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Metro Manila, Philippines – France is aware that fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co is facing accountability in the Philippines, Malacañang said Thursday, April 30,  as Manila continues efforts to bring him home. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raised Co’s status during his meeting with French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel on Wednesday. “Sinabi po niya na ang bungad po ng Pangulo ay patungkol sa estado ni Zaldy Co na isang fugitive na dapat na mayroong panagutan sa ating bansa kung siya man po ay masasabing guilty,” Castro said. [Translation: The president opened the discussion by referring to Zaldy Co’s status as a fugitive who must face accountability in our country if he is found guilty.] Castro said Fontanel understood Co’s situation. “Naintindihan po ni French Ambassador at sabi po niya na naiintindihan niya at alam niya na pugante, a fugitive itong si Mr. Zaldy Co…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III assured that if the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte are transmitted to the Senate, it will convene as an impeachment court “the following day.” “That’s one thing for sure. Once we receive it, we will convene the following day as an impeachment court. If we do receive it ha,” Sotto told reporters in a chance interview on Thursday, April 30.  “Sa akin ang ‘forthwith,’ the following day,” he added.  The Supreme Court earlier ruled that “forthwith” in impeachment cases means “within a reasonable time,” not necessarily immediately, as the Constitution does not set a strict deadline for the Senate to begin trial. The timing is left to its discretion depending on the circumstances. Asked about this, Sotto said the high court was ruling on a specific case. The Supreme Court had dismissed a petition seeking to compel…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte hit the presentation of evidence in saying she committed sedition and grave threats, claiming that spliced materials were used during the impeachment hearing. “Evidence is curated, even spliced. Context is ignored. Opinion is substituted for facts. Guesswork is presented as investigation results,” Paul Lim, Duterte’s lawyer, said in a statement on Thursday, April 30.  In 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation recommended the filing of charges against Duterte for inciting to sedition and grave threats over her remarks in November 2024 that she hired someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and his cousin former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, if she herself gets killed. At the impeachment raps, an NBI agent confirmed that based on their investigation, the video of Duterte issuing the remark was not edited and not generated by artificial intelligence. Lim said the presentation…

Metro Manila, Philippines – A number of lawmakers rejected claims of Vice President Sara Duterte’s older brother that House members are being pressured to vote in favor of the impeachment, with a legislator calling the accusation black propaganda. At the height of the impeachment hearing on April 29, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte claimed that a staff of a certain ‘Charise’ called the chief of staff of lawmakers to pressure them to vote in favor of the ouster complaints against the vice president. The elder Duterte said opposing the impeachment would strip away the budget of lawmakers in their districts including funds for infrastructure projects, schools, irrigation, and social services. In a chance interview, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña hit the lawmaker’s claim, saying he already expected what he called a ‘black propaganda.’ “Itong mga ganitong balita ay paninira, at isa na rin itong threat para gamitin later on sa boboto for…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed that the videos of Vice President Sara Duterte’s “kill remarks” and other threats against the president are authentic and are neither edited, spliced, nor generated by artificial intelligence. NBI Director Melvin Matibag affirmed the authenticity of the video evidence during the last day of Duterte’s impeachment hearing with the House justice committee on Wednesday, April 29. “That is authenticated,” he said, pertaining to the videos. “It has already been discussed in the counter-affidavit na sinubmit po ni Vice President Duterte doon sa kaso sa DOJ (Department of Justice). Na-raise na po ‘yang mga issue na ‘yan.” [Translation: It has already been discussed in the counter-affidavit submitted by Vice President Duterte in the case at the DOJ. Those issues have been raised.] During the hearing, Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta attempted to show the panel a “more complete” copy of the…