Metro Manila, Philippines – Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito is pushing for a more stringent selection process for state witnesses under the Department of Justice’s Witness Protection Program (WPP). “I’m hoping that they would be more meticulous in their selection of those that will be accepted as state witnesses,” Ejercito said in an online...
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan 3rd division has reset the pre-trial and arraignment of former Sen. Bong Revilla for his non-bailable malversation charges to Feb. 9, in relation to the anomalous and non-existent P92.8 million flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan. The postponement came as the court received a number of motions from Revilla’s...
Beijing – China and the Philippines said on Friday they launched rescue operations after receiving reports of a distressed cargo ship near the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea which was carrying 21 Philippine crew members. The Chinese military said two crew had died and 17 had been rescued, after a report around 1:30 a.m. on Friday (1730 GMT...
Metro Manila, Philippines – The Supreme Court has set oral arguments on the four consolidated petitions that challenged the constitutionality of controversial items in the budget. The court set discussions on the unprogrammed appropriations (UA) and special accounts in the national budget for three consecutive years during its summer sessions in Baguio City on April...
Manila, Philippines – Two more groups – one with the backing of left-wing congressmen and another from Duterte allies – attempted to lodge impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Thursday, Jan. 22, but failed to get past the first screening. Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc endorsed the filing of BAYAN, whose bid to...
Metro Manila, Philippines – Senate ethics committee chairman JV Ejercito is himself facing an ethics complaint over his alleged inaction on a case filed against Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Lawyer Marvin Aceron, the complainant, wants Ejercito found guilty of gross neglect of constitutional duty, and be removed as chairman of the committee on ethics and...
Metro Manila, Philippines – January may close with new developments in the flood control corruption scandal, including subpoenas against Senator Jinggoy Estrada and former Public Works Secretary Manny Bonoan, and the completion of the Department of Justice’s preliminary probe on Senator Joel Villanueva. Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon gave a rundown of what’s expected next week...
Metro Manila, Philippines – A community journalist detained for six years was convicted of terrorism financing – a ruling that press freedom and rights advocates described as a move to silence critical reporting. On Thursday, Jan. 22, the Tacloban Regional Trial Court in Leyte sentenced Cumpio to 12 to 18 years in prison. The court...
Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday, Jan. 22 that he has been diagnosed with diverticulitis, an inflammatory condition, and assured the public that it is not life threatening. “I’m fine. I’m feeling very different from the way I was feeling before…what happened was I, apparently, I now have diverticulitis. It’s...
Metro Manila, Philippines – The government has arrested two foreign vloggers for separate incidents, which include supposed harassment and threats to spread human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the country. In a media briefing on Thursday, Jan. 22, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla presented the 21-year-old Russian, Nikita Chekhov, who filmed a video in Taguig City claiming...
Metro Manila, Philippines – Despite snubbing an earlier invitation, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez may again be invited to the next hearing on the flood control scandal, Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said. “For the next Blue Ribbon hearing, we can invite Romualdez anew and course the invitation through Speaker Faustino Dy...
The Philippines affirmed its support with the country’s officials and institutions after the Chinese foreign ministry told public servants to stop “making provocations” or else “they would pay the price.”...
