Foreign chambers hail RCEP okay

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE seven members of the Joint Foreign Chambers in the Philippines on Wednesday lauded the Senate’s ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, saying the country’s inclusion in the largest trading bloc in the world would expand the network of foreign markets accessible to Philippine exports.

“It reinforces the decision of many of our members to invest in the Philippines and will attract more investment from our home countries,” the group said in a statement. It also builds on significant economic

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Mr. Marcos added the Australian official’s visit will "form a stronger alliance with the Philippines’ Indo-Pacific neighbor."

“I truly believe that the future lies in strong alliances and in a united front in promoting again the values that we consider important to our countries,” the President said, as quoted by the PCO

In an earlier joint press briefing with Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in Manila, Marles said he hoped the joint patrol talks would come “to fruition soon.”

"(We are) looking at ways which we can pursue joint patrols together in the South China Sea, and looking at ways in which we can do more exercises together," said Marles, who also serves as Australia's defense minister.

Marles said Australia is sending one of its largest contingents ever to this year's iteration of "Exercise Balikatan," which will take place in April.

"And we look forward to the Philippines, for the first time, sending observers to Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia in August," he added.

Marles also said Australia and the Philippines have a greater strategic alignment

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“While over Sabina Shoal, PCG Cessna Caravan 2081 observed at least twenty-six (26) suspected Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels anchored in and around the vicinity of the shoal. CCG-5304 maintained a constant close distance of not more than one (1) nautical mile from BRP Sierra Madre,” the PCG said.

The Ayungin (or Second Thomas) Shoal is located some 100 nautical miles off Palawan but is likewise near Mischief Reef, an area in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) reportedly occupied by China. The PCG said they ordered China Coast Guard 5304 to leave the area in response to a Chinese and English radio challenge from the Chinese ship, highlighting that the MDA is being conducted over the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.

This developed a day after Tarriela said in an interview on CNN Philippines that the PCG plans to include laser technology in its revised rules on the use of force after the February 6 laser-pointing incident in Ayungin Shoal involving the

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“Others may choose to retire or avail of benefits given to those reorganized out of government,” the Finance chief said of the workers of the OSS Center, which is headed by an Executive Director.

It was not immediately known which officials of the center wereinvolved in the scams, or how much they had scammed out of government coffers.

Under Administrative Order No. 4 which was signed by ExecutiveSecretary Lucas Bersamin on February 20 and released on Wednesday, the OSS Center’s functions of processing and issuing tax clearance certificates (TCCs) and duty drawbacks will be transferred to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs, respectively.

“All other assets and liabilities of the OSS Center shall be transferred to the Department of Finance in accordance with pertinent auditing laws, rules, and regulations except all cash separately held in trust or otherwise by the OSS Center, which shall be directly remitted to the National Treasury,” the order read.

In a statement from the Presidential Communications Office, Diokno said:

“Among the two main reasons for the abolition of the OSS Center were: First, some OSS Center officials and employees

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President said yesterday in a social media post.

“As we prepare for the season of Lent, may the love of Christ inspire us to endure and faithfully continue our service to others,” Mr. Marcos added.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day period of Lent. It is observed reforms aimed at liberalizing investment rules, the group said. The JFC is a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese, Korean chambers than they had at any moment in their respective histories.

"Both countries are allies of the United States, both countries have China as our largest trading partner. Both the Philippines and Australia are completely committed to a global rules-based order," he added.

This affirmation, Marles said, is "deeply connected to the two nations' respective national interests that the rules of the road as they apply to a body of water such as the South China Sea, the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea, the freedom of navigation (and) the freedom of overflight."

"All of these principles are completely central to our national interests, and to our collective security," he added.

Galvez said Marles’ visit demonstrated the steadfast commitment of the Australian and the Philippine governments to further deepen the bilateral defense relations between the two nations.

The latest announcement comes amid growing tensions between the Philippines and China over their territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

Earlier this month, the Philippine Coast Guard said a Chinese Coast Guard vessel aimed a military-grade laser at one of its ships on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, which the Philippines occupies.

The United States, Canada, Australia

Chinese Coast Guard (CCG).

Tarriela said the inclusion of lasers in PCG’s rules needs the approval of the National Task Force WPS (NTF-WPS), which is chaired by the National Security Adviser—currently Secretary Eduardo Ano—and counts undersecretaries from 16 government departments and agencies as members.

Ano, a former Armed Forces Chief of Staff and Interior Secretary under the Duterte administration, or the task force have yet to comment on the issue as of press time.

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and told him “close friends do not use military-grade lasers against each other,” referring to the incident in which a Chinese coast guard vessel aimed a supposed military-grade laser at a PCG ship carrying out a resupply mission in Ayungin.

The crew of BRP Malapascua said they suffered temporary blindness. China denied pointing military-grade lasers at the PCG ship, as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the Chinese Coast Guard only used a "hand-held greenlight pointer" to mea- have been found to have committed a series of several tax credit scams involving billions of pesos over the years.”

“Second, its abolition and transfer of functions under the BIR and the BOC are in line with the Marcos Jr. administration’s push to right-size government. This will streamline revenue operations and reduce administrative expenses,” he added.

AO No. 4 provides that OSS Center personnel who would be affected by the move will “receive separation benefits… unless they are appointed to other positions in the government.”

The OSS Center was created under Administrative Order No. 266 issued in 1992 for the orderly and expeditious processing of tax credits and duty drawbacks under various laws.

“[It] is the policy of the National Government to rationalize the functional structures of agencies with complementary mandates andpromote coordination efficiency and organization coherence in the bureaucracy,” the AO issued by Bersamin said.

Within 90 working days upon the effectivity of the order, the Finance Secretary “shall fully implement the abolition, including the disposition and transfer of the OSS Center’s functions, personnel and assets as may be necessary.” Julito Rada, Vito Barcelo and Vince Lopez by the Catholic Church as a holy day of fasting and praying. Its name comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting, using ashes from the palm fronds blessed by priests on Palm Sunday of the previous year.

Churches across the country this year allowed priests to put ashes on the foreheads of Catholics on Ash Wednesday, a tradition that was temporarily halted during the height and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc. It represents over 3,000 member companies engaged in around $100 billion worth of trade and some $30 billion worth of investments in the Philippines.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said after the ratification of the agreement, the government is optimistic that the country will reap the benefits and advantages of the mega-trade deal.

“With the country’s participation to RCEP, the Philippines has now further strengthened its position as an ideal investment hub in the region as we expand market access, facilitate trade, and align our rules and procedures with participat- and Japan all issued statements denouncing the Chinese action. sure the distance and speed of the Philippine vessel.

Also on Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III spoke with Galvez to discuss concerning developments” in the South China Sea.

In a statement, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said among the topics tackled was the Feb. 6 incident in Ayungin Shoal where the Chinese coast guard pointed a military grade laser at a Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

"Secretary Austin underscored the United States' commitment to supporting the lawful rights and operations of the Philippines in the South China Sea, including around the Second Thomas Shoal, which the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal unequivocally ruled is a part of the Philippine exclusive economic zone," Ryder said.

The US refers to the Ayungin Shoal as Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll located some 100 nautical miles off Palawan and is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

According to Ryder, Austin "reiterated that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, aircraft, and public vessels, including those of its Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea, would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty."

The PCG is also planning joint patrols with the US Coast Guard, in line with the freedom of navigation efforts of the United States in the South China Sea.

Tarriela said the joint patrols would gain cooperation among other countries in the region and would benefit the vessels that are passing through the area (see related story on A1 – Editors).

The PH Coast Guard also hopes to modernize and increase its assets, as it only has three offshore patrol vessels when it needs about 20 to cover the country’s entire maritime area.

The Philippines should keep pushing back against Chinese aggression in the WPS to regain ground lost because of the previous administration's policy of appeasement, a maritime expert said Monday.

In an interview on the ABS-CBN News Channel, Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said the Marcos administration has been more open and transparent on developments in the West Philippine Sea.

At a high-level security conference in

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The prosecutors also claimed that the defendants obtained, under "favored and very liberal terms," huge loans from the Government Service Insurance System in favor of Philippine Integrated Meat Company (PIMECO)—a corporation beneficially held or controlled or both by Sabido and the other defendants. They also alleged that Peter Sabido installed himself as chairman of the board of Lianga Bay Logging Co. (Lianga)—a domestic corporation that owned and operated a lumber concession in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, and “performed acts of depredation against the best interest of the lumber workers.”

The anti-graft court also said in its ruling "that the plaintiff (the Philippine government) failed to prove by preponderant evidence that the properties alleged in the complaint are ill-gotten or were beneficially owned and controlled by former President Marcos and his family."

Similarly, the anti-graft's ruling said the state prosecutors "relied heavily on the affidavit of Rolando Gapud wherein it said that serving as financial advisor of the former President, he had personal knowledge that the latter used his close of the coronavirus pandemic.

Catholics observe the liturgical event as a primer for the month-long reflection before the Holy Week, which starts on the Holy Wednesday (April 5 this year) and ends on Easter Sunday (April 9).

Filipinos observe the Holy Week with various activities such as "Senakulo" or the re-enactment of the Passion of Christ and "Pabasa" or book reading of the passion of Christ, which is common in ing economies, ” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

RCEP consolidates existing ASEAN regional free trade agreements among members and covers trade in goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, as well as dispute settlement.

The country’s economic managers say the Philippines has an advantage as it can serve as a gateway to the ASEAN region, and boasts of a young, growing workforce, and stable legal regime, particularly on intellectual property and competition policy. This makes the country an ideal manufacturing and research and development hub, even for non-RCEP countries. (See full story online at manilastandard.net) business associate Yulo as his dummy in YKR and PIMECO. The material allegations in the amended complaint were corroborated by the subject affidavit. However, Gapud was not presented in Court to testify on the matters alleged." provinces and rural areas.

Austin also emphasized to Galvez the US' commitment to "supporting the lawful rights and operations" of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, including Ayungin Shoal.

In July 2016, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, based on a case filed by the Philippines, invalidated China's expansive nine-dash line claim covering the entire South China Sea.

The arbitration court also ruled that Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank are all within the Philippines' EEZ as provided by the UNCLOS and outlawed China's action of preventing Filipino fishermen to access Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal. But Beijing refused to acknowledge the arbitral court's ruling.

China earlier denied pointing at military grade laser at the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, which Beijing accused of intrusion.

This prompted the Philippines to file a diplomatic protest against China following the laser-pointing incident.

The US official also said Austin and Galvez also discussed proposals to deepen operational cooperation and improve the US and the Philippines' shared security, including joint maritime activities in the South China Sea.

Germany, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said harassment by the Chinese has become adaily situation faced by Filipino fishers and the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.

At a roundtable discussion in Munich over the weekend, Manalo said thePhilippines was determined to address the territorial dispute through peaceful and legal means.

He said the daily incidents of harassment that Filipinos experience inthe South China Sea as well as land reclamation activities have deprived the Philippines of the use of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Foreign Affairs chief also said he recognized the complexity of the country's relations with China.

In his speech before the Munich conference, Manalo said the “very strong links” of the Philippines—as well as other countries in the region—with China on the economic and cultural fronts create a more complex situation.

“We have this issue on the South China Sea with China, but at the same time we’ve also agreed with China that this issue is not going to be the sum total of our relationship,” he said.

"In a replete number of cases, the Supreme Court ruled that failure to put the affiant on the witness stand is fatal to the case as it renders the affidavit inadmissible under the hearsay rule," the Sandiganbayan added.

Government prosecutors had argued that Gapud’s testimony should be given full credence as it was acknowledged before the Philippine Consular Office in Hong Kong.

But the anti-graft court disagreed.

"The Court is not convinced. While it is true that the affidavit was notarized, the general rule is that affidavits are classified as hearsay evidence, unless affiants are placed on the witness stand," it said.

"In view of the foregoing, this case is for reversion, reconveyance, and accounting against defendants Peter A. Sabido, Luis A. Yulo, Nicolas Dehesa, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Rafael Sison, and Don M. Ferry, is dismissed for failure of the plaintiff to prove by preponderance of evidence," the Sandiganbayan added.

The court also lifted the sequestration orders against Lianga Bay Logging Co. and Yulo King Ranch.

In another Facebook post, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) hoped for a solemn celebration of Ash Wednesday. The PCO said the occasion serves as a reminder for Catholic believers to pray and fast.

“As the Lenten season begins, this day is an opportune time to pray and fast as a way of acknowledging Jesus Christ’s sacrifice,” it said.