Faces of the News: April 13, 2025
Gabriel Go
All’s well that ends well for Gabriel Go, the face of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) road-clearing operations.
No sanctions were imposed on Go as he stays as head of the agency’s Special Operations Group-Strike Force despite facing cyberlibel charges for publicly berating a police officer.
Go instead just needed to finish “a five-day training mentorship coaching on traffic management, focusing on leadership, courtesy, and discipline and with special attention on stress and anger management.” Go’s mentor? Edison Nebrija of the MMDA Traffic Education Division, who was not as fortunate as him.
Nebrija was Go’s predecessor before he was suspended in November 2023 after claiming that Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. was apprehended for using the Edsa busway.
According to MMDA Chair Don Artes, the decision on Go was not a punishment but for his “self-improvement.” The MMDA reprimanded Go for “simple discourtesy,” with a stern warning that the commission of the same in the future will be dealt with more severely. —Dexter Cabalza
Vitaly Zdorovetskiy
Instead of being immediately deported, Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy will remain in police custody to face the legal consequences of his alleged harassment of Filipinos, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a press conference on April 7.
“We’re done with foreigners who are disrespectful to Filipinos. This is an example that we’re serious in our own country and we won’t let them belittle us,” he said.
Zdorovetskiy was arrested on April 2 for allegedly harassing residents in Taguig City, his actions recorded on video and enraging netizens as the clips went viral on social media.
But Zdorovetskiy, who has over 10 million YouTube subscribers, appeared to show no remorse when presented by Benhur Abaloss.
He silently applauded himself while his videos harassing people were shown to the media, and flashed the “L” sign (for loser) while Remulla was explaining the charges against him. Remulla vowed that the Russian would receive no special treatment.
Authorities are also investigating a Filipino who accompanied the vlogger and shot the videos of his public stunts. —Frances Mangosing
Ma. Cristina Roque
Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque is at the forefront of the country’s response to US President Donald Trump’s proposed universal tariffs, which have unsettled local exporters with the imposition of a 17-percent levy on goods.
Roque had highlighted the potential impact of the tariffs on Philippine exports, noting that the US is the country’s eighth largest export market for agricultural products.
In 2024, Philippine exports to the United States totaled $12.12 billion, accounting for 16.6 percent of the country’s total export sales. Roque emphasized that the full extent of the impact would depend on factors such as the final tariff rates and the responses of other countries.
To address these concerns, she vowed that the Philippine government would meet with US officials to find mutually beneficial solutions, including the possibility of preferential trade agreements.
The planned meeting has yet to take place. Roque also reaffirmed the Philippine commitment to free and open trade as essential for economic growth and development. —Alden M. Monzon
Francis Escudero
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero went off on Sen. Imee Marcos for questioning his decision to free Special Envoy on Transnational Crime Markus Lacanilao, who was briefly detained after the April 10 Senate hearing on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and handover to the International Criminal Court.
Escudero did not mince words as he censured Marcos for claiming that his refusal to sign the contempt and arrest order on Lacanilao was “an affront to the integrity of the institution he leads.”
Turning the tables on President Marcos’ elder sister, he accused her of using the Senate committee on foreign affairs, which she chairs, to bolster her reelection bid in May.
The Senate leader said he won’t allow any senator “to flout the Senate’s own rules for personal gain.” Lacanilao’s detention, Escudero insisted, was unauthorized.
He also reminded his colleague that the Senate is “an institution of reason and rule,” and that the chamber should not be used as a “tool to be leveraged for propaganda or self-promotion.” —Marlon Ramos
LeBron James
As LeBron James prepares to lead the Los Angeles Lakers hopefully to a deep run in the NBA Playoffs, collectors got fired up after he became the first male athlete to have his likeness depicted by Barbie.
The iconic toy manufacturer announced on Wednesday that James will be depicted as a variation of the Ken doll that will kick off the “Kenbassador” series.
The doll features the NBA’s all-time leading scorer sporting a cap, sunglasses, letterman jacket and Nike shoes, which a news release described as a nod to his hometown Akron, Ohio, and to his LeBron James Family Foundation.
Barbie’s introduction of a James doll followed last year’s launch of a similar series that featured nine female star athletes, including tennis legend Serena Williams.
Meanwhile, James is gearing up for the postseason after the Lakers secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with Friday’s 140-109 blowout of the Houston Rockets.
With Luka Doncic on his side, there’s a strong chance that James can have a shot at a fifth NBA title—a target since the Lakers last triumphed in 2020. —Jonas Terrado
