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expressed in the following program do not necessarily reflect the policies and position of this network.

Lawyers of Apollo Kibuloy, Attorney Israelito Torrion, as we discuss the sexual and child abuse cases of the controversial pastor.

And later on, we have Metro Manila Council President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora for our second hot copy.

First, the headlines.

Today's big stories, all eyes at the White House.

As leaders of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines,

meet for a historic trilateral summit.

Tokyo and Washington seem to invest at least $100 billion in Manila in the next 5 to 10 years.

And three sons of Hamas leader Ismael Anie killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip.

On Hot Copy this morning, a Philippine regional police chief admits

that the U.S. and Japan have been fighting for a long time.

The arrest of fugitive tele-evangelist Apollo Kibuloy may be hampered by the pastor's network of friends and deep resources.

This report.

Police Regional Office 11 Director, Brigadier General Alden Delvo admits being friends with Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder, Apollo Kibuloy.

Do you know when Pastor Kibuloy's birthday is?

April 25, that coincides with my birthday.

And that is why...

But he says their friendship will not hinder authorities' manhunt for the fugitive pastor.

Kibuloy has a warrant of arrest for sexual and child abuse issued by a Davao Regional Trial Court.

Being a policeman, being a regional director, I'm just a professional. I'm just doing my job.

I have his warrant.

We don't have any problems with each other.

Maybe he has something to answer in the courts of law, but I'm just doing my job.

So, with that, I will really exert effort in finding him and putting him to, and bringing him to the courts, to those who issued the warrant.

Delvo spoke after authorities visited the properties of Kibuloy in Davao to serve the Senate's arrest order

for failing to attend the committee hearings.

He also tried to put his papers on the child and sexual abuse complaints against him.

The Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, led by Director Manuel Parlade, together with the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation's Southern Mindanao region,

tried to serve the order in the Prayer Mountain in Barangay Tamayong, Davao City,

in Glory Mountain, also in Barangay Tamayong,

and a resort in Samal Island, Davao del Norte, allegedly owned by Apollo Kibuloy.

The authorities came up empty-handed. The arrest warrant was instead received by Kibuloy's lawyer, Atty. Israelito Torreon.

When asked what makes finding Kibuloy difficult for the authorities, Delvo said Kibuloy is a high-profile individual with many friends and lots of logistics.

Delvo added they need exact information before conducting police operations to find Kibuloy.

We could not just do any police operation, but although we are ready, there are students there, traumatized for us, entering there, biting there, without us knowing yet whereabouts.

Delvo is hoping that Kibuloy will surrender before April 25, their birthday,

which could also be the police's last day.

Kibuloy recently released an audio statement saying he was not in hiding and that he wanted protection from extradition as he also had pending cases in the United States.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured Kibuloy that all proceedings in his child and sexual abuse cases would be fair.

And joining us on Hot Copy this morning,

we have the lawyer of Pagpagno.

Pastor Apollo Kibuloy,

Attorney Israelito Torreon.

Attorney Torreon, good morning to you.

Good morning, Ma'am Karen, and good morning to all watchers of this program.

All right.

Is Pastor Apollo Kibuloy still in the Philippines?

Well, I can say that he is still in the Philippine territory, yes.

What does Philippine territory mean to you?

Well, within the country, of course.

Okay, we're in the Philippines.

Yes ma'am, yes ma'am.

Yes ma'am Kasi Philippine territory, ang laki niyan, West Philippine Sea, hanggang doon, so is he in the Philippines?

He is still in the Philippines.

If you note, he had a declaration and he requested only the Philippine government that there shall be a promise in writing

that President Marcos, Justice Secretary Remilia, the PNP chief, the NBI director,

that Washington won't interfere in court proceedings here in the Philippines.

And I believe that is not an unreasonable request.

And he merely wants an assurance that he will not be extraordinarily rendered

to the United States of America, which is different from extradition, Ma'am Karen.

Okay. Explain the difference.

Well, the difference is that in extraordinary rendition,

this is the illegal practice by the United States of America,

which was done as early as 1866 until the present,

where the United States of America would illegally, extra-legally kidnap certain personalities

and bring them to countries and to territories called black sites

in order to conduct torture or interrogation techniques,

which they call waterboarding.

And the like, in order to secure information or for other purposes, Ma'am.

If you remember the killing of Abraham Lincoln, the suspect there, John Surat,

in 1866, he was extraordinarily kidnapped in Egypt at that time

and brought to the United States of America.

And other subsequent cases, recent cases, likewise, like the Abu Omar case,

the Al-Nishari case, and other cases, too.

Okay.

This is the legitimate fear of Pastor Apolo C. Kibuloy.

So, Pastor Kibuloy's fear is essentially intervention or interference from the United States, correct?

Yes, yes, yes.

He simply wants an assurance that there shall be no interference on the part of the United States of America,

which is a valid request pursuant to the ICJ case, Nicaragua versus U.S.,

which is a principle of non-intervention.

He simply wants that.

Okay.

Now, Secretary Crispin Remulia has said that he should surrender without conditions.

Well, that's, of course, he is the Justice Secretary, and we understand that.

But if you come to analyze the request of Pastor Apolo C. Kibuloy,

he is merely a citizen who is asserting his right that the United States of America

should not intervene in the judicial proceedings in the Philippines.

This is pursuant to the social contract fury of our government,

upon which the United States of America is founded upon, and the Philippines likewise.

We surrender some of our rights to the government.

In return, the government should protect us.

Protect us from what?

From foreign interference.

That is an age-old doctrine upon which any Republican government is founded upon.

Social contract fury.

Yes.

Now, Attorney, if the government does not grant this assurance,

what makes of Pastor Apolo C. Kibuloy?

Ma'am Karen, he is an accused now indeed because of the warrant of arrest that was issued against him.

But remember, the preliminary investigation before the DOJ transpired for more than four years.

And according to Tatad v. Sandigan Bayan, Kagang v. Sandigan Bayan, Katamko v. Sandigan Bayan,

and the latest case which I handled also, Peñas v. Komelek,

which led to the dismissal.

Of more than 1,000 cases.

They violated the right of the accused to speed the disposition of cases.

And this is still pending because we filed a motion for reconsideration in the DOJ.

And we argued that you allowed more than four years for the complainant to prove his case.

And that all of the cases were already dismissed in the DOJ of Davao City two times.

And this has been pending in the DOJ for more than three years.

So, we...

We actually invoked that in the Department of Justice.

And today, we will file a motion to quash warrant of arrest before the Regional Trial Court of Davao City

because right to speed the disposition of case is a substantive right.

And it is a protected right under the 1987 Constitution.

Aside from him being innocent of the charges against him.

Okay.

Let's start first with this.

You talk about four years, right?

Yes.

Four years.

But we have to remember that in the last four years, we have not been able to file a motion.

In the last four years, in the last maybe three of the four, Pastor Apollo Quibonoy was very close to former President Duterte.

Of course, the cases won't move.

Well, no, that's not a reason because the DOJ can always resolve it.

As a matter of fact, we filed motions for early resolution.

Whatever may be the reasons for DOJ not to act is beyond us.

And it is the bounded duty of Department of Justice to speedily...

to speedily resolve cases before it.

That's not the reason on, I think, in my humble view, Ma'am Karen.

Okay.

Another issue is the DOJ states that in this particular case,

the 17-year-old victim alleges a series of abuses that started in 2011

and included a rape in 2014 of September.

Does this 17-year-old also factor in...

or fair in the previous case?

Ma'am, you have to note that this 17-year-old was earlier filed cyber libel cases as early as 2018.

There were warrants of arrest that were issued against him by the Regional Trial Court of Panabo City in 2018.

Suddenly, she filed by way of counter-charge in 2019,

specifically December 18 of 2019 for four cases, one of which was rape.

Okay.

A crime that happened as early as September 1 of 2014, five years thereafter.

There were no police reports, no medical reports.

She even did not report the matter to her own sister who was also studying with her in JMC.

She did not even report the matter to her own father who was present during that time.

And the selection of date was even very doubtful because the date that she chose was that she was allegedly 17-year-old,

and we have reasons to suspect that she chose that date so that she would qualify as a minor.

And these matters were fully discussed by the City Prosecutor's Office,

and there were even five prosecutors who studied the case and dismissed the case,

and she filed a motion for reconsideration, and the same was likewise denied.

So, all of these matters should have been a closed case on the part of Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy

and being revived at that time as if there was an orchestra, a maestro,

playing an orchestra against him.

You should please give him some leeway.

Imagine the disappointment being felt by Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy.

Okay. Well, Attorney, I don't feel any sympathy for Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy,

and I don't think the Filipino people should either considering he's a very powerful man.

That's number one.

Number two, on the case of rape that it's reported late,

let me tell you.

Let me tell you that women don't need to admit they've been raped immediately.

That's been proven.

They don't tell their father, their mother, or their siblings.

But that's not a reason to believe that the rape didn't actually happen.

And regardless of our reported rape five or six years after the event,

that's still a valid case.

Ma'am, we understand that, and I don't have anything against women.

My wife is a very beautiful woman, and of course, she is a woman.

But the fact that Pastor Apolo...

Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy may be influential, he may be rich,

that does not mean that he has no rights under the law.

And his rights should likewise be protected.

What is good for the grander should likewise be good for the...

I agree with you.

But are you telling me that these witnesses who have attended the Senate hearings are all lying?

The Senate hearing is another matter.

Are you believing, honestly speaking, right now?

The Senate hearing is handled by another lawyer.

I mean, in the United States.

The United States, for example, is evidence of Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy child trafficking.

Do you honestly believe that he is innocent?

Yes, ma'am.

I am assisting likewise there in my own humble capacity because I cannot...

So why would these women lie?

Why would they lie?

I think you know, ma'am, that I would be incompetent to know...

No, I don't know.

No, I don't know.

I would be incompetent to know what are in the minds of the women because...

Why would women lie?

Most of the time, who would know what is in their minds?

What I know, ma'am, is like this.

These women were former members of Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy.

And the fact remains is that all of their allegations have already been debunked.

And the only woman who filed the case against Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy is Blenda C. Portugal.

And his allegations were already debunked by the city prosecutions.

And the Department of Justice, for lack of a better word, sat on the case for many years.

And this was only revived at the time when Senator Risa Hontiveros was already investigating in the United States of America.

And as a matter of fact, as you know, there is already a warrant of arrest.

We feel, ma'am, that all of this, according to Pastor Apolo Siquibuloy,

there might be a reason why there was a warrant of arrest that was issued against him aside from his absence.

There is a reasonable ground to believe that a dice extradition may be in play.

That an informal surrender may be in play.

All right, attorney, I get your point.

He doesn't want to be extradited.

He doesn't want U.S. intervention.

You've made that clear.

I think the question here is this.

Why would this woman make up a story?

Just give me a reason.

Ma'am, because before...

Before she left the kingdom, there were already a viral video that was posted on Facebook

of her being placed in a very scandalous position, which she gave to her own boyfriend, but she leaked it.

And there was also a libel case, libel cases that were filed against her.

Maybe, I can only suppose, because you want me to speak.

For her, I cannot know what is in her mind.

I'm not Nostradamus.

Maybe this is a way for her to strike back against Pastor Apolo Sikibuloy.

And maybe those forces behind Pastor Apolo Sikibuloy contacted him to bring up, trump up charges against Pastor Apolo Sikibuloy so as to get back at Pastor Apolo Sikibuloy.

The possibilities are endless, ma'am.

Okay, so you believe...

Say what is in your mind.

Attorney, you believe the FBI...

The FBI would make trumped up charges.

The FBI, the charges are filed by individual persons who were former members of Pastor Apolo Sikibuloy who may have...

I agree, but there are similar accusations, right?

There are similar allegations.

The FBI cannot make trumped up charges because they are merely authorities who would enforce their laws.

I cannot fault them.

But the fact remains...

The fact remains that there are trumped up charges filed against Pastor Apolo Sikibuloy and FBI has been made an instrument to perpetrate injustice against my client.

That is the point, ma'am.

As a matter of fact, Pastor Apolo Sikibuloy may not be totally against an extradition process.

What he fears is the extra-legal, illegal practice of extraordinary rendition which happens...

To care, which happened to Frisbee, which happened to Humberto Alvarez-Maquin, which happened to Elmastree.

Elmastree was a...

Okay, so you made it clear.

So now you're saying he's open to extradition.

Maybe, maybe.

He may be open to extradition because it's a full process.

But I cannot state for certain if he will agree with me.

But in my previous discussion with him, well, if extradition may be, but extraordinary rendition, totally no, because that is illegal, that would constitute a violation to our territorial sovereignty and independence of the Republic of the Philippines.

All right. Attorney, I agree with you on that. I agree with you on that.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you.

No U.S. intervention but extradition. That's allowed by law.

That's allowed by treaty.

Okay. So let's move on. Let's move on.

If he is innocent, why won't he just attend the Senate hearing? An ordinary Filipino doesn't have this kind of leeway.

That is why, precisely, if you have just read and analyzed his declarations, he wanted that the Philippines would not interfere in judicial proceedings as well as assure him that he will not be extraordinarily rendered.

Have you heard?

Have you heard about Ramzi Ahmed Yusef?

Wait.

Ramzi Ahmed Yusef, ma'am, was...

Attorney, we are going back. We are going back to your issues. I get it.

But the point is this. Are you telling me that Pastor Apollo Kibuloy would rather remain a fugitive than attend a Senate hearing?

Note, ma'am, that he has still remedies under the law. The charge against him is still under question.

We still have a motion for reconsideration before the DOJ.

And I am filing today a motion to quash the warrant of arrest.

If the warrant of arrest would be rendered void because the information is void, because the resolution is void, why is it void?

Because it violated his right to speed the disposition of cases. So there is no arrest against him.

He cannot be classified fully yet as a fugitive from justice because the charge against him is still under question.

And it is one of his rights under the law.

You could not fault him.

I could not force him because that is his personal decision, ma'am.

Yes, yes.

That is his personal decision.

Well, number one, I cannot fault him for having a lawyer who's doing his job.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much.

I have to do my job.

Okay, number two.

But what makes you optimistic that the local courts will quash the warrant of arrest considering he has a warrant?

Well, I am a positive...

In the United States, too.

No.

In other words, in the U.S., he has a warrant.

What makes you think that the local court will quash the warrant here?

Because I am a positive man, ma'am.

Because of jurisprudence.

Because of Kagam versus Sandigan Bayan.

Tatad versus Sandigan Bayan.

Duterte versus Sandigan Bayan.

Because of Katampo versus Sandigan Bayan.

Because of Joseph Peñas versus Comelec.

It is based on our jurisprudence that if you violate...

...of an individual to his right against speedy disposition of cases,

the information is void and the warrant of arrest is void.

What makes me optimistic?

Simply because I'm a lawyer, I'm a law dean,

and therefore, since the Supreme Court has already decided that way,

then therefore, res judicata would dictate to me that similar cases,

just like Pastor Apollo Siquibolo,

should be decided in the same way.

Tatad versus Sandigan Bayan, the delay was not even three years.

In this case, ma'am, four years and two months is the delay.

So therefore, I have reasonable grounds to believe that if this case will reach the Supreme Court ultimately,

it may be denied in the Regional Trial Court,

we will go to the Court of Appeals,

and the Court of Appeals may side us, ma'am.

Side with us, rather.

Okay. Now, on that note, I think at the end of the day,

moving forward,

you will file a case.

But what does Pastor Apollo Siquibolo plan to do?

Is to remain in hiding?

He already declared his...

Some may not like the word that he demanded,

but actually, there is legal basis to it

because that's pursuant to the social contract theory.

But he still has remedies under the law,

as what I have already told you.

And it is within his personal right to decide whether or not to face the case or not.

A similar case can even be cited.

I think Senator Lacson, likewise, faced the same situation in the past.

And the resolution against him was declared as...

His case was dismissed in the Court of Appeals for lack of probable cause.

There are other cases likewise in the past whose cases,

whose probable cause was likewise found not to be present

by the Court of Appeals and even the Supreme Court.

So perhaps, just perhaps, I cannot speculate,

this is one also of the remedies

that are being expected by Pastor Apollo Siquibolo

so that his innocence can be proven without him actually surrendering.

It's his option, ma'am.

On that note,

thank you so much for joining me today,

Attorney Israelito Torreon.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

We're going to take a quick break.

Head Start will be right back.

We'll be right back.

Welcome back to Head Start,

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,

now in Washington,

to join a historic trilateral summit

with the U.S. and Japan.

Katrina Domingo reports.

The leaders of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States are meeting in the White House this week

to strengthen their cooperation on the economic and security fronts.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says it is important for the three countries to keep the Indo-Pacific open and free,

where trillions worth of seaborne goods pass through annually.

It is my intention also to exchange views with my U.S. and Japanese counterparts

on various regional security issues of mutual concern,

while continuing to reiterate the importance of upholding the rule of law

and preserving the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Marcos Jr. says discussions will also center on forging closer economic cooperation among the three countries.

The U.S. is the Philippines' fourth largest source of foreign direct investments in 2023,

with investments amounting to $100.

Japan, on the other hand, is the Philippines' largest source of official development assistance,

with $12.92 billion in aid, or about 40% of the country's total portfolio.

I intend to explore ways of advancing cooperation, especially in the areas of critical infrastructure,

semiconductors, digitalization and cybersecurity, critical minerals, renewable energy,

as well as defense and maritime cooperation.

The trilateral summit among the three countries was supposedly planned during a pull-aside meeting in Indonesia last year,

but it now comes just days after China's use of water cannons and other dangerous maneuvers within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

It also comes just days after the three countries, along with Australia,

held quadrilateral military and maritime exercises in the West Philippine Sea.

China earlier decried the minilateral alliance,

saying that defense cooperation among countries may stoke confrontations in the region.

But the White House denied Beijing's assertion, saying that the trilateral summit was not designed against any nation.

The U.S.-Indo-Pacific strategy and our groupings of alliances and partnerships are not about being against anyone or anything.

They're about what we're for, and that's very clear in our Indo-Pacific strategy.

The White House adds several investment packages are also expected to be announced after the trilateral summit on April 11.

The United States and Japan will agree to cooperate on their investments,

and we do believe that together, and working closely with the government of the Philippines,

we will be able to deliver for the Filipino people by helping to work together on high-quality, high-standards infrastructure

that makes a difference in the lives of everyday people.

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News, Washington, D.C.

Now, before leaving for Washington, President Marcos Jr. summoned Beijing's envoy in Manila

to seek an explanation.

The supposed South China Sea deal between his predecessor and Chinese leader, Xi Jinping.

Pia Gutierrez reports.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says he's horrified by the idea of a so-called secret gentleman's agreement

supposedly entered into by his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte,

with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the West Philippine Sea.

I am horrified by the idea that we have compromised,

through a secret agreement, the territory, the sovereignty, and the sovereign rights of the Philippines.

Former Duterte spokesperson, Attorney Harry Roque, earlier revealed

that the former Philippine leader agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping

to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea.

The deal, he says, includes not to undertake repairs in the BRP Sierra Madre,

the grounded Philippine warship which serves as the Philippines' lone outpost at the Ilyungin Shoal.

But Marcos Jr. says they do not have any information whatsoever about this deal.

Well, it turns out, we don't know. It is a secret agreement.

We don't know anything about it.

There is no documentation. There is no record.

There is no...

We were not briefed when I came into office.

Walang-walang nagsabi sa amin na merong ganong usapan.

Hindi pa namin alam kung ano ba talaga yung agreement na yan.

But, kung...

Ang sinasabi sa agreement na yan, na kailangan tayong mag-permiso sa ibang bansa

para gumalaw sa ating sariling teritoryo,

ay mahirap siguro sundan yung ganyang klaseng agreement.

The President says he is currently seeking clarification from former administration officials.

He has also summoned Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, Wang Shilian, to shed light on the matter.

That is something. We still have to clear it up.

We are waiting for...

Ambassador Wang to come back from Beijing, na umalik siya and I asked to see him.

Baka siguro sa pagbalik na.

At ipaliwanag niya, ano ba, sino bang kausap mo?

Sino ba talagang kausap mo? Anong pinag-usapan ninyo?

Anong pinag-agrehan ninyo?

Was this an official thing or was it a personal thing?

Ano ba ito?

Dahil wala kaming record.

Kahit saan ka tumingin, walang record.

So, sikreto ang ginawa lahat ito.

Bakit nila ginawa?

Kung gagawin man nila, ba't pa nila ginawa yung sikreto?

Nakakapagtaka nga eh.

Kaya it's not a good situation.

Albay Representative Edsel Agman agrees with the President in saying that the supposed secret deal is a grave mistake and compromises Philippine sovereignty.

He says there can be no gentleman's agreement with a chronic aggressor like China in the West Philippine Sea.

Adding that the deal has no binding effect.

Duterte's other former spokesperson, Attorney Salvador Panelo, has denied the existence of the supposed gentleman's agreement.

In a recent statement, he insisted that the former president has never and would never enter into any agreement that is against the Philippine national interest, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

He claims Marcos Jr. has been misinformed and misled on the matter as he warned against those who spread false news and bogus narratives.

Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News.

Local government units in Metro Manila.

Ordered to adjust working hours to help ease traffic congestion.

The resolution seeks to shift work hours in government offices from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. until 4 p.m.

It all came out after a town hall meeting led by President Marcos Jr.

We will give you a statistic.

Currently, the cost of commuting to Metro Manila is P4.9 billion.

If we don't do anything, it will increase to P9 billion a day.

And then the analysis of NEDA and the Department of Finance, P3.5 billion is lost to us.

Corporate Union.

The so-called opportunity cost, the wasted hours, the productivity that we should not have, is falling because we are waiting for a vehicle.

Traffic is really not a solution if we are not able to move to the road and go to mass transit.

That's why we are putting up subways, we are putting up trains.

This is so that it will be easier.

There will be no traffic.

If you ride a train, there will be no traffic.

That's why we see in other places, even if you go, you will ride a train, you will ride a subway,

you will see all kinds of people riding there.

Even the rich, the ones who can, ride the train.

Because that's the fastest way to go, even in the big cities, New York, London, etc.

And we're now joined by San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Council President, Francis Zamora.

Mayor, good morning.

Yes, good morning, Karen.

Thank you again for having me on Head Start.

All right, Mayor, what was agreed upon?

Yes, yesterday, if I may share, there was a very big town hall meeting here in San Juan,

led no less by the President himself, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

This was the Bagong Pilipinas Town Hall Meeting for Traffic Concerns.

And one of the policies that were implemented through Metro Manila Council resolution

was the shift of work hours in the LGUs in Metro Manila from 8 to 5 to 7 to 4.

So effective April 15, all work in the local government units in Metro Manila will now be from,

7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And the rationale behind this is there are more than 100,000 vehicles of those working in the Metro Manila LGUs.

And if these vehicles will travel one hour earlier than the rush hour,

then that will be a big contributor to lessen the number of vehicles during the rush hours.

So that's one option.

I'm curious, Pinag-usapan po ba?

Yes, Pinag-usapan po yan.

In fact, isa po yan sa mga options, Karen.

But eventually, ang napagkasundoan ng Metro Manila Council ay itong five-day work week,

but starting one hour than the usual hours.

Nandun din po ang Civil Service Commission, Karen.

We were consulting them regarding the guidelines of the CSC.

Importante lang makumply po yung 40 hours.

Na trabaho kada linggo.

And if I may emphasize, Karen, even if we will shift to 7 to 4,

yung 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., mag-iiwan po kami ng skeletal force para po sa frontline services.

Of course, I'm sure maninibago po sa simula yung ating mga mamamayan,

sapagkat nasanay po sila ng 8 to 5.

So we will leave a skeletal force for frontline services from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Okay.

What about the other options?

The option of changing the work week to certain days.

For example, ang iba nagtatrabaho Wednesday to Sunday.

Ang iba, Monday to Friday.

Kung baga pati weekend, may mga nagtatrabaho do.

Umiikot na ngayon ang weekends at weekdays.

Yes, Karen.

Meron naman talaga tayo mga nagtatrabaho kahit weekends.

But yung traditional government offices natin na tatalasan kinupunta,

nginabawa yung ating treasury, yung ating city health office.

Ito yung mga usual na talagang kanakalangan, very regular po ang schedules.

So yan po ay mananatiling within the regular work schedule.

But yung flexi time naman po ay option.

Kung naalala ho ninyo, noong kasagsagan ng COVID-19,

nagkaroon tayo ng paradigm shift to flexi time in terms of work hours.

So at any point naman po na feasible ito, allowed naman po ang local governments to also utilize this.

So we will try our very best to maximize all possible options.

The objective really is to lessen the volume of vehicles during the rush hour.

And if the LGUs have more than 100,000 vehicles, ito po yung owned by those working in the LGUs po.

Nag-survey po kasi ang MMC at ang MMDA.

Tinanong po ang kadame.

O kung ilan naman.

Ang mga sasakyan ng mga natatrabaho sa City Hall, at yan po naging more or less total among the 17 LGUs.

So malaking tulong po yan kung mahikit isang daang libong sasakyan ay hindi sasabay sa rush hour po araw-araw.

Okay. Another issue is, thus has it been proven that the odd-even scheme works, number coding?

Well, yung number coding, Karen, again, that's for vehicle reduction.

Kasi kung hahayaan po natin lahat ng sasakyan ay kahit anong araw bumiyahe, then you expect 100% of all the cars, not just in Metro Manila, ganoon din po yung mga taga-probinsya na pumapasok ng National Capital Region.

You expect all of these cars to pass through our roads at 100% capacity.

So kung meron tayong nananatiling number coding, that means a big percentage of the vehicles.

Sa limbawa, yung 1, 2 pag Monday, so on and so forth, hindi po yan makakapasok except during the window hours.

So kaya naman po yan ginagawa to reduce the volume of vehicles.

Yesterday, during the presentation of the President, pinakita rin po ng MMDA at ng DOTR na napakarami hong Pilipino ang bumibili ng sasakyan.

So you can see that there are just so many vehicles.

So there are just so many vehicles in the country and all of these will pass through our streets, especially here in Metro Manila.

Kaya kinakarang kagumawa po ng hakbang upang mabawasan ang volume ng mga sasakyan.

Okay. Now another issue, let's move to this.

It was a month ago, but the Supreme Court has said that LGUs can't issue traffic violation receipts.

How have LGUs moved?

From that order?

Well, Karen, just to give a background to everyone who's watching, meron na po tayong single ticketing system.

Yan po ay napapalob sa ating Metro Manila Traffic Code which was passed by the Metro Manila Council last year.

Ito po ang hinihiling talaga ng Supreme Court na ang lahat po ay sumunod dito sa single ticketing system.

Ito po yung 20 common traffic violations.

Ito po yung 20 common traffic violations na napapalob po sa Metro Manila Traffic Code which now have the same amount of fines.

So what is the Supreme Court telling us?

Dapat lahat ay magkakaroon na lang ng isang uniform set of rules.

And ito na nga po yung single ticketing system na dapat po talaga lahat ng Metro Manila LGUs ay ipatupad na po ito.

Ang sanwan po, we've been implementing this for a few months already and all the other LGUs are following suit.

And next is, hindi pwedeng manikit ang mga local traffic enforcers.

Ano pong solution natin dyan?

Nagpapadeputize na po ang aming mga local traffic enforcers sa MMDA so that once our local traffic enforcers are deputized,

effectively sila po ay binibigay na ng authority ng Metro Manila Development Authority.

So ito po yung ating mga solutions po rito.

We of course respect the wisdom.

At the Supreme Court, kami po yung sumusunod, kami po yung nagko-comply.

At ongoing na po ang process ng deputization.

Okay. And sa ngayon ba may mga LGUs na di sumusunod?

Ah, sumusunod naman po lahat, Karen.

In fairness to all the Metro Manila mayors, very supportive naman po kami sa policies ng national government, MMC po.

We are very solid.

Coming from the COVID pandemic po, natutuho ang...

Metro Manila Council to have one voice.

Sa pagkat ng COVID, remember, talking about quarantine restrictions, talking about curfew time, lahat po yan.

Hindi pwedeng iba-iba ang policies ng LGUs because yes, we are 17 LGUs in Metro Manila, but we do not have physical boundaries.

We are basically one huge metropolis.

Kaya mas mabuti talaga, Karen.

Meron tayong unification.

Unified policy.

Itong nga single ticketing system po, it took 28 years, Karen, to approve this.

And ngayon po, pag kayo ay mahuli, number one, hindi dapat kukupis kayo ng inyong lisensya.

Next, through the handheld devices that have been provided for the LGUs by the MMDA, you can now pay your traffic violations on the spot.

You can use your credit card, your debit card, or you can choose to pay through digital payment platforms, GCash, Paymob.

Kaya wala na, Karen, yung traditional na kukumpis kayo ng lisensya mo at tutubosin mo ito sa City Hall, which is such a big hassle.

That is not happening anymore.

Even if you live in Ilocos or Bicol, dumaan ka ng Metro Manila, dito ka na huli.

Hindi mo kailangan bumalik para lang tubosin lang yung lisensya.

You can pay at your convenience wherever you are.

Okay.

On that note, thank you so much for joining me today, Mayor Francis Zamora, Metro Manila Council President.

Thank you.

Thank you very much also, Karen.

Switching gears now, the CINE Institute and ABS-CBN International are set to host Canada's first ever Filipino Film Festival in Toronto.

Take a look.

Are you guys ready for an exciting filmmaking challenge?

CINE Film Fest, the very first Filipino Film Festival in Canada, is about to happen.

The event, which will roll out to Red Carpet...

...on April 13th and 14th at the prestigious Hotel X in Toronto was organized by the CINE Institute to showcase the best of Filipino talents in the world of cinema.

We also want to be able to showcase and celebrate Filipino storytelling on the big screen.

So this is one way to bring everybody together, the community, to celebrate it not just within the Filipino community but to celebrate it to the rest of Canada.

Skenyo also says that...

...as part of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Philippine-Canada relations,

participants will include film enthusiasts, industry professionals, trade delegates from the Philippines, and special guests.

To mark the launch of the CINE Film Fest, the CINE Institute partnered with ABS-CBN International to host this historic event.

ABS has been a pillar, a strong pillar, and a great source of Filipino content worldwide.

So they have contributed so much in promoting Filipino storytelling, not just for Filipinos in the Philippines but Filipinos worldwide.

It is such an honor for us to be offered to be CINE Film Fest official media partner.

When they approached us for this partnership, we really got excited.

So ABS-CBN's heart and soul is really in storytelling.

So this aligns with our mission.

Of bringing the Filipino content to the world stage.

Open to all, the festival will feature a carefully curated selection of ten feature films and seven short films,

including the highly anticipated screening of Star Cinema's Hello, Love, Goodbye.

Directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana, the film explores the lives of Filipino immigrants in Hong Kong,

resonating deeply with the experiences of overseas Filipino workers worldwide.

The festival will also showcase works by Filipino-Canadian filmmakers,

including Kahel, a Filipino TV original by Philbert Huang,

Islands, directed by Martin Ederlin,

and Spiderman Rock, a debut fan film by Carlos Rico.

Prior to the festival, CINE Institute also launched a 48-hour CINE Challenge

where budding filmmakers competed in a limited-time challenge.

Beyond the film screenings,

the festival also aimed to encourage young Filipino-Canadians to delve into filmmaking and acting.

To achieve this, CINE Film Fest collaborated with the Toronto Film School

to conduct educational workshops throughout the two-day event.

So they are the ones spearheading the facilitation of all the workshops, the trainings.

And so we're very privileged and we're very grateful to Toronto Film School

for trusting CINE Institute.

and CINE Film Fest to do a project like this.

Ginny Ocampo, head of ABS-CBN's Global Content,

hopes that their collaboration with CINE Institute

will lead to further opportunities for ABS-CBN in the global film industry.

We continue with our mission of telling the story of the Filipino.

In fact, TFC is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

And we promise that TFC will make sure that

all other ABS-CBN properties will play an active role

in various areas of the entertainment industry.

Hello everyone!

Come and join me, Cathy Garcia Sampana,

and check out all the wonderful films in the CINE Film Fest

including the special presentation of Hello! Love! Goodbye!

with an intimate Q&A

and meet and greet with yours truly.

So scan the QR code now.

Or click the link in the CINE Institute bio

to get those tickets now.

Joseline Reyes-Sampilay, ABS-CBN News, Toronto.

And before we go for British actor Andrew Scott,

there's more to playing the lead role

in a new Netflix series that meets the eye.

Our Hollywood correspondent Yong Chavez talks to the actor.

Andrew Scott feels a certain way towards Tom Ripley,

the character that he embodies in Ripley.

The new Netflix limited series is the latest adaptation

of Patricia Highsmith's best-selling novels.

Scott, who received critical acclaim for his performances

in TV's Fleabag and the film All of Us Strangers,

says he looks at Ripley through a different lens

as compared to how the con artist may be perceived by others.

The familiar character was also played by Matt Damon

in the 1999 movie The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Set in the 60s, the series with its eight episodes

has more time to explore Ripley's background and motivations,

beginning with a look at his life as a grifter in New York.

He's a con artist.

He's pretty artistic with how he cons people.

And that's what he does.

He's ignored by society and he lives in rat-filled streets

in the Lower East Side and nobody observes him

and he's allowed to get away with it.

And then he's submerged into this world

where it brings out a kind of ferocity in him

because I suppose he sees a bigger world

that other people really take for granted.

And it brings out an anger in him

and he starts to do things that are completely irrational and murderous.

And I think the fascination of the audience

is that we see this person who is quite small and vulnerable

and streetwise, certainly, but certainly not a murderer.

And he makes loads of mistakes.

And so I think that's why the character is so enduring

and why those big words,

like sociopath or psychopath or serial killer

or all those kind of things,

can for me sometimes feel a little extreme.

In the story, Ripley was unexpectedly tasked to go to Italy

to bring a rich man's son back to the US.

The son, Dickie Greenleaf, is an affable man

who's also seemingly adrift and longing for his purpose in life.

He's played by British actor Johnny Flynn.

Dickie Greenleaf is the golden boy

who's probably had very little experience with hardship in his life.

In the way you played him,

there seems to be an undercurrent of loneliness.

He's yearning to feel something about himself

that I think Tom fulfills for him.

And I think that's why their connection is strong

and why Dickie loves Tom being there.

He can see in Tom

somebody who can yearn for the same things

and see the world in the same way.

And he's an ally in terms of his artistic perception.

He's yearning to feel a certain way about himself

and he's probably a little frustrated with his life.

Ripley also stars Dakota Fanning as Marge Sherwood.

The series is now out on Netflix.

Yoan Chavez, ABS-CBN News, here in Hollywood.

And stay with AMC.