Here are today’s headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
- Prepare for Taiwan invasion scenario, Brawner orders troops in Luzon
- Canadian court junks Iglesia ni Cristo defamation case vs CBC
- Petition asks Supreme Court to push Congress to pass anti-dynasty bill
- France’s Le Pen barred from running for office for 5 years after graft conviction
- ‘Leap of faith’: Obiena overcomes foggy conditions to win gold in Taiwan meet
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/april-1-2025/
- Prepare for Taiwan invasion scenario, Brawner orders troops in Luzon
- Canadian court junks Iglesia ni Cristo defamation case vs CBC
- Petition asks Supreme Court to push Congress to pass anti-dynasty bill
- France’s Le Pen barred from running for office for 5 years after graft conviction
- ‘Leap of faith’: Obiena overcomes foggy conditions to win gold in Taiwan meet
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/april-1-2025/
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Today on Rappler
00:12The Philippines' military chief orders troops to prepare for a Taiwan invasion scenario.
00:17A Canadian court dismisses the defamation case filed by the Iglesia Ni Cristo against
00:21the Canadian Broadcasting Company.
00:24Groups urge the Supreme Court to push Congress to pass an anti-dynasty bill.
00:29French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is barred from running for office for five years.
00:33And E.J. Obiena bags a gold medal in Taiwan, despite foggy conditions.
00:40Armed Forces of the Philippines' chief, General Romeo Bronner Jr., orders soldiers
00:44assigned to the northernmost regions of the country to, quote, start planning for actions
00:48in case there's an invasion of Taiwan.
00:50This, just days after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said they were doubling down
00:55on its partnership with the Philippines.
00:57The Philippines, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has been fortifying strategic
01:01bases and outposts in the northern part of the country as China increases its military
01:05activities near Taiwan.
01:07On Tuesday, April 1, the Chinese military said it had begun joint army, navy and rocket
01:12force exercises around Taiwan to, quote, serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent
01:17against Taiwanese independence.
01:19Chinese President Xi Jinping's dream of unification with Taiwan has become a concern for the wider
01:24Indo-Pacific.
01:26A Canadian court dismisses a defamation case filed by the Iglesia Ni Cristo against the
01:32Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or CBC, over a 2018 series about alleged corruption
01:37in the church.
01:38One of the defendants, former INC Minister Lowell Menorca II, received a February 7 ruling
01:44copy on March 28 and shared it with Rappler on March 31.
01:48Justice Kenneth Champagne of the King's Bench in Winnipeg dismissed the case, citing the
01:52church's repeated failure to follow court rules, calling it, quote, an abuse of the
01:56process of the court.
01:58The case stems from the CBC series of programs and articles, Church of Secrets, which the
02:02court decision says, quote, disclosed allegations of financial corruption, kidnapping and murder
02:07within the INC.
02:08Menorca, who was expelled from the church in 2015, provided information and appeared
02:13in the series.
02:14The INC filed a defamation case on February 11, 2019 to stop CBC from publishing the claims.
02:22But the defendants assert the publications were true and fair commentary.
02:25INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala told Rappler he only learned of the ruling on Monday and
02:30couldn't comment further.
02:34Various groups once again urged the Supreme Court to compel Congress to pass a measure
02:38that would prohibit political dynasties.
02:41The petition, filed on March 31, says that Congress is violating the Constitution, which
02:45explicitly says the state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service
02:50and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.
02:54Since the Charter's ratification, Congress has not passed a bill defining political dynasties.
02:59The petitioners say political dynasties have tilted the system against qualified individuals
03:04who want to seek public office, undermining democratic processes as a result.
03:09Since the establishment of the Constitution, political clans have swarmed the legislative
03:12branch with eight in every 10 district seats in the House belonging to dynasties.
03:17The list of petitioners include former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, former Comelic Chairman
03:22Christian Monsod, former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Winnie Monsod, and former Finance
03:27Undersecretary Cielo Magno.
03:33French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who is seen as the frontrunner for the 2027 presidential
03:37elections, is convicted of embezzlement.
03:40She is sentenced to four years in prison, charged with a €100,000 fine, and is banned
03:44from public office for five years.
03:46This after Le Pen and the National Rally Party were accused of diverting European Parliament
03:51funds worth over €4 million to pay for their France-based staff.
03:55They had argued the money was used legitimately and the allegations had defined too narrowly
04:00what a parliamentary assistant does.
04:02Le Pen's removal from the race is likely to intensify a debate in France over how judges
04:07police politics as her five-year ineligibility sentence kicks in immediately.
04:12Presidential analyst Arnaud Benedetti says her ban will, quote, "...inevitably reshuffle
04:16the pack, particularly on the right."
04:18Le Pen's 29-year-old right-hand man Jordan Bardella is seen to become the party's de
04:22facto candidate for the 2027 election, but some party members see him as too inexperienced
04:28for the post.
04:29Le Pen's lawyer says they will appeal her conviction.
04:34Filipino poll vaulter Eje Obiena overcomes foggy conditions and cleared 5.50 meters to
04:39bag the gold medal in the Taiwan National Poll Vault Championship.
04:43The reduced visibility causes Obiena to miss his first two attempts at 5.50 meters, a height
04:48he usually clears as the Asian record holder of 6.0 meters.
04:53However, Obiena succeeds on his third attempt, securing his third gold of the year after
04:57winning the Orleans-Copernicus Cup in Poland and a meeting with Mademoiselle Athlella in
05:01France in February.
05:03Obiena says in a post it was a true, quote, "...leap of faith and decided to go for it,
05:08placing his trust in God's hands."
05:10He adds, quote, "...we can't always have sunny skies and perfect weather conditions.
05:14We have to persevere through all kinds of adversity."
05:17And that's today's Wrap, I'm Cara Oliver, thank you for watching.
05:23Click the link below for the full story.
05:25Follow us on Rappler's YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.