Covering the week’s most noteworthy news stories in the Philippines for the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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…
The United States has put on hold the delivery of thousands of rifles to the Philippines due to concerns over the drug war killings and alleged human rights violations in the country. This was according to Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director General Archie Francisco Gamboa on Tuesday, September 19, during the Senate hearing on…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that the government’s crackdown on drugs will continue despite heavy criticism against it in connection with the recent killing of teenagers. Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs came under fire following the deaths of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos and 19-year-old Carl Arnaiz, who were both killed by Caloocan City police in…
PHILIPPiNE Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday, September 15 said that President Rodrigo Duterte is unlikely to declare a nationwide martial law in response to possible violent demonstrations by leftists across the country. Last week, Duterte threatened that he may place the entire country under martial law if communist rebels “commit the mistake of staging…
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte conferred the Gawad Mabini award to Philippine foreign service officials, including Consul General in Los Angeles Adelio Angelito Cruz, at the President’s Hall of Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, September 13. Cruz was conferred the Gawad Mabini with the rank of Dakilang Kamanong (Grand Cross). Under Presidential Decree 490, Gawad Mabini…
THE governments of the Philippines and United States are set to hold a bilateral, interagency counterterrorism drill next week, the U.S. Embassy in Manila announced on Friday, September 15. Dubbed as “Tempest Wind,” the drill will take place in the Philippines and Hawaii; and aims “to improve the ability of both nations to rapidly plan,…
Both Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces Chief Eduardo Año denied reports that members of the military are being recruited to join a coup d’etat plot against the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. “Nothing to worry. There’s no coup,” Lorenzana told reporters after a Senate hearing on Thursday, September 14. “We have not…
Banner – MANILA — Several Philippine senators vowed to ensure a higher budget for the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in 2018 after the House of Representatives approved a measly P1,000 (around $20) budget for the constitutional body next year. PH senators vow to fight for higher CHR budgetOne hundred and nineteen lawmakers from the…
MANILA – Tropical depression “Maring” (international name Doksuri) brought heavy rains and strong winds to Luzon, leaving at least two minors and an infant dead before exiting the landmass. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that as of Wednesday morning, September 13, Maring was 270 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales, with…
The Office of the Ombudsman has affirmed the graft and usurpation of authority indictment of former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in connection with the botched Mamasapano operation that led to the deaths of 44 police commandos two years ago. In a resolution approved Monday, September 11, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales rejected Aquino’s motion for…
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Tuesday, September 12, has approved the implementation of Mega Manila Subway Project (MMSP) — the Philippines’ first subway and the soon-to-be longest mass railway transit. The estimated $7-billion (P358.25-billion) subway will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to FTI complex in Taguig City. With the new…
MANILA – The Senate Minority bloc on Tuesday, September 12 backed Senator Risa Hontiveros’ call for Philippine Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to resign after he was “caught red-handed plotting” against her. Hontiveros, also a member of the Senate minority, earlier released a photo showing Aguirre urging a certain “Cong. Jing” in a text message…
MANILA – Senator Antonio Trillanes IV maintained that he has not done anything unparliamentary during the recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, saying that he trusts in the “wisdom and good judgment” of his colleagues who will decide on the ethics complaint filed against him. In a radio interview, Trillanes insisted that it was Senator…
Both critics and supporters of late Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos gathered outside Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) in Taguig city on Monday, September 11, for the centennial birth commemoration of the former dictator. Security personnel were deployed to maintain order in the area. The air was charged with tension, but there were no reported…
Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte attended for the first time a Senate probe into the P6.4-billion worth of shabu shipment from China into the Philippines, where he denied “baseless accusations” linking him to smuggling activities. During a hearing on Thursday, September 7, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accused Duterte of being a member of Chinese…
Human rights group Amnesty International (AI) on Thursday, September 7 condemned the recent slay of 14-year-old Reynaldo de Guzman in the Philippines. AI Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific James Gonzales insisted that de Guzman’s death is not an isolated case or a mistake but the “latest atrocity” in the series of extrajudicial killings…
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has teamed up with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in stamping out pro-Islamic State (IS) militants in Mindanao. Soldiers were seen associating freely with their old foes in Maguindanao province, as the MILF joined the assault on the terrorists that pledged loyalty to IS. The government troopers,…
