Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
- Sara Duterte asks Supreme Court to block her impeachment trial
- Erwin Tulfo on disqualification case: No anti-dynasty law in PH
- US condemns ‘dangerous’ maneuvers by Chinese navy in South China Sea
- Pope Francis has double pneumonia, says Vatican
- Trump, Musk target tax enforcers, rocket scientists, bank regulators for job cuts
- Sam Milby confirms breakup with Catriona Gray
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/february-19-2025/
- Sara Duterte asks Supreme Court to block her impeachment trial
- Erwin Tulfo on disqualification case: No anti-dynasty law in PH
- US condemns ‘dangerous’ maneuvers by Chinese navy in South China Sea
- Pope Francis has double pneumonia, says Vatican
- Trump, Musk target tax enforcers, rocket scientists, bank regulators for job cuts
- Sam Milby confirms breakup with Catriona Gray
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/february-19-2025/
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NewsTranscript
00:00Today on Rappler
00:13Vice President Sara Duterte asks the Supreme Court to block her impeachment trial.
00:18Senate frontrunner Erwin Tulfo downplays his disqualification case, noting there is no
00:23enabling law prohibiting political dynasties in the country.
00:27The United States condemns the dangerous maneuvers of a Chinese helicopter in Scarborough Shoal.
00:33Pope Francis has double pneumonia.
00:36Donald Trump's administration via Elon Musk's Doge slashes thousands of jobs.
00:42And Sam Milby confirms he has parted ways with fiancée Catriona Gray.
00:49Vice President Sara Duterte asks the Supreme Court to block her impeachment trial.
00:54Facing a potential removal from office after being impeached by the House of Representatives,
00:59Duterte filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition on Tuesday, February 18.
01:04A certiorari petition requests a court to review a decision made by another body or
01:09if there is grave abuse of discretion.
01:11If granted, it can overturn the decision or order.
01:15In her petition, Duterte also asks the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order and
01:20if issued, it can prevent an order from being implemented.
01:24Duterte filed the petition on the same day that her family's allies filed a similar petition
01:29with the SC.
01:30There are currently three petitions with the Supreme Court regarding Duterte's impeachment.
01:36The trial is now in the hands of the Senate, where its members will serve as judges in
01:40an impeachment trial.
01:44Reacting to a disqualification case filed against his family, Senate frontrunner Erwin
01:49Tulfo says there is no enabling law prohibiting political dynasties in the country.
01:54He says lawmakers have not taken action yet.
01:56Until there is a law, this will continue to happen.
02:00When asked if he would support a bill banning political dynasties, the ACT-CIS party list
02:04representative answers in the affirmative, saying there is no reason not to support the cause.
02:10Lawyer Virgilio R. Garcia recently filed a petition with the Commission on Elections
02:15seeking to disqualify the popular Tulfo clan from running in the 2025 elections.
02:21Erwin and his brother broadcaster Ben Tulfo are leading the senatorial surveys.
02:26They are poised to join their brother, incumbent Senator Rafi Tulfo, in the 20th Congress.
02:31Three other members of his family are also running, ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo, Quezon
02:37City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Wendell Tulfo, and Turismo First nominee Wanda Tulfo-Teo.
02:45To help you make the best decision of who to vote for, we have all the information you
02:49need in one place, the Rappler election site.
02:53From comprehensive election guides and explainers to profiles of candidates, both national and
02:57local, we bring you a newsfeed of all the latest updates on voters' issues and campaign
03:02moments.
03:03Check it out at ph.rappler.com.
03:09The United States condemns the dangerous actions of a Chinese Navy helicopter that endangered
03:14the safety of a Philippine government aircraft patrolling a contested shoal in the South
03:19China Sea.
03:20Manila's Coast Guard reports the Chinese Navy helicopter carried out risky flight maneuvers
03:25by flying dangerously close to a government aircraft conducting surveillance over the
03:30Scarborough Shoal, putting the lives of its pilots and passengers at risk.
03:34Ambassador Mary Kay Carlson calls on China, quote, to refrain from coercive actions and
03:40settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law.
03:44The Philippines says it was deeply disturbed by the Chinese Navy's unprofessional and reckless
03:48flight maneuvers and expressed its intent to file a diplomatic protest.
03:53Meantime, China denies the accusation, claiming the Philippine aircraft illegally entered
03:58its airspace.
04:01The Vatican says on Tuesday, February 18, Pope Francis has the onset of double pneumonia,
04:07complicating his treatment after being hospitalized for a respiratory infection.
04:12The Vatican also says a chest CAT scan revealed, quote, the onset of bilateral pneumonia that
04:17requires further pharmacological therapy.
04:21The Pope suffers from polymicrobial infection that requires corticosteroids and antibiotic
04:26therapy, making the treatment more challenging, and he will remain in the hospital for as
04:30long as needed.
04:32In recent years, the Pope has struggled with various health issues, such as frequent bouts
04:36of flu, sciatica nerve pain, and an abdominal hernia that required surgery in 2023.
04:42Prior to the latest statement, the Vatican announced the cancellation of all the Pope's
04:46public engagements.
04:51President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday, February 18 targets laying off
04:55bank regulators, rocket scientists, and tax enforcers, this after a federal judge approves
05:01its unprecedented remaking of the U.S. civil service.
05:04Since Trump took office, billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency,
05:08or DOGE, swept through federal agencies, slashing thousands of jobs.
05:14Trump claims it would save billions, but critics argue that Trump is overstepping his
05:18constitutional authority and dismantling vital government programs.
05:22The campaign has delighted Republicans, who view the federal workforce as bloated and
05:27insufficiently loyal to Trump.
05:30Democrats say Musk has operated as an unchecked freelance operator who has seized access to
05:34sensitive government data.
05:37On Tuesday, the downsizing extended to NASA, where a thousand new hires, including rocket
05:41scientists, were expected to be laid off.
05:44The White House has not disclosed the number of people it intends to fire in the mass layoffs.
05:52Actor Sam Milby confirms on Tuesday, February 18, that he and his longtime girlfriend and
05:57fiancée, Catriona Gray, have parted ways.
06:01During a media conference, Milby clarifies that he and Gray are on good terms and have
06:05no issues with each other.
06:08The actor did not mention the reason for the breakup, but he emphasized that it was
06:11never due to a third party.
06:14There are speculations among netizens that his close friendship with singer Moira De
06:17la Torre was the reason behind the split.
06:21Milby also says that he and De la Torre are no longer friends, adding that the reason
06:25is very sensitive.
06:27Milby confirmed this relationship with Gray in May 2020 and announced their engagement
06:31in February 2023.
06:36And that's today's Wrap, I'm Cara Oliver, thank you for watching.
06:40Click the link below for the full story.
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