Senate begins pre-trial conference for VP Duterte impeachment trial — ANC

[0:00] Let's get an update now on the pre-trial conference of the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte from her correspondent, Agatha Gregorio. Agatha, over to you. [0:07] Earlier, we saw the members of the House prosecution panel here, including Representatives Jervil Uistro, Terry Redon, Bel Zamora, and Chell Jokno. Uistro said they are prepared for the pre-trial conference. Private prosecutors, such as Attorney Lorna Capunan, also arrived earlier. And the defense team of the vice president also went to the Senate, including Attorney Michael Poa. [0:30] It's a normal process naman, so it's actually yun nga, simplification of facts, simplification of issues. [0:38] Let's wait and see muna kung ano pagyayahan din sa pre-trial, na? But we're prepared. [0:45] Also expected in the pre-trial conference is the marking of documentary evidence and identification of witnesses, among others. [0:52] According to the Senate, Senate Secretary and Clerk of Court, Renato Bantum Jr., alongside deputy clerks of court, presided over the preliminary meeting. [1:00] Now, this pre-trial conference is not open to the media. But earlier, when we were told it was suspended, some House prosecutors, including Luisro, transferred to another room with Poa. [1:10] They have since gone on break and are expected to resume by 1 p.m. [1:15] According to Poa, they transferred rooms to discuss agreements to speed up today's process. [1:19] Poa added they agreed to submit comments to proposed stipulations by Monday, so the process becomes more swift. [1:26] Poa also says things did not get tense and discussions were good. [1:29] Thanks a lot, Agatha Grigori there, joining us on the line. [1:33] Back here in the newsroom, former Senate President Franklin Drilon believes the current Senate composition remains shaky, [1:40] given the narrow margin between the majority and minority blocks. [1:44] Drilon advises Senate President Sherwin Gachalan to recruit at least two more members from the minority to avoid another possible coup. [1:53] Drilon says this is possible as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte draws closer. [1:59] I have never seen a Senate since 1986 more unstable than what we have today. [2:09] Yes, we have a new set of officers in the Senate, but the bickering will not stop. [2:16] Let's not fool ourselves. [2:18] With the impeachment coming up, there will be a constant struggle for control of the Senate because the control of this institution would play a critical role as to who will control the country in 2028. [2:39] That is why we all join our countrymen and appeal to our senators. [2:47] Please have national interest as the guiding factor in your daily activities. [2:53] But I recognize that the situation is unstable and that is a challenge to win Senator Gachalan to unite the Senate because it is an important institution, particularly in this day and time. [3:13] Meanwhile, Drilon believes Senator Francis Escudero will be impartial if he serves as presiding officer in Duterte's impeachment trial. [3:22] He also warns Senator judges against attempts to hide or suppress the truth. [3:27] The greatest risk is the failure of the impeachment process. [3:34] Edsa dos, Edsa dos, Edsa dos, happened because the majority during the impeachment of President Estrada voted to prevent the opening of the second envelope. [3:53] That prompted an instability which resulted in the change of government. [4:01] That is what we have to look out for. [4:05] People would not stand for hiding the truth. [4:09] In an impeachment trial, the public would like to know the truth and attempts to hide the truth will not be accepted by our people, especially in the age of social media. [4:23] Philippine officials say the Chinese floating platform previously monitored inside the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc is no longer there. [4:31] But as Bianca Dava tells us, another Chinese research vessel is still in the area. [4:38] During a maritime domain awareness flight conducted on Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources spotted a Chinese research vessel loading parts of the dismantled floating platform in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. [4:53] In another MDA flight conducted on Wednesday morning, authorities confirmed the floating platform was no longer inside the shoal's lagoon. [5:02] The Chinese research vessel that had been towing the platform for several days has also left the area. [5:07] However, another Chinese research vessel remains in Bajo de Masinloc, as well as several buoys and a communications antenna which authorities continue to monitor. [5:18] In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Manila admitted the floating platform was a temporary facility for scientific research established by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. [5:31] According to Chinese Embassy Deputy Spokesperson Guo Hui, the platform served as a floating sampling and experimental station to study the shoal's ecosystem and support efforts to protect the environment. [5:44] He also noted that the research mission had been successfully completed. [5:48] This prompted PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Jay Tariela, to challenge Beijing to publicly release the data it gathered from what he described as illegal marine scientific research in the area. [6:02] Kung ang ginawa talaga nila is for the conservation or preservation ng environment and for the benefit of the world, it would be a good idea for the Chinese embassy to share with us yung mga data na nakuha nila sa paggawa ng illegal MSR sa Bajo de Masinloc. [6:23] The National Task Force for the National Task Force for the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea for its part reiterated that the Philippines has a long-standing and indisputable sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc. [6:34] It's stressed that only the Philippines has the right to build structures and conduct activities, including marine scientific research within the shoal and its territorial sea. [6:44] Of course, atin namang kinukondina dahil it is only the Philippines who has the legal rights to conduct MSR sa Bajo de Masinloc. [6:52] Despite the removal of the floating platform, authorities assured the public that MDA flights and sovereign patrols will continue to monitor activities in Bajo de Masinloc and other maritime features in the West Philippine Sea. [7:08] Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News. [7:13] The strong earthquake that struck Mindanao claims more lives are the death toll climbing to 78. [7:18] 30 others are missing while over a thousand are injured. [7:22] Meanwhile, environmental experts warn residents in Sarangani province against building structures on parts of a shoreline. [7:30] Rafael Bosano tells us more. [7:33] It's not every day that corals are seen scattered along the shoreline. [7:37] But that's exactly what happened in parts of Glan Sarangani following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao. [7:44] Scientists call this a coastal uplift. [7:47] Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum says movement along the Cotabato Trench caused massive rock formations beneath the seafloor to shift, raising portions of the coastline above sea level. [7:59] The result? [8:19] Part of Glan's shoreline rose by as much as 1 to 2 meters, which Solidum says is permanent. [8:26] Satellite images from the Philippine Space Agency taken on May 10 show the sea reaching much closer to the coast. [8:33] But images captured on June 9, or a day after the earthquake, reveal a dramatically wider shoreline and exposed underwater features. [8:41] Photos released by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Sox Argentio corals and other marine organisms left stranded or dead above water. [8:51] Environmental experts warn the impact on marine ecosystems could be significant. [8:56] Maaaring in the long run, magbago din yung composition ng mga species dun sa area. [9:03] Kung malaking parte yun ang coral reefs before, for sure na naging importante yun for a very long time sa mga community kasi dun pwedeng nangingitlog yung mga isda, dun nagpapalaki yung mga isda. [9:14] Yung mga baby corals, for example, na bagong magde-develop dun sa nakalubog na area, hindi naman po yun agad-agad magiging coral reefs overnight. [9:21] With newly exposed patches of land now visible along parts of the coast, some residents may be tempted to build homes or other structures in these areas, but experts strongly advise against it. [9:32] Prone yan sa storm surge and tsunami. A pangalawa, corals yan. Corals when under water grow, but once they are uplifted, prone yan sa dissolution. [9:46] Pagpatay na yung corals, limestone lang yan eh, calcium carbonate, pwede siyang matunaw. So yung iba dyan pwede magkaroon ng butas, kaya may mga sinkhole. [9:56] The DOSD says further studies are needed to better understand the long-term stability of uplifted coasts. [10:03] Because the land emerged only after the earthquake, scientists say no one can be certain how future movements of the Earth's crust could reshape the area once again. [10:14] Rafael Bosano, ABS-CBN News. [10:17] Senator Erwin Dulfo condemns the move by some congressmen to pause the progress of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, or AICS Act. [10:28] The Bicameral Conference Committee report for the AICS Act was scheduled to be finalized before the session adjourned on June 17, but several House lawmakers allegedly refused to sign it due to Section 17 of the said bill. [10:43] That section prohibits politicians from distributing financial assistance. [10:47] Mga counterpart namin sa Congress, hindi nila pinirmahan. [10:54] Kaya nag-alit ako, nabuisit ako. [10:56] Pero gusto lang daw nung isa o dalawang congressman, mapaliwanagan doon sa probisyon na yun. [11:01] Ikaw, kunwari, congressman ka o politiko ka, mayor, gobernor, bakit ka ikaw mamimigay ng ayuda? [11:08] Eh, yung pera naman ng gobyerno, yung pera ng taong baan, agagalian na yan eh, parang tradisyon na, lalo sa mga probinsya, para, oh, i-boto mo ako, ginagamit sa eleksyon. [11:19] House Deputy Speaker Janet Garin explaining the side of the lower chamber. [11:27] She says her colleagues raised a concern on the criminal liability of politicians participating in aid distribution. [11:34] Mag-usap naman kami nila, Senator Irwin Turfokagabe, talagang, of course, he's passionate, having been the former DSW secretary, na dapat hindi ma-politik ang mga ayuda. [11:47] So, magpo-convene ang BICAM during the break, para malamang within the month of June, suwi pa rin yun, talagang andun yung anti-EPAL, andun yung mga pinagbabawal. [11:58] Pero hindi naman nakulong, no? Pwede kang magkaroon ng admin case. [12:04] Call center workers in the province of Cebu seeking an emergency 1,200 peso daily minimum wage, citing the rising cost of basic commodities. [12:18] iPad is on the line now with that story. Annie? [12:20] Yes, that's right, Carmina. Under a group called BPO Industry Employees Network, or Bien Cebu, they filed an emergency petition before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Central Visayas yesterday. [12:34] They lobbied for 1,200 minimum wage, stating that the worsening conditions of socioeconomic has already been affecting the BPO workers, especially as the rising prices of basic commodities continue. [12:50] They also cited that the inflation rate also continued here in Central Visayas and has lessened the BPO workers' purchasing power. [12:58] The group cited a PSA finding saying that Central Visayas had the highest inflation rate among all the regions at 10.8%. [13:08] And for the group, it is just and equitable that they be granted a wage increase so that they will be able to preserve their standard of living. [13:17] They also cited that BPO workers across the country generate about $40 billion in revenue as of last year. [13:24] And at present, 20% of the workers only receive about $15,000 to $17,000 per month as their basic salary, even if they are on duty at night. [13:35] And for the group, they are being asked not just to live but to survive, and this no longer reflects economic reality. [13:43] To them, $1,200 is a necessity for today's time. [13:46] We do not have word yet from RTWP B7 as to when it will start the process or when it will start rolling, but they already formally accepted it and docketed it. [13:58] And the next step now is to await when they will schedule wage hearings with the board and, of course, from the stakeholders if they are also amenable to this. [14:06] And then Cebu continues that they are calling on the wage board to act on their petition with urgency, especially as the economic condition does not seem to improve. [14:18] As of present, Carmina, the minimum daily wage in central Visayas is at 540 pesos for Class A areas such as Cebu City and highly urbanized cities, and that's roughly about $14,000 per month. [14:29] And that's the latest here from Cebu, Annie Perez, ABS-CBNU. [14:33] Thanks a lot. Annie Perez is there joining us online back here in the newsroom. [14:36] The U.S. Federal Reserve holds the benchmark interest rate steady during its first policy meeting under New Fed Chairman Kevin Morsh. [14:45] Officials voted Wednesday to hold interest rates steady for the fourth consecutive meeting, leaving their benchmark lending rate at a range of 3.5 to 3.75 percent. [14:55] Policymakers now are expecting a hike in borrowing costs later this year amid growing concerns about inflation. [15:01] Chairman Kevin Morsh making good on his promise of a regime change. [15:07] Economic activity is expanding at a solid pace, despite elevated uncertainty that owes in part to the conflict in the Middle East. [15:19] Productivity growth and capital investment both strong. [15:24] Job gains have kept pace with the workforce, and the unemployment rate has changed little. [15:29] We recognize that inflation has been running well ahead of the Fed's long-stated inflation goal of 2 percent. [15:38] That's been going on for more than five years. [15:46] A check now on the local financial market. [15:48] The Philippine Stock Exchange bouncing back after two days of decline. [15:52] Its main index up by eight-tenths of a percent at noontime break as investors react to the Fed's policy decision [15:58] and brace for the Philippine Central Bank's expected rate hike this afternoon. [16:02] The broader all-shares index in most sectors also in the green, while total value is at 3.2 billion pesos. [16:09] The PSC's closing numbers and the analysis later on Market Edge at three. [16:16] Video sharing platform YouTube facing growing pressure to tighten safety measures against online misinformation. [16:23] But as Jackie Pascual tells us, government is not keen on suspending its use in the Philippines just yet. [16:28] Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda calls out online video sharing platform YouTube [16:37] for not directly coordinating with the Philippine government. [16:41] At the Digital Bayanihan Safety Summit in Manila, Aguda said Meta and TikTok are working with the DICT [16:48] on safety protocols and in fighting misinformation and disinformation. [16:54] But YouTube is not. [16:56] Ang namimiss ko na lang, paulit-ulit, walang YouTube, di ba? [17:00] So siguro YouTube, pakita naman kayo. [17:02] May konting tampo lang ako kay YouTube kasi sumulat na kami dati, derecho kay YouTube. [17:09] For some reason, hindi pa rin nakikipag-ugnayan si YouTube sa atin eh. [17:14] Aguda clarifies that YouTube owner Google is coordinating with the government. [17:19] But he wants a direct line to YouTube and for the company to share its safety protocols. [17:25] Dapat higpitan yung ano, pagpo-post ng mga fake news. [17:29] Kasi marami yung mga deepfake ngayon, lalo na pagka-video. [17:33] A Google representative at the summit asserts that YouTube has strict guidelines and policies. [17:39] On YouTube, for instance, we already have extensive community guidelines around misinformation, [17:45] impersonation, and ranging from the other topics as well like cyberbullying. [17:53] Aguda praises other platforms for their content moderation processes to protect Filipino users. [17:59] TikTok for its part says it has banned violative videos and also implemented easy reporting processes. [18:06] 99.95% of violative content in the fourth quarter of 2025 were taken down automatically by AI. [18:16] Use the in-app reporting tools if they feel that the piece of content is violative of our guidelines. [18:22] Secretary Aguda says there is a need to talk to social media platforms to improve their safety measures, [18:27] similar to what happened with Roblox and Telegram. [18:30] But he clarifies he is not issuing a warning of suspension for YouTube. [18:34] Ang platform itself, ayaw nating isuspend. [18:38] Kasi pag sinuspend mo yan, mawawala pati yung good that it does. [18:42] Aguda says he supports proposed bills on age requirement for social media users [18:47] and to require these firms to set up office in the Philippines. [18:52] Jackie Pascual, ABS-CBN News. [18:58] And before we go in sports, Alex Ayala is through to the round of 16 of the Berlin Open [19:03] after an impressive straight sets win over Croatia's Dona Vikic. [19:08] The Filipina tennis sensation dominated the final stretch of both sets [19:12] against the newly minted Queens club champion for a convincing 75, make that 7-5-6-4 victory. [19:19] Ayala will next face number two seed Elena Rai Bakina. [19:24] That match is scheduled later this evening. [19:26] All right. [19:35] All right. [19:35] All right. [19:35] We are going to you and I get a therapist. [19:38] I get a therapist. [19:39] We are going to you and I get to you and I get look at the make-away [19:44] in the next seven months of the year. [19:46] Let me go. [19:48] Let me go. [19:49] Let me keep going. [19:50] Let me get a therapist. [19:51] Let me get a therapist. [19:52] Let me get to you again. [19:53] Let me go. [19:54] I already be in that chest area.