Joint patrols by US, PH in WPS by Q3—envoy

By Rey Requejo

JOINT patrols between the United States and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea might start in the third quarter of this year, Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez said on Monday.

“We’re already at a... I would call continuing discussions on this joint patrol with the United States. I could guess, an estimate would be no later than the third quarter of this year. We should have that in place,” Romualdez said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri was at the Naval Shipyard in Cavite City as the guest of honor of the Philippine Navy for the christening of two new patrol gunboats and the blessing of the newly upgraded Naval Shipbuilding Center.

The Navy said the arrival and christening of the two brand-new missile

PUSHING BILLS. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez presides over Monday’s opening of the plenary session at the House of Representatives as he rallies support from his colleagues for the passage of the remaining priority measures of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. before the sine die adjournment next month (see story on A2) Ver Noveno

Teves Jr. to pin him down for his alleged involvement in the March 4 killings of 10 persons in the province, including incumbent Gov. Roel R. Degamo.

“‘Wag siya mag-alala (Teves shouldn’t worry). The evidence is very tight here with us,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla declared on Monday, in response to insinuation by Teves’ lawyers there are no charges filed against the lawmaker for lack of evidence. “There are many factual matters that have to be considered in such a case because we are talking about more than 10