State prosecutors formally ended on Monday the presentation of evidence against Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito for graft case filed against him with his alleged hookup with illegal purchase of firearms in 2008. The panel also added at the Sandiganbayan hearing that they will no longer present additional witnesses. Among the witnesses that the prosecution had presented to testify against Ejercito were Landbank of the Philippines- San Juan branch manager Sheila Anne Dalumpines, who confirmed […]
National
COMELEC on future polls: We want it to be 10/10
MANILA, Aug. 22 – “We will outdo what we did in 2016.” Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said during the briefing on Pulse Asia’s survey on the conduct of the 2016 National and Local elections by civil society group, Democracy Watch. The survey showed that 63 percent of respondents believed that the 2016 elections was more credible and efficient than previous polls, which the Chairman believed can be partly attributed to the fast trasmission of election […]
DOH distributes free emergency medicine for stroke patients in hospitals
MANILA, Aug. 22 – In celebration of Brain Attack Awareness Week, the Department of Health (DOH) launched the medical assistance program that will make stroke medication alteplase or tissue plasminogen activator available to the public for free, in selected government hospitals nationwide. “Alteplase or tissue plasminogen activator is ideally given in the first 3 hours upon onset of acute stroke. Only patients who have ischemic type of stroke, or those with blocked blood vessels in […]
President Duterte’s social initiatives launched
MANILA, Aug. 22 – All Filipinos must live with security—secure of having affordable housing, enough food, accessible jobs, decent livelihood and financial assistance. With this marching order from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. organized the first Social Development Initiatives Summit in Davao City, with the theme “Malasakit at Pagbabago.” “We are here to listen to the realities, dreams, and vulnerabilities of the Filipinos, identify local peculiarities and spatial realities, and develop mechanisms […]
Duterte declares all government appointive positions vacant
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte declared all government positions with presidential appointees vacant in a press conference around 1 a.m. on Sunday. He said this was to further cleanse the government of corruption and ineptness. The declaration however did not cover secretary and undersecretaries. “If you are there because of the presidential appointments, I will declare all your positions all throughout the country vacant. You know why? Until now, in my provincial visits, I […]
Firebird and other ballets: A visual, musical spectacle at the CCP
Caesar Vallejos EBC Correspondent They flew, fluttered and floated with invisible wings in a flight to push the boundaries of Philippine dance. Ballet Philippines, the country’s flagship classical and contemporary dance company opened its 47th performance season with “FIREBIRD and other ballets”, a mixed bill of contemporary and neoclassical works. It featured the pieces by David Campos, Dwight Rodrigazo, and Carlo Pacis, and an all-new “Firebird”, choreographed by George Birkadze. “Birds, dragons, fairies and […]
President Duterte restores ceasefire with communists
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has restored the effects of the unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels after the leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines declared a seven-day ceasefire following the government’s decision to release detained communist leaders. The announcement came ahead of the resumption of peace negotiations with the CPP-National Democratic Front on August 22 set in Oslo, Norway. At least 17 rebel leaders, including Wilma and Benito Tiamzon, are […]
Communists declare 7-day truce for Norway peace talks
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Philippine communist guerrillas will observe a seven-day truce from Sunday to bolster upcoming peace talks hosted by Norway, the rebels said, urging the Manila government to also order a ceasefire. The Communist Party of the Philippines made the move following President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to free its top leaders on Friday. They are set to fly to Oslo for negotiations aimed at ending one of Asia’s longest insurgencies. “We hope that […]
17 communist leaders granted bail to attend Norway peace talks
REUTERS) — Seventeen communist guerrilla leaders in the Philippines, granted bail by the courts to attend peace talks next week in Norway, vowed on Friday (August 19) to return home after the five-day negotiations rather than flee. Seven weeks in office have earned President Rodrigo Duterte a reputation as an implacable foe of drug dealers, but he was elected in May on a promise to negotiate the end of two long-running insurgencies, by Muslims and […]
President Duterte delighted with news that Mayor Sara is expecting triplets
(Eagle News) — Malacanang is pleased to announce that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is seven weeks pregnant and is expecting triplets. The Palace said President Dutere is delighted with the news of his daughter’s pregnancy, and is also hopeful that she will able to see through the pregnancy smoothly and well. “Mayor Sara’s pregnancy serves as a source of inspiration for the Chief Executive to roll up his sleeves and work double time in his […]
Philippines to UN: Duterte not committing crime
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The Philippine government on Friday criticized as “baseless and reckless” a UN statement that President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs amounted to a crime under international law. Duterte’s chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo told AFP the administration was not behind the extra-judicial killings targeting alleged criminal suspects, challenging UN human rights experts to visit the Philippines and investigate. Two UN rights experts said Thursday that Duterte’s directives calling on law enforcers and […]
UN officials say fight vs illegal drugs by Phl gov’t does not absolve it from killings
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The war of words between Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and the United Nations escalated Thursday, with a UN envoy warning that “state actors” could be held responsible over hundreds of killings in a controversial anti-drug crackdown. More than 1,500 people have died in Duterte’s fight against narcotics, police chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa told a Senate hearing, saying that 665 drug suspects were killed in “legitimate (police) operations” […]
