01:02.1
and President of the Liberal Party, Edsel Lekman.
01:07.2
Hi, I'm Carmina Constantino. Dateline Philippines begins right now.
01:11.5
Thanks for joining us. For those of you watching us on YouTube and on Facebook,
01:14.5
glad you could join us today. Our top story at this hour,
01:16.9
the Armed Forces of the Philippines vowing to stop the suspected reclamation activities of China
01:22.2
in Escoda, Seoul. See, over the weekend, the Philippine Coast Guard revealed crushed corals
01:27.6
had been dumped in the area, leading to what it called the sorry state of the shoal.
01:33.8
The PCG believes China is most likely behind it, and the activity could be a prelude to the
01:39.8
construction of an artificial island. The AFP now says government is on top of the situation,
01:46.3
pointing out the Navy's constant presence in the area to support the Coast Guard.
01:52.5
We will do everything to deter this from coming to Fusho.
01:57.6
So, makikipagtulungan po tayo sa all the necessary agencies na monitor naman po natin ito, no?
02:04.4
So, all the activities are being monitored and being reported po to proper authorities for appropriate action na din.
02:13.8
A former Supreme Court Associate Justice meanwhile urges the Philippine government to file a case
02:19.1
against China's suspected island building. Antonio Carpio warns failure to stop China's actions
02:25.3
would make it harder for the Philippines to escape.
02:27.6
Carpio believes the coral dumping in Escuadas Shoal could lead to the construction of a Chinese outpost
02:35.5
near a reed bank, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits.
02:41.6
We should file a case now. The DOJ has been preparing a case against China precisely for
02:48.0
the damage to the marine environment in Escuadas Shoal and Rosal Reef. We should file that
02:54.9
to give attention, to focus.
02:57.6
This illegal island building by China put this on the world agenda. It's important that we
03:05.1
continue filing, filing one arbitral award over the other because the world will rally around
03:11.1
any arbitral award. Carpio adds Manila's trade ties with Beijing can be separated from their
03:18.3
maritime row. Those Filipinos who said that our trade will suffer haven't seen what happened.
03:27.6
In Vietnam and Malaysia. Because actually, we import more from China than we export. We invest
03:34.2
more in China than China invest here. Because we have our Taipans investing heavily in China.
03:41.4
So if there is a cut in trade or economic relations, it will be China that will suffer most.
03:50.3
A civilian group defending the Philippines' rights in the West Philippine Sea dead-set on pushing
03:55.7
through with its resupply mission to protect the island.
03:57.6
Despite the claim of maritime security expert Ray Powell, the China plans to send a huge force
04:05.0
to block that convoy. The mission, which will begin Tuesday, is meant to bring supplies to
04:10.3
Filipino fisherfolk in the area. The coalition says China's actions in the West Philippine Sea
04:16.0
are failing to intimidate Filipinos. It adds, these have only inspired collective action against
04:22.1
Beijing's aggression.
04:26.3
The Philippine Immigration
04:27.5
Bureau calling for an urgent interagency action on the influx of Chinese students in the country.
04:33.4
BI Commissioner Norman Tan Cinco has asked the Commission on Higher Education,
04:37.6
which heads the Interagency Committee on Foreign Students, to hold a high-level meeting and clarify
04:42.4
the role of each agency in giving permits to foreigners. The request stems from concerns
04:48.2
on the rising number of Chinese students in Gagayan province. Based on the BI's records,
04:53.1
a total of five make that 1,516 Chinese students.
04:57.5
Chinese nationals have been granted student visas there, but as of April, only 485 are
05:04.2
currently enrolled. The Foreign Affairs Department recently announced it is planning to implement
05:09.1
stricter visa policies for Chinese nationals. Meanwhile, a Philippine lawmaker urging the
05:14.7
Marcos administration to scrap a rule that allows the Immigration Bureau to convert tourist visas
05:20.9
to student visas. Congressman Robert Ace Barber says the Foreign Affairs Department should be in
05:27.5
As it is capable of determining whether a foreign national should be given a student visa.
05:37.0
Well, we'll be speaking now with the spokesperson of the Bureau of Immigration,
05:40.4
Dana Sandoval. Dana, nice to talk to you again. Thanks for joining us today and welcome to the
05:44.5
program. Good afternoon, Carmina. Thank you for inviting me, dear. All right, so immediate
05:49.0
interagency action, that's what the head of the Bureau of Immigration is asking from all the
05:53.9
agencies concerned. Tell us, how much are your hands tied on this?
05:57.5
Do you just, are you just really left to process all these, the papers of all those entering,
06:06.4
carrying student visas for foreign nationals, Dana?
06:09.8
Well, not necessarily, Carmina. It's not, issuing visas is not just like that for the Bureau of
06:19.3
Immigration. We look into their derogatory records. We look into the students' actual activities here.
06:27.5
In the Philippines, if they are really studying, those are the things that we take into consideration
06:31.9
when we grant student visas to foreign nationals studying here in the Philippines. But the BI is
06:38.4
also part of the interagency committee on foreign students. And each member of the interagency has
06:45.3
its specific role in terms of monitoring foreign students or creating policies with regards to
06:54.8
foreign students here in the country. And the BI is just,
06:57.5
one part of that one whole interagency that has its own, each agency there in that interagency has its own
07:08.0
role to play in this, in the monitoring of foreign students.
07:13.2
And the BI's role in accepting these foreign students, can you tell us more about that?
07:20.4
Yes, the BI issues student visas to foreign nationals who have been endorsed.
07:27.5
And once they're endorsed by legitimate schools that have been accredited by the Commission on Higher Education,
07:33.6
actually, students cannot just walk in to any of our office and apply for student visas.
07:39.9
It has to be the school that has to apply for that individual for their visas, for the conversion
07:46.1
of their visas. Students cannot just apply on their own. It has to be the school who has to apply for them.
07:53.5
And once they're endorsed by legitimate schools,
07:56.7
what then does the BI do?
07:59.9
The BI issues the student visa if we see that they have all the necessary requirements.
08:06.0
And then we also monitor their actual activities here in the Philippines.
08:09.9
Every year, the visa is only valid for one year, for that school year.
08:14.0
And every year during their extension of their visas, we look at their grades and their records.
08:20.6
If one, if they have been failing their classes here in the Philippines, or two,
08:26.7
if they have not been attending classes for the past semesters,
08:31.3
if we see that they have not been attending classes or they have been failing their grades in the previous semesters,
08:42.8
then we deny the extension of their visas and we order them to leave the country.
08:47.4
How do you know if the schools that have endorsed them are actually legitimate, Dana?
08:52.5
Yes, legitimate schools mean they are endorsed by,
08:55.9
Yes, legitimate schools mean they are endorsed by,
08:56.4
Yes, legitimate schools mean they are endorsed by,
08:56.6
they are accredited, rather, by the Commission on Higher Education.
09:00.4
They have applied for accreditation also with the Bureau of Immigration.
09:05.2
So usually, only those big schools are able to apply for student visas for foreign nationals.
09:13.7
So when you take a look at the case happening in Cagayan,
09:17.5
based on the BI's record itself, a total of 1,516 Chinese nationals have been granted student visas there in Cagayan.
09:26.4
based on the BI's record itself, a total of 1,516 Chinese nationals have been granted student visas there in Cagayan.
09:26.4
But as of April this year, only 485 are currently enrolled.
09:32.3
Can you tell us more about that?
09:34.4
When were these student visas granted?
09:37.8
Have some of them actually graduated already?
09:40.8
Tell us the story behind the numbers.
09:44.8
The 1,500 Chinese students have been granted visas last year for 2023
09:50.3
because prior to that, during the pandemic, the numbers were really low.
09:54.9
But after the pandemic, the numbers were really low.
09:56.1
Because prior to that, during the pandemic, the numbers were really low.
09:56.4
Because the government, the national government,
09:58.8
has been aggressively promoting the Philippines as an education hub in Asia.
10:04.8
The number of students, particularly Chinese students, rose to 16,000 in 2023.
10:13.3
So 1,500 of that are in Cagayan.
10:16.8
But when we checked on the ground, there are only a handful who have enrolled,
10:23.5
who are actually enrolled for this year.
10:26.3
Only 485 have pursued and enrolled for this year.
10:30.5
And those who are on-site, who are actually there in Cagayan, there are only 96 of them.
10:37.1
What we found out during our questioning on the ground is that
10:43.0
most of these Chinese nationals have been taking distance learning courses.
10:47.3
So what the school offers is that they will initiate the course here in the Philippines,
10:52.7
and then they go back to China,
10:56.0
continue the program online, and that they just come back here
10:58.9
when they have to take examinations, when they have to do their thesis defense,
11:03.7
or during their graduation.
11:06.8
And that depends upon the school, right?
11:09.1
Whatever learning module they have an offer to foreign nationals,
11:14.8
not just Chinese nationals, but foreign nationals in general.
11:18.6
That's right, Carmina.
11:19.4
Would it help the Bureau if there is a standard module
11:23.7
for foreign nationals to be followed across all schools,
11:28.4
endorsed or duly endorsed and accredited by the said agencies?
11:34.8
Carmina, that's actually one of the recommendations
11:37.2
that we will be giving in this afternoon's meeting with the interagency
11:42.1
to have a specific course of action for distance learning
11:47.2
and for online learning and online courses
11:50.5
because we see this is a different mode of learning
11:53.5
and for online learning and online courses
11:53.7
and for online learning and online courses.
11:53.7
And the number of foreign nationals who have been taking this mode of learning
12:00.3
is rising, particularly after the pandemic.
12:03.6
So I think it might be high time for us to have changes
12:07.6
in the way that we give them permits or visas,
12:12.3
or we look into how we can harmonize our actions
12:18.2
when it comes to students that are studying here in the Philippines
12:22.0
but are not really here.
12:23.5
Do you think that this mode is being exploited as we speak, Dana?
12:29.1
Well, I am not in the proper position to answer
12:33.3
because it might be said who would better answer this.
12:37.6
But from the vantage point of the Immigration Bureau,
12:40.1
the fact that it raised some concern on your end,
12:43.4
why are you concerned about this?
12:46.0
Well, it's really more because of what's happening in the landscape already
12:50.7
because there has been changes in our relations
12:52.5
with other countries, particularly China.
12:56.0
Because of that change in our relations with them,
12:59.6
of course, the way that people are perceiving the rise in certain nationalities
13:05.1
or where they are in our country
13:08.4
prompts us to look into the numbers or the activities of these foreign nationals
13:16.2
a little more closely.
13:18.0
And it also prompts us to share,
13:22.5
share this information with our,
13:25.3
with other members of the interagency
13:27.3
for them to look into it using their personal lenses
13:32.1
to look into it in the perspective of their respective mandates.
13:37.4
Are you looking at this as a case of national security?
13:42.0
Well, Hermina, it's really hard to say that it is a,
13:46.0
we're looking at this as a case of national security
13:50.2
because everything that we do
13:51.8
is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is.
13:52.5
is for national security.
13:56.1
And since there is a concern already being raised
14:00.5
because of the previous incidents that have happened,
14:04.4
because the relationship has been changing,
14:08.4
then maybe we can say that we are looking at things more closely already.
14:15.4
The head of the Bureau of Immigration
14:17.8
saying that he is calling for urgent action
14:24.1
on the part of the other agencies involved here.
14:27.0
What particularly do you want?
14:29.0
From Chad, for example.
14:32.2
Carmina, we're looking into including security assessment
14:36.3
as a regular agenda of the interagency meetings
14:40.4
because in the past, what the interagency has been tackling
14:43.9
is the number of foreign nationals,
14:46.4
the way that it is being marketed,
14:50.1
the different forces that are rising here in the Philippines.
14:54.7
But again, given the new landscape with the changes in our relations,
15:00.4
I think it's also important to look at this in a security perspective
15:04.2
by presenting the figures, the data,
15:08.5
also the mapping of foreign nationals in the country
15:12.0
to the appropriate intelligence agencies,
15:15.7
which is the main thing.
15:15.9
So, I think it's also important to look at this in a security perspective
15:16.4
which can look at it in using their own mandate.
15:21.3
If they see that this area in particular is a security concern,
15:26.2
then we can provide data on that.
15:28.5
We can provide the names of the foreign students in that specific area,
15:32.9
which they might deem as a security concern already.
15:38.1
How can this not be seen as discrimination against Chinese nationals, Dana?
15:42.1
I don't think this can be considered as discrimination.
15:46.4
Since we are looking into the numbers that are rising already,
15:51.9
it's really part of looking into trends
15:55.9
or looking into concerns that have been raised in the past.
15:59.8
And we all know that there are a lot of Chinese nationals
16:03.6
that have been involved in certain activities here in the Philippines.
16:09.0
So, we can say that we are not targeting Chinese students in particular,
16:15.2
but we are looking...
16:16.4
looking into trends. So since we see
16:18.4
that there is a high number
16:20.0
of Chinese nationals in certain
16:22.4
areas, we look at it because
16:24.2
that's a difference in the trend. There's
16:26.3
something different that
16:27.3
we've seen in the
16:30.3
statistics, in the data. That's why
16:32.4
we are elevating it to the interagency
16:34.6
for all members of the
16:36.4
interagency to look at it
16:38.3
and to see if there is something
16:40.3
that needs to be changed or something
16:42.3
needs to be looked into
16:44.1
more closely. How can this not
16:46.2
be seen as going against the
16:49.2
having the Philippines
16:51.4
be promoted as a global
16:54.4
education hub, and yet
16:56.2
here you are focusing on just one
17:00.3
I guess, Carmina, it's really more of
17:02.3
a healthy balance
17:03.8
between inviting foreign
17:07.6
study here in the Philippines, as well
17:10.2
as ensuring our national
17:12.3
security. If there are activities
17:14.5
here that might be
17:16.9
national interest, public
17:19.9
safety, then it's only
17:22.0
proper that we look at it
17:27.3
It doesn't really
17:29.6
stop the government
17:32.8
inviting more students here
17:36.0
in the country, from promoting us
17:37.8
as an education hub, because I think
17:40.0
really, what it would do is
17:43.8
look safer and be
17:46.0
safer for foreign nationals because
17:48.1
we are targeting foreign nationals
17:50.4
who might not be here
17:52.1
for studying or who might
17:54.1
not be here for other activities
17:55.8
but are here to do something
18:00.1
in compliance with Philippine
18:02.4
laws. But did you have to wait for
18:04.0
the numbers to have risen this much?
18:07.9
Dana, that the Bureau of Immigration
18:10.3
noticed that there was
18:11.7
a beginning of a trend?
18:15.0
And what did you do?
18:16.0
Yeah. For me, the numbers really rose in 2023 when the applicants for student visas increased in numbers.
18:27.5
But it's really hard to compare them to the previous years prior to the pandemic because there were only a handful of applicants then.
18:35.9
And when you look at global trends, we're actually one of the lower ones in terms of Chinese students.
18:44.0
In the United States, they have, I think, more than 200,000.
18:48.6
Our neighboring countries, Malaysia and Thailand, those are the figures that we have seen, have 20,000 to 30,000 Chinese students per year in their respective countries.
19:03.2
So what we're seeing is we're actually on the lower end in terms of the figures for Chinese nationals.
19:13.5
But of course, because there are concerns already that are being raised by the public with regards to the numbers or with regards to certain sites that they may be near or near their schools, we deem it necessary to raise this concern to the interagency.
19:36.4
So if the public didn't raise the concerns, then you would have kept quiet about it, Dana?
19:44.0
We have a regular interagency meeting, and we have shown the figures already to the different agencies.
19:52.2
In the part of immigration, we see that all the individuals there were endorsed by a legitimate school.
20:04.6
Hence, we see no issues in the terms of visa issuance on the immigration part.
20:10.7
But we also see that we have to...
20:14.0
show the figures also to the interagency since they might be seeing something different or they might have a different perspective in analyzing the figures.
20:24.8
Let's talk about the concentration of Chinese nationals coming into the country as students in various areas.
20:32.2
We talked about Cagayan as well.
20:34.3
Next to Cagayan, where's the highest concentration of these foreign national students, particularly Chinese nationals?
20:41.7
Yes, actually, Carmina, the highest...
20:43.1
the highest number, the highest concentration of Chinese students here in the Philippines is really in Metro Manila.
20:48.8
We have more than 9,000 Chinese students in Metro Manila, and Cagayan only falls second with 1,500.
20:59.8
The other areas where they are in the country are just small numbers for other areas in the Philippines.
21:09.5
And if you were closely monitoring the students,
21:13.1
in Cagayan, saying that only 485 have currently enrolled out of the 9,000 students in Metro Manila,
21:21.1
how many of them are enrolled as we speak?
21:24.2
I don't have the figures right now, Carmina, but I will definitely present this...
21:29.2
we will definitely present this to the interagency later.
21:32.4
So maybe after this interview, we'll be sharing information about the distribution inside Metro Manila for these Chinese nationals.
21:41.4
All right, we're going to have to leave it at that.
21:43.1
And out of time, Dana Sandoval, their spokesperson of the Immigration Bureau.
21:46.3
Thanks again for joining us.
21:47.6
Really appreciate it, Dana.
21:50.5
All right, from there, we're going to take a quick break.
21:52.2
Rights groups managing their expectations of what can be achieved by the new Human Rights Council of the Marcos administration.
21:59.7
Details when you're at your watching.
22:01.2
Daytime Philippines here on ANC.
22:13.1
Back in more news, critics and activists not expecting much from government's new human rights body.
22:22.8
See, last week, President Marcos ordered the creation of a special committee on human rights coordination
22:28.3
aimed at protecting the lives of Filipinos.
22:31.5
But rights groups doubt the effectiveness of the council.
22:36.4
Kailangan natin tingnan yung history ng mga agencies na involved dito.
22:40.5
Andyan yung Presidential Human Rights Committee.
22:43.1
Na wala naman siyang kredibilidad para sa human rights.
22:46.1
Kasi apologies ng human rights ng gobyerno yan.
22:48.1
Sinisiraan pa nga nyan yung mga human rights organizations.
22:53.0
Andyan yung DOJ na magano'n din.
22:55.7
May problema din sa kanilang mga performance in terms of accountability.
22:59.0
Pati nga silang red tag din.
23:00.6
So, may question dun sa composition ng committee.
23:04.9
Kumbaga, pakita lang na may ginagawa ang gobyerno.
23:09.8
For rights group karapatan,
23:11.5
rather than creating a special committee,
23:13.7
the Marcos administration should address the root cause of human rights abuses.
23:19.9
Pati lang, human rights body pa yan.
23:22.5
Basta dyan yung mga pulisiya na hindi tinatanggal.
23:26.3
Na yan yung nagiging dahilan bakit sumarala yung human rights violation.
23:29.3
Unless yung mga policies na nagkikreate ng human rights violations
23:34.4
gaya ng National Task Force and Local Communist Armed Conflict,
23:37.6
yung drug war, yung mga counterinsurgency operations,
23:40.3
yung anti-terror law.
23:41.4
Wala pong significant na magbabago sa ground.
23:43.8
Yung napag-unlad or improvement sa human rights situation.
23:50.9
Well, House Lawmaker Edsel Legman welcomes the creation of the Special Committee on Human Rights.
23:55.6
But the Congressman says the body should include members of civil society.
23:59.9
And the initiative, complemented by additional moves that will ensure the protection of human rights in the country.
24:05.6
Congressman Legman now joins us here on the program.
24:07.5
Congressman, thank you for joining us today and welcome to the program.
24:10.5
Nice to see you again.
24:16.0
Congressman Legman.
24:17.6
Well, any presidential initiative on human rights should be welcome.
24:24.3
But it should be monitored strictly and vigilantly on the enforcement portion of such initiative.
24:35.0
I got you there, Congressman, because, you know, I read the AO.
24:38.9
I read your statement as well.
24:41.4
Why does it seem that this Administrative Order 22, creating a Special Committee on Human Rights,
24:48.8
why does it seem that it rings empty to you?
24:54.0
Well, I didn't say it's empty.
24:56.7
I think it's a right initiative, but it should be complemented in order to show the government's sincerity.
25:08.1
For example, there is an urgent need for us.
25:11.4
For example, there is an urgent need for us to sign the treaty or the Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
25:21.7
There are already 92 signatories and 78 state parties.
25:29.4
And this came into force on December 23, 2010, yet.
25:34.0
And until now, the Philippines has not signed and exceeded or ratified.
25:41.4
I think it is incumbent on the President to endorse to the Senate the ratification of this particular Convention.
25:56.1
We are already state signatories to eight of nine Conventions of similar import.
26:03.6
And I think it is necessary for us to do the same with respect to this Convention.
26:07.7
Moreover, we have already a domestic law.
26:11.4
Which I authored on the criminalization of enforced disappearance.
26:16.0
Which we're going to tackle later on.
26:18.2
But Congressman Lagman, how or why would the current President move to ratify the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances
26:29.3
when you look at the regime of his father and you know that hundreds disappeared during his reign?
26:37.6
Why would the son go out of his way?
26:41.4
Why would the son go out of his way to ratify this Convention that you speak of, Congressman?
26:44.4
Well, this is not only with respect to the past, it is also with respect to the present and the future.
26:52.4
In other words, the coverage is omnibus.
26:56.4
That is why it is important for the President to sign this treaty and endorse it to the Senate for ratification.
27:05.4
Moreover, as I have said already, we have already a domestic law.
27:11.4
Predated the Convention.
27:14.4
And I think we should be able to sign the Convention as well in order that we will have both an international treaty or Convention
27:24.4
as well as a domestic law on the prevention and prosecution of enforced disappearance.
27:32.4
From where you sit, Congressman Lagman, how would you describe the human rights track record of this Marcos administration?
27:41.4
Insofar as disappearances are concerned, we have incidents of enforced disappearance during this administration already.
27:52.4
And the records would show that until now, there is a pending bill on the protection of human rights defenders.
28:08.4
This has been passed.
28:10.4
By the House during the 17th and 18th Congresses.
28:16.4
But we did not pass the Senate for a time constraint.
28:20.4
It is again pending.
28:21.4
And I think in order to complement the creation of this special Human Rights Committee Court,
28:33.4
it is important that the President should certify as urgent the enactment of the Human Rights Declaration.
28:39.4
The Human Rights Defenders Protection Act.
28:42.4
We have also a triumvirate of human rights statutes which should also be fully implemented.
28:50.4
Like the Anti-Culture Act, the criminalization of enforced disappearance, as well as the preparation and recognition of human rights.
29:07.4
This is a mission of human rights defenders.
29:10.4
Congressman, if he does not move...
29:14.4
Yeah, if he does not move to ratify the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance,
29:22.4
if the status of the Anti-Torture Act, the criminalization of enforced and involuntary disappearance,
29:29.4
and the reparation and recognition of Human Rights Violations Act, if the status of those remain the same,
29:36.4
what does that tell you?
29:39.4
Well, if this would not be fully implemented, including the enactment of the Human Rights Defenders Protection Act,
29:52.4
then the critics are correct that it is possible that the creation of the Human Rights Special Committee on Coordination
30:06.4
of Assigns could be a propaganda clinic.
30:11.4
In order to prove this otherwise, then these three important priority measures should be undertaken and should also be initiated by the President.
30:26.4
There are also those who say, Congressman, that last week we were talking about the Supreme Court and its decision on red-tagging.
30:36.4
And the critics are saying that, you know, the President has to take that and move forward by abolishing the anti-FL cap.
30:45.4
What do you say about that, Congressman Legman?
30:50.4
Well, that is correct.
30:52.4
The Supreme Court has already decided that red-tagging endangers the lives of those who are red-tagged.
31:01.4
As a matter of fact, in the bill I am requesting for certification,
31:06.4
by the President, on the protection of human rights defenders, this is already included.
31:13.4
That red-tagging should be made illegal and is a mode of violating human rights by agents of the state or their private cohorts.
31:28.4
I want to shift gears now, if you don't mind, Congressman Legman, and wear your other hat,
31:34.4
which is being President of the Liberal Party.
31:36.4
Last week as well, the President aligned with La Casa CMD.
31:40.4
They're building their machinery now, their political machinery in the run-up to the 2025 elections.
31:48.4
May I ask you, what's the Liberal Party up to?
31:51.4
What are the preparations that you're doing in the run-up to the midterm elections come 2025, Congressman?
31:56.4
We are in the process of making such preparation.
32:01.4
And we have already existing alliances.
32:05.4
With kindred, cost-oriented political parties.
32:10.4
And very soon, I expect that we would announce a senatorial slate.
32:17.4
And also, we are undertaking the promotion of a party list counterpart of the Liberal Party.
32:28.4
So that it could complement the party,
32:32.4
both as a political party and as a party list organization.
32:38.4
Very interesting.
32:40.4
How different will this party list be from the lawmakers, the senators or congressmen that you'll be fielding,
32:50.4
the candidates that you'll be fielding come election day?
32:53.4
The nominees of the party list would complement the candidates for the Senate.
33:02.4
They will be all cost-oriented, experienced,
33:07.4
and have serious advocacies on good governance,
33:14.4
on democratic principles,
33:17.4
as well as a strong conviction against any resurgence of martial law
33:27.4
or any usurpation of martial law.
33:37.4
About democratic rule.
33:39.4
Yeah. Congressman, knowing how the Liberal Party functions,
33:44.4
there must have been so much thought given into the creation of this party list that you'll be furthering, right?
33:56.4
You'll be putting out there.
33:58.4
May I know what the name of this party list will be?
34:02.4
It's ML, which means an acronym for the Mamayana Liberal.
34:14.4
And it would carry the ideals and principles of the Liberal Party as a party list.
34:25.4
Why go this route?
34:27.4
Well, because it is necessary.
34:30.4
Because it is necessary that what we have in the Senate
34:36.4
should be complemented by district representatives belonging to the political party
34:42.4
as well as party list representatives
34:45.4
who are really cost-oriented and are not representatives of capitalists
34:56.4
or non-modernized organizations or personalities.
35:02.4
Finally, Congressman Lagman, we're running out of time.
35:05.4
I wish I had more time to talk to you, but here's the thing.
35:08.4
There are criticisms, as I am sure you're well aware of,
35:12.4
of the Liberal Party not being present enough after the 2022 elections.
35:19.4
That even if you had massive support
35:24.4
for your presidential candidate then,
35:27.4
that there was a failure to harness that support and still be present
35:32.4
even if the other side won.
35:34.4
There are also those who are saying the Liberal Party is done for.
35:38.4
There's no future to speak of.
35:41.4
What do you say to that?
35:43.4
Well, in the first place, we have organized in the grassroots
35:49.4
and we are banking on the voluntarism,
35:54.4
of those who supported our presidential candidate then,
35:59.4
Number two, we have advocated important measures
36:06.4
or countermeasures in the House.
36:09.4
We were in the forefront against charter change.
36:13.4
We were also in the forefront against the budget
36:26.4
which are like confidential funds.
36:29.4
And we are born in this fight.
36:31.4
And I think we are winning the fight against an ill-timed
36:35.4
and realistic charter change agenda.
36:45.4
And we are getting the support from the Senate
36:48.4
and from the public.
36:50.4
As a matter of fact, the latest survey would show
36:53.4
that an overwhelming majority of the Filipino people
36:57.4
are against charter change now.
37:00.4
We are in the forefront of all of this struggle.
37:05.4
The Liberal Party is dominant in its role
37:09.4
in all of this cost-oriented agenda.
37:13.4
Congressman Edsel Lagman, their minority leader
37:16.4
and president of the Liberal Party,
37:18.4
thank you so much for joining us this afternoon.
37:20.4
Really appreciate it. Take care.
37:22.4
Thank you, Carmina, for this opportunity.
37:25.4
Right from there, we move on with the rest of the news this noon.
37:27.4
A former chief of the Philippine National Police insists
37:30.4
no human rights violations were committed
37:33.4
under the Duterte administration's drug war.
37:36.4
Former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde also saying
37:39.4
that President Rodrigo Duterte made no unlawful order
37:43.4
in his deadly anti-illegal drug campaign.
37:47.4
What we are doing is what we call the Oplan Dome,
37:50.4
the so-called Oplan Double Barrel.
37:53.4
There is nothing wrong with that.
37:55.4
Every time you have a victim,
37:57.4
the victims are killed.
37:59.4
There is nothing wrong with that.
38:01.4
What's wrong with that is to intensify,
38:04.4
intensify, of course,
38:06.4
the operations against illegal drugs.
38:10.4
How can we be conscientious?
38:12.4
Because when we operate,
38:17.4
we are bounded by the law of this nation.
38:19.4
Albayalde now hopes President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
38:22.4
will maintain the country's disengagement
38:25.4
from the International Criminal Court.
38:28.4
We have a perfectly functioning justice system
38:32.4
here in our country.
38:34.4
It seems like it will come out,
38:36.4
it seems like we can still make fun of other countries
38:39.4
that we cannot do it,
38:41.4
our own government,
38:43.4
our own government,
38:45.4
our own government,
38:47.4
our own government,
38:48.4
our own government,
38:50.4
our own government.
38:51.4
It's a violation of our sovereignty
38:53.4
if we look at it,
38:56.4
because we have our own justice system
38:58.4
and we are a civilized nation.
39:03.4
The ICC is investigating Duterte's bloody drug war.
39:07.4
aside from Duterte,
39:09.4
the probe may involve former PNP chiefs
39:11.4
including Albayalde and Senator Ronald de la Rosa.
39:18.4
Another news, another round of fuel price cuts set for Tuesday.
39:21.6
Motorists using gasoline are in for a two-peso rollback
39:25.0
while kerosene and diesel prices will go down by 50 and 85 centavos, respectively.
39:30.9
This will be the third straight week of lower oil prices.
39:36.9
A supermarkets group avows support for the pledge of food manufacturers
39:41.8
to hold back price increases for the next two months.
39:45.2
The Philippine Amalgamated Supermarket Association says they will honor this move
39:49.6
by not implementing price increases themselves.
39:52.2
However, the group adds that if they do so, it would be on non-essential items.
39:57.3
The group, however, admitted it may find it hard to keep the price of rice stable
40:01.6
due to a looming wage hike, which is expected to result in a 4% increase in commodity prices.
40:12.8
World News Now, the U.S.
40:14.5
Defending its price increase, the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarket Association says
40:15.1
it's decision to pause a shipment of bombs to Israel.
40:18.8
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says
40:21.8
the move was made to avoid civilian deaths in Israel's glooming invasion of Rafah.
40:27.6
He adds the pause in military aid does not mean the U.S. intends to abandon Israel.
40:34.4
You would have really significant civilian casualties.
40:38.7
And while Israel would also be able to kill some Hamas folks,
40:42.9
many Hamas folks would melt away.
40:45.1
Because they're terrorists.
40:46.3
That's not to say that he is going to abandon Israel or cut them off from weapons.
40:50.2
He was focused on a particular operation that he doesn't believe will succeed in defeating Hamas
40:55.3
and that will cause grievous harm.
40:59.8
The U.S. and other international bodies have cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
41:04.7
against a full-scale incursion of the southern Gaza City.
41:08.9
Israel firmly believes it is the last stronghold of Hamas.
41:15.1
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposes a surprise new defense minister.
41:19.6
Putin has nominated civilian Andrei Bulisov for the job.
41:23.8
He is a former deputy prime minister who specializes in economics.
41:27.8
The Kremlin says the change makes sense since Russia is approaching a similar situation to the 1980s
41:35.0
when the military and law enforcement authorities accounted for 7.4% of state spending.
41:41.6
Seri Shulgu, who has been defense minister since 2012,
41:45.1
will become a secretary in Russia's powerful Security Council.
41:51.6
Flash floods caused by heavy rains devastated villages in northern Afghanistan,
41:56.4
killing over 300 people and injuring more than 1,600 others.
42:01.8
Thousands of homes were wiped out,
42:03.9
while aid groups warn of damage to health care facilities and vital infrastructure.
42:09.2
The Taliban government has urged the United Nations, humanitarian agencies and private businesses
42:13.9
to provide support to the U.S. and other countries.
42:14.7
to provide support to the U.S. and other countries.
42:14.8
to provide support to the U.S. and other countries.
42:15.1
Afghanistan has endured a shortfall in aid after the Taliban took over the government in 2021.
42:25.4
The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul rises to 143
42:31.3
as rains continue to pour in the southern state.
42:34.8
Another 125 people remain unaccounted for.
42:38.3
Government has already announced more than $2 billion in emergency spending
42:42.1
to deal with a crisis that is now displaced over the past year.
42:44.8
to deal with a crisis that is now displaced over the past year.
42:46.8
Rio Grande do Sul sits between tropical and polar atmospheres,
42:51.6
which has created weather patterns with periods of intense rains or droughts.
42:58.4
Roughly 8,000 hectares ablaze in western Canada in the first major wildfires of the season.
43:05.3
Authorities have issued an evacuation order for a community in British Columbia
43:09.8
and warned of poor air quality across provinces.
43:12.9
In nearby Alberta,
43:14.8
residents of an oil hub that faced extensive damage from wildfires in 2016
43:19.3
have also been asked to prepare for evacuation.
43:25.4
In turning out of sports,
43:27.0
the defending champions Denver Nuggets regained home court edge
43:30.2
in their Western Conference showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
43:34.1
The Nuggets evened up their best-of-seven series
43:36.6
with a 115-107 victory in Game 4.
43:39.8
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic erupted for 35 points,
43:44.8
while Aaron Gordon added 27 points.
43:48.0
Anthony Edwards had 44 markers for Minnesota,
43:50.9
which now faces the tough task of winning another game in Denver
43:54.2
to have a chance to advance over in Indiana now.
43:58.2
The Pacers crushed the New York Knicks 121-89.
44:02.0
That series now also tied at two games apiece.
44:07.8
Two new films arrive in cinemas,
44:09.9
the latest installment in the Planet of the Apes franchise
44:13.0
and a comedy thriller.
44:14.8
From first-time director Chris Pine,
44:16.6
a resident movie critic, Manny the Movie Guy,
44:19.2
tells us what he thinks.
44:25.7
I see strange things.
44:28.6
You will see a lot of strange things
44:30.8
when you enter the kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
44:34.9
Evolution moves backward
44:36.5
in this standalone sequel to War for the Planet of the Apes.
44:39.7
All the Simians can now talk,
44:41.7
but most humans can't.
44:44.8
Many years after Caesar's death,
44:46.9
our new hero emerges.
44:48.7
He's Owen Teague's Noah,
44:50.5
part of the clan that raises pet eagles.
44:53.0
He must find the courage to fight
44:54.8
Kevin Durant's Proximus Caesar.
45:00.4
At its heart is the question,
45:02.3
can apes and humans coexist?
45:04.4
Central to that thesis is Freya Allen's Nova,
45:07.3
a young woman who helps Noah with his mission.
45:11.2
All right, here we go. Pictures up.
45:12.9
Director Westball did a good job.
45:14.8
Expanding the Planet of the Apes universe
45:16.7
while paying homage to the original film.
45:19.3
It's beautifully shot and rendered
45:21.2
and the acting benefited from some coaching
45:23.4
from actor Andy Serkis
45:24.9
who played the original Caesar from the trilogy reboot.
45:27.9
He's the OG of the Apes.
45:31.2
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is thrilling,
45:33.8
but it's a bit long at 140 minutes.
45:36.3
Still, this kingdom is as smart and exciting as ever.
45:40.7
What a wonderful day!
45:44.8
And for that, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
45:47.3
gets three out of four Simeons and Humans kisses.
45:51.3
Also out in theaters, Pullman.
45:54.6
As I was writing it, I was thinking about it visually
45:56.7
and it just seemed to be fated that, you know,
45:59.4
it was going to be my first thing.
46:00.7
Chris Pine tries his hands at directing
46:02.7
to a respectable but mediocre result.
46:07.3
This film is called Pullman.
46:09.3
He also stars in the title role.
46:10.9
He cleans pools and finds ways to help clean
46:13.8
his beloved Apes.
46:14.9
City of Los Angeles.
46:16.7
Until he stumbles upon a conspiracy.
46:20.4
Well, it's an incredible cast.
46:22.2
I mean, it's Chris Pine and Annette Bening
46:24.6
and Danny DeVito.
46:25.7
Jennifer Jason Leigh plays the girlfriend
46:27.5
and you'll wish she's in a better film.
46:30.1
A whole space for someone else.
46:32.3
The screen lights up when Pine, Bening, and DeVito
46:34.9
are together and there's still some humor
46:37.0
and food for thought to be picked.
46:39.5
And in the end, all you'd wish
46:41.3
is for everyone to have
46:43.2
have an awesome aquatic experience.
46:46.8
I gotta get myself out.
46:47.8
And for that, Pullman gets two and a half out of four.
46:51.8
Swimming with the fishes.
46:53.8
Kisses by Manny the Movie Guy for ABS-CBN News.
47:01.8
And before we go, here's a spectacular way
47:03.8
to see the sights.
47:04.8
Two Austrian divers, make that skydivers,
47:07.8
make a leap of faith as they become the first people
47:10.8
to successfully fly wingsuits through London's iconic
47:15.7
The duo leapt from a helicopter at 3,000 feet
47:18.7
and soared across the River Thames
47:20.7
at speeds reaching 246 kilometers per hour
47:24.7
before navigating through the bridge towers.
47:26.7
They capped the stunt by successfully landing
47:29.7
on two separate floating platforms.
47:34.7
And that'll do it for today.
47:35.7
Thanks for joining us.
47:36.7
I'm Carmina Constantino.
47:37.7
If you want to revisit today's episode,
47:39.7
you can play back this newscast on our YouTube channel
47:42.7
and on AC247 on Facebook.
47:43.7
Keep well, keep it here on ANC.
