01:00.0
He sees the meeting as an opportunity to elevate trade ties
01:04.5
and address China's growing belligerence in the South China Sea.
01:09.1
Katrina Domingo has tonight's top story.
01:13.5
The leaders of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States
01:16.7
are meeting in the White House this week to strengthen their cooperation
01:19.8
on the economic and security fronts.
01:22.2
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcus Jr. says it is important for the three countries
01:26.2
to keep the Indo-Pacific open and free,
01:28.5
where trillions worth of...
01:30.0
It is my intention also to exchange views with my U.S. and Japanese counterparts
01:36.7
on various regional security issues of mutual concern
01:40.1
while continuing to reiterate the importance of upholding the rule of law
01:45.6
and preserving the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.
01:53.3
Marcus Jr. says discussions will also center on forging closer economic cooperation
01:58.2
among the three countries.
02:00.0
The U.S. is the Philippines' fourth largest source of foreign direct investments in 2023
02:04.5
with investments amounting to 110 million U.S. dollars.
02:08.3
Japan, on the other hand, is the Philippines' largest source of official development assistance
02:12.8
with 12.92 billion U.S. dollars in aid,
02:16.6
or about 40% of the country's total portfolio.
02:19.9
I intend to explore ways of advancing cooperation,
02:23.2
especially in the areas of critical infrastructure,
02:27.5
semiconductors, digitalization,
02:30.0
and cyber security,
02:31.4
critical minerals,
02:32.9
renewable energy,
02:34.1
as well as defense and maritime cooperation.
02:37.8
The trilateral summit among the three countries
02:39.8
was supposedly planned during a pull-aside meeting in Indonesia last year,
02:43.5
but it now comes just days after China's use of water cannons
02:47.2
and other dangerous maneuvers within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
02:51.2
It also comes just days after the three countries,
02:53.6
along with Australia,
02:54.6
held quadrilateral military and maritime exercises in the West Philippine Sea.
02:59.2
China earlier declared...
03:00.0
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy and our groupings of alliances and partnerships
03:17.5
are not about being against anyone or anything.
03:20.8
They're about what we're for,
03:22.1
and that's very clear in our Indo-Pacific Strategy.
03:25.1
The White House adds several investment packages
03:27.6
are also expected to be announced
03:29.2
after the trilateral summit.
03:29.8
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy and our groupings of alliances and partnerships are not about being against anyone or anything.
03:30.0
The White House adds several investment packages
03:30.0
are also expected to be announced
03:30.1
after the trilateral summit on April 11.
03:32.3
The United States and Japan
03:33.4
will agree to cooperate on their investments in the Philippines,
03:38.2
and we do believe that together
03:39.9
and working closely with the government of the Philippines,
03:42.4
we will be able to deliver for the Filipino people
03:44.9
by helping to work together
03:46.8
on high-quality, high-standards infrastructure
03:49.6
that makes a difference in the lives of everyday people.
03:52.3
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
03:53.9
is expected to arrive here in Washington, D.C.
03:56.4
a day before the trilateral summit.
03:58.2
He is also scheduled...
04:00.0
to hold a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden
04:02.3
as well as with American investors.
04:05.0
Meanwhile, several Filipino-American groups here
04:07.5
are expected to stage a protest
04:09.6
against the United States' alleged imperialist agenda
04:13.7
as well as to express their opposition
04:16.4
against attempts to amend the Philippines' 1987 Constitution.
04:21.6
Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News, Washington, D.C.
04:26.7
The Philippine president summons Beijing's envoy
04:29.8
in Manila to seek an explanation
04:32.4
of the supposed South China Sea deal
04:34.8
of then-President Duterte and Chinese President Xi.
04:38.6
He says the repercussions of such a deal are horrifying.
04:42.9
We have this report.
04:45.7
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says he's horrified
04:48.9
by the idea of a so-called secret gentleman's agreement
04:52.3
supposedly entered into by his predecessor,
04:55.6
former President Rodrigo Duterte,
04:57.3
with Chinese President Xi Jinping,
04:59.8
I am horrified by the idea
05:02.7
that we have compromised
05:04.8
through a secret agreement
05:07.4
the territory, the sovereignty,
05:10.8
and the sovereign rights of the Philippines.
05:13.5
Former Duterte spokesperson,
05:15.5
Attorney Harry Roque,
05:16.7
earlier revealed that the former Philippine leader
05:19.4
agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping
05:21.5
to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea.
05:24.9
The deal, he says, includes not to undertake repairs
05:27.5
in the BRP Sierra Madre,
05:29.0
the grounded Philippine warship,
05:31.3
which serves as the Philippines' lone outpost
05:33.9
at the Iyungin Shoal.
05:35.5
But Marcos Jr. says they do not have any information
05:38.7
whatsoever about this deal.
05:40.9
Well, it turns out,
05:45.0
we don't know, it is a secret agreement.
05:47.8
We don't know anything about it.
05:49.7
There is no documentation,
05:51.4
there is no record,
05:55.0
We were not briefed when I came into office.
05:57.1
Walang-walang nagsabi sa amin na meron
05:59.0
Hindi pa namin alam kung ano ba talaga yung agreement na yan.
06:03.3
But, kung ang sinasabi sa agreement na yan
06:08.0
na kailangan tayong mag-permiso sa ibang bansa
06:11.7
para gumalaw sa ating sariling teritoryo,
06:15.9
ay mahirap siguro sundan yung ganyang klaseng agreement.
06:20.9
The president says he is currently seeking clarification
06:23.6
from former administration officials.
06:26.5
He has also summoned Chinese ambassador
06:28.3
to the Philippines.
06:29.0
Wang Shilian to shed light on the matter.
06:31.9
That is something.
06:32.9
We still have to clear it up.
06:34.5
We are waiting for Ambassador Wang to come back
06:37.0
from Beijing na humalik siya and I asked to see him.
06:40.0
Baka siguro sa pagbalik na.
06:43.2
At ipaliwanag niya, ano ba,
06:44.9
sino bang kausap mo?
06:46.5
Sino ba talagang kausap mo? Anong pinag-usapan ninyo?
06:49.5
Anong pinag-agrehan ninyo?
06:51.6
Was this an official thing
06:53.1
or was it a personal thing? Ano ba ito?
06:55.3
Dahil wala kaming record.
06:56.5
Kahit saan ka tumingin,
06:59.0
record. So sikretong ginawa lahat ito.
07:01.1
Bakit nila ginawa?
07:02.6
Kung gagawin man nila, ba't pa nila ginawa yung sikreto?
07:06.9
Nakakapagtaka nga eh.
07:07.9
Kaya it's not a good situation.
07:10.5
Albay Representative Edsel Langman agrees
07:12.7
with the president in saying that the supposed
07:14.8
secret deal is a grave mistake
07:16.8
and compromises Philippine sovereignty.
07:19.8
He says there can be
07:20.9
no gentleman's agreement with a chronic
07:22.9
aggressor like China in the West Philippine Sea.
07:25.7
Adding that the deal has no binding effect.
07:29.0
Yet his other former spokesperson,
07:31.0
Attorney Salvador Panelo, has denied
07:33.0
the existence of the supposed
07:34.8
gentleman's agreement.
07:36.6
In a recent statement, he insisted that
07:38.9
the former president has never
07:40.5
and would never enter into any agreement
07:42.9
that is against the Philippine national interest,
07:45.6
sovereignty, and territorial
07:46.9
integrity. He claims
07:48.8
Marcus Jr. has been misinformed
07:50.9
and misled on the matter,
07:52.7
as he warned against those who spread
07:54.6
false news and bogus narratives.
07:59.0
An intelligence report by Microsoft
08:03.6
says cyber actors affiliated with China
08:06.2
continue to target governments
08:08.0
and telco entities in ASEAN.
08:10.6
It noted these activities had taken place
08:12.7
in the second half of 2023.
08:15.7
Microsoft says the cyber actors
08:17.3
focused on targets related to
08:19.3
U.S. military drills in the Asia-Pacific region.
08:22.4
These include entities related to
08:24.1
joint U.S. and Philippine military exercises.
08:28.2
Microsoft released a report on the U.S. military drills in the Asia-Pacific region.
08:29.0
It also released its report
08:29.6
ahead of the annual Balikatan exercises
08:31.7
in the Philippines.
08:33.0
This year's drills will focus on
08:34.9
cyber defense and information warfare.
08:39.1
A Philippine regional police chief
08:41.4
admits the arrest of
08:43.0
fugitive evangelist Apollo Kibuloy
08:45.7
may be hampered by the
08:47.1
pastor's network of friends
08:48.6
and deep resources.
08:50.5
We have this report.
08:53.7
Police Regional Office 11 Director,
08:56.4
Brigadier General Alden Delvo
08:58.2
admits being friends
08:59.3
with Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder
09:03.3
Do you know when the birthday of Pastor Kibuloy is?
09:06.4
April 25, that coincides with my birthday.
09:09.2
And that is why we met.
09:11.5
There were times also that I don't celebrate
09:13.6
my birthday at home.
09:15.1
I just celebrate it with him.
09:17.8
This is his kingdom.
09:19.2
But he says their friendship will not
09:21.6
hinder authorities' manhunt
09:23.1
for the fugitive pastor.
09:25.5
Kibuloy has a warrant of arrest
09:27.2
for sexual and sexual abuse.
09:28.2
And child abuse issued by
09:29.8
a Davao Regional Trial Court.
09:32.0
Being a policeman, being a regional director,
09:34.3
I'm just a professional.
09:35.3
I'm just doing my job.
09:36.6
I have his warrant.
09:38.3
Wala mang kaming taso sa isa't-isa.
09:41.1
Maybe he has something to answer
09:44.7
in the courts of law.
09:46.4
But I'm just doing my job.
09:48.2
So with that, I will really
09:50.4
exert effort in finding him
09:58.2
For those who issued the warrant.
10:01.7
Delvo spoke after authorities
10:03.7
visited the properties of Kibuloy
10:05.7
in Davao to serve the Senate's
10:07.8
arrest order for failing to attend
10:09.8
the committee hearings on the child
10:11.5
and sexual abuse complaints against him.
10:14.7
The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms
10:16.6
led by Director Manuel Parlade
10:18.6
together with the PNP
10:20.4
and the National Bureau of Investigation
10:22.5
Southern Mindanao Region
10:23.9
tried to serve the order
10:25.6
in the Prayer Mountain in Barangay Tamayo,
10:30.0
in Glory Mountain,
10:31.5
also in Barangay Tamayong,
10:33.4
and a resort in Samal Island,
10:37.4
allegedly owned by Apollo Kibuloy.
10:39.8
But authorities came up empty-handed.
10:42.8
The arrest warrant was instead
10:44.2
received by Kibuloy's lawyer,
10:46.1
Attorney Israelito Torreon.
10:48.3
When asked what makes finding Kibuloy
10:50.3
difficult for the authorities,
10:52.5
Delvo said Kibuloy is a
10:54.2
high-profile individual
10:55.4
with many friends and lots of
10:58.2
sticks. Delvo added
11:00.1
they need exact information
11:02.0
before conducting police operations
11:06.1
We could not just do
11:08.1
any police operation
11:11.2
although we are ready
11:15.0
there are students there,
11:17.9
matraumatized for us
11:28.2
Delvo is hoping that Kibuloy
11:30.2
will surrender before April 25,
11:34.1
which could also be the police chief's
11:35.9
retirement. Kibuloy recently
11:38.0
released an audio statement
11:39.5
saying he was not in hiding and that he
11:41.8
wanted protection from extradition
11:43.7
as he also had pending cases
11:46.0
in the United States.
11:48.0
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured
11:50.0
Kibuloy that all proceedings
11:51.9
in his child and sexual abuse
11:54.1
cases would be fair.
11:58.2
The Philippine Government's
12:01.5
Anti-Communist Task Force is once again
12:03.6
accused of falsely red-tagging groups.
12:06.5
It recently included
12:07.6
the Farmers Group Kilusang Mabubukid
12:09.6
na Pilipinas in its list of
12:11.4
Communist Front Organizations.
12:13.7
The advocacy group AMIHA,
12:15.3
National Federation of Peasant Women,
12:17.9
condemned it as a baseless move.
12:20.1
It called for the abolition
12:21.5
of the task force and said
12:23.5
its red-tagging activities often lead
12:25.7
to harassment and even deaths.
12:28.2
The task force has been the subject
12:29.6
of public scrutiny for linking
12:31.4
advocacy and progressive groups
12:33.3
to the rebel movement.
12:36.1
The Philippine Public Works
12:37.9
and Highways Department says
12:39.5
several big-ticket projects
12:41.1
will help ease traffic congestion
12:43.3
in Metro Manila. These include
12:45.7
a road connecting the North and South
12:47.5
Luzon Expressways and other
12:49.5
projects such as the Southeast Metro
12:51.6
Manila Expressway and the Laguna
12:53.8
Lakeshore Road Network project.
12:56.3
Public Works Secretary Manuel
12:57.7
Bonoan says the initiatives
12:59.6
are consistent with the President's
13:01.4
socio-economic agenda of reducing
13:03.8
transport and logistics costs.
13:07.3
The Metro Manila Council on Wednesday
13:09.1
adjusted the working hours of local
13:11.0
government units in a bid to address
13:13.4
traffic congestion.
13:15.0
It passed a resolution shifting work
13:17.2
hours in government offices from
13:19.2
the current 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
13:21.4
to 7 a.m. until 4 in the afternoon.
13:25.9
A Filipino vlogger
13:27.7
is being investigated by the
13:29.4
Philippine Environment Department
13:30.8
after he uploaded a video where
13:32.8
he's seen manhandling a tarsier.
13:35.9
In his now-deleted video,
13:37.3
Ryan Pareño, who goes by the
13:38.9
username Farm Boy, clutches
13:41.0
a tarsier while coaxing it
13:43.1
to smile for the camera.
13:45.6
Pareño claims they were transferring
13:47.0
tarsiers to a wildlife area
13:49.1
since they were in a community
13:50.9
zone in the province of South Cotabato.
13:53.6
The Environment Department says
13:55.1
the vlogger released the two tarsiers
13:57.7
to the wild, but it's still looking
13:59.4
at taking further action on the incident.
14:02.3
Tarsiers are considered a threatened
14:04.0
species as it faces habitat loss
14:06.4
and threats of illegal capture and trade.
14:09.5
The Biodiversity Management Bureau
14:11.4
says the world's smallest primate
14:13.3
does not respond well to frequent
14:15.4
touching and handling since it is
14:17.5
sensitive and delicate.
14:19.3
Maltreatment of wildlife is punishable
14:21.3
under the country's Wildlife Resources
14:23.4
Conservation Act.
14:27.7
Israel warns of retaliation after
14:29.5
Iran threatens to attack it.
14:32.1
The world tonight returns after
15:27.7
Thank you for watching!
15:57.7
Thank you for watching!
16:27.7
On April 1st, the attack killed seven Revolutionary Guards.
16:32.9
The Philippine Embassy in Iran has expressed concern over the incident.
16:36.8
It says the sanctity of foreign embassies and missions must be respected at all times.
16:44.7
U.S. President Biden says Israel's Prime Minister is making a mistake in Gaza.
16:50.2
He expressed concern over Benjamin Netanyahu's actions, citing in particular Israel's airstrike.
16:57.3
that killed aid workers in the enclave.
17:00.4
Biden also said he wants Israel to already propose a ceasefire.
17:05.1
Over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war in Gaza began in October.
17:11.2
Nearly 3 million of Gaza's inhabitants are at risk of famine.
17:16.9
I think what he's doing is a mistake.
17:19.7
I don't agree with his approach.
17:21.1
So what I'm calling for is for the Israelis to just,
17:27.3
call for a ceasefire,
17:29.9
allow for the next six, eight weeks,
17:32.5
total access to all food and medicine going into the country.
17:38.1
I've spoken with everyone from the Saudis to the Jordanians to the Egyptians.
17:43.3
They're prepared to move in.
17:45.0
They're prepared to move this food in.
17:46.9
And I think there's no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people.
17:57.3
They should be done now.
18:01.5
U.S. and Israeli officials will meet to discuss Israel's planned assault on Rafah.
18:07.3
The city in southern Gaza is the last refuge for over one million displaced Palestinians.
18:12.7
Israel believes it is the last holdout for Hamas.
18:16.0
The Israeli Prime Minister earlier said a date has been set for the invasion of Rafah.
18:21.1
He vowed to complete Israel's mission of eliminating Hamas.
18:27.3
There's constant communications happening every day.
18:30.0
But as it relates to this particular conversation,
18:32.3
when they're going to be here in person,
18:34.4
members of the Israeli government,
18:36.5
that's going to happen in a couple of weeks.
18:39.0
We will complete the elimination of Hamas brigades, including in Rafah.
18:43.8
There is no force in the world that will stop us.
18:46.6
There are many forces that are trying to do so.
18:49.1
But it will not help, since this enemy, after what it did, will never do it again.
18:55.7
The U.S. and the European Union.
18:57.6
The European Union have been joined by other countries in urging Israel to avoid a bloodbath in Rafah.
19:05.1
Australia signals a potential shift in policy and says it may recognize Palestinian statehood.
19:12.1
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong says a two-state solution is the only hope
19:16.8
to break the endless cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.
19:21.2
Wong's comments echoed earlier remarks by Britain's Foreign Minister,
19:26.2
Palestinian statehood,
19:27.2
could also be recognized by the U.K.
19:32.6
Recognizing a Palestinian state,
19:34.7
that one that can only exist side by side with a secure Israel,
19:37.9
doesn't just offer the Palestinian people an opportunity to realize their aspirations,
19:43.0
it also strengthens the forces for peace,
19:47.1
and it undermines extremism.
19:50.1
It undermines Hamas, Iran, and Iran's other destructive proxies in the region.
19:57.2
Tens of thousands are evacuated from settlements in Russia and Kazakhstan
20:03.0
after the Ural River burst its banks and triggered massive flooding.
20:08.0
The deluge overwhelmed settlements in 37 Russian regions and in 10 provinces in Kazakhstan.
20:14.3
Eight Kazakh provinces are under a state of emergency.
20:17.9
Spring flooding is a normal occurrence in Russia when winter snows melt,
20:22.1
but high snowfalls and waterlogged soil have worsened the seasonal flood.
20:27.2
A U.S. court deals another setback for reproductive rights in America.
20:34.2
Arizona's Supreme Court revived a 19th century law which banned abortion.
20:39.5
This makes abortion illegal except when the mother's life is at risk.
20:43.9
Arizona's Attorney General says she will look into possibly appealing the decision to the U.S. Federal Supreme Court.
20:50.8
The Attorney General has vowed not to enforce the law.
20:53.8
The Arizona governor slammed the court's decision.
20:57.2
Arizona's 2022 abortion ban is extreme and hurts women.
21:03.6
And the near total Civil War era ban that continues to hang over our heads
21:09.7
only serves to create more chaos for women and doctors in our state.
21:15.7
As governor, I promised I would do everything in my power to protect our reproductive freedoms.
21:27.2
The Camp John Hay Development Corporation is ordered by the Philippine Supreme Court
21:33.2
to vacate the special economic zone of Baguio City's Camp John Hay.
21:37.7
The High Court granted a petition for review filed by the Basis Conversion Development Authority or BCDA.
21:45.2
An arbitral tribunal earlier found Camp John Hay's developer and the BCDA mutually breached their lease obligations.
21:53.8
The corporation must now return 247 hectares.
21:57.2
The BCC is a former U.S. military facility with a well-preserved American colonial residence.
22:07.3
Fitch cuts its outlook on China's sovereign credit rating to negative.
22:12.5
The revision follows a similar move by Moody's in December.
22:16.4
Fitch says the rating reflects China's growing debt and decelerating growth.
22:21.1
A protracted property downturn in China has weighed heavily on debt-laden local governments.
22:26.6
But the BCC is not the only one.
22:27.0
The BCC is the only one.
22:27.0
The BCC is the only one.
22:27.1
The BCC is the only one.
22:27.1
The BCC is the only one.
22:27.2
But while Fitch lowered its outlook, it affirmed Beijing's issuer default rating at A+, its third-highest category.
22:34.6
China's finance ministry says Fitch's rating failed to effectively reflect the positive effect of China's fiscal policy.
22:43.1
The Philippines saw more foreign direct investments in January.
22:47.7
The central bank says FDIs for that month came in at $907 million.
22:53.4
That's 90% higher from last year's figure.
22:56.6
The BCC is the only one.
22:57.0
The BSP points to higher debt instrument investments from foreign nationals, which climbed to $820 million.
23:05.3
Meanwhile, equity capital placements were channeled mostly to the manufacturing, real estate, and construction sectors.
23:14.8
Muslims across the globe celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
23:20.6
Thousands of Palestinian worshippers held Eid al-Fitr prayers at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque complex.
23:27.0
The Eid al-Fitr was the most holy month of Ramadan.
23:27.6
One of the holiest sites in Islam.
23:30.1
But the normally festive event was overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
23:35.3
In Egypt, displaced Palestinians were joined by the governor of North Sinai in the celebrations.
23:42.0
Many Indonesian Muslims prayed for an end to the violence in Gaza.
23:46.5
They also hope their countrymen will understand the plight of Rohingya refugees who continue to flee to their country.
23:53.2
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority country.
23:56.4
with more than 220 million Muslims.
24:01.2
Filipino Muslims across the Philippines also celebrated Eid al-Fitr.
24:05.7
They flocked to Manila's Golden Mosque and attended prayers in Davao City.
24:10.4
Philippine President Marcos Jr. greeted the Filipino Muslim community
24:13.8
with an appeal for them to embody humility, peace, and strength.
24:18.4
He also called for unity in the midst of diverse beliefs and philosophies among Filipinos.
24:26.4
Our final word tonight is a quote from Helen Keller.
24:30.8
Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much.
24:37.9
And that is The World Tonight, the 10th of April, 2024.
24:42.0
I'm Pia Gutierrez.
24:43.1
I'm Tony Velasquez from the Philippines. Thank you.
24:56.4
Thank you for watching!
