Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories throughout the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
The Liberal Party (LP) is pushing for a “resistance” coalition in the 2019 elections to prevent any possible “slide to authoritarianism and anti-democratic rule.” In a statement released Tuesday, March 27, LP President Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan stressed the need for a “strong” opposition coalition “to ensure that our democracy remains vibrant.” The LP, he…
THE Philippine Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, February 6, has affirmed the constitutionality of President Rodrigo Duterte’s yearlong martial law extension in Mindanao. Ten magistrates voted to junk the petitions challenging the extension of Proclamation No. 216, which placed Mindanao under martial law and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the…
FORMER Philippine Health Secretary Janette Garin welcomed the civil case filed against her in connection with the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine. The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Monday, February 5, filed a civil case against Garin, Sanofi Pasteur executives, and officials of distributor Zuellig Pharma for damages over the death of a child who received the…
AS the Philippine National Police (PNP) resumed its controversial “Oplan Tokhang” on Monday, January 29, the country’s top cop admitted that it is “impossible” to conduct a completely bloodless anti-illegal drugs campaign. But while saying that he cannot guarantee zero casualties, PNP Chief Director Gen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa vowed that the police will do…
FORMER Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday, January 29 presented what he claimed as “evidence” to support his electoral protest against Philippine Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. In a press conference, Marcos showed “highly questionable” copies of several ballot images from 12 towns in Camarines Sur and Negros Oriental, which supposedly indicate fraud…
The camp of Philippine Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Friday, January 26 dismissed the latest criminal complaint filed against her as a “desperate stunt” by lawyer Atty. Lorenzo Gadon. Sereno’s camp expressed confidence that Gadon “will fall flat doing this latest stunt.” “Indeed, desperate times call for desperate measures. Gadon knows that he still…
Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim, chair of the Philippines’ Islamist group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), strongly hopes that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will be passed to avoid the rise of extremism in the southern region. In a press conference on Thursday, January 25, Ebrahim recalled that the cancellation of the 1996 peace agreement…
Philippine Supreme Court asked to revive homicide charges against Aquino Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged to “uncover the truth” behind the botched operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that claimed lives of 44 police commandos three years ago. While admitting that justice remains “elusive” for the fallen Philippine National Police – Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) members,…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged to “uncover the truth” behind the botched operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that claimed lives of 44 police commandos three years ago. While admitting that justice remains “elusive” for the fallen Philippine National Police – Special Action Force (PNP-SAF), Malacañang assured that the president will find a “just closure” for…
A weekend getaway in Cebu quickly turned into a tragedy after seven Filipino-American medical missionaries were killed in a car crash in the nearby town of Alegria last weekend. On Saturday, January 20, a group of 10 physicians and nurses from the United States were in the town of Oslob, located 73 miles south of…
Former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has admitted that he made a “mistake” when he claimed that former Health Secretary Enrique Ona was present during his meeting with Sanofi Pasteur executives four years ago. During a Senate hearing last month, Aquino confirmed that Ona was present during his meeting with officials of Sanofi Pasteur,…
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has dismissed his recent threat to cut the budget of lawmakers who will oppose the proposed shift to a federal form of government as a mere “joke.” In a television interview on Monday, January 22, Alvarez clarified that he was “not serious” when he previously warned solons that they may receive…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has denied that he had anything to do with the allegations tagging Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon in the multibillion-peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), also known as the pork barrel scam. Speaking before his departure to India on Wednesday, January 24, Duterte said he would not plot against Drilon as…
President Rodrigo Duterte has told the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to shoot him if he becomes a dictator or stays in power beyond his term expiration in 2022. The president made the remark in his speech during an army base visit on Monday, January 22, in Compostela…
The Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), has begun the retrieval of ballot boxes in the province of Camarines Sur on Tuesday, January 23. Camarines Sur is among the three pilot provinces tagged by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his electoral protest against Philippine Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni”…
Synergy88, a member of the Animation Council of the Philippines, helped craft some of the essential aspects of The Coalition and Microsoft Studios’ “Gears of War 4.” (Photo: Gears of War – Official Site, www.gearsofwar.com) Talented Filipinos have been making their mark in the international animation scene for many years now. Hollywood has been introduced…
Malacañang on Wednesday, October 4, welcomed the Commission on Appointments’ (CA) confirmation of the ad interim appointment of Roy Cimatu as the Philippines’ environment secretary. In a statement, Palace spokesman Ernesto Abella expressed confidence that Cimatu would keep a “delicate balance” between the country’s economic development and environmental protection. “We welcome the confirmation of the…
OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio-Morales refused to bend to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s dare for them to resign together, saying she “will not be baited into abandoning” her constitutional duties. In a statement, Morales said she is ready to answer all the president’s allegations against her. “I will not be baited into abandoning my constitutional duties,” the…
MANILA – Philippine Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Monday, October 2, filed a wiretapping complaint against Senator Risa Hontiveros in connection with the controversial capture of his phone message. In his complaint before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office, Aguirre said Hontiveros violated Republic Act 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Act when she publicized his exchange…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, October 2, challenged Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Ombudsman Conchita Morales to join him and make their bank accounts public. In a speech before the government troops and displaced residents of Marawi City, the president maintained that he has never committed any corrupt practices as he denied anew…
The Philippine government on Friday, September 29 said it is open to accept help from its foreign allies in combating narcotics, corruption and criminality in the country, but not “dictation” on the process. Palace Spokesperson Ernesto Abella made the statement after 39 member-states of the United Nations (UN) recently expressed “serious concern” over Philippine President…
Philippine Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo said she is not a member of “Tindig Pilipinas,” a multi-sector coalition that calls for an end to the alleged spate of killings related to President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign. Robredo made the clarification more than a week after attending a mass organized by the group during…
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 26 urged the United States to work closely with his government against drug smuggling, saying international syndicates are using the Philippines as the transshipment point. In a speech, Duterte claimed that the so-called Taiwan-based Bamboo triad and Hong Kong-based 14-K triad were using the country as a…
MANILA – The House Justice Committee on Wednesday, September 19 dismissed the impeachment complaint against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chief Andres Bautista. Twenty-six members of the committee voted on the complaint filed by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio and former Negros Occidental representative Jacinto Paras of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) to be insufficient in…
MANILA – The National Day of Protest is a “healthy exercise of democracy,” Malacañang said on Thursday, September 21, as various groups rallied against some policies of the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and the dictatorship of late President Ferdinand Marcos. Earlier this week, Duterte signed Proclamation 316, declaring September 21 as a National…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, September 20, met with United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim and discussed various issues concerning some of the administration’s policies. A Palace statement released on Thursday, September 21, said among the issues tackled include the Philippine government’s “strong policies” against illegal drugs and terrorism in the country. During…
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it has not received any reports of Filipino casualties in the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Mexico on Tuesday, September 19. More than 200 people were killed and a still undetermined number of individuals were injured in the powerful tremor that toppled buildings in the country, including…
MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano is set to discuss the Philippine government’s campaign against illegal drugs before the United Nations (UN) on Saturday, September 23. Cayetano will represent Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the upcoming 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. He is expected to deliver the chief…
MANILA – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said the agency is not meant to oppose the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte but instead, serves as the government’s conscience. In a television interview last week, Commissioner Gwen Pimentel-Gana maintained that the agency does not have any agenda of ousting Duterte despite being critical of…
MANILA – With his alleged Singapore bank accounts proven to be non-existent, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said it’s now checkmate for his accuser, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. “Mr. Duterte, pusoy ka na. Checkmate ka na. Wag ka na magpalusot (Mr. Duterte it’s checkmate. Stop making excuses),” said Trillanes, who has been highly critical of the…
