01:09.8
This stems from the alleged pandemic supply deals secured by formerly Pharmaceutical Corporation during the Duterte administration.
01:18.0
Duque's legal counsel told ANC they plan to pursue all available legal avenues to contest the Ombudsman's decision.
01:25.2
The law firm maintains all facts and evidence point to Duque's.
01:29.0
We are now joined by former Senator Richard Gordon, who headed the formally hearings at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
01:37.8
Senator, good afternoon. Thank you for joining the program.
01:41.1
Thank you, Rika. Good afternoon.
01:43.5
Hi, Senator. Let's start first with the Ombudsman finally making a move on this after years of waiting.
01:51.7
They ordered graft charges to be filed against Secretary Duque and Undersecretary Lau.
01:57.0
I'd like to get your thoughts on the matter, please.
01:59.4
Well, I'm simply elated at the fact that the long arm of the law is beginning to grab these people.
02:09.5
It hasn't really grasped all in this, you know, scheme where at the height of the pandemic when people were in peril and dying,
02:24.6
these people dared to steal a billion pesos.
02:29.0
From a capitalization of only 625,000.
02:32.7
That alone shows that they were really powerful people and they were favored.
02:38.3
And it all points out to the previous administration's president.
02:42.2
He was the one who ordered the transfer of the funds.
02:45.9
He was the one who appointed Lau, Young.
02:49.1
He was a friend of Michael Young and he kept defending them.
02:52.5
Every night they would attack us personally, brutally threatening us.
02:59.0
And in spite of the fact, we were able to gather all the evidence.
03:03.5
In fact, this is just a partial report from what I see because they've only covered 1.2 billion so far as Lin Weishong is concerned.
03:16.4
Lin Weishong never showed up during the hearing.
03:19.3
He kept hiding in Dubai.
03:21.7
And his wife, in the meantime, was enjoying the fruits of what was being stolen.
03:27.0
It was a good thing.
03:29.0
I was able to get a copy of a corporate document that authorized Lin Weishong to be the one who would get all the money from the government.
03:40.8
And yet the government did not do anything about money laundering, withdrawing large amounts of money.
03:46.1
And there's no money trail.
03:47.8
This is what we ought to do now.
03:50.8
This is just the beginning.
03:51.9
We should follow where the money went.
03:55.3
Did it go abroad?
03:56.7
And really get interposed.
03:59.0
And everyone involved.
04:00.5
And, you know, like ICSC, we should be the one to handle the investigation.
04:08.1
We cannot just watch and let others like the Ombudsman do it.
04:11.9
Everybody should pour it on because this is one time when the country can win a major victory against corruption.
04:18.1
If we can get all these people all the way from the top.
04:20.7
You know, Michael Young has not been touched yet.
04:22.9
Michael Young was the friend of the president and he admitted that he had not even paid any taxes.
04:29.0
Except for in his 17 or 19 year stint in the Philippines, he only paid a total of about a few thousand pesos.
04:38.6
So really, it's time that, and I hope with the help of media and the help of the people, we wake up from our slumber, from our complacency.
04:49.7
And really move to unravel this whole thing and get everybody involved and lock them up.
04:56.9
This should be planned.
04:58.1
This is not an anti-government.
04:59.0
This is not an anti-government.
04:59.3
This is not an anti-government.
05:00.8
You've already mentioned a lot of points on that statement, Senator.
05:04.5
But I'd like to touch up on some of those first.
05:06.9
But you mentioned President Duterte as being involved intimately in this, in what happened with Farimali.
05:13.3
Do you think that the president should also be looked over by the Ombudsman?
05:18.6
In my report, if you try to get a copy of my report, it says the moment the president is alone, the president has no immunity.
05:27.1
And the government should pursue him.
05:29.3
The country should pursue him.
05:31.1
This would never have happened without the president.
05:33.3
Because you can see that all throughout the investigation, this is unprecedented.
05:39.3
The president was defending, not the government, but his friends.
05:43.7
He was defending the appointment of law.
05:45.8
He even put him on his program.
05:47.5
He was defending Michael Young as his beloved friend.
05:51.1
He's just an investor.
05:53.0
Why should you go after him?
05:54.4
He was calling everybody names, cursing us and everything.
05:59.0
And yet we even have pictures of them together.
06:03.0
And when you follow the money trail, or when you follow the sequence of events, you know that it started there.
06:10.9
Who had the money transferred?
06:14.3
Duque was a cabinet member.
06:17.3
He had no choice.
06:18.1
He had to follow the president.
06:19.3
Or at least, at least he could do it.
06:21.3
Which was resigned if he could not stomach it.
06:23.7
But no, you know.
06:25.2
I suppose Duque was torn by the fact that there was a big pandemic.
06:29.0
And he had to do something.
06:30.7
And the president was ordering him to do it.
06:33.9
Unfortunately, the people that was implementing it really were feasting, you know, in their anonymity.
06:42.9
These are people we don't know.
06:44.8
And then look at the whole point.
06:46.2
It turns full circle.
06:48.7
At the end of the day, Duterte almost appointed Lau as ombudsman.
06:53.1
Lau could not be appointed because he had become so controversial.
06:56.4
He appointed the number two guy, Leong.
06:59.0
And that's when the ombudsman ball.
07:00.6
Because you cannot have somebody in the ombudsman that is tainted with so much, you know,
07:07.3
accusations and suspicions about the money that has been, you know, plundered.
07:12.6
And then when you look at the whole shebang, you know, we're not done with these people.
07:19.9
You know, Lin Weishong had to be captured because he never showed up.
07:25.0
Rose Donald Lim has got to explain.
07:27.6
She campaigned lavishly.
07:29.0
And, you know, all these people, people have been quiet about the holidays.
07:34.7
But, you know, they will have their day.
07:36.9
All the Indians that were involved, Indian-Filipino, so-called, with multiple passports, they were caught in Davao City.
07:43.6
Trying to escape the Blue Ribbon, they went to Davao, chartered a plane, but we waited for them to get out.
07:50.3
And they were allowed to get out of the airport.
07:52.3
They thought they were totally, totally safe.
07:54.7
Then we picked them up.
07:55.7
So it really shows when you go down the line.
07:59.0
From the very beginning, it started during the pandemic.
08:02.1
Michael Leung made the suggestions, I suppose.
08:04.6
And the whole thing was woven at that time.
08:07.9
And, you know, thembusman found out that, hey, why is there no, why is there misconduct?
08:14.0
You know, the goods were never even delivered.
08:16.8
I mean, the hospitals were saying we never got any of these supplies.
08:20.6
So, Nilan goes deliveries, misdeliveries.
08:23.6
And where was the money laundering council?
08:28.1
Whatever happened?
08:28.9
Whatever happened?
08:28.9
Whatever happened?
08:29.0
Whatever happened?
08:29.0
Whatever happened to, you know, asking them to explain where the money went.
08:34.8
And talaga wala, talaga.
08:36.7
Let's look now at the personalities involved.
08:39.6
Senator, the ombudsman has reached a decision on two people.
08:43.6
Secretary Duque's team, legal team said they will fight the charges.
08:47.1
Christopher Lausay remains mum until now.
08:49.5
What if the formerly officials involved and all the other private citizens whose name have been dragged with this?
08:55.4
Should charges be filed against them too?
08:57.3
And who do you think should get the?
08:59.0
What's the ball rolling in this matter?
09:01.1
The ombudsman is the key man.
09:03.7
And I'm, I, I saw Justice Sammy, that he came out and never let go.
09:15.2
And his investigation, although I think doesn't go deep enough, like I said, it's only covered 1 point something billion.
09:25.1
When the whole amount is about 11, almost 12 billion.
09:29.0
And actually, he has ordered the filing of cases against undersecretaries who were involved.
09:37.9
Not just Laos, not just Leong, but other undersecretaries.
09:41.2
And a lot of other people.
09:44.3
But the main culprits, the main, you know, the people who come out, like Duterte.
09:51.5
I mean, it's so obvious.
09:52.7
I get text now that they should go after Duterte.
09:56.8
Because right now, we're still alone.
09:59.0
President, who was so powerful, the longer in office, malakas na alam natin.
10:04.0
We find the strength to say, okay, let's do this.
10:07.2
I'm not, I'm not for, I'm not going after them because of vengeance.
10:10.5
I don't really care about that.
10:12.6
What I care about is people must find justice in the sense that while everybody was sleeping,
10:20.0
while everybody was terrorized by this disease, these people were in the dark in a small place called PSDBM
10:26.4
that nobody ever noticed.
10:27.7
And they were stealing for one and a half months.
10:31.5
They stole billions, sometimes a couple of billion a day.
10:36.1
And not only overpriced, not only no deliveries or misdeliveries, but really laughing all the way to the bank.
10:44.6
And they showed the fruits of it.
10:46.7
You remember, these guys had cars like Porsches, very expensive cars.
10:54.2
They were living in Forest Park.
10:55.7
They were living in Las Marinas.
10:57.7
And the Indians were living in BCG right here on top of my apartment.
11:03.4
So you can see that it's only when I bought, when they were not allowed anymore to stay here.
11:11.9
The important thing here is to remember is that we must not tally a little.
11:16.2
We must go all out.
11:17.7
So many facets in this case that we've been looking at when you started investigating on this matter, Senator.
11:26.2
But one of the main...
11:27.6
One of the main things is the money spent on acquiring items from Farmily.
11:31.5
What do you think should be done about that when we're talking about the money trail?
11:36.4
Well, we can recover it.
11:39.0
Michael Young has a lot of assets here for somebody who's supposed to be selling all the cell phones
11:44.5
and, you know, little ornaments from China in the beginning.
11:49.7
He has big factories in Clarkfield.
11:53.1
He has some buildings here in Manila.
11:56.0
And he has a lot of assets.
11:57.6
I mean, the guy was living high on dog.
11:59.2
In fact, there was even a shooting in his rented home in Forbes Park.
12:06.2
So, you know, we must act fast.
12:09.3
This is where the money laundering folks can really now say,
12:13.1
all right, you know, if you withdraw anything like 400,000,
12:19.1
the bank should be calling on you right away.
12:20.9
It should be asking you, where'd you get the money?
12:22.3
You know, the first question they should have been asked is,
12:27.6
You have foreigners.
12:30.2
The head of the company is a Chinese from Singapore
12:34.8
who had already had a run-in in Taiwan.
12:38.1
They were already hunted, being, you know, prosecuted in Taiwan.
12:42.4
They ran away and then they went to the Philippines.
12:45.7
You know, we even have pictures of these guys making a call on President Duterte in Davao.
12:50.8
And we showed it during the hearings.
12:57.6
we have a colonial hangover in this country
13:01.2
with the powerful who are in office.
13:05.1
Hard to fight them.
13:06.8
I mean, you need the guys, the Blue Ribbon staff
13:11.0
who helped me uncover and helped me divine what was happening
13:16.1
and we were able to prove it point by point.
13:19.3
From the top to the bottom,
13:20.7
we were able to prove that these things were happening.
13:26.2
And the evidence is there.
13:27.6
You know, all the people,
13:30.5
they make a big thing about the fact that
13:33.2
we did not get the signatures of all the members.
13:36.4
Of course, there was pressure being put there already.
13:39.2
So I wasn't yelling at them anymore.
13:41.7
I wasn't saying anything anymore.
13:43.3
But the point is, you know why?
13:45.5
Because at the last day of the session,
13:49.1
even though they were going to archive it,
13:51.9
I was able to deliver the report.
13:54.6
Even if they didn't act on it,
13:56.4
so anybody can go,
13:57.6
right away and look at the day
14:01.0
where we came out with all these things.
14:05.6
Even Eureka or even the janitor
14:07.8
or even the jeepney driver
14:09.0
who's having a hard time
14:12.3
Because all these people were under oath
14:14.5
except for Duterte.
14:16.4
You have all the tapes on Duterte
14:18.6
attacking the Blue Ribbon Committee,
14:25.2
showing extreme bias
14:28.7
any wave of corruption,
14:30.2
I will go after them.
14:32.7
when it came to his friends,
14:34.4
I can only conclude that
14:35.7
he was the one orchestrating the whole shebang.
14:39.9
we really have to move against these people now.
14:42.7
Alright, last one, Senator.
14:44.2
Before I let you go,
14:45.8
we did this investigation in aid of legislation.
14:48.9
So I just want to know,
14:50.2
after you left the Senate,
14:52.5
have you seen drastic changes
14:54.9
in the government's procurement services
14:56.9
and the government's procurement services?
14:57.4
Have you seen drastic changes in the government's procurement services?
14:57.6
And even on the Senate
14:58.8
to adjust legislation on this matter?
15:01.5
Every time I investigate,
15:03.2
there is always a recommendation
15:04.8
to learn from what we have done.
15:09.6
if you look at all our investigations,
15:12.5
we got those two people
15:14.8
involved in the Clarkfield scam,
15:17.7
the guys with the nice watches,
15:19.5
the two immigration commissioners,
15:23.2
Because we got the tape
15:24.4
showing that they were insulaire
15:26.6
and they were insulaire
15:26.7
and they were insulaire
15:27.2
and they were insulaire
15:27.4
accepting the money,
15:29.2
counting the money,
15:30.5
and putting them in their cars.
15:31.9
So now they're in jail.
15:33.5
We also got Albayalde
15:36.6
because we caught him
15:37.7
on that hooligop scheme
15:39.8
where they were robbing Koreans
15:41.9
when he was still a colonel in Papanga
15:43.8
and we even locked up his deputy
15:46.2
whom he promoted.
15:49.6
We have the case of Deng Baksha
15:52.8
where now Secretary Garin,
15:54.9
former Secretary Garin,
15:56.7
is also facing...
15:57.4
is facing charges
15:58.4
from the Sandigan Bayan
15:59.5
and the Ombudsman.
16:00.9
Yeah, but about this matter, Senator.
16:03.2
It's been very successful.
16:06.2
while these people are in power,
16:08.0
we cannot master this strength.
16:09.9
We can just bark like dogs
16:11.3
against the caravan
16:12.2
passing into the night.
16:13.7
But now, there is a chance.
16:15.4
We should now go after these people
16:21.5
the Senate knows what to do.
16:24.0
The Ombudsman knows what to do.
16:25.1
The only thing that needs to be done
16:27.0
is prosecute and convict
16:29.2
not just for anti-graphic corrupt practice.
16:31.9
This is the purest form of plunder.
16:35.3
And there is all the evidence.
16:36.9
You can get the evidence in the Senate.
16:41.0
And we have all the oaths.
16:44.8
They're all under oath.
16:47.9
we have all the documentation.
16:49.4
You know, that paper that showed
16:52.6
we were the ones who got that.
16:54.1
In the same manner that we were the ones
16:55.5
who got the TV footage,
16:57.0
against those two immigration commissioners,
16:59.9
we have the paper that was signed
17:01.6
by all the board members
17:06.0
We have the certificate of the charter
17:10.6
by the Darganis in Davao.
17:14.6
hanging himself with all his bluster
17:17.6
protecting Michael Young.
17:20.3
Michael Young said he did not speak English.
17:22.4
He could speak English.
17:23.3
He could understand.
17:24.0
And if you look at all the tapes,
17:27.0
big case that can,
17:28.9
put all these people in jail for life.
17:32.0
With that, I'll let you go.
17:32.9
Thank you so much for your time
17:34.0
and for taking some time
17:36.8
just for this, Senator.
17:38.3
You have a good afternoon ahead of you.
17:40.0
Thank you very much, Rika.
17:41.5
Thank you, former Senator Richard Gordon.
17:43.1
Joining us on Timor News,
17:44.8
a local official warns
17:45.9
the national government
17:46.8
of a possible attack by China.
17:48.9
In a report published by Japan's Kyoto News,
17:51.5
Kagayan Governor Manuel Mamba says
17:53.3
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong
17:56.0
warned him last time that
17:57.0
Beijing will not hesitate to attack Manila
17:59.6
if a war erupted between China
18:01.6
and other forces being hosted by the Philippines.
18:04.6
The governor has been opposing
18:06.0
the expansion of U.S. military sites
18:08.9
He has also been pushing for his province,
18:10.9
which is facing the island of Taiwan,
18:13.0
to benefit from China's economic growth.
18:17.1
China demanding the Philippines
18:18.7
to cease its provocations
18:20.2
and allow Chinese diplomats
18:21.9
to perform their duties normally.
18:24.2
This remark from Beijing's foreign ministry
18:26.2
comes in response to the U.S. military's
18:26.9
response to Manila's
18:27.8
National Security Advisor Eduardo Año,
18:30.5
who called for Chinese embassy officials
18:33.8
Año cited an alleged recording
18:35.4
of a phone conversation
18:36.6
with a senior Philippine military official
18:39.1
about a purported deal with Beijing
18:41.2
to de-escalate tensions
18:42.5
in the West Philippine Sea.
18:44.2
The two countries have engaged
18:45.5
in a series of standoffs this past year
18:48.2
as the Philippines steps up
18:50.0
its assertiveness in its territorial waters.
18:52.4
The Philippines' assertiveness
18:56.9
is a sign of the fact
18:57.9
that the Chinese people
19:01.1
in the face of facts and evidence
19:03.0
and that they have reached
19:04.5
the point of exasperation
19:06.0
and have no bottom line at all.
19:08.8
China solemnly requests
19:10.0
the Philippine side
19:10.9
to effectively safeguard
19:12.2
the normal performance of duties
19:14.1
by Chinese diplomatic personnel,
19:16.3
stop infringing and provoking
19:18.1
and refrain from denying the facts
19:21.6
or lifting a stone
19:22.7
to smash their own feet.
19:25.9
The Philippine government
19:26.9
anti-organized crime commission
19:28.7
believes controversial Bamban Mayor
19:30.7
Alice Guo has a major role
19:32.8
in illegal pogo operations in the town.
19:35.6
Authorities in March
19:36.5
raided an internet gaming licensee
19:39.0
which showed evidence of human trafficking,
19:41.3
serious illegal detention,
19:43.0
physical abuse and torture.
19:44.9
875 workers were rescued there.
19:47.6
About half of them
19:48.3
are Chinese nationals.
19:50.2
Guo has been accused
19:51.1
of backing the operation
19:52.2
of the gambling site
19:53.2
with lawmakers questioning
19:54.7
how such businesses
19:56.7
thrived without being detected.
19:59.7
The mayor has since denied
20:01.5
but officials assert
20:02.7
documents can prove
20:03.9
her link to the illegal activities.
20:07.5
The documents we got
20:10.7
especially when we applied
20:12.4
for the business permit
20:14.6
when Alice Guo was not mayor yet,
20:19.5
who was in front of it.
20:21.6
who applied for the letter of objection
20:23.9
for the Bamban Municipality Council.
20:26.7
She was not a mayor then.
20:28.1
And then when she became mayor
20:29.8
and when this pogo hub
20:32.5
in Bamban was raided,
20:33.6
there were documents
20:36.5
she was still paying
20:39.4
the Tarlac Electric Cooperative,
20:41.9
the maintenance of the building
20:47.1
that is in the name
20:47.8
including the other bills,
20:55.6
the investigation is about.
20:56.7
Aside from her ties
21:03.2
Guo has also been
21:05.8
due to her citizenship
21:07.2
with some lawmakers
21:08.2
suspecting she could be
21:11.1
During a Senate hearing,
21:12.8
she does not have
21:15.2
Her birth was only
21:16.9
when she was 17 years old.
21:21.7
President Marcos urged
21:23.0
a nude to cooperate
21:24.1
with the International
21:25.1
Criminal Court's probe
21:26.4
into former President
21:27.9
Rodrigo Duterte's
21:29.0
bloody anti-narcotics campaign.
21:31.4
The Philippine Coalition
21:32.3
for the International Tribunal
21:35.2
should participate
21:37.0
especially as extrajudicial
21:38.6
killings allegedly
21:39.5
continue under his watch.
21:41.6
Marcos has asserted
21:42.7
on several occasions
21:43.6
the ICC has no authority
21:46.6
his predecessor's drug war.
21:50.5
We should cooperate
21:53.4
even if we are not there
21:55.5
anymore in the international tribunal.
21:56.4
The International Criminal Court
21:59.6
during the period
22:01.1
that the International
22:02.9
Criminal Court is looking at.
22:08.0
of President Marcos
22:16.7
According to the HUS,
22:24.7
Marcos administration.
22:28.8
it is said that 15%
22:32.2
what is happening.
22:36.8
that I will kill you
22:41.1
if you will not stop.
22:49.4
Good news for motorists.
22:51.4
Fuel prices are expected
22:53.4
for the third straight week.
23:01.0
A liter of diesel
23:01.8
meanwhile could go down
23:02.9
by at least 50 centavos.
23:12.3
in the Philippines
23:12.9
seemed to persist
23:15.5
talked to some experts
23:16.7
on how to keep cool
23:21.6
Stepping into this alley
23:22.9
in Chamorros, Manila
23:24.1
would make you forget
23:25.2
that you are still
23:26.1
in urban Metro Manila
23:27.5
because of the abundance
23:30.0
Some are in pots,
23:31.2
many are also hanging
23:32.2
or in makeshift containers.
23:35.5
and Marcelo Rindon
23:36.6
cite the benefits
23:38.5
in this hot weather.
23:40.3
They also grow vegetables.
23:56.5
We have no other room.
23:58.5
there are vegetables
24:00.9
What kind of food
24:02.9
to reduce the heat?
24:04.6
The ones you have
24:11.3
According to an architect,
24:13.6
to avoid sunlight
24:14.7
even in indoor areas
24:16.3
as the Philippines
24:17.4
is a tropical country
24:18.7
and wide open spaces
24:23.6
Philippine Department of Health,
24:25.4
to avoid sunlight
24:25.7
even in indoor areas
24:28.0
as the Philippines
24:28.8
is a tropical country
24:33.2
But this is possible
24:35.0
different sunshades.
24:53.5
that are on the walls.
25:00.9
The lighter shade
25:15.1
floor or stand fans
25:17.9
than ceiling fans.
25:26.7
that you're going to transfer
25:28.2
is the heated areas
25:31.8
that's a bit hot,
25:33.3
the air that's going to blow
25:35.3
But if you take it
25:38.6
or the stand fans
25:40.5
that are on the flooring,
25:44.3
that it's going to blow
25:47.5
Philippine Department of Health,
25:49.2
proper ventilation
25:50.0
is equally important
25:54.3
the enemy is that the air
25:54.5
ang kalaban natin is temperaturang mataas.
25:56.8
So, yung buksan yung mga bintana,
25:58.9
yung mga pintuan, maglagay tayo ng mga
26:00.9
electric fan. Kung kaya,
26:03.1
maglagay ng aircon pero hindi naman
26:04.6
required. Tapos siguro yung mga bubong.
26:07.1
Kasi pag ang kisame,
26:08.5
mababa, typically mas mainit
26:10.6
kumpara sa mga istruktura na mataas
26:12.8
ang kisame, ang bubong, para
26:14.7
mas maganda yung daloy ng hangin.
26:17.2
Mas ideal, malalaki yung
26:18.7
bintana natin upang
26:20.5
mag-circulate yung hangin sa loob ng bahay.
26:22.8
Mas ideal na meron tayong
26:24.7
at least dalawang bintana
26:26.6
sa two sides ng walls.
26:28.7
If you're concerned about safety,
26:30.9
grills or screens may be placed
26:32.8
on windows to deter housebreakers.
26:40.8
we'll talk to the Philippine military about the
26:42.6
conclusion of the Balikatan Drills
26:44.2
with the U.S. at this is Dateline Philippines Weekend.
26:52.7
on Dateline Philippines Weekend.
26:54.1
Here's another look at the headlines.
26:56.2
The Ombudsman orders graft charges to be
26:58.4
filed against two Duterte administration
27:00.6
officials over the formerly
27:04.4
The Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission
27:06.5
implicates Bamban Mayor Alice Guo
27:08.6
in illegal pogo operations
27:10.6
in the Tarlac town.
27:13.2
And the Philippines and the U.S.
27:14.8
conclude their annual Balikatan
27:20.0
The annual Balikatan drills between the Philippines,
27:22.7
Japan, and U.S. militaries concluded
27:24.3
Friday. Over 16,000
27:26.3
troops from the Philippines, U.S.,
27:28.3
and partner nations participated
27:30.1
in this year's exercises.
27:32.4
The troops also conducted their first-ever
27:34.1
multilateral maritime exercise,
27:36.4
marking a historic milestone
27:38.1
in regional cooperation.
27:40.1
Philippine Defense Chief Gilberto Chodoro
27:42.0
is looking forward to next year's drills.
27:44.4
He teases the 2025
27:45.8
Balikatan exercises will involve
27:48.2
a full-scale battle simulation.
27:54.2
the continuation of this year
27:56.1
will be a busy one for all
28:00.3
look forward to this
28:01.7
because exercises
28:08.4
on the Philippine side, we go out
28:10.3
of our normal comfort zone
28:14.4
on actual soldiering
28:22.7
President Marcos says
28:24.1
joint maritime drills with Manila's allies
28:26.5
help guarantee peace and stability
28:28.3
in the West Philippine Sea.
28:31.6
Now, what are the
28:32.4
key takeaways from this year's drills?
28:34.7
We are now joined by 2024
28:36.2
Balikatan exercises spokesperson
28:38.1
Colonel Michael Loico. Colonel Loico,
28:40.5
good afternoon. Thank you for joining the program.
28:43.3
Good afternoon. Thank you for
28:44.4
inviting me. Our pleasure, Colonel.
28:46.3
Let's start first with a wrap-up yesterday
28:48.7
of the Balikatan exercises.
28:50.7
Can you tell us about the highlights of the exercises?
28:52.7
And also of the humanitarian
28:54.5
efforts brought about by Balikatan?
28:57.7
Yes, I'm glad to.
29:01.0
that we had this year
29:02.8
focused on interoperability
29:08.8
task force are represented by the
29:11.9
First Marine Expeditionary Force.
29:14.2
The main highlight of the
29:19.6
Philippine Navy vessel
29:22.7
in multiple miles across the coast of
29:24.9
the Guadalcanal and the Locust Norte.
29:26.8
It took the combined
29:27.9
of 15 and 19 states
29:32.5
to make that happen.
29:34.5
The event was with
29:35.8
as do less than the president
29:37.2
of the Republic of the United States
29:41.5
and secured space.
29:43.6
So the president itself
29:45.3
personally witnessed
29:48.8
judging from his reaction,
29:50.6
the President of the United States
29:52.6
said that the exercise
29:56.5
mission of the Philippine Navy.
30:00.6
also had the humanitarian
30:02.6
efforts brought about by
30:04.6
the United States.
30:06.6
It was focused on
30:08.6
interoperability between the two.
30:10.6
We'll try to reestablish
30:12.6
reconnection with Colonel Michael Logico
30:14.6
and try to call him back for his line to be
30:16.6
more clear. But let's move on first on a different topic.
30:18.6
The Philippine Education Department
30:20.6
assures the public revisions to the
30:20.7
Philippine Education Department assures the public revisions to the
30:20.9
Philippine Education Department assures the public revisions to the
30:21.9
Philippine Education Department assures the public revisions to the
30:22.6
senior high school curriculum will not
30:24.6
delay its implementation, which includes
30:26.6
additional technical vocational education
30:28.6
and training for students.
30:30.6
Joyce Balancio reports.
30:32.6
All the four strands
30:34.6
of the Senior High School Program
30:36.6
in public schools will soon incorporate
30:38.6
the technical and vocational education
30:40.6
and training or TVET in its
30:42.6
subjects. This follows the signing
30:44.6
of a joint memorandum circular
30:46.6
by the Department of Education, Commission
30:48.6
on Higher Education, Technical
30:50.6
Education, and Skills Development of the Union, and the Parliamentary Council.
30:51.9
Development Authority, and the
30:53.8
Department of Labor and Employment on Friday.
30:56.4
This aims to equip learners
30:58.0
with industry-relevant skills
31:00.1
and knowledge necessary for their
31:02.1
workforce readiness and employability.
31:04.7
The current strands of senior
31:06.1
high school are the general
31:07.9
academic, humanities and social
31:09.8
sciences, science, technology,
31:12.4
engineering, and mathematics,
31:14.3
and lastly, accountancy,
31:16.4
business, and management.
31:17.6
Across all tracks,
31:19.3
embed yan, so whether you're
31:21.6
in the academic track, not necessarily
31:23.9
tech book, pwedeng sa academic
31:25.6
track, at least equip na sila
31:28.2
ng skills, they can
31:29.7
take the certification, mas magiging
31:31.5
attractive sila for employers.
31:33.2
DepEd is currently revising the senior high
31:35.6
school curriculum, which is expected to
31:37.7
be piloted in schools in academic
31:39.7
year 2025 to 2026.
31:43.7
these additional adjustments will
31:45.6
not delay the implementation of the
31:47.5
new curriculum. So napakaganda ng
31:49.6
timing na ito, dahil since we
31:51.5
are now reviewing the senior high school
31:53.3
curriculum, isasabay na po.
31:54.8
DepEd is also coordinating with DOLE to assess
31:57.3
the industry demands to match the
31:59.4
skills needed by the K-12 graduates.
32:02.2
TESTA, for its part,
32:03.9
commits to help DepEd in the
32:05.5
curriculum change.
32:06.9
We have the bookkeeping NC3, then
32:09.3
we also have yung customer services
32:11.8
and customer care,
32:13.6
kasama din po doon. Tinitingdan din
32:15.6
doon natin, paano mailagay yung mga
32:17.2
bread and pastry production natin,
32:19.5
entrepreneurship, andami ho, kasi
32:21.5
tinitingnan natin yung
32:23.2
different sectors, and then
32:25.4
papaano mo siya mailagay.
32:27.5
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the chairperson
32:29.7
of Senate Committee on Basic Education,
32:32.2
lauds the revisions in
32:33.6
the senior high school curriculum.
32:35.6
He said, the number of Filipinos
32:37.5
who were dissatisfied with the K-12
32:39.6
program continued to increase.
32:42.3
Based on a series of surveys,
32:44.2
his team had commissioned
32:49.7
He said respondents didn't see the results.
32:51.5
He said they didn't see the value of adding two years
32:53.3
in basic education.
32:55.0
We commissioned again a survey in
33:01.6
2023, and the results
33:08.8
Sabi ko patay na.
33:10.7
More than half of our population
33:12.4
is dissatisfied with K-12.
33:15.3
They're not happy with K-12.
33:17.1
In fact, they hate K-12.
33:18.4
He is also pushing for the passage
33:21.5
will mandate government to accept
33:23.3
senior high school graduates.
33:25.1
He noted that the current standards in government
33:27.5
are not suited for K-12 graduates.
33:30.6
Under the proposed bill,
33:32.1
the Civil Service Commission
33:33.4
will be tasked to formulate guidelines
33:35.3
for the acceptance of senior high school
33:37.3
graduates in selected positions.
33:39.8
Taasan yung sweldo at
33:41.1
bibigyan ng specific na pwesto
33:43.4
ang mga senior high school sa gobyerno.
33:46.3
Kung pumasa sila, of course,
33:47.6
ng interview, ng mga assessment,
33:50.4
pero meron ng specific,
33:51.5
na trabaho para sa ating mga senior high school.
33:54.9
Limited position,
33:55.8
but ito from local government,
33:57.5
from barangay to local government,
33:59.3
all the way to national government.
34:00.7
Meanwhile, senior high school students
34:02.4
who have completed the Technical Vocational
34:04.5
Livelihood Track, or the TVL,
34:06.6
will no longer have to pay for the assessment
34:08.7
and issuance of national certifications
34:11.5
that they may need
34:12.5
as requirements for employment.
34:14.5
This follows the signing of a joint
34:16.2
memorandum circular by the Department
34:18.4
of Education and the Technical Education
34:20.8
and Skills Development Department.
34:21.5
The Department of Education and Skills Development
34:22.4
Authority on Friday, that aims to
34:24.3
institutionalize the mandatory assessment
34:26.6
of grade 12 learners.
34:28.3
Libre na po yung assessment
34:31.0
ng ating mga senior high school graduates
34:34.6
Pag magkakaroon sila ng NC1 or NC2,
34:38.4
Ngayon, aside from yung libre assessment
34:40.5
ng ating mga learners na wala noon.
34:42.9
Teachers will also be trained to become
34:44.9
assessors, while schools will also
34:47.2
be accredited to become assessment centers.
34:49.6
He stressed that security
34:51.5
during a national certificate
34:52.8
is a good boost for potential job seekers.
34:56.4
Pag bumasa sila, makakuha sila ng NC1, NC2,
34:59.4
automatic yan. Magagamit na yan
35:01.6
pagkahanap sa pagkahanap ng trabaho.
35:03.9
To support the program,
35:05.4
the national government has allotted
35:07.2
538 million pesos
35:09.3
in the 2024 national budget.
35:12.1
Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News.
35:16.8
We now have back on the line
35:18.2
for Balikatan Exercises spokesperson,
35:22.2
Colonel Logico, thank you for joining us again.
35:24.2
Sorry about earlier.
35:29.3
Yes, where were we?
35:30.9
Hi, Colonel. Thank you.
35:32.4
You were telling us earlier about the humanitarian efforts
35:34.6
of the Balikatan Exercise.
35:36.1
Can we begin from there?
35:43.0
Alright, it seems like we're losing Colonel Logico.
35:46.6
Let's try to reconnect with him again later.
35:48.4
Up next, the U.S. issues a rebuke
35:50.5
of Israel's military's
35:51.5
military operation in Gaza.
35:53.0
We'll be right back.
36:19.5
Charm Fabric Conditioner.
36:21.5
With St. Resh Technology.
36:23.8
Damit ay kabloom sa bangong!
36:26.3
Charm Fabric Conditioner.
36:28.3
Bangong kabloom sa bangong!
36:29.7
Charm Fabric Conditioner.
36:31.5
Damit ay may bangon sa tipong kulaklak.
36:34.7
Charm Fabric Conditioner.
36:47.8
Super effective ang shield
36:49.6
sa pagpatay ng bakteriya
36:52.4
Shield Antibacterial Soap.
36:54.2
Believe ang mga eksperto
36:55.9
sa Philippine Nurses Association.
36:59.6
Tiwala ako sa shield.
37:01.7
Shield Antibacterial Soap.
37:03.7
Napatunayang mabisa.
37:08.3
Tanggaling-galing mo!
37:12.0
Smart dish washing base ko.
37:15.7
Pritong ulam na masebo.
37:17.6
Plano ng kaldero.
37:19.5
Tanggaling for everything.
37:21.4
Ganyan, pag smart ang dish washing paste.
37:23.4
May double tanggaling formula.
37:26.4
Tanggalang bakteriya.
37:27.4
Pahit para walang pahit.
37:29.4
Inis patasik sa metal at plastic.
37:31.4
Number one, ko to!
37:33.4
Tanggaling-galing mo.
37:35.4
Smart dish washing paste.
37:51.4
You're still watching Dateline Philippines Weekend.
37:53.4
50 people in northern Afghanistan are killed
37:56.4
in flooding triggered by heavy rains.
37:58.4
The country's interior ministry said
38:00.4
the death toll may rise.
38:02.4
The disaster also left a hundred more people injured.
38:05.4
The government has deployed search and rescue teams
38:08.4
to affected areas.
38:13.4
The U.S. State Department says Israel may have violated
38:16.4
international law in its military operations in Gaza.
38:19.4
The agency issued a statement saying that Israel may have violated international law in its military operations in Gaza.
38:20.4
The agency issued that strong criticism
38:22.4
in a report submitted to the U.S. Congress Friday.
38:25.4
It explains the weapons supplied by the U.S.
38:28.4
might have been used in ways inconsistent with Israel's obligations.
38:32.4
While the report was a clear rebuke of some Israeli operations in Gaza,
38:36.4
it fell short of ordering a full stop
38:38.4
to America's flow of weapons and bombs to its key ally.
38:42.4
For a former State Department official,
38:44.4
the report is self-contradictory.
38:48.4
I think that in some ways the administration
38:50.4
and the State Department are trying to have their cake and eat it too.
38:53.4
They're trying to be seen to be levying criticism
38:56.4
while steering clear of the legal determinations
38:59.4
that would bind their hands
39:01.4
and potentially lead to restrictions
39:03.4
on arms transfers in particular.
39:07.4
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza
39:11.4
in response to the military group's October 7 attack
39:14.4
which killed 1,200 people.
39:16.4
Nearly 35,000 have been killed in Gaza since then.
39:21.4
Let's go back to our discussion
39:23.4
on the 2024 Balikatan exercises
39:25.4
with Colonel Michael Logico.
39:27.4
Colonel Logico, good afternoon.
39:29.4
Good afternoon. Sorry, I think the signal is really bad.
39:32.4
Anyway, with respect to the humanitarian assistance projects,
39:37.4
all of them were completed on time
39:39.4
and have been turned over to the local government.
39:44.4
What about the first ever multilateral maritime exercise?
39:47.4
This is the first time we've done this.
39:48.4
It involves troops from the Philippines.
39:50.4
The U.S. and France.
39:51.4
How did it go, sir?
39:53.4
Actually, this is not the first multilateral.
39:57.4
This is not the first group sailing.
39:59.4
But this is the first time France joined.
40:01.4
And it's the first time we went beyond 12 nautical miles.
40:06.4
So what were the takeaways of our troops from this exercise, sir?
40:11.4
Well, the troops were very high in morale
40:15.4
for the duration of the exercise.
40:19.4
that we've actually used the newly acquired capabilities
40:24.4
to our AFP modernization.
40:26.4
This is the first time we fired the C-STAR missile system
40:30.4
which we procured from Korea.
40:32.4
We also fired the NLOS,
40:33.4
the non-line-of-sight weapon system
40:36.4
from our fast attack interdictory crafts.
40:40.4
And also the air-to-ground missile 65.
40:44.4
This puts the Philippines squarely into the missile age.
40:48.4
Let's go now, sir,
40:49.4
to the many other countries witnessing our Balikatan exercises.
40:54.4
I'm curious as to whether there was a meeting afterwards,
40:59.4
you know, just so we know,
41:00.4
exchange of ideas of how we can better this.
41:04.4
Well, actually, the meeting was between the 14 countries
41:09.4
who took part in the International Observer's Program,
41:12.4
and the chief of staff of the AFP,
41:15.4
Apparently, there is some argument
41:18.4
or there's some circulating interest
41:21.4
in conducting the exercise among other nations.
41:25.4
Among the countries that have expressed interest
41:27.4
are Japan and the United Kingdom.
41:31.4
And of course, we are looking forward to working in France again.
41:34.4
So we can see a possibility,
41:38.4
a possibility of expanding the exercise
41:41.4
to just more than the United States and Australia.
41:44.4
Mm-hmm. That's nice.
41:46.4
This is the first time also, Colonel,
41:48.4
the Philippine Coast Guard, yes,
41:50.4
has joined the Balikatan exercises.
41:52.4
How was their integration in the activities?
41:55.4
Actually, this is not the first time.
41:57.4
We've had the Coast Guard
41:59.4
on several Balikatan exercises in the past.
42:02.4
But this is the first time that we've involved them
42:04.4
in such a larger scale
42:06.4
because the maritime strike exercise
42:08.4
requires cooperation also with our Coast Guard.
42:12.4
They helped us in securing the exercise box
42:17.4
Intrusion of unwanted ships, unwanted vessels.
42:24.4
And they've also been part of our exercises,
42:28.4
even in the staff exercises.
42:31.4
They help us out a lot.
42:35.4
So we are looking for more of that participation
42:39.4
and probably expand their role
42:42.4
in future Balikatan exercises.
42:45.4
There are reports
42:46.4
of Chinese vessels lurking during the exercises, Colonel.
42:49.4
Were we concerned of possible intel scoping?
42:51.4
And how did we allay fears
42:52.4
that tensions might escalate in the West Philippine Sea?
42:56.4
Well, we were fairly confident
42:59.4
that the Chinese vessels wouldn't be foolish enough
43:02.4
to try anything hostile against our activities,
43:07.4
considering that they're not dealing with Coast Guard ships anymore.
43:10.4
They're not dealing with BFAR ships anymore.
43:13.4
These are the navies of the Philippines.
43:15.4
The United States and the French
43:18.4
that they will have to be dealing with
43:22.4
So thankfully, more clear minds prevailed
43:27.4
and no hostile acts were recorded on their side.
43:31.4
Earlier, we had a report
43:33.4
that Secretary Guido Chidoro has mentioned
43:36.4
a full battle simulation plan for next year.
43:39.4
What can we expect from that, Colonel?
43:42.4
That has always been the plan.
43:44.4
That we will conduct a full battle test.
43:47.4
Actually, this year was the first part
43:51.4
of the full battle test.
43:53.4
The second will be next year.
43:55.4
So next year, we will see a lot of more integration
43:59.4
of the capabilities.
44:01.4
And we will have already developed
44:04.4
a concept of operations
44:07.4
that will maximize the training value
44:11.4
of all of our service components.
44:13.4
And we will see a large...
44:15.4
The activity will be more large-scale
44:18.4
and will be more comprehensive.
44:21.4
Can we step back a little
44:23.4
with what you mentioned earlier, Colonel,
44:25.4
when you said Japan and UK
44:27.4
is interested to join Balikatan exercises next year.
44:31.4
Do you think this is just going to be
44:33.4
on troop exercises?
44:35.4
Or will they also be allowing us
44:37.4
to have an experience using their...
44:40.4
using maybe fire...
44:42.4
Sorry, air and naval assets?
44:45.4
That remains to be seen.
44:47.4
At the very beginning
44:50.4
of the joint event planning cycle,
44:53.4
we will first meet together
44:55.4
in a concept development conference.
44:58.4
It is there where we will understand
45:01.4
what are the capabilities
45:03.4
they are interested in bringing in,
45:05.4
what are the type of exercises
45:07.4
they wish to participate,
45:08.4
and what are the type of exercises
45:10.4
they cannot participate.
45:11.4
So, it is only then
45:13.4
that we will know for sure
45:15.4
what will be the entire concept
45:17.4
of their involvement.
45:19.4
Mm-hmm. All right.
45:20.4
With that, I'll let you go.
45:21.4
Thank you for your time.
45:22.4
Colonel Michael Logico,
45:23.4
you have a good afternoon ahead of you.
45:25.4
Thank you very much for inviting me.
45:28.4
The United Nations General Assembly
45:29.4
overwhelmingly backs a Palestinian bid
45:31.4
to become a full UN member.
45:33.4
In a survey, 143 of the 193-member body
45:37.4
voted in support of Palestine's bid,
45:40.4
which would effectively recognize it as a state.
45:43.4
The General Assembly now recommends
45:45.4
that the Security Council reconsider the matter favorably.
45:48.4
Palestine's bid failed to pass the Security Council
45:51.4
after the U.S. vetoed the resolution.
45:54.4
But Hungary, which voted against
45:56.4
the General Assembly resolution,
46:01.4
We believe that at present,
46:03.4
the current resolution is not conducive
46:05.4
to easing the situation
46:07.4
and finding a peaceful solution
46:09.4
to the conflict in the Middle East.
46:11.4
In fact, it may directly contribute
46:13.4
to its escalation.
46:15.4
While debating the present resolution,
46:17.4
the aforementioned serious facts
46:19.4
cannot be disregarded
46:21.4
as they are contrary to the spirit
46:23.4
of the United Nations.
46:26.4
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
46:28.4
vows to defend Kharkiv
46:30.4
after Russian troops launched a ground attack
46:32.4
in the area Friday.
46:34.4
Ukraine's Defense Ministry says
46:36.4
reserve units were sent to the Kharkiv border
46:38.4
as Russian forces backed with armored vehicles
46:41.4
attempt to breach Kyiv's defense lines.
46:44.4
The attack in the northeastern city,
46:46.4
which is Kyiv's second largest city
46:48.4
and home to 1.3 million people,
46:50.4
opens a new front in a war
46:52.4
that has long been waged in the East and South.
46:55.4
It comes after the White House announced
46:57.4
a fresh $400 million military aid package for Kyiv.
47:03.4
We are adding our strength to the Kharkiv directions
47:05.4
along our state border
47:07.4
and along the entire front line.
47:09.4
We will consistently destroy the occupier
47:11.4
in such a way as to thwart
47:13.4
any Russian offensive intentions.
47:15.4
It is important that our partners support
47:17.4
our soldiers and Ukrainian resilience
47:19.4
with timely supplies.
47:21.4
The package that really helps
47:23.4
is the weaponry brought to Ukraine,
47:25.4
not just the announcement of a package.
47:29.4
Switching gears now,
47:30.4
Brits are left in awe
47:32.4
as the northern lights dazzle the night sky
47:36.4
The lights showed pink and green hues
47:38.4
glowing over residential areas in Britain.
47:40.4
Also known as aurora borealis,
47:42.4
these lights appear brightly
47:44.4
looking like swirling curtains of lights
47:46.4
with colors ranging from green to pink and scarlet.
47:49.4
The rare light show appeared
47:51.4
after one of the strongest
47:53.4
geomagnetic storms hit Earth.
47:55.4
Scientists also expect the northern lights
47:57.4
to appear in some parts of the US.
48:01.4
In celebration of the Filipino Channel's
48:03.4
30th anniversary,
48:04.4
ABS-CBN's flagship variety show
48:06.4
ASAP Natinto is set to make a comeback show
48:09.4
in Southern California.
48:11.4
Aside from having show-stopping performances,
48:13.4
ASAP artists will go sightseeing
48:16.4
and film special segments
48:17.4
with Kapamilya fans abroad.
48:19.4
Steve Angeles returns with that story.
48:22.4
ASAP Natinto California!
48:24.4
The countdown is officially on.
48:26.4
ABS-CBN's Sunday musical variety show
48:28.4
ASAP will return to Southern California
48:30.4
on August 3rd at the Toyota Arena
48:32.4
in Ontario, California.
48:34.4
I'm pretty excited because
48:38.4
anytime we do an out of the country trip
48:41.4
with ASAP, with the whole group,
48:43.4
things get pretty crazy.
48:44.4
So it's the chaos,
48:46.4
it's the circus of the whole thing,
48:48.4
it's the energy of the moment.
48:50.4
That's what I appreciate, that's what I like.
48:52.4
And just hanging out with all the other artists.
48:55.4
The last time ASAP was in Los Angeles
48:58.4
as part of TFC's 20th anniversary.
49:01.4
This time around, ASAP Natinto California
49:03.4
is celebrating 30 years of the Filipino Channel.
49:06.4
In those three decades,
49:08.4
Southern California has been a popular destination
49:10.4
for many of its celebrations.
49:12.4
There's so many times that we've been there,
49:14.4
but the reason why we go there to California
49:16.4
is because there's something about the audience,
49:19.4
the Kapamilya in California.
49:22.4
There seems to be a welcome, you know,
49:27.4
that we bring a part of home to California.
49:30.4
Many of the artists who were part of the 2014 ASAP show
49:33.4
at the Los Angeles Sports Arena
49:35.4
continue to carry fond memories with them.
49:37.4
The warmth of our fellow countrymen abroad,
49:44.4
that every time we perform for them,
49:48.4
you can really feel the warmth of their love,
49:51.4
the warmth of their welcoming to you.
49:54.4
And the same way that when we're there,
49:58.4
we feel like we're bringing the Philippines closer to them,
50:02.4
even if it's that far away, miles away.
50:05.4
Ten years ago, the lineup featured a handful
50:07.4
of up-and-coming Kapamilya artists
50:09.4
who have since grown in the past decade.
50:11.4
I remember, I was a bit nervous back then at ASAP,
50:15.4
and I was so happy to be part of the lineup at ASAP.
50:19.4
L.A. and I remember, I was so starstruck,
50:25.4
I was surprised by the number of people watching our show at ASAP.
50:30.4
There were so many Filipinos,
50:31.4
and they welcomed us so much.
50:34.4
And finally, we can come back to California.
50:38.4
I think I have grown as a better host,
50:42.4
and I hope to tell the stories of the Filipinos here
50:47.4
to the Filipinos all over the world.
50:49.4
What we're bringing is not just a show.
50:51.4
It is a snippet of the Philippines,
50:53.4
which I'm sure the Filipino community, especially TFC, misses the most.
50:58.4
Whenever ASAP goes abroad,
50:59.4
memories are also made of it.
51:01.4
Stars will go on sightseeing tours
51:03.4
and film special segments throughout the community
51:05.4
and meet up with Kapamilya fans
51:07.4
in the days leading up to the mega-event.
51:10.4
I'm looking forward to seeing the hardworking Filipinos
51:12.4
who have been missing home,
51:15.4
the homesick Filipinos.
51:17.4
I think that's really our role,
51:20.4
because wherever they are in California,
51:23.4
if they can join their meals,
51:27.4
I wish I could go to their homes
51:29.4
and see how they enjoy watching TFC.
51:31.4
And watching us on the different platforms.
51:35.4
And meet and greet these people
51:38.4
because they're the reason why we're going there.
51:40.4
It's not too late for our Kapamilyas to join the party.
51:43.4
Tickets as well as a special discount
51:45.4
are available on mytfc.com
51:47.4
slash ASAP in California.
51:50.4
Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN News, Los Angeles.
52:01.4
Thank you for watching Kapamilya On The Seek.
