National

Lagman: Magnificent 7 to “actively vie” for leadership of minority bloc in House

(Eagle News)–The Magnificent 7 will “actively vie” for the leadership of the minority bloc in the House of Representatives, where changes are expected with the election of Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the new Speaker. According to Rep. Edcel Lagman, under House rules, those who abstained from voting for Arroyo would constitute the minority. Apart from the Magnificent 7 composed of Lagman, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom Villarin, Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary […]

Senators Poe, Ejercito warn against Arroyo leadership; recall her alleged “cheating” and corruption

  (Eagle News) – Two senators whose fathers had a “negative” experience with former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo voiced their apprehension and opposition to the sudden rise in power of the Pampanga congresswoman as House Speaker. Senators Grace Poe and JV Ejercito both voiced concern about the way that Arroyo was installed as House Speaker just a few minutes before the scheduled State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte at 4 p.m. on […]

Bersamin accepts nomination for Chief Justice post

(Eagle News)– Supreme Court Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin has accepted his nomination as Chief Justice. Justice Menardo Guevarra confirmed this development on Wednesday, July 25. Guevarra is a member of the Judicial and Bar Council, which is tasked to screen the nominees. Under JBC rules, all five senior justices of the SC are automatically nominated to the Chief Justice post, but they have to formally accept the nomination. The other senior justices were Chief Justice […]

Roque says Malacanang “ready to work” with Speaker Arroyo, recalls “awkward” moment of House coup

  (Eagle News) — Malacanang is “ready to work” with the new House of Representative leadership, confident that House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will also support the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte. In a news conference, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque described Arroyo as a “staunch ally” of the President even as he refused to comment on whether what happened on Monday afternoon at the House of Representatives — just before 4 p.m., the supposed […]

Kuwait social media star unapologetic on comments against laws recognizing OFW rights in Kuwait

  KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AFP) — A Kuwaiti social media star remained unapologetic Monday over comments she made against new laws aimed at improving conditions for Filipino domestic workers, despite a backlash on the internet. Sondo al-Qattan faces criticism for a video posted on July 10 to Instagram, where she has 2.3 million followers, in which she attacked measures introduced in May that grant Filipinas working in the oil-rich Gulf state one day off per […]

Sara Duterte congratulates “strong leader” Arroyo

(Eagle News) — Davao Mayor Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 24, congratulated Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her new post as Speaker of the House of Representatives. “Congratulations to SPGMA. A strong leader,” she said in a text message. The presidential daughter refused to comment, however, on the change in leadership. Rumors had it it was the Davao mayor who had a hand in the ouster of Alvarez as Speaker. The presidential daughter had been […]

SC denies Revilla, Cambe, Napoles petitions in connection with pork barrel case

(Eagle News) — The Supreme Court has junked the petitions filed by Richard Cambe and Janet Lim Napoles challenging a Sandiganbayan decision that denied them bail. The SC also denied the appeal of former Senator Bong Revilla against a Sandiganbayan freeze order on his assets in connection with the pork barrel scam. According to the High Court, the petitions were denied for “lack of merit.” The cases against Napoles, Revilla and Camber stem from the […]

JUST IN: House ratifies proposed Bangsamoro Organic Law

(Eagle News) — The House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 24, ratified the bicameral conference committee report on the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The ratification was done by the body that is now under the leadership of Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Arroyo replaced Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker on Monday, July 23, the day President Rodrigo Duterte held his State of the Nation Address. Arroyo said she would carry out the “legislative agenda” of Duterte, […]

Roque speculates Alvarez was ousted as Speaker because of his push for postponement of 2019 elections

(Eagle News) — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday, July 24, speculated Pantaleon Alvarez was ousted as Speaker because he was pushing for a postponement of next year’s elections to allow for Charter Change. “Even the President had problems with the call of the House Speaker on no elections. And I noticed that the President was visibly concerned about the pronouncements of the Speaker,” Roque said. According to Roque, the President believes federalism “should be […]

Newly-installed Speaker Arroyo: We must get BOL ratified today

(Eagle News) — Newly-installed Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said she intends to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law  on Tuesday, July 24. Speaking to reporters at the Batasang Pambansa a day after she was installed as Speaker, Arroyo said the ratification of the BOL, which was delayed over the events in the House of Representatives that led to the ouster of Pantaleon Alvarez, “must” push through as part of her “primary specific objective to carry out the […]

Sotto: President Duterte “almost walked out” over House events on SONA day

(Eagle News) —  President Rodrigo Duterte “almost walked out” over what happened in the House of Representatives that eventually led to the ouster of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. This was according to Senate President Tito Sotto, who sent text messages to reporters on the change of leadership in the Lower Chamber on Monday, July 23, the day President Duterte held his State of the Nation Address. “Inis si (Duterte). Hindi  niya gusto yung nangyayari,” Sotto, who […]

Some lawmakers slam Arroyo’s election as Speaker

(Eagle News) — Several lawmakers on Tuesday, July 24, slammed Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s election as Speaker, with some calling her a “sham Speaker” and “corrupt.” “Hindi porke babae na nasa poder ay susuportahan na ng kababaihan. Hindi pwedeng i-recycle ang mga abusado sa kapangyarihan,” Gabriela Women’s Party Reps. Arlene Brosas and Emmi De Jesus said in a statement. According to the militant lawmakers, “Gabriela Women’s Party will never forget the 1,206 victims of extrajudicial killing, 206 […]