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Telecoms cut as Israeli forces push deeper into Gaza City

Venus L Peñaflor
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Telecoms cut as Israeli forces push deeper into Gaza City

GAZA/CAIRO/ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER. Israeli tanks and infantry advanced toward central Gaza City on Thursday as telecommunications services were disrupted for several hours, marking a further escalation in the ongoing conflict.

The Israeli military said its forces, supported by artillery and air power, were gradually moving from the city’s eastern suburbs into more populated areas. “Since the night of Monday to Tuesday, large numbers of troops had begun moving towards the inner city,” Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani told Reuters. He described the operation as “a gradual process that would increase as time went on.”

Residents reported mounting fear as strikes intensified in the Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al-Hawa districts. “We are scared, but what can we do?” said Bassam Al-Qanou, who is sheltering with around 30 family members in a makeshift camp along Gaza’s beach. “We have no way to get out, and nowhere to go.”

According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 85 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours, most of them in Gaza City. Israeli forces reported four soldiers killed in combat in southern Gaza.

Hostage families in Israel have urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue negotiations with Hamas instead of continuing the offensive. The armed wing of Hamas said on Thursday that hostages had been dispersed across Gaza City, warning: “The start of this criminal operation and its expansion means you will not receive any captive, alive or dead.”

Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, responded on X: “If Hamas does not release the hostages and disarm, Gaza will be destroyed and turned into a monument to the rapists and murderers of Hamas.”

The Palestinian Telecommunications Company confirmed its services were cut “due to the ongoing aggression and the targeting of the main network routes.” Internet and phone services were gradually restored by nightfall. One Gaza resident, Ismail, said the blackout was ominous: “It has always been a bad signal something very brutal is going to happen.”

Humanitarian conditions remain dire. The World Health Organization warned Thursday that blood shortages could force hospitals to halt operations within days. Gaza’s health ministry reported four additional deaths from malnutrition, including a child, bringing the total to at least 435 deaths from starvation-related causes since the war began.

The conflict has displaced nearly half a million people from Gaza City, according to Israeli military estimates. Leaflets have urged residents to flee south to a designated “humanitarian zone,” though aid groups say conditions there lack food, medicine, and basic sanitation. Along the coastal road, streams of families were seen traveling south in vehicles and carts piled with belongings.

The overall Palestinian death toll since the start of the two-year war has surpassed 65,000, Gaza health authorities said. Israel’s figures state that 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the conflict. Officials say 48 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 still alive.

Israel also carried out strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Thursday. Meanwhile, two Israelis were killed at the Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan in what the military described as a terror attack.

Gretchen dumalo sa hearing sa kaso ng nawawalang sabungeros

Roy Tomandao
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Gretchen dumalo sa hearing sa kaso ng nawawalang sabungeros

MAYNILA. Dumalo kahapon sa Department of Justice (DOJ) ang aktres na si Gretchen Barretto para sa preliminary hearing kaugnay ng kaso ng mga nawawalang sabungeros.

Si Barretto ay kabilang sa mga pinadalhan ng subpoena ng DOJ para humarap sa reklamong multiple murder at serious illegal detention na inihain ng mga pamilya ng mga nawawala.

Nang tanungin ng media kung naniniwala ba siyang magiging patas ang imbestigasyon, tanging “I trust” ang naging tugon ng aktres.

Samantala, ang kanyang legal counsel na si Atty. Alma Mallonga ang nagsumite ng counter-affidavit para sa panig ni Barretto. “The reason we’re filing a counter-affidavit right now… based on what we have been saying from the very beginning that we feel that the accusations against her are unsubstantiated, incredible, and there’s every basis for the complaint to be dismissed,” ani Atty. Mallonga.

Hindi naman personal na dumalo ang negosyanteng si Charlie “Atong” Ang. Tanging ang kanyang abogado na si Atty. Gabriel Villareal ang kumatawan sa kanya sa pagdinig.

Bagyong Nando bahagyang lumakas, posibleng maging super typhoon

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Bagyong Nando bahagyang lumakas, posibleng maging super typhoon

MAYNILA. Bahagyang lumakas pa ang bagyong Nando habang patuloy na kumikilos sa karagatang silangan ng Luzon, ayon sa pinakahuling ulat ng PAGASA nitong Biyernes ng madaling-araw.

Sa bulletin ng alas singko ng umaga, sinabi ng PAGASA na taglay na ni Nando ang lakas ng hanging umaabot sa 75 kilometro kada oras malapit sa gitna at bugso ng hanggang 90 kilometro kada oras. Kumikilos ito pa-kanluran hilagang-kanluran sa bilis na 15 kilometro kada oras.

Natagpuan si Nando dakong alas kuwatro ng umaga sa layong 1,075 kilometro silangan ng Gitnang Luzon.

Hindi ito inaasahang direktang makakaapekto sa panahon sa bansa sa susunod na 48 oras ang bagyo, ngunit posibleng maranasan ang malalakas na pag-ulan na dulot ni Nando at habagat simula Linggo, Setyembre 21, o Lunes, Setyembre 22.

“Wind Signal No. 1 will be hoisted over Northern Luzon as early as tomorrow (September 20), and the highest Wind Signal that may be hoisted throughout its passage is Wind Signal No. 5, considering that this tropical cyclone has a possibility to reach super typhoon category,” ayon sa PAGASA.

Inaasahang magdadala ng malalakas hanggang gale-force na bugso ng hangin ang habagat at trough si Nando sa mga sumusunod na lugar:

  • Biyernes: Rehiyon ng Ilocos, Zambales, Bataan, Bicol Region, at Eastern Visayas
  • Sabado: Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, at Caraga
  • Linggo: Bicol Region, Visayas, Hilagang Mindanao, at Caraga

Dagdag pa ng PAGASA, posibleng dumanas o mag-landfall ang sentro ni Nando malapit sa Babuyan Islands mula Lunes ng gabi hanggang Martes ng umaga. Inaasahan naman na lalabas ito sa Philippine Area of Responsibility pagsapit ng Martes ng hapon o gabi.

US vetoes UN security council resolution on Gaza ceasefire, hostage release

EDGARDO HERNAL
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US vetoes UN security council resolution on Gaza ceasefire, hostage release

UNITED NATIONS. The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Thursday that called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, arguing the measure failed to adequately condemn Hamas.

The resolution, supported by the 14 other members of the council, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and urged Israel to lift restrictions on aid delivery to the territory’s 2.1 million residents.

“U.S. opposition to this resolution will come as no surprise,” said Morgan Ortagus, senior U.S. policy adviser, before the vote. “It fails to condemn Hamas or recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, and it wrongly legitimizes the false narratives benefiting Hamas, which have sadly found currency in this council.” She added that council members had “ignored” U.S. concerns about “unacceptable” language and instead pursued “performative action designed to draw a veto.”

The outcome underscored the diplomatic isolation of the United States and Israel over the nearly two-year conflict in Gaza. The vote came just ahead of the U.N. General Assembly’s annual session, where Gaza is expected to dominate discussions and several U.S. allies, including the U.K. and France, are anticipated to support recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

The resolution, drafted by the council’s 10 elected members, highlighted what it described as the “deepening of suffering” among Palestinian civilians. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the U.N., voiced disappointment, saying: “I can understand the anger and frustration and disappointment of the Palestinian people who might be watching this session of the Security Council, hoping that there is some help in the pipeline, and this nightmare could be brought to an end.”

Algeria, a co-leader of the resolution, expressed regret for the council’s failure to act, with its ambassador, Amar Bendjam,a stating: “14 courageous members of this Security Council raised their voice. They have acted with conscience and in the cause of the international public opinion.” Pakistan’s ambassador described the outcome as “a dark moment.”

Israel strongly opposed the resolution. Ambassador Danny Danon said it would “not release the hostages and will not bring security to the region,” adding: “Israel will continue to fight Hamas and protect its citizens, even if the Security Council prefers to turn a blind eye to terrorism.”

The resolution reiterated longstanding demands, including the release of hostages taken by Hamas and other militants during the October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel that triggered the war. The United States has consistently argued that ceasefire calls not tied to hostage releases risk emboldening Hamas.

Concerns over Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis have intensified. A recent food crisis report warned of famine in Gaza City, while Israeli forces launched a new ground offensive in the area this week, part of an ongoing effort to “destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure.” Independent experts commissioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council also concluded this week that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, urging international accountability.

The U.N. General Assembly has already voted in favor of a two-state solution and urged Israel to recognize a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, U.S. public opinion shows shifting views: an AP-NORC survey found that about half of Americans now believe Israel’s military response has “gone too far,” compared with 40% in November 2023. However, fewer Americans today see negotiating a ceasefire as a top priority for Washington.

P272M droga nasabat sa Batangas port

Roy Tomandao
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P272M droga nasabat sa Batangas port

BATANGAS CITY. Nasabat ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Batangas, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Seaport Interdiction Unit, at Coast Guard K9 Unit ang hinihinalang ilegal na droga na nagkakahalaga ng humigit-kumulang P272 milyon sa isinagawang operasyon sa Batangas Port noong Martes, Setyembre 16, 2025.

Ayon sa mga awtoridad, natuklasan ang kontrabando na nakatago sa loob ng apat na audio speaker mula sa isang pribadong sasakyang minamaneho ng isang 30-anyos na lalaki na residente ng Cotabato City. Ang suspek ay bumaba umano mula sa isang passenger vessel na dumating sa pantalan.

Napansin ng mga operatiba ng PDEA ang kahina-hinalang hirap ng suspek sa pag-aangat ng isa sa mga speaker, dahilan upang magsagawa ng paneling check ang PCG K9 Unit. Nang siyasatin ng sniffing dog, nagpositibo ito sa presensya ng ipinagbabawal na gamot.

Sa karagdagang pagsusuri, nadiskubre pa ang iba pang kahon ng hinihinalang droga na nakasilid din sa loob ng mga speaker.

Agad na isinagawa ang imbentaryo at pag-iingat sa mga nakumpiskang ebidensya bago ito dinala sa PDEA National Headquarters sa Quezon City para sa masusing pagsusuri at tamang disposisyon.

Photo: Philippine Coast Guard

Trump returns to United Nations as wars in Gaza, Ukraine intensify

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Trump returns to United Nations as wars in Gaza, Ukraine intensify

UNITED NATIONS. World leaders will gather in New York next week for the 80th U.N. General Assembly, where discussions are expected to be dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to the rostrum, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, growing recognition of Palestinian statehood, and nuclear tensions with Iran.

“We are gathering in turbulent – even uncharted – waters,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Tuesday, warning of “geopolitical divides widening, conflicts raging, impunity escalating, our planet overheating, and international cooperation straining under pressures unseen in our lifetimes.” Nearly 150 heads of state or government, along with dozens of ministers, are scheduled to address the six-day session.

Trump, who will speak on Tuesday, returns to the U.N. eight months into his second term, marked by sharp foreign aid cuts that have triggered humanitarian crises worldwide and raised questions about the organization’s future. He has slashed U.S. funding for the U.N., pulled out of several U.N. agencies, including UNESCO, and announced plans to quit the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization.

“He enjoys the General Assembly. He enjoys the attention of other leaders,” said Richard Gowan, U.N. director at the International Crisis Group. “My suspicion is he is going to be using his appearance to boast about his many achievements and perhaps once again, make the case he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Trump has maintained a wary stance toward multilateralism, describing the U.N. as having “great potential” but insisting it “has to get its act together.” Guterres acknowledged that while the U.N. plays a central role in peace mediation, it lacks enforcement power. “The U.N. has very strong efforts in peace mediation … but we have no carrots and no sticks,” he said.

Guterres and Trump are expected to meet formally next week for the first time since Trump returned to office in January, one of more than 150 bilateral meetings the U.N. chief has scheduled. Guterres described the upcoming week as “the World Cup of diplomacy.”

The gathering comes as the war between Israel and Hamas nears its second year. A global hunger monitor has warned that famine has already taken hold in Gaza and could worsen by the end of the month. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes charges that Israel denies, will address the assembly on Friday. “We will remind the world once again that this war will not end with the hostages left behind in Gaza,” said Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon.

Before the speeches begin, France and Saudi Arabia will host a summit on Monday aimed at building momentum for a two-state solution. Several Western nations, including Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, and France, have pledged to recognize a Palestinian state, though some with conditions. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to join via video after being denied a U.S. visa, a decision that drew criticism at the U.N. “Palestine is going to be the huge elephant in this session of the General Assembly,” said Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour.

The war in Ukraine will also be high on the agenda. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are set to speak, though Russian President Vladimir Putin is not expected to attend. Diplomats said the U.N. Security Council is likely to convene meetings on both Gaza and Ukraine during the high-level session.

Meanwhile, last-minute negotiations are expected in New York over Iran’s nuclear program as Tehran seeks to avoid the reimposition of full U.N. sanctions on September 28. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi are both expected to attend.

Romualdez nagbitiw, Dy nahalal na kapalit

Venus L Peñaflor
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Romualdez nagbitiw, Dy nahalal na kapalit

MAYNILA. Nagbitiw sa puwesto si House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez noong Martes, Setyembre 17, sa gitna ng mga alegasyon ng katiwalian sa flood control projects at budget insertions sa ilalim ng kanyang liderato.

Si Romualdez, isang abogado mula sa University of the Philippines at pinsan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ay humarap sa plenaryo bandang 3:20 ng hapon para sa kanyang pamamaalam. “Leadership also demands that we confront the trials of the present. … The longer I stay, the heavier that burden grows — on me, on this House, and on the President I have always sought to support,” aniya.

Binigyang-diin niya na ang kanyang pagbibitiw ay hindi tanda ng pagsuko. “I step down not in surrender, but in service — for sometimes, the greatest act of leadership is the grace to let go, so that this institution may endure stronger than before,” pahayag niya. Dagdag pa ni Romualdez: “Masakit man sa akin, I am stepping aside so that the independent investigation may proceed freely — without pressure, without influence, and without fear. This is not surrender, but conscience.”

Ayon kay Romualdez, ang kanyang desisyon ay para maibalik ang tiwala ng publiko at matiyak ang “full accountability” at transparency sa gitna ng kontrobersya. “Mga minamahal kong kababayan, I leave this Chamber as I first entered it — a humble servant, ready to serve wherever duty may call,” aniya.

Nahalal bilang bagong Speaker si Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III matapos makakuha ng 253 boto pabor, 28 abstain, at apat na hindi bumoto. Agad din siyang nanumpa sa plenaryo.

Samantala, malugod na tinanggap ni Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III ang pagkakahalal kay Dy at tinawag itong isang “very good choice.” Umaasa siyang magkakaroon ng “excellent” na ugnayan ang Senado at Kamara, lalo na sa pagpasa ng 2026 national budget. “I’m sure he’s capable and it’ll be good for the House,” ani Sotto. Tiniyak din niya na magiging mas “clean” ang budget deliberations sa pamamagitan ng full live streaming sa mga pagdinig at bicameral sessions.

Pinuri rin ni dating Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero si Dy ngunit nagbabala laban sa “selective amnesia” ng Kongreso kaugnay ng mga nakaraang anomalya sa pondo. Ayon naman kay Senadora Imee Marcos, “sobrang bait” ni Dy at maaaring maging mahirap ang kanyang sitwasyon bilang Speaker: “Arguably the worst job in the world.”

Nagpatutsada rin si Senador Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa kung ang pagbibitiw ni Romualdez ay “sign of guilt” kaugnay ng mga alegasyon. Una nang binanggit ng mag-asawang kontratista na sina Curlee at Sarah Discaya ang pangalan ni Romualdez sa usapin ng komisyon, bagama’t nilinaw nilang wala silang direktang transaksyon sa kanya. Mariin itong itinanggi ni Romualdez at iginiit na tungkulin ng liderato na “confront the trials of the present” at ibalik ang tiwala ng publiko.

Si Romualdez, na nahalal bilang ika-24 na Speaker ng Kamara noong 2022, ay nanungkulan hanggang sa kanyang pagbibitiw ngayong Setyembre 17.

Israel opens new Gaza exit as death toll exceeds 65,000

Venus L Peñaflor
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Israel opens new Gaza exit as death toll exceeds 65,000

CAIRO/JERUSALEM. Israel announced on Wednesday that it had opened an additional route for 48 hours to allow civilians to leave Gaza City, as its military intensified efforts to clear the area of non-combatants and confront entrenched Hamas fighters.

Hundreds of thousands remain in Gaza City, with many reluctant to evacuate due to the dangers of traveling south, scarce food supplies, harsh conditions, and fears of permanent displacement. “Even if we want to leave Gaza City, is there any guarantee we would be able to come back? Will the war ever end? That’s why I prefer to die here, in Sabra, my neighbourhood,” said Ahmed, a schoolteacher.

According to Gaza health authorities, at least 63 people were killed by Israeli strikes and gunfire across the territory on Wednesday, most of them in Gaza City. They said the latest fatalities brought the death toll from the two-year war past 65,000, with many more likely buried under rubble. Among the dead were 13 civilians, including local journalist Mohammad Alaa Al-Sawalhi, who medics said were attempting to comply with Israel’s evacuation orders.

In Rafah, five people were killed and dozens were injured when Israeli troops fired near an aid site. The Israeli military said its forces had fired warning shots to address an “immediate threat.”

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in southern Israel, according to Israeli figures. Israel estimates that around 400,000 people 40% of Gaza City’s population as of August 10, when it announced plans to seize control, have already fled. Gaza’s media office, however, claims that 190,000 have moved south and 350,000 have shifted to the central and western parts of the city.

A day after Israel launched its ground offensive, tanks advanced short distances toward Gaza City’s central and western districts from three directions, but no major breakthrough was reported. An Israeli official said the focus remained on persuading civilians to leave and warned that fighting would intensify over the coming months. The official added that the operation could be suspended if a ceasefire were reached. However, prospects remain dim after Israel targeted Hamas political leaders in Doha last week, straining relations with Qatar, a mediator in talks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to strike Hamas leaders anywhere, despite widespread criticism of the Doha attack, including from the United States.

On Wednesday, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that an Israeli drone dropped grenades on one floor of the Rantissi children’s hospital, forcing families to evacuate. No casualties were reported, but Fikr Shalltoot, Gaza director of the UK-based charity Medical Aid for Palestinians, said: “This hospital is the only specialist facility for children with cancer, kidney failure and other life-threatening conditions – but even these gravely ill children are not spared from relentless bombardment.” Israel did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Leaflets dropped over Gaza City instructed civilians to use Salahudin Road, reopened for evacuation, and warned they had until Friday noon to leave. However, conditions remained perilous, with families fleeing on foot, donkey carts, or vehicles amid ongoing strikes.

Much of Gaza City was devastated in 2023, but around one million Palestinians later returned to live among the ruins. Forcing residents out now risks confining much of the enclave’s population to overcrowded shelters in the south, where a hunger crisis is worsening.

The United Nations, aid agencies, and foreign governments have condemned Israel’s campaign and the mass displacement. A U.N. Commission of Inquiry said Tuesday that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, a conclusion Israel rejected as “scandalous” and “fake.”

Israeli forces currently control Gaza City’s eastern suburbs and are pressing from multiple fronts toward the center and western districts. “Gaza is being wiped out. A city that is thousands of years old is being wiped out in front of the whole cowardly world,” said Ahmed, the teacher.

In Nuseirat refugee camp, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a high-rise building on Wednesday, forcing nearby residents to flee. Palestinian and U.N. officials said no area of Gaza is safe, including the southern zones Israel has designated as humanitarian. On Tuesday, an airstrike killed five people in a vehicle as they attempted to evacuate south.

Signal No. 1 nakataas sa 7 lugar sa northern Luzon

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Signal No. 1 nakataas sa 7 lugar sa northern Luzon

MAYNILA. Pitong lugar sa Luzon ang nananatiling nasa ilalim ng Signal No. 1 habang patuloy na kumikilos ang Tropical Depression Mirasol sa karagatang kanluran ng matinding Hilagang Luzon, ayon sa 5 a.m. cyclone bulletin ng PAGASA ngayong Huwebes.

Kabilang sa mga lugar na apektado ng malalakas na hangin at pag-ulan ay ang:

  • Batanes
  • Babuyan Islands
  • Kanlurang bahagi ng mainland Cagayan (Santo Niño, Camalaniugan, Pamplona, Rizal, Claveria, Lasam, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Allacapan, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Praxedes)
  • Apayao
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Abra (Pidigan, San Juan, Tayum, Langiden, Lagangilang, Danglas, La Paz, Licuan-Baay, Tineg, Malibcong, Peñarrubia, San Isidro, San Quintin, Dolores, Lagayan, Bangued, Bucay, Lacub, Sallapadan)
  • Ilocos Norte
  • Hilagang bahagi ng Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, Bantay, San Vicente, San Ildefonso, Santa Catalina, City of Vigan, Caoayan, Santa, Nagbukel, Narvacan)

Huling namataan ang sentro ng bagyong Mirasol sa layong 165 kilometro kanluran ng Calayan, Cagayan. May dala itong pinakamalakas na hanging umaabot sa 55 kilometro kada oras malapit sa gitna at pagbugsong hangin hanggang 70 kilometro kada oras. Inaasahang tutuloy ito sa direksiyong hilagang-kanluran at lalabas ng Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) sa Huwebes ng umaga o hapon.

Samantala, iniulat ng PAGASA na isa pang sama ng panahon, ang Tropical Depression Nando, ay nasa layong 1,225 kilometro silangan ng Southeastern Luzon. Kumikilos ito pa-hilagang kanluran sa bilis na 15 kilometro kada oras, may lakas ng hangin na 55 kilometro kada oras at bugso hanggang 70 kilometro kada oras. Ayon sa PAGASA, “Nando is less likely to directly affect the weather in the next 48 hours. Onset of heavy rains due to the Southwest Monsoon and Nando is possible by Sunday or Monday.”
Ngayong Huwebes, makararanas ng ulan na may kasamang malalakas na hangin ang Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao at Babuyan Islands dahil sa Mirasol.

Maulap na papawirin na may kalat-kalat na pag-ulan at pagkidlat-pagkulog ang mararanasan sa natitirang bahagi ng Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, gayundin sa Zambales at Bataan.

Ang MIMAROPA at Western Visayas ay maaapektuhan ng habagat at makararanas din ng maulap na panahon na may kalat-kalat na pag-ulan at pagkulog-pagkidlat.

Sa Metro Manila at nalalabing bahagi ng Luzon, bahagyang maulap hanggang maulap na kalangitan ang iiral na may posibilidad ng pag-ulan at pagkidlat-pagkulog dahil pa rin sa Southwest Monsoon.

Samantala, ang nalalabing bahagi ng bansa ay makararanas ng bahagyang maulap hanggang maulap na papawirin na may pulo-pulong pag-ulan o pagkidlat-pagkulog dulot ng localized thunderstorms.

Chinese and Philippine vessels collide near Scarborough Shoal

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Chinese and Philippine vessels collide near Scarborough Shoal

BEIJING. A confrontation between Chinese and Philippine vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday has heightened tensions in the South China Sea, with both sides accusing each other of dangerous maneuvers.

China’s coast guard alleged that a Philippine ship deliberately rammed one of its vessels after more than 10 Philippine government ships entered waters around the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island. It said water cannons were deployed against the intruding ships.

The Philippines rejected the claim, saying Chinese forces used powerful water cannons that caused significant damage to the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang and left one crew member injured.

According to the Philippine Coast Guard, two Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannons at the Filipino fisheries vessel for nearly 30 minutes, shattering glass in the captain’s cabin and the bridge, injuring a crewman, and causing a short circuit that affected electrical outlets and several outdoor air-conditioning units. A Chinese navy warship also broadcast a radio notice about “live-fire exercises” at the shoal, which the Philippine Coast Guard said caused panic among Filipino fishermen.

Philippine vessels had been deployed to provide fuel, water, ice, and other supplies to more than 35 fishing boats in the area.

The incident occurred six days after China announced the designation of part of Scarborough Shoal as a national nature reserve. The Philippine government, which refers to the shoal as Bajo de Masinloc, filed a diplomatic protest over the move.

Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground, has long been a flashpoint in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway claimed almost entirely by China but also contested by the Philippines and several other countries.

The clash has drawn international reactions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called China’s actions “yet another coercive move to advance sweeping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea at the expense of its neighbors.” The United Kingdom and Australia also expressed concern, while the Canadian Embassy in Manila said it opposed attempts to use environmental protection as a pretext to assert control over the shoal.

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