News

Metro Manila, Philippines – A counsel for former marines set to testify on lawmakers linked to the flood control scandal said on Tuesday, June 2, that  the Senate blue ribbon committee withdrew its invitation to his clients.  Levi Baligod said he received the invite for the ninth committee hearing on Monday, June 1, but was revoked on the same day. The 18 marines said in an affidavit that they delivered ₱805 billion in cash in suitcases as kickbacks to government officials.  Baligod’s post includes an image of the email notifying him of the withdrawal which read that it was a directive of Sen. Pia Cayetano, committee chairperson. “The Senate is undergoing immolation, courtesy of the minority bloc which is enabled by the executive and the HOR (House of Representatives),” Baligod wrote in a Facebook post on June 2.  “Si [Jinggoy] Estrada kahapon, si [Joel] Villanueva, [Chiz] Escudero at Marcoleta ang…

Metro Manila, Philippines – A shipment carrying 21,000 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived in Calaca, Batangas on May 30 as part of the government’s Emergency Energy Security Program, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced. The DOE said the cargo, consisting of refrigerated propane and butane, was sourced from Enterprise Port in Texas, United States, and procured through Trafigura Pte. Ltd. on April 13.  The shipment arrived at the CISC Industrial Park, South Pacific Inc. (SPI) Terminal in Barangay Salong, Calaca. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the shipment would help reinforce national LPG reserves and support fuel supply requirements nationwide. “Through proactive action, we secured 21,000 metric tons of LPG that will reinforce our national reserves and help maintain steady supply across the country,” Garin said. “This shipment demonstrates the government’s commitment to staying ahead and protecting the welfare of our people through a secure and resilient energy…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Four more bodies have been recovered from the collapsed structure in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, bringing the total number of fatalities to 17 as of Tuesday, June 2. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Central Luzon reported that three victims were extricated on Tuesday morning, while another was recovered the night before at around 11:20 p.m.  The remains of a dog were also retrieved.  Responders continue to scour the rubble for more victims.

Metro Manila, Philippines – Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was back in detention on Monday, June 1 for a non-bailable plunder charge over allegations of pocketing more than half a billion of public funds from infrastructure projects – just two years after his acquittal from the same offense. The senator was detained in the New Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory, the detention facility for the accused in the flood control scam, including former colleague and then-senator Bong Revilla. Estrada is the highest-ranking incumbent official jailed since the Marcos administration began investigating corruption in flood control projects in 2025. It is Estrada’s third plunder case in over two decades after securing an acquittal in high-profile cases: the jueteng scandal in 2001 and the pork barrel scam in 2014. He is out on bail over a pending graft case related to the pork barrel scam. READ: Jinggoy Estrada’s history of plunder cases The Department…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Senate majority bloc did not show up for the session on Monday, June 1, following the arrest of ally Senator Jinggoy Estrada on plunder charges, drawing condemnation from the 11-member minority bloc, which said the “boycott” stalled a number of important bills. The minority senators waited for two hours before leaving the session hall together shortly after 7 p.m. The session had been scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.  At around 5:20 p.m., Senators Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan declined to call it a boycott, even as their colleagues from the majority bloc were absent and failed to provide any explanation for not attending the session on time. “We’ll wait for them. We’ll give them the benefit of the doubt,” Zubiri said.  Pangilinan noted that under Senate rules, only the Senate president can call for a session.  Cayetano: Let’s ‘go quiet’ At…