Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday, July 9, justified the Philippines’ exit from the International Criminal Court (ICC), likening it to a ‘fairy tale endeavor.’ “Better we stick to real science instead of fairy tale endeavors like the ICC which like the Queen in Alice in Wonderland cries out, ‘First the judgment, then the…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, July 5, dared the United States to declare war against China following criticisms he received over his handling of the maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing. “We can never win a war with China. But I hope that China would not overdo things also because there is always America pushing…
President Rodrigo Duterte has reportedly accepted U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to visit Washington, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Romualdez said on Wednesday, July 3. In 2017, Duterte swore he would never step foot in America after a U.S. congressman said he should not be welcomed to the White House due to his lack…
Impeachment complaints against President Rodrigo Duterte are “baseless,” Malacañang said on Friday, July 5. In response to criticism over Duterte’s handling of the Recto Bank incident, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told media that any impeachment raps against the president may not have any merit. “An impeachment not only is misplaced, it is absolutely baseless in…
President Rodrigo Duterte’s critics will not be arrested for filing an impeachment complaint against the Chief Executive, Malacañang assured on Tuesday, July 2, after Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said the PNP was ready to arrest those who file an impeachment complaint against Duterte if they commit any violation of the law. According…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is seeking assurance from China that it will guarantee the rights and safety of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea following the June 9 Recto Bank incident, Malacañang said Tuesday, July 2. According to presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, Duterte made this statement during the 39th Cabinet meeting at Malacañang on Monday…
Malacañang on Monday, July 1 said China disagreed with President Rodrigo Duterte’s suggestion of involving an independent body in the Philippines-China joint investigation into the Recto Bank collision. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a media briefing, said the Chinese government does not see the need for a third party investigator. “Ang sabi nila (China), nag-offer…
Involving the United States in the Philippines’ maritime row with China will only bring the country closer to war, President Rodrigo Duterte said in response to officials pushing to seek American help. Duterte on Thursday night, June 27 made the remark at Malacañang after Senator Panfilo Lacson insisted on invoking the Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 27 threatened to jail his critics after challenging them to file an impeachment complaint against him for allowing China to fish in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. “Impeachable? I will jail them all. Go ahead and try, I mean to do it, and…
FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Thursday, June 27, said that President Rodrigo Duterte can be impeached for violating the Constitution that mandates him to defend the Philippines’ territory. In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, he said: “The Constitution states that the president and the military must secure the national territory, and…
A FORMER top official of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called the Philippines and China’s joint investigation into the Recto Bank collision a “joke.” According to Dr. Wilfredo Villacorta, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN from 2003-2006 and former ambassador and representative to the international body, the joint probe of the two countries is strange…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, June 24 apologized to the 22 Filipino fishermen involved in the Recto Bank event with a Chinese vessel, but downplayed it as a “maritime incident.” “Well I’m sorry but that’s how it is. It is a maritime incident. Little in the sense that there was no confrontation, there was…
CARSON, California — Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros met with local Filipino Americans at the city’s Civic Center on Sunday, June 23 to share updates on the recent midterm elections and answer questions. Her visit came after she voiced concerns last week over the possibility of a joint Philippine-China investigation of the recent maritime mishap in…
ACCORDING to the Philippine National Police (PNP), a total of 6,600 suspected drug offenders have been killed in police operations since the start of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against drugs. The police data, which was released Tuesday, June 18, during a command conference of top police officials at Camp Crame, covered the incidents from July…
OWNERS of land transportation hubs are now being required to provide free internet access and clean sanitary facilities to passengers. Republic Act 11311, which seeks to improve land transportation terminals, stations, stops, rest areas as well as roll-on roll-off (RORO) terminals, was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 17. A copy of it was…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte defended his response to the Recto Bank situation by saying he’s not afraid of China, but rather the possibility of an armed conflict in the region. His explanation comes after critics have slammed him for not taking a harder stance on what he called “a little maritime incident” — during which…
Malacañang on Monday, June 17, maintained that the Philippines is no slave to China after President Rodrigo Duterte got flak for staying mum on the issue of a Filipino fishing boat sinking when it was hit by a Chinese vessel near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea on June 9. According to presidential spokesperson…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, June 12, admitted that he regretted his decision to pursue the country’s highest office given its seemingly insurmountable problems. “I lost interest at work. Actually, I deeply regretted it. I regretted running for president,” he said, speaking in his native Visayan dialect in front of newly-elected local government officials in…
Officials asked to submit resignation amid reports of fraud Senator-elect Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday, June 10, said President Rodrigo Duterte has asked officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to submit their courtesy resignations amid reports of fraudulent claims. He also said that the PhilHealth officials were scheduled to resign during a meeting…
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday, June 8, said that the media has lost his trust after journalists went for his family following the narcotics trade allegations. He also said that he would be choosy in granting media interviews from now on because of it. “Hindi na ako nagpapa-interview ha. Choosy ako, choosy… (I don’t grant…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, June 7, ordered the authorities of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to hold officials accountable for allowing fraudulent payments that led to a P154-billion loss. “The president directs the management of the PhilHealth to institute criminal actions against those officials and employees who wittingly or unwittingly allowed such…
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Thursday, June 6 denied being in a meeting with people allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of President Rodrigo Duterte. The archbishop’s defense comes after Peter Joemel Advincula, the man who introduced himself as “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video, spread those claims. According to Villegas’ statement released on…
President Rodrigo Duterte’s trip to Japan is proving to be productive as 26 agreements that could bring in P289-billion worth of investments were signed this week. The deals were read out by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez during a business forum on Wednesday, May 29, at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo where Duterte was the event’s…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the sale of P700-million worth of jewelry from the alleged ill-gotten wealth of late President Ferdinand Marcos, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo announced on Thursday, May 30. “He wants the people to benefit from the proceeds of the sale of the jewelry. So I asked him, ‘Are you going to…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, May 30, once again slammed the United States for its “lack of word of honor” when it recalled its rifle sales due to the alleged human rights violations in the country. The strong-mouthed leader slammed the U.S. government during his speech among the Filipino community in Tokyo, Japan. Duterte…
TOKYO, JAPAN – In a parallel event to the 14th Philippine Business Mission (PBM) for tourism held in Japan, President Rodrigo Duterte met with leaders of the Japanese travel industry and invited them to invest in the Philippines, stating that now is the best time. The tourism and travel sector stand to benefit from the…
President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, May 28, flew out to Tokyo for a visit aimed at deepening the Philippines’ political and economic ties with Japan — one of the country’s regional allies that the president had described as “closer than a brother.” For Duterte’s third visit to the Land of the Rising Sun, he is…
VICE President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo denied new allegations that she was part of a plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. “I will never be part of any destabilization,” Robredo said, answering questions from the media in a press conference on Thursday, after Peter Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy” linked her and the Liberal Party (LP)…
Slams Netflix show’s negative portrayal of PH PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Police General Oscar Albayalde on Monday, May 20, came to President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense, urging the Philippine government’s international critics to visit the country and see for themselves the peace and order and the drug war being enforced here. This is after American…
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared the winners of the recently concluded 2019 midterm elections on Wednesday, May 22, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. Topping the list is incumbent Senator Cynthia Villar from the Nacionalista Party (NP) who was endorsed by the administration’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago party (HNP). Villar garnered…
