MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was open to reconciling with the Duterte family, one week after allies of his estranged Vice President, Sara Duterte, outperformed expectations in a fiercely contested and pivotal Senate race.
In a podcast shared on his Facebook page on Monday, Marcos said he needed friends rather than enemies as he seeks to use the remaining three years of his term to deliver on his agenda.
Philippine presidents are limited to a single six-year term.
“Yes,” Marcos said when asked if he would be open to mending fences, after a bitter and very public falling-out between Marcos and the Duterte camps, which has fractured the once-powerful alliance that swept both to victory in 2022.
“As much as possible, what I am after is stability... so that we can do our jobs. That is why I am always open to things like that,” he told the podcast.
Duterte’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Marcos’ remarks.
Sara Duterte is facing a Senate impeachment trial that could see her removed from office and permanently barred from holding public office again, denying her a presidential run in 2028.
Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was elected mayor of Davao last week, even as he is detained at the International Criminal Court on charges of murder as a crime against humanity.
Despite surveys predicting a Senate sweep by the president’s allies in the May 12 midterm polls, some victories by Duterte-aligned candidates have given Sara Duterte an important foothold in the Senate that could prove pivotal in an impeachment trial.
All 24 Senators will serve as jurors in the trial, with two-thirds required to vote for the impeachment for it to succeed.
Marcos has distanced himself from the impeachment process, and on Monday said it was in the hands of the Senate.
“There’s a process for that, let’s allow the process to take its course,” he said.
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Philippines’ Marcos says open to reconciling with Dutertes
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Philippines’ Marcos says open to reconciling with Dutertes
- Marcos has distanced himself from the impeachment process, and on Monday said it was in the hands of the Senate
Hong Kong mourns firefighter killed in city’s deadliest fire in decades
HONG KONG: Hong Kongers offered flowers and bowed outside a funeral parlor on Friday to pay tribute to a firefighter who was among the 160 people killed by the city’s deadliest fire in decades.
Ho Wai-ho lost his life battling the massive blaze that engulfed seven buildings of a housing complex on Nov. 26. He was 37. The fire services department has posthumously awarded him the title of senior fireman.
An array of wreaths lay outside the Universal Funeral Parlour, with thank-you cards from residents put up on its wall. Top officials, including Hong Kong leader John Lee, were among the funeral attendees.
After the ceremony, they stood outside the parlor to send off the hearse, which carried Ho’s portrait at the front. Dozens of firefighters raised a salute as Ho’s coffin, draped with a Hong Kong regional flag, departed.
Before the funeral, some black-clad residents laid flowers at a mourning area outside the venue. One woman cried when she paid respect, and a man made a salute gesture.
Resident Andy Fong, who brought yellow flowers with him, said he hoped Ho could rest in peace.
“It’s heartbreaking. Although we have never met, it has saddened every Hong Konger,” he said.
Retiree Tse Pak-yin praised Ho for his bravery.
“I hope he will be happy. He still hasn’t got married and it’s such as pity,” he said.
Ho is survived by his parents, his two brothers and his fiancée.
The hearse headed to Wang Fuk Court, the site of the fire, for another ceremony before proceeding to Ho’s fire station. At the station, colleagues paid their last tributes, with some officers marching on both sides of the hearse as it moved. He was laid to rest at Gallant Garden, a burial ground for civil servants who die in the line of duty.
In a Monday statement, the fire services department said Ho was an industrious, polite and dedicated member who was well respected by his colleagues.
The financial hub’s worst blaze since 1948 broke out November 26 at Wang Fuk Court, in the northern suburban district of Tai Po. It was undergoing a monthslong renovation project with buildings covered by bamboo scaffolding and green netting.
Authorities have pointed to the substandard plastic nylon netting and foam boards installed on windows for contributing to the fire’s rapid spread.
Thousands of affected residents have moved to transitional homes, hotels and youth hostels, struggling to recover from the loss of lives and homes that took them years to buy. The tragedy pained many residents across the city.
While arrests were made, some residents have raised concerns about government oversight in building maintenance projects and official investigation efforts.
The government last week announced a judge-led independent committee to probe the cause and expected it to conclude the work within nine months, along with new requirements for checking the standards of netting.
Ho Wai-ho lost his life battling the massive blaze that engulfed seven buildings of a housing complex on Nov. 26. He was 37. The fire services department has posthumously awarded him the title of senior fireman.
An array of wreaths lay outside the Universal Funeral Parlour, with thank-you cards from residents put up on its wall. Top officials, including Hong Kong leader John Lee, were among the funeral attendees.
After the ceremony, they stood outside the parlor to send off the hearse, which carried Ho’s portrait at the front. Dozens of firefighters raised a salute as Ho’s coffin, draped with a Hong Kong regional flag, departed.
Before the funeral, some black-clad residents laid flowers at a mourning area outside the venue. One woman cried when she paid respect, and a man made a salute gesture.
Resident Andy Fong, who brought yellow flowers with him, said he hoped Ho could rest in peace.
“It’s heartbreaking. Although we have never met, it has saddened every Hong Konger,” he said.
Retiree Tse Pak-yin praised Ho for his bravery.
“I hope he will be happy. He still hasn’t got married and it’s such as pity,” he said.
Ho is survived by his parents, his two brothers and his fiancée.
The hearse headed to Wang Fuk Court, the site of the fire, for another ceremony before proceeding to Ho’s fire station. At the station, colleagues paid their last tributes, with some officers marching on both sides of the hearse as it moved. He was laid to rest at Gallant Garden, a burial ground for civil servants who die in the line of duty.
In a Monday statement, the fire services department said Ho was an industrious, polite and dedicated member who was well respected by his colleagues.
The financial hub’s worst blaze since 1948 broke out November 26 at Wang Fuk Court, in the northern suburban district of Tai Po. It was undergoing a monthslong renovation project with buildings covered by bamboo scaffolding and green netting.
Authorities have pointed to the substandard plastic nylon netting and foam boards installed on windows for contributing to the fire’s rapid spread.
Thousands of affected residents have moved to transitional homes, hotels and youth hostels, struggling to recover from the loss of lives and homes that took them years to buy. The tragedy pained many residents across the city.
While arrests were made, some residents have raised concerns about government oversight in building maintenance projects and official investigation efforts.
The government last week announced a judge-led independent committee to probe the cause and expected it to conclude the work within nine months, along with new requirements for checking the standards of netting.
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