
Article continues after this advertisementBased on the state weather bureau’s 11 a.m. bulletin, Ofel was last spotted some 485 kilometers (km) east northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte or 610 km east of Infanta, Quezon.
FEATURED STORIES NEWSINFO New storm forecast to enter PAR Thursday to be named Pepito NEWSINFO Tensions flare as Brosas, Duterte trade barbs in drug war hearing NEWSINFO Typhoon Ofel keeps its strength over PH Sea; Signal No. 2 up in 2 areas Ex-president Duterte shows up at House quad comm drug war hearingAfter many rumors and barbs between him and the House of Representatives lawmakers, former president Rodrigo Duterte showed up at the quad committee’s drug war hearing on Wednesday — a meeting that was initially canceled, but eventually pushed through.
Duterte arrived at 9:57 a.m., at the Batasang Pambansa complex’s People’s Center. He was accompanied by his former spokesperson, lawyer Salvador Panelo.
Article continues after this advertisement Teodoro cites ‘increasing demand’ from China for PH to give up WPS claimsThere is an “increasing demand by Beijing” for Manila to give up its claims in the heavily disputed South China Sea despite the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its sweeping claims in the strategic waterway, Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. said on Tuesday.
Article continues after this advertisement“What we see is an increasing demand by Beijing for us to concede our sovereign rights in the area because of our need to explore and exploit the resources in these areas for the benefit of our own people,” Teodoro said at a press briefing in Canberra after his meeting with his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles.
Article continues after this advertisement China Coast Guard harasses, blocks Filipino fishers in Escoda ShoalChina Coast Guard harassed and blocked a Filipino boat from entering Escoda (Sabina) Shoal twice last month, a fisherfolk revealed.
This was revealed in a three-page handwritten sworn statement of boat captain Arnel Lepalam furnished to the media on Tuesday night.
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