Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
- At House hearing, pro-Duterte vloggers apologize over 'fake news' online
- VP Duterte hits AFP ‘silence’ in dad’s arrest. Gibo replies, not our job.
- Timor-Leste denies request to send Arnie Teves back to PH
- ‘Shrek The Musical’ is heading to Manila — and they’re looking for stars
- ‘We’re here to stay’: Eraserheads back for surprise concert on May 31
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/march-21-2025/
- At House hearing, pro-Duterte vloggers apologize over 'fake news' online
- VP Duterte hits AFP ‘silence’ in dad’s arrest. Gibo replies, not our job.
- Timor-Leste denies request to send Arnie Teves back to PH
- ‘Shrek The Musical’ is heading to Manila — and they’re looking for stars
- ‘We’re here to stay’: Eraserheads back for surprise concert on May 31
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/march-21-2025/
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NewsTranscript
00:00Today on Rappler
00:13Pro-deterrent vloggers apologize for spreading fake news in the wake of the arrest of the
00:17former president.
00:19Defense Chief Gibo Chodoro answers VP Sara's question as to why the military was quote-unquote
00:25silent.
00:26A Timor-Leste court denies the Philippine government's extradition request for Arnie
00:31Tevez Jr.
00:33Shrek the Musical is coming to Manila and will hold open auditions for cast members.
00:39And legendary Filipino band Eraserheads is back for a surprise concert.
00:47Online personalities associated with the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte apologized
00:52to a House multi-panel after they were forced to admit they shared false information online.
00:58Vloggers and content creators attend the House Tri-committee hearing Friday, March 21 after
01:03failing to get a reprieve from the Supreme Court about their participation.
01:08Chrisette Chu, who has 250,000 followers on Facebook, initially claimed there was a looming
01:13mass resignation at the Philippine National Police and the armed forces of the Philippines
01:18in the wake of Duterte's arrest.
01:20The PNP already refuted these claims.
01:23I am maintaining that I am speaking the truth of the impressions made on social media.
01:29That's why I included these were impressions.
01:33Meantime, MJ Quiambao, a blogger with 67,000 followers on Facebook, claimed the victims
01:38of the drug war were a hoax.
01:41She says her opinion posted online was based on news reports saying some groups were mislabeling
01:46their deceased loved ones as extrajudicial killing victims.
01:50Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abadte did not let her off the hook.
01:55Did you attend the Quadcom hearing?
01:58The victims of EJK were there and they even had a prayer rally.
02:05It was very difficult.
02:08You will hear news and you are going to put up an opinion.
02:14And you want to believe, you want to let the people believe it's the truth.
02:19That's the problem.
02:21The Tri-Committee inquiry began in February.
02:24It was triggered by online attacks from quote-unquote trolls and malicious bloggers and Chinese
02:29propaganda on the West Philippine Sea.
02:34Vice President Sara Duterte questions the military why it did nothing to stop the arrest
02:39and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the Hague.
02:43The VP made a virtual appearance at the Thursday, March 20 hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations
02:48Committee, which Senator Aimee Marcos chairs.
02:51Dialing in from the Netherlands, the VP says her father, a suspect in crimes against humanity,
02:56was not accorded due process.
02:59In the same breath, she bemoaned what she called the AFP's silence.
03:04Defense Secretary Gilberto Jodoro Jr. gave this explanation during the hearing.
03:09Our sole mandate is to give support to the Philippine National Police when it is asked for.
03:17And therefore, such ends our jurisdiction.
03:22In an interview with reporters after the hearing, Jodoro explained the AFP cannot do anything
03:27else but to support the civilian authorities.
03:30He added, for the AFP to diverge from civilian authority is anathema to civilian authority.
03:39A Timor-Leste court has changed its previous decision, denying the Philippine government's
03:44request to extradite former lawmaker Arnie Devis Jr. back to the country.
03:48The Justice Department says in a statement,
03:51It is peculiar that after having twice decided in favor of extradition, first in June 2024
03:58and again in December 2024, the Timor-Leste Court of Appeal has now reversed its stance,
04:03taking a complete 180-degree turn to reject the Philippines' extradition request.
04:08Devis' lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, says in a statement that the decision denying the
04:13extradition request is a triumph of the rule of law.
04:16Devis was the alleged mastermind of the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel De Gamo in
04:222023 and is also linked to killings in his home province in 2019.
04:27In March last year, Devis was arrested by Interpol and Tiberias Police after being added
04:33to Interpol's Red Notice Alert.
04:35He was arrested in Timor-Leste, where his request for political asylum was denied.
04:42The world's favorite ogre is coming to Manila as Shrek the Musical premieres at the
04:47Newport Performing Arts Theatre from October to December 2025 and they're looking for cast members.
04:53Newport World Resorts will hold open auditions on Saturday, March 29.
04:58Registration is from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and auditions will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
05:05The larger-than-life stage production is based on William Stieg's book Shrek and the popular
05:11DreamWorks animated film.
05:13The Philippine production will be directed by Michael Williams, with musical staging
05:17by Dexter Santos and music direction by Rony Fortich.
05:21Shrek the Musical tells the heartwarming story of a grumpy but lovable ogre, a funny donkey,
05:27and a feisty princess with a surprising secret.
05:31As The Eraserheads documentary hits cinemas on Friday, March 21, it's followed by a surprise
05:38announcement of a May 31 concert from the 90s rock band, just as the film's credits roll.
05:45The Eraserheads Electric Fun Music Festival will take place on May 31 at the SMDC Festival Grounds.
06:01We're here to stay.
06:06However, it won't just be the band's concert as other Filipino artists are also expected to perform.
06:12So we just wanted to have a music festival where our friends and people, artists that we admire
06:23can share the stage with us.
06:26Buendia also admits that the band's documentary made them face a lot of emotions and questions,
06:32including whether they were truly friends.
06:35The Eraserheads Combo on the Run documentary shows the band's journey from a modely college crew
06:41to a legendary Filipino band known for hits across generations.
06:48And that's today's wrap. I'm Michelle Abad, thank you for watching.
06:52Click the link below for the full story.
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