Hello Rappler readers,
President Rodrigo Duterte just attended his first Independence Day ceremony as chief executive, where a group of protesters heckled him and called him a traitor.
You can read the Independence Day message of the President here, Vice President Leni Robredo’s here, and Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s here.
The world, meanwhile, watched as United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shared a historic handshake in Singapore.
Below are the big stories you shouldn’t miss.
As President Rodrigo Duterte prepared to deliver his Independence Day speech in Cavite, protesters shouted, “Duterte, traydor!” (Duterte, traitor!)
President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been criticized for weakening the country’s democratic institutions, urged Filipinos to “find the courage to defend our cherished democratic ideals now and in the years to come.”
“Sa pagdiriwang natin ng kalayaan sa araw na ito, nawa’y magkaroon ng panibagong lakas ang bawat isa sa atin na isabuhay ang diwa na ipinaglaban ng ating mga bayani,” said Vice President Leni Robredo on Independence Day.
On Independence Day, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the Philippines should focus on battling drugs. “Some are worried about China, about the economy, when the real enemy is drug dependency.”
All eyes were on US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when they shook hands for the first time during their summit in Singapore.
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua said China Coast Guard personnel proven to have taken catch from Filipino fishermen will be “disciplined.” But Zhao also said the two sides may have just been trading goods.
More details have emerged as Central Luzon police look into the killing of Father Richmond Nilo, a priest in Nueva Ecija.
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