Daily News Highlights – May 31, 2016 Edition

The Philippine Congress proclaimed Rodrigo Duterte as president-elect and Leni Robredo as vice-president elect Monday afternoon. Duterte skipped the ceremony but Robredo attended the event with her 3 daughters. Duterte earlier said he considered proclamations “corny.” Robredo, on the other hand, appealed to her supporters to help her stay on the right path as the Philippines’ second highest official. She also said she’s not in a hurry for a Cabinet post. Duterte previously said he should establish good rapport with her first and his priority is to recruit potential Cabinet members from his circle of friends – which he says are people he can trust. Duterte will be inaugurated on June 30.

Read more on Duterte, Robredo proclamation and Robredo’s thanksgiving mass.

Two allies of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte might face off for the Senate presidency: running mate Alan Peter Cayetano and party mate Aquilino Pimentel III. Cayetano claims that 15 senators had committed to him while Pimentel is forging an alliance with Senator Vicente Sotto III. Sotto hinted that some of those who committed to Cayetano may have committed to them as well. Pimentel, for his part, admitted he is interested in gunning for the top Senate post as it is his “duty and obligation” as PDP-Laban president. Despite eyeing the same post, both Pimentel and Cayetano say it’s just a “friendly competition.”

Read more on the Sotto, Pimentel, Cayetano face-off for Senate president

Just 3 hours before the proclamation of the newly elected president and vice president on Monday, self-proclaimed whistleblowers spoke to journalists at the Senate alleging they manipulated election results for Liberal Party (LP) candidates. The 3 unidentified men, who claimed to be members of the bloc-voting Iglesia ni Cristo, said they had first-hand involvement in the operation to game the transmission of votes in favor of LP candidates, including Senate President Franklin Drilon. The men were accompanied to the Senate by Pastor “Boy” Saycon, a former ally of President Benigno Aquino.

Read more on ‘whistleblowers’ alleging electoral fraud

Having been Rodrigo Duterte’s chief of staff for almost a decade while he was mayor and congressman, Patmei Ruivivar shared with Rappler lessons she learned from the president-elect. Ruivivar’s 4 key takeaways from her experience working with Duterte: he’s a strict taskmaster, he hates bureaucracy, he values character over skill, and injustice makes him very angry. Ruivivar also said that Duterte is an “acquired taste,” and is not “love at first sight,” but will grow on you.

Read more on Duterte through the eyes of his former aide

Two Philippine soldiers were killed during clashes with members of the Maute group trying to regain their base in a remote, mountainous region of the southern Philippines, the military said on Monday. Ten soldiers were also wounded and about 2,000 residents displaced during the clashes with gunmen from the Maute group which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) group.

Read more on the military’s clash with the Maute group

In an unprecedented move Monday, San Miguel Corporation sells its telecommunications assets to the country’s two major telco companies: Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and Globe Telecom. PLDT Chairman Manny Pangilinan says SMC wanted to divest from the telco business while the telco giants were keen on acquiring it. The deal gives the two telcos access to more radio frequencies but also involve returning frequencies to the government that will allow a 3rd player to enter the market. Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu says the move is in line with president-elect Rody Duterte’s plans.  PLDT shares climb by 6.54% while Globe shares increase 5.58%.

Read more on the SMC divestment of telco assets

Brazilian police arrested the first of over 30 suspects in the alleged gang-rape of a 16-year old. Photos and footage of the girl that spread online sparked nationwide outrage. Attackers can also be heard in the video bragging about how more than 30 men raped the teenager. Brazilians gathered in downtown Rio Friday night in a massive protest. Others took to Facebook and Twitter using hashtag NoMoreRape. Interim Brazilian president Michel Temer denounced the tragedy and said, “It is absurd that in the 21st century we should have to live with barbaric crimes such as this.”

Read more on Brazil gang-rape video

South Korea’s defence ministry said it detected signs that North Korea was preparing a ballistic missile launch. Tensions have been running high since the North’s fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a long-range rocket launch in February. The Japanese government put its military on alert with orders to intercept any missile that threatened Japanese territory. Seoul refused repeated offers of military talks to de-escalate the situation.

Read more on North Korea launch signs

Mexican football player Alan Pulido was rescued after he untied himself, fought one of his kidnappers and took away his phone to call police hours after his abduction, authorities said Monday. Pulido cut his right wrist when he punched a glass pane on a door as he tried to flee before police saved him. Officials said Pulido’s injury was not serious. Pulido plays for Greek giants Olympiakos and was part of Mexico’s 2014 World Cup squad. He was kidnapped late Saturday by 4 armed men as he returned from a party with his girlfriend.

Read more on the kidnapping of Mexico football player Alan Pulido

At least 35% of corals in parts of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are dead or dying from mass bleaching caused by global warming. Scientists made the assessment following months of aerial and underwater surveys. The worst bleaching in recorded history first became evident in March as sea temperatures rise. Terry Hughes, director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at the James Cook University said global warming was wreaking havoc on the World Heritage-listed site. Hughes added that it is the third time in 18 years that the Great Barrier Reef experienced mass bleaching due to global warming, and the current event is “much more extreme than we’ve measured before.”

Read more on the Great Barrier Reef bleaching