#ThewRap: Things you need to know, April 30, 2018

Dear Rapplers,

This week, the world will celebrate World Press Freedom Day with the theme: Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and The Rule of Law. 

Our #AnimatED talks about why dictators are afraid of an independent press. 

Amid threats to this fundamental right, our CEO and Executive Editor, Maria Ressa, joins leading journalists from around the world in #25SecondsForPressFreedom, a campaign that explains why press freedom matters. 

Nothing illustrates better the need for an independent press than today’s biggest stories: the diplomatic fiasco in Kuwait, the unplanned closure of Boracay, the audit findings on the DOT ads, and the killing of a priest in Cagayan. 

We urge you to stay vigilant as we bring you today’s top news.

Task force formed to solve killing of Cagayan priest

‘I have ordered my men to conduct [a] thorough investigation for the possible identification and apprehension of suspects the soonest possible time,’ says Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino

Hontiveros hits ‘reckless’ Duterte appeal for OFWs to leave Kuwait

‘President Duterte is promising our OFWs jobs back in our country when he can’t even sign an executive order to address labor contractualization and protect the workers’ security of tenure,’ says Senator Risa Hontiveros

From SSS to Tourism: Who is Pompee La Viña?

New tourism undersecretary Jose Gabriel ‘Pompee’ La Viña was the social media director during the presidential campaign of Rodrigo Duterte. He was sacked as SSS commissioner in February 2018 due to alleged ‘abuse’ of public funds.

U.S. Fed to hold fire amid rising market sensitivity

Investors will be looking for signs of how concerned US officials appear to be about rising wages and inflation

Electricity theft leads to seizure of 600 bitcoin mining rigs in China

The rigs are part of an underground effort to mine bitcoin, and is thwarted by the miners’ consumption of stolen electricity

[EDITORIAL] #AnimatED: Bakit takot sa media ang mga diktador?

Kung paanong magkaiba ang katotohanan at kasinungalingan, ganoon ding magkasalungat ang demokrasya at diktadura

COA questions P60-M DOT ads payment to Ben Tulfo’s media outfit

State auditors direct the People’s Television Network, Incorporated to produce documents to support the Department of Tourism’s payments to PTV 4 blocktimer Bitag Media Unlimited, Incorporated