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Apollo Quiboloy, center, a Filipino preacher accused of sexual abuse and human trafficking in the Philippines and similar charges in the United States, is escorted beside Philippine Secretary of Interior and Local Government Benhur Abalos, left, during a press conference at the Camp Crame police headquarters in Quezon City, Philippines Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

How did a popular Philippine televangelist land on the FBI’s most-wanted list?

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

In this handout photo provided by the Philippine Senate Social Media Unit, then Bamban Mayor Alice Guo speaks during the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality inquiry on the alleged human trafficking and cyber fraud operation in Angeles, Pampanga province, held at the Philippine Senate in Pasay City, Philippines on May 22, 2024. (Joseph Vidal/Philippine Senate Social Media Unit via AP) ** FILE **

Indonesia deports an ex-Philippine town mayor accused in Manila of cybercrimes

By Edna Tarigan and Niniek Karmini - Associated Press

Residents use rubber paddles from a toy boat as they wade along a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Storm sets off deadly floods and landslides in Philippines

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

In this photograph released by the U.S. Navy, an F/A-18 Super Hornet prepares to launch off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on July 5, 2024, in the South China Sea. (Seaman Aaron Haro Gonzalez/U.S. Navy via AP) ** FILE **

Questions arise over U.S. will, ability to defend the Philippines from China

By Andrew Salmon - The Washington Times

In this image taken from handout video provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese Coast Guard ship with bow number 5205, right, collides with Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua near the Sabina Shoal at the disputed South China Sea on Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

Chinese and Philippine vessels collide at a disputed atoll and governments trade accusations

By Christopher Bodeen - Associated Press

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. gestures during his speech at an international military conference organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

U.S. military open to escorting Philippine ships in the South China Sea, senior admiral says

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. gestures during his speech at an international military conference organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

U.S. military open to escorting Philippine ships in the South China Sea, senior admiral says

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

In this handout photo provided by Public Affairs Office Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Navy personnel watch the Canadian vessel HMCS Montreal (FFH336) during the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity being held in the West Philippine Sea, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. (Private First Class Carmelotes/Public Affairs Office Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP)

U.S., Australia, Canada, Philippines stage naval and air force maneuvers in disputed South China Sea

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., center, greets U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe, Pool)

U.S. boosts alliance with the Philippines with $500 million funding and pact amid concern over China

By Jim Gomez and Matthew Lee - Associated Press

A member of the Philippine Coast Guard holds flags during the arrival of the Chinese naval training ship, Qi Jiguang, for a goodwill visit at Manila's port, Philippines, June 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe, File)

China and the Philippines announce deal aimed at stopping clashes at fiercely disputed shoal

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

A member of the Philippine Coast Guard holds flags during the arrival of the Chinese naval training ship, Qi Jiguang, for a goodwill visit at Manila's port, Philippines, June 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe, File)

Philippines, China reach deal to stop clashes at flashpoint shoal in South China Sea

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

Philippine resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 is hit by two Chinese coast guard water canons causing injuries to four crew members as they tried to enter the Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin Shoal, in the disputed South China Sea Tuesday, March 5, 2024. A recently signed agreement will allow representatives of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart and their top diplomats to call each other to try to prevent any new confrontation from spiraling out of control in the disputed South China Sea, where hostilities have flared alarmingly since last year, according to highlights of the accord seen by The Associated Press Tuesday, July 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

China, Philippines plan direct hotline to try to contain clashes over South China Sea

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

Japan Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro shake hands after signing the reciprocal access agreement, at the Malacanang Palace in Manila, Philippines, Monday, July 8, 2024. (Lisa Marie David/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan and the Philippines sign a defense pact in the face of shared alarm over China

By Jim Gomez and Haruka Nuga - Associated Press

In this handout photo provided by Armed Forces of the Philippines, Chinese Coast Guard hold knives and machetes as they approach Philippine troops on a resupply mission in the Second Thomas Shoal at the disputed South China Sea on June 17, 2024. The president of the Philippines said Sunday, June 23, 2024, his country would not yield to “any foreign power” after Chinese forces injured Filipino navy personnel and damaged at least two military boats with machetes, axes and hammers in a clash in the disputed South China Sea, but added the Philippines would never instigate a war.(Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP, File)

Philippines says it won’t back down, but won’t start a war, after clash with Chinese Coast Guard

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

FILE - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, and Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong inspect honor guards during a welcome ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Vietnam is ready to hold talks with the Philippines to settle their overlapping claims to the undersea continental shelf in the South China Sea, official Vietnamese media said Friday, June 21, 2024, in a diplomatic approach that contrasts with China’s increasingly assertive actions to fortify its claims in the contested waters. (Hoang Thong Nhat/VNA via AP, File)

Vietnam says it’s ready to hold talks with Philippines on overlapping continental shelf claims

By Aniruddha Ghosal and Jim Gomez - Associated Press

FILE - A security guard signals to a car with diplomatic plates and Chinese flag as he parks at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, Philippines on Aug. 7, 2023. A top Philippine security official demanded Friday May 10, 2024 the immediate expulsion of Chinese diplomats who reportedly leaked an alleged phone conversation between an embassy official and a Filipino admiral about handling the South China Sea territorial rifts, which have escalated and strained relations. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

Top Philippine security official demands Chinese diplomats’ expulsion as territorial row escalates

Associated Press

In this image made from video provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard vessel, BRP BAGACAY (MRRV-4410) is water cannoned by Chinese Coast Guards as it tried to approach the waters near Scarborough Shoal locally known as Bajo De Masinloc at the South China Sea on Tuesday April 30, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

Manila seizes the moral high ground in information wars with China

By Andrew Salmon - The Washington Times

Philippines' military Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., center left, and US Embassy Chargé d' Affaires, Robert Ewing, center right, arrive during the opening ceremonies of the "Balikatan" or Shoulder-to-Shoulder at Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in Quezon City, Philippines on Monday April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Basilio Sepe)

U.S., Philippine forces launch combat drills in the disputed South China Sea

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese coast guard ship, top, tries to block a Philippine government vessel at the disputed South China Sea on Thursday March 21, 2024. Chinese coast guard ships, backed by a military helicopter, tried to dangerously block but failed to stop two Philippine government vessels carrying scientists from reaching two barren sandbars called Sandy Cay in the disputed South China Sea, Philippine officials said Friday. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

Marcos threatens ‘countermeasures’ as clashes with China sharpen

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press

In this screen grab from video provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a Chinese coast guard ship uses water cannons and closely maneuvers beside a Philippine resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 as it approaches Second Thomas Shoal, locally called Ayungin shoal, at the disputed South China Sea on Saturday, March 23, 2024. (Armed Forces of the Philippines via AP)

Chinese coast guard hits Philippine boat with water cannons in disputed sea, causing injuries

By Jim Gomez - Associated Press