National

House suspends work due to bad weather

House suspends work due to bad weather

August 13, 2018, 3:53 pm

MANILA -- Work at the House of Representatives was suspended on Monday due to inclement weather caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by tropical storm Yagi (formerly Karding). The Office of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo confirmed this to reporters in a group message. Meanwhile, the committee… Read More

Palace hails PH’s 'very high' UN e-Participation ranking

Palace hails PH’s 'very high' UN e-Participation ranking

August 13, 2018, 3:51 pm

MANILA -- Malacañang on Monday welcomed the “very high” ranking scored by the Philippines in the 2018 United Nations E-Participation Index where the country ranked 19th out of 193 countries. Data from the UN E-Participation Index showed the Philippines leaping 48 notches to 19th from the 67th… Read More

Guevarra orders NBI probe on seized magnetic lifters in Cavite

Guevarra orders NBI probe on seized magnetic lifters in Cavite

August 13, 2018, 3:51 pm

MANILA -- Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct parallel probe in connection with the recent discovery of four magnetic lifters which were used in shabu smuggling in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite. Guevarra said he has directed NBI… Read More

DOJ indicts 8 persons on estafa raps over 'rent-sangla' modus

DOJ indicts 8 persons on estafa raps over 'rent-sangla' modus

August 13, 2018, 3:44 pm

MANILA -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted eight persons for 14 syndicated estafa cases in connection with the ‘rent-sangla' modus operandi which has victimized car owners from different parts of the country. In resolution dated March 16 but was obtained by the media on Monday, the DOJ… Read More

DND backs Duterte’s purge of corrupt officials

DND backs Duterte’s purge of corrupt officials

August 13, 2018, 3:25 pm

MANILA -- The Department of National Defense (DND) expressed strong support for President Rodrigo R. Duterte's ongoing campaign to remove erring and corrupt officials from the government. This was emphasized by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Monday following the Chief Executive's relief of… Read More

Customs seizes P125-M worth of smuggled rice

Customs seizes P125-M worth of smuggled rice

August 13, 2018, 3:24 pm

MANILA -- The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday seized 100 20-footer container loaded with 2,500 tons of white rice estimated to be worth PHP125 million at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). Commissioner Isidro Lapeña led the inspection of the shipment that contains around 50,000… Read More

House to probe P6.8-B 'shabu' smuggling

House to probe P6.8-B 'shabu' smuggling

August 13, 2018, 3:09 pm

MANILA -- The House of Reperesentatives’ committee on dangerous drugs will conduct an investigation on Tuesday into the smuggling of PHP6.8-billion worth of crystal meth or "shabu" into the Philippines. The motu proprio hearing is set at 10 a.m. at the Belmonte Hall, South Wing Annex of the… Read More

Quezon City taps volunteers to aid in disaster ops

Quezon City taps volunteers to aid in disaster ops

August 13, 2018, 3:06 pm

MANILA -- Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday mobilized volunteers to assist in disaster relief operations in the city, in coordination with local government officials. Together with the vice mayor, members of the Joy Belmonte Volunteers’ Movement (JBVM) distributed food, sacks of… Read More

Federalism to speed up E. Visayas infra, tourism, economic devt

Federalism to speed up E. Visayas infra, tourism, economic devt

August 13, 2018, 3:04 pm

MANILA --- A change in the government system can fix the slow development of Eastern Visayas, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said. “When power is brought down to the region, the regional government will gain enough foothold to streamline development… Read More

DOTr asks Cavite gov’t to review Sangley Airport proposal

DOTr asks Cavite gov’t to review Sangley Airport proposal

August 13, 2018, 3:02 pm

MANILA -- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is not objecting on the proposal of the Cavite provincial government to develop Sangley Airport as an alternative to and to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). This as DOTr asked the Cavite government to revise its draft… Read More

Batangas crime syndicate leader falls

Batangas crime syndicate leader falls

August 13, 2018, 2:56 pm

MANILA -- A key leader of a private armed group engaged in gun-for-hire activities operating in Batangas province has been captured, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said Monday.  Geronimo Bantugon, described by policemen as the armourer of the Bantugon… Read More

CA junks plea on advertising, leasing rights over MRT 3

CA junks plea on advertising, leasing rights over MRT 3

August 13, 2018, 2:54 pm

MANILA -- The Court of Appeals (CA) ordered the MRT Development Corporation (MRTDC) to stop from exercising its advertising and commercial leasing rights over the MRT 3 system pending the result of arbitration proceedings involving the latter’s development rights payment (DRP) obligations to the… Read More

PNP hails DOJ indictment of Peter Lim, et al on drug raps

PNP hails DOJ indictment of Peter Lim, et al on drug raps

August 13, 2018, 2:48 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said the decision of the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicting businessman Peter Lim and others on drug charges justifies the police's efforts to pin down drug lords. "The indictment of Peter Lim is consistent with our own investigation of… Read More

SC resets ICC oral arguments to August 28

SC resets ICC oral arguments to August 28

August 13, 2018, 2:44 pm

MANILA -- The Supreme Court (SC) has rescheduled the oral arguments on the petition, which seeks to invalidate the Philippine government's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) In an advisory, the High Court deferred the oral arguments from August 14 to August 28 on the… Read More

Albayalde orders CIDG, intel to go after hoarders, profiteers

Albayalde orders CIDG, intel to go after hoarders, profiteers

August 13, 2018, 2:28 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday reiterated that it will be working closely with other government agencies in enforcing the law against profiteers and hoarders in areas affected by the recent flooding.  PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde cited the Price Act of 1992… Read More

PRRD fires ranking military officials over corruption

PRRD fires ranking military officials over corruption

August 13, 2018, 2:26 pm

MANILA -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte has fired at least 20 high-ranking officials and employees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Health Service Command over alleged corruption at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City, Malacañang said on Monday.  “It was brought to the… Read More

Death toll due to 'habagat' now at 2, 1 missing: NDRRMC

Death toll due to 'habagat' now at 2, 1 missing: NDRRMC

August 13, 2018, 2:23 pm

MANILA -- Inclement weather caused by the southwest monsoon, enhanced by Tropical Storm "Karding", has so far caused the death of two persons and one missing in the National Capital Region (NCR), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Monday. The two deaths were… Read More

PNP supports Senate bill for takeover of police training

PNP supports Senate bill for takeover of police training

August 13, 2018, 2:21 pm

MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) welcomes the Senate proposal to revise the PNP law and allow the agency to take full control in training police personnel. "(W)e are thankful for Senator (Panfilo) Lacson for filing Senate Bill 1898 which when passed into law shall vest the PNP full… Read More

PNP chief orders units to be vigilant vs NPA attacks

PNP chief orders units to be vigilant vs NPA attacks

August 13, 2018, 2:17 pm

MANILA-The Philippine National Police (PNP) has directed its units in areas with known presence of Communist insurgents to be on their toes to prevent incidents similar to the attack on the town hall and police station of Lapinig, Northern Samar last week. Speaking to newsmen, PNP chief Director… Read More

PH Navy now capable of engaging 'surface targets'

PH Navy now capable of engaging 'surface targets'

August 13, 2018, 10:43 am

MANILA-- With the successful test-firing of its Rafael Advanced Defense Ltd. Spike-ER (extended range) surface-to-surface missile off Lamao Point, Limay, Bataan last Aug. 9, the Philippine Navy (PN) now is capable of engaging and destroying targets such as ships, or "surface targets" in naval… Read More