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By Jose Rodel Clapano (The Philippine Star)

 

 

 

 

MANILA, Philippines - Senator-elect Nancy Binay has assured the public that her father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, is fit and healthy.

 

Speaking on GMA-7’s Tonight with Arnold Clavio, Binay said every time she and her father return from an out-of-town trip, she always takes a rest, but he continues to work.

 

“He is not ill,” she said. “We are living under one roof. He is not sick and he is healthy.”

 

She added her father is not suffering from lupus.

 

Binay said she decided not to use her married name Angeles in her campaign for name recall.

 

“Let us face it, no one will vote for me if I use the surname Angeles,” she said. “Besides, I’m not the only one who did that.”

 

 

By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) |

 

Map shows the location of Ayungin Reef in the Kalayaan group of islands. Infograph: EUGENE BACASMAS

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese ships have again intruded into Philippine territory. What does the government do?

 

Instead of confronting the intruders, the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is limiting itself to monitoring the activities of the Chinese warships and surveillance vessels that have taken up positions around Ayungin Reef in the Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan.

 

“Our task at the moment is to support the peaceful resolution of our conflict in the Kalayaan Island Group so the AFP supports the diplomatic actions or protest by our government,” said Maj. Ramon Zagala of the AFP Public Affairs Office.

 

Zagala was referring to the protest filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) against the presence of Chinese warships and vessels inside the country’s territorial waters.

 

Ayungin is considered vital since it is along the supply route from mainland Palawan to Kalayaan town in Pag-Asa Island. The reef is located near the Chinese occupied Panganiban (Mischief) Reef that now serves as China’s forward base for its warships. 

 

The DFA said there are two Chinese Marine Surveillance vessels, a warship, and 30 fishing vessels around Ayungin.