A former indigenous peoples’ (IP) party-list group nominee challenged the integrity of Sulong Katribu, accusing it of fabricating conflict with Epanaw Sambayanan to shield its own misdeeds.

“Katribu’s calculated and premeditated response against Epanaw Sambayanan is more than expected,” Datu Jomorito Goaynon said in a recent interview.

“They are aware that Epanaw Sambayanan will use the electoral platform to expose Katribu’s nefarious activities that victimize indigenous communities and ancestral domains,” he added.

The recent arrest of Porferio Tuna, Jr., a former National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant during the 2016 peace talks, and the potential revival of formal negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the NDFP have brought renewed attention not only to the peace process but also to a long-standing Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) tactic aimed at rescuing their prominent leaders from incarceration.

Former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno gave a fiery critique of the government's budget decisions, particularly regarding PhilHealth and the reversion of P89.9 billion in unspent funds to the national treasury.

Magno, an economics professor at the University of the Philippines, said Department of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto is spinning a new press release about why PhilHealth was ordered to return the unused health funds supposedly to create jobs and pump up the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) head Royina M. Garma has been criticized for seemingly orchestrating a diversion with her affidavit and statementsin Friday’s Quad Committee hearing at the House of Representatives.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said Garma’s tactics are nothing more than a smokescreen to obscure the grave allegations surrounding her alleged involvement in a murder plot.

“Malicious and unsubstantiated statements should have no place in any credible investigation,” Go said in a statement on Saturday.