Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in Metro-Manila for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
EVEN after leaving her post on Wednesday, October 3, former assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Esther Margaux “Mocha” Uson will still face an investigation being conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman. Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered Uson and her boss, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar, to respond to complaints regarding the videos…
Amid the revocation of the amnesty of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Malacañang and the Military, on Tuesday, October 2, do not seem to agree on whether the former mutineer applied for amnesty or not. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the senator has indeed applied…
The Sandiganbayan has permitted former Senator Jinggoy Estrada to go with his mother, former Sen. Luisa “Loi” Ejercito, on a medical trip to Singapore this week. According to a two-page resolution released on Monday, October 1, the court’s Fifth Division allowed Estrada to leave the country from October 1 to 8. “The right to travel…
Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly held Saturday, September 29, in New York, saying that the country was on track to “salvaging” itself from becoming a narco-state. Cayetano said that the Philippines was “uncompromising” on the issues of rule of…
Palace: President was not serious when he made the statement’ Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, September 27 said that the “only sin” he has committed in his two years in power is ordering extrajudicial killings (EJKs). “What are your sins? Me? I told the military ‘what are my sins?’ Did I steal money? Even…
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday, September 12, announced that Chinese Chief Foreign Minister Wang Yu will visit the country to talk about the joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea. “The visit is aimed at further building on the increasingly strong foundation of friendship between the Philippines and China,”…
Duterte says no “interest” in arresting opposition senator SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV’s camp admitted before the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 on Friday, September 14, that it can no longer locate a copy of the senator’s amnesty application form. Makati RTC Judge Elmo Almeda asked Trillanes’ legal counsel Reynaldo Robles to show the court…
Amid reports of rising prices in the Philippines, Malacañang is considering an executive order drafted by economic officials to put measures in place that will curb inflation. An order to lessen the effects of inflation on basic commodities, such as certain food items, is in the works, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. “We…
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday, September 15, formed a team of legal experts to aid his cases — two filed at Makati regional trial courts (RTC) and one petitioned before the Supreme Court — against Proclamation 572 or the revocation of the amnesty granted to him during the Aquino administration. “While I believe…
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison on Wednesday, September 12, denied the allegations that his group is teaming up with the Liberal Party (LP) and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. “There has never been any discussion between me or the CPP with Trillanes or the Liberal…
During his speech in front of the Filipino community in Jordan last Friday, September 7, President Rodrigo Duterte blamed U.S. President Donald Trump as the cause of the current inflation in the Philippines in light of the ongoing U.S.-China trade war. Trump recently declared he was considering tariffs on an additional $267 billion in Chinese…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 11, rendered the amnesty grant of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV invalid because he claimed that it was signed by then Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. “So that an act of pardon, an act of amnesty is always an act of state, which cannot be done…
SPECIAL Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday, September 10, denied the corruption allegations against him amid the involvement of the family-owned CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders in the government’s public work projects. Go said that the said criticisms hurled against him were “politically motivated attacks” considering that there are groups…
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Department of Tourism (DOT), in close collaboration with Austria-based research and development organization, Center for Appropriate Technology, identified twenty-seven (27) hotels and resorts as awardees for this year’s ANAHAW Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification. ANAHAW – the Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification is developed by the Department of Tourism and GRaT Center for Appropriate Technology…
THE Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 on Monday, September 10 has scheduled a hearing later this week, declining the omnibus motion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue an arrest warrant against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV without litigation. The hearing has been slated for Friday, September 14, at 9 a.m. “The…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 11, addressed the country with varied matters of national importance during a “tête-à-tête” with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo in Malacañang. Initially, the president called for a press conference at 3 p.m. without disclosing the scope of his speech. However, an hour before the said media affair,…
Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat led in welcoming hundreds of international and local diving enthusiasts to the 4th edition of Diving Resorts and Travel (DRT) at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City last weekend. As promised, the DOT treated attendees to an “ultimate underwater tourism” experience with an on-site familiarization tour of some…
Senator seeks Supreme Court reprieve Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Thursday, September 6, said that Malacañang still stands by its resolve to imprison Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, following the presidential proclamation that revokes the senator’s amnesty grant. “We are after accountability,” Roque stated as reported by The Philippine Star. Roque explained that Trillanes was…
Makati RTC sets hearing, DOJ files hold departure order The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Wednesday, September 5, scheduled the hearing on Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s arrest for September 13. This follows the motion filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting for the issuance of an alias warrant of arrest and hold departure…
Petitioners questioning the legality of the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) argued on Tuesday, August 28, before the Supreme Court (SC). Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) urged the SC to issue a mandamus against the Duterte administration. A mandamus is known as a judicial writ…
On Tuesday, August 27, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano disputed Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano’s social media statement about President Rodrigo Duterte’s physical condition. In fact, Cayetano stressed that the Philippine leader has nothing to hide about his health. “The president has never kept things about his health. If he suffers…
Newly appointed Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro promised to instill independence as she took her oath of office on Tuesday, August 27, at the Supreme Court. De Castro said that she will not find any difficulty in proving her independence from the president as she is confident that her appointment was hard earned. “I have…
More than 200 buyers and over 220 sellers are set to participate in this year’s Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) – organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT) – to be held at the Marriot Grand Ballroom on 28 – 30 August 2018. PHITEX is the country’s…
SEVERAL members of the Philippine House of Representatives this week filed impeachment complaints against the seven associate justices of the Supreme Court (SC) who voted to oust former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno last May. Representatives Gary Alejano of Magdalo party-list, Edcel Lagman of Albay, Teddy Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao and Tom Villarin of Akbayan…
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said on Wednesday, August 22, that the government will still continue to recover the ill-gotten wealth from the Marcoses after Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos urged the public to move on from the atrocities of Martial Law. “Efforts to recover any ill-gotten wealth continue through the Presidential Commission on Good…
ILOCOS Norte Governor Imee Marcos on Tuesday, August 21 told the public to “move on” amid the 35th anniversary of the assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., one of the staunchest critics of her father, former President Ferdinand Marcos. The governor said that the atrocities during Marcos’ regime should not be talked about by people…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has responded to new accusations about his deteriorating health and that he has gone into a coma. This comes after communist leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison claimed in a social media post that the president slipped into a comatose state. The president’s camp denied Sison’s allegations through a Facebook live video…
Marcos urges Duterte not to resign, Robredo’s lawyer insists VP is qualified PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte may step down if former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. were to be successful in challenging his 2016 vice presidential election loss, said the chief executive’s spokesman on Thursday, August 16. Having entered office in 2016, Duterte’s presidential term…
The Judicial Bar and Council (JBC) on Thursday, August 16, conducted a public interview on the five candidates for the position of Supreme Court chief justice. The five candidates for the position are four Supreme Court Associate Justices and a presiding judge. They are Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro, Associate…
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno ensured on Tuesday, August 15, that no part of the proposed P3.76-trillion national budget will be allocated to pork finances. In a report from the Inquirer, the budget chief subdued the public’s fear that House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo might distribute pork funding to lawmakers in…
