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Metro Manila, Philippines — Acting Senate President Win Gatchalian and Senator Alan Cayetano have signaled openness to a dialogue following last week’s leadership clash that left the upper chamber divided. During a Saturday night Facebook livestream, Cayetano publicly invited Gatchalian — acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore — to a meeting. “Mag-meeting tayo. May naiisip akong solusyon. Mahirap humanap tayo ng solusyon kung sino ang tunay na Senate President kasi yung tatlong libro na hawak ko ay nagsasabing yung legitimate Senate President, yung nahalal nung labing tatlo,” he said. [Translation: Let’s meet. I’ve come up with a solution. It’s hard to find a solution on who the true Senate President is because these three books I’m holding say that the legitimate Senate President was voted in by 13 senators.] Cayetano presented three books during his livestream: a Bible, a copy of the Philippine Constitution, and a copy of…

Metro Manila, Philippines –  Responders recovered another body from the collapsed under-construction building in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, bringing the death toll to 28 as of Sunday, June 7.  The latest victim was extricated at around 9:56 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, following extensive debris removal and technical access operations by rescue teams. Workers turned over the bodies to the authorities for identification. One of the previous victims recovered from the site was an infant.  Meanwhile, responders continue to scour the debris.

Metro Manila, Philippines – The United States has revoked the diplomatic and tourist visas of former House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed to NewsWatch Plus. “It’s confirmed, we don’t have any other information,” the  envoy said when asked about the status of his cousin’s US visas. A source told NewsWatch Plus that Martin Romualdez previously held both a diplomatic visa and a tourist visa issued by the United States. The US Embassy in Manila declined to comment on the specific case. “Due to visa record confidentiality, the U.S. Department of State does not comment on individual visa cases or specific actions taken,” a US Embassy spokesperson said. Romualdez faces complaints linked to the multibillion-peso flood control controversy. The Sandiganbayan recently denied Romualdez’s plea to lift a travel ban on him. Earlier, Assistant Ombudsman Jose Dominic “Mico” Clavano IV said…

Metro Manila, Philippines – A Malolos court has ordered the arrest of contractor-couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya and nine others for a non-bailable malversation case linked to an anomalous flood control project in Bulacan. The Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 20 issued the arrest warrant on Friday, June 5, a day after the Office of the Ombudsman filed graft and malversation cases against the Discayas and other public works officials. Also in the arrest list is the couple’s colleague in St. Timothy Construction Corp., Ma. Angeline Discaya Rimando, who is general manager. The court also ordered the arrest of the following officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways: Merg Jaron Laus Brice Hernandez Jaypee Mendoza Ernesto Galang Norberto Santos Lorenzo Pagtalunan Juanito Mendoza Floralyn Simbulan Some have already been detained for separate cases. Sarah Discaya is detained in Cebu for a different malversation case, while Hernandez and the…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who is facing a non-bailable plunder case over the flood control corruption scandal, will be placed under hospital arrest, the Sandiganbayan ruled. The court permitted the former public works chief to be detained at the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) in Camp Crame, effectively denying his request to be brought to a private hospital in Pasig City. In a ruling dated Thursday, June 4, the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division partially granted Bonoan’s motion to be detained at PNPGH while his cases are pending due to his health condition. Bonoan, 80, is facing multiple illnesses including chronic renal disease, hypertension, diabetes, and prostate cancer, among others, according to a medical certificate cited in his motion for hospital arrest. “Even if the court has the duty to guarantee that the accused face the charges against him, we cannot turn a blind…