Latest news with #FerdinandMarcos
Arab News
a day ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Manila's negotiator to China takes oath as Philippines' new top diplomat
MANILA: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has sworn in Theresa Lazaro, a veteran diplomat who previously led Philippine negotiations with China, as the country's new foreign affairs secretary. Lazaro took her oath on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Manila where she was also conferred with the Order of Sikatuna, a national honor of diplomatic merit, 'in recognition of her leadership and vital contributions' to Philippine foreign policy and diplomacy, Marcos' office said in a statement. 'The president underscored Lazaro's pivotal role in advancing Philippine interests in critical foreign policy issues, including maritime security, regional peace and stability, and multilateral cooperation under the ASEAN Political-Security Pillar,' it said. 'The president also recognized her leadership in establishing and revitalizing diplomatic mechanisms with traditional and emerging partners.' Lazaro served as undersecretary for bilateral relations and Association of Southeast Asian Nations affairs under her predecessor, Enrique Manalo, who will return to his role as the Philippines' permanent representative to the UN in New York. Her appointment was first announced in late May, a day after Marcos asked his cabinet members to resign as he attempted to address the people's dissatisfaction over his administration's performance and improve the quality of public service. The president has since retained some and replaced others, including the national police chief, solicitor general and foreign secretary positions. Lazaro, whose career in foreign service began in 1984, had also served as the Philippine ambassador to France and Monaco, as well as Switzerland. She is now the second woman to lead the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs after Delia Domingo Albert in 2003. As the foreign affairs undersecretary, Lazaro led the Philippines' negotiations with China last year over the Ayungin Shoal, also known as the Second Thomas Shoal. Between 2023 and 2024, the area in the disputed South China Sea was a flashpoint where clashes often occurred between the Philippines' navy personnel and the Chinese coast guard. Under Lazaro, the two countries reached a 'provisional understanding' in July 2024 that has since kept Philippines' resupply missions to the shoal peaceful. 'The added bonus here is that incoming Secretary Lazaro's experience being front and center in the bilateral consultative mechanisms with Beijing gives her that expertise in dealing with the Chinese. And of course, that will come in handy in future negotiations as well,' geopolitical analyst Don McLain Gill told Arab News. He added he did not expect her appointment to mark a shift in Philippine foreign policy, rather a continuity of the efforts that Marcos' administration has been pursuing, with the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East regions as 'priority areas.' 'The Indo-Pacific's Western Pacific and the Middle East, particularly the West Asia, North Africa sub-regions … these are very important and will continue to become very important,' he said.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Beijing sanctions Manila's South China Sea legal claim architect Francis Tolentino
China has sanctioned the former Senate majority leader of the Philippines Francis Tolentino, a key ally of the Southeast Asian country's President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on South China Sea issues. Beijing accused Tolentino of 'egregious conduct on China-related issues' and will bar the former Philippine lawmaker – whose term ended on Monday – from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. 'For some time now, individual anti-China politicians in the Philippines have adopted a series of malicious words and deeds on China-related issues for their own selfish interests, undermining China's interests and damaging China-Philippines relations,' it said, in a statement released on Tuesday. 'The Chinese government's determination to defend its national sovereignty, security and development interests is unwavering,' it added. Tolentino was a principal author of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, legislation that asserts Manila's claims in the South China Sea and was signed by Marcos in late 2024, and which Beijing has strongly pushed back on. He also led a Senate investigation into alleged Chinese espionage activities within the Philippines.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Most Filipinos in favor of rejoining ICC, study shows
MANILA: The majority of Filipinos support the Philippines rejoining the International Criminal Court, the results of a new opinion poll showed on Monday. The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, as the court's prosecutors began to look into his 'war on drugs' campaign in 2016-22, which they estimate has resulted in the extrajudicial killings of 30,000 Filipinos. Despite the Philippines' withdrawal, the court has issued an arrest warrant against Duterte, as it keeps jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while a country was a member. The current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. complied with the arrest warrant and Duterte has been in ICC custody since March, awaiting trial. The Marcos's spokesperson, Claire Castro, said earlier this month that he was also 'open to talking about' rejoining the ICC. The move would be supported by 57 percent of Filipinos, according to the latest survey by OCTA Research. 'A clear 57 percent of Filipinos support the Philippines rejoining the ICC. In contrast, 37 percent are opposed, and 6 percent remain undecided, indicating broad, though not unanimous, public backing for renewed engagement,' the Quezon City-based polling and research firm said in its report. The study was conducted between April 20 and April 24, on 1,200 respondents in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. In Mindanao, where Duterte traces his political roots and despite detention won the mayoral election last month, the support for rejoining the ICC was the lowest. 'In Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, and the Visayas, at least 60 percent of respondents express support,' the OCTA Research report said. 'In Mindanao, however, is an exception — with only 30 percent supporting the move and 66 percent expressing opposition, the highest rate of opposition recorded across regions.' The highest rate of support for reengagement with the ICC was among people aged 25-34, with 62 percent of them in favor of the move, while the lowest support was among those aged 45-54, at 50 percent. Duterte's arrest has likely contributed to awareness about the ICC across the Philippines, with 85 percent of adult Filipinos claiming to have seen, read, or heard about the court and only 13 percent reporting being unaware of it. 'This widespread awareness sets the stage for significant national conversations on justice, accountability, and the Philippines' potential reengagement with the ICC,' OCTA Research said. 'Awareness levels are consistently high nationwide. In Metro Manila, 89 percent of respondents indicated familiarity with the ICC, followed closely by Balance Luzon (86 percent), Mindanao (85 percent), and the Visayas (77 percent).'
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Drugs worth 700mil pesos seized in Philippines; cops probing link to ‘floating' shabu
FILE PHOTO: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos (C, in white shirt) and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (2nd R) inspect seized methamphetamine drugs in Alitatag town in Batangas province on April 16, 2024. - AFP MANILA: Suspected shabu (crystal meth) with a street value of P700.4 million (US$12.4 million) was confiscated in Bulacan, Central Luzon, prompting authorities to investigate potential links to the illegal drugs recently recovered in waters off coastal provinces. Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group (PNP DEG) Director Brig. Gen. Edwin Quilates announced this in a press conference at Camp Crame on Monday (June 30). According to the PNP DEG, 103 kilograms of shabu were seized in an operation on Saturday night along Bantique Street in Barangay Bulihan, Plaridel. 'When we opened the package, our investigators who were conducting the inventory said it was still wet. The bag was also wet. Then the packaging was wet. The tea bags had four layers of covering,' Quilates said. When asked if the shabu was linked to drugs recently recovered in the waters off Luzon, Quilates answered, 'We will look into that. We will connect it to the recoveries there in Subic recently. That's the disposition of our operatives and investigators.' According to the PNP DEG, a Chinese individual and a Filipino were arrested during the operation last Saturday. Police identified them as 'Lian,' 55, and 'Ry,' 40, respectively. 'He has a seafood store and a small restaurant. He has a common-law wife. They've been living [there] for more than ten years. He's been here a while,' Quilates said. 'We will check on his documents as to how he got here and his status of residency here in our country,' he added. Quilates said the Filipino suspect was merely the Chinese national's helper. The suspects were brought to the PNP DEG for documentation, while the seized drugs were turned over to the Forensic Group for laboratory examination. Quilates noted that the suspects will face charges for alleged violations of Republic Act 9165, or the Dangerous Drugs Act. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippine prosecutors push for Sara Duterte's conviction, political ban
Prosecutors at the Philippines ' House of Representatives have asked the Senate to proceed with the trial of impeached Vice-President Sara Duterte, saying she should be convicted and barred from politics. Dismissing the case is prohibited, they said on Friday, in response to Duterte's move earlier this week asking the Senate, which sits as the impeachment court, to throw out her case. 'The plain language of the constitutional text 'trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed' leaves no room for interpretation and forecloses the filing of a motion to dismiss before the honourable impeachment court,' prosecutors said. Duterte was impeached by the House in February on allegations that include misusing public funds and plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after their political alliance collapsed. She has denied the allegations. The prosecutors' action tosses the case back to the Senate, which earlier this month returned the impeachment articles to the House, asking the latter to certify that the complaint did not violate the constitution. The volatile political situation surrounding Duterte's impeachment case poses a risk for the Southeast Asian economy, which on Thursday cut its economic growth target this year amid heightened global uncertainties. At least two-thirds of the 24-member Senate need to vote to convict Duterte, a top contender for the 2028 presidential election, when Marcos must step down after a constitutionally limited six-year term.
