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Metro Manila, Philippines – Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte on Tuesday slammed ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio over the latter’s complaint before the Ombudsman regarding alleged irregularities in flood control projects in Davao City. In a statement, Duterte accused Tinio of being “selectively blind” for focusing on Davao projects while allegedly ignoring controversies involving the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. “Flooding is a national problem requiring serious engineering, long-term planning, and cooperation among agencies — not grandstanding before cameras and carrying stacks of folders to create headlines,” said Duterte. Duterte also defended infrastructure spending in Davao City, saying the Department of Public Works and Highways Region XI recorded around P49.84 billion worth of completed and “above-standard” infrastructure projects from 2020 to 2022, including roads, drainage systems, and bridges. Earlier Tuesday, Tinio filed a complaint before the Ombudsman after conducting an independent…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine government upholds its long-standing One China policy and is not interfering on issues involving Taiwan, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said amid growing regional tensions in the Indo-Pacific. In an interview with Japanese media organizations in Malacanang on Monday, May 18, Marcos reiterated Manila’s position while stressing the importance of maintaining peace and avoiding conflict in the region. “The Philippines has, from the very start, always held a One-China policy,” Marcos said, “…and we will continue to do that.” The president said the Philippines does not interfere in what it considers an internal matter between China and Taiwan, which the mainland considers a renegade province. However, Marcos said the Philippines remains deeply concerned over tensions surrounding Taiwan because of its proximity to northern Luzon and the presence of nearly 200,000 Filipinos living and working in Taiwan. “We certainly do not want to be part of…

(Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack against Iran after Tehran sent a peace proposal to Washington, and that there was now a “very good chance” of reaching a deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program. After Iran sent the U.S. a new peace proposal, Trump said he had instructed the U.S. military that “we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached.” No such attack had previously been announced, and Reuters could not determine whether preparations had been made for strikes that would mark a renewal of the war Trump started in late February. Under pressure to reach an accord that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump has previously expressed…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended multiple charges including plunder and graft against Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and a number of former public works officials in relation to the flood control corruption scandal, the Office of the Ombudsman said. In a press statement on Monday, May 18, the ombudsman said the DOJ named the following in the resolution, which stemmed from a criminal complaint by the public works department and bid-rigging task force of the National Bureau of Investigation: Senator Jose “Jinggoy” P. Ejercito Estrada Former DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan  Former DPWH undersecretary Maria Catalina “Cathy” E. Cabral  Former DPWH undersecretary Roberto R. Bernardo  Former DPWH National Capital Region-director Gerard P. Opulencia  Former DPWH Bulacan 1st district engineer Henry C. Alcantara DPWH assistant district engineers Bong Dinglasan, Denryl Caesar S. Cortuna  DPWH assistant district engineers Manny B. Bulusan  Arturo L. Gonzales, Jr., and several John/Jane…

Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues to trust Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla as criticisms mount on cases involving fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Malacañang said on Monday, May 18. Speaking at a briefing, Palace press officer Claire Castro said the president still has confidence in Remulla. “Wala pong dapat ikabahala dahil buo pa rin po ang tiwala ng Pangulo kay Secretary Jonvic Remulla,” Castro said. [Translation: There is nothing to worry about because the president still fully trusts Secretary Jonvic Remulla.] Castro said Malacañang has no information indicating that Marcos is considering replacing the Department of the Interior and Local Government chief. “Sa ngayon po ay wala naman pong impormasyon patungkol diyan,” she said when asked about reports of a possible replacement.[Translation: As of now, we have no information regarding that.] Remulla has faced criticism over the government’s inability to immediately…