Senator Christopher “Bong” Go called for respect and truthfulness from government institutions, particularly uniformed personnel, amid the conduct of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the March 11 arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
During the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations' public hearing on March 20, Go underscored the importance of integrity in public service, especially law enforcement.
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa slammed the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., echoing Atty. Alexis Medina's legal opinion is that former President Rodrigo Duterte's constitutional rights were violated when authorities surrendered him to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
As he lamented the deep divisiveness in the country over the arrest of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and his transfer to The Hague, Netherlands for trial before the International Criminal Court, Davao Archbishop Romulo G. Valles said justice must be pursued with fairness and integrity.
“It must remain free from partisan political motivations or personal vendettas,” Valles said in his Pastoral Message to all Christian faithful of Davao on Tuesday.
Asserts PH has no legal obligation to cooperate with ICC
The Office of the Solicitor General — the legal representative of the Philippine Government, its agencies and officials in any litigation — firmly declared that it is under no legal obligation to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) or recognize any proceedings originating from it post-withdrawal from the Rome Statute.
By Omar Fernando
Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte has taken a stand that echoes the sentiments of many as he denounces the impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, which he said is a “desperate and politically motivated" attack.
“I am appalled and enraged by the desperate and politically motivated efforts to railroad the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte,” he said Wednesday.
The Molbog indigenous peoples of Balabac, Palawan strongly denounced the SAMBILOG-Balik Bugsuk Movement for misrepresenting themselves as legitimate indigenous claimants to the lands of Bugsuk and Mariahangin.
In a joint statement issued by the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs) of Balabac and its barangays, the Molbog leaders asserted their rightful place as the ancestral custodians of these territories while exposing the group’s questionable origins and motives.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY – Despite budget constraints, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) remains resolute in delivering crucial services and advancing its operations to benefit the nation.
Vice President Sara Duterte assured this at a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 13, following the Senate deliberations on OVP’s budget.
The Senate approved the OVP’s 2025 budget, totaling PHP733 million, per the Finance Committee's proposal.
Contrary to the government’s recent claim that the Philippines is safer and people are more secure, a recent Social Weather Stations survey indicated a concerning increase in traditional crimes and cybercrime victimization rates compared to previous polls.
A lawyer of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte said the latter’s no-show in today’s public hearing of the Joint Committee on Public Accounts, Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Security and Human Rights (Quadcomm) is pointless, thus his unnecessary presence.
Lawyer Martin Delgra III, in a Nov. 5 letter addressed to Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers, Quadcomm chairperson, said the former president harbors some concerns regarding the integrity, independence, and propriety of the Quadcomm.
Agusan del Norte’s Second District Rep. Dale B. Corverahas nothing but good words about former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s attendance in Monday’s Senate probe into the previous administration’s drug war.
“Despite his being a private citizen now, I saw on TV an old statesman still effectively connected with the people who longed for streets and surroundings that are free from drug addicts and criminals,” Corvera’s Facebook post on Tuesday read.
Climate Change Commission Deputy Executive Director Romell Antonio O. Cuenca delivers a speech on behalf of Secretary Robert EA Borje during the "Scaling Up Climate Action Against Loss and Damage" event at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Manila on October 14.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY—Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian’s claim that all referrals from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) are accommodated has been branded “inaccurate and misleading.”
This, according to Director for Operations Norman Baloro, on Tuesday, exposing a critical gap in the narrative.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said the Filipino people are the fitting judges for former President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s (FPRRD) anti-illegal drugs campaign.
The statement came in response to the ongoing investigations at the Lower House, which he observed to demonize FPRRD’s anti-drug campaign seemingly.
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.
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.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY—Top leaders in the province of Lanao del Norte met with former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to express their heartfelt gratitude for “making the dream of the people of the province come into reality” through the completion of the Panguil Bay Bridge.
Governor Imelda “Angging” Quibranza-Dimaporo and her husband Abdullah “Bobby” Dimakuta Dimaporo, the former second district representative of Lanao del Norte, led the delegation during the recent visit.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY — Vice President Sara Z. Duterte stood firm in her refusal to give up the second-highest position in the country despite the call raised by a few individuals and left-leaning groups tied to dirty politics.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Vice President Duterte also detailed the approaches being hurled by her political nemesis: the first is impeachment, and the other is resignation.
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday that the disbarment case filed against him by lawyer Melvin Matibag before the Supreme Court for the “polvoronic” video posted on the former’s social media page was a desperate act of attention.
“We have to understand that the posting of the video in social media is protected by free speech under the privileged doctrine,” Atty Roque said. “It involves a serious disease of a President that deserves an admission or denial. PBBM has not done either.”
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY – Deliberately missing the crucial budget hearing for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) at the House of Representatives last week, Vice President Sara “Inday” Duterte not only cited the technical reasons for her absence but also unleashed a contentious issue that the public must scrutinize.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY – Netizens who read an article published by the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) expressed disgust with the narrations made by Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, director of the Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-11), in a press briefing on Sept. 9.
The story, headlined “PNP: Quiboloy cornered, forced to surrender,” was posted on the PNA's Facebook page the same day.
As of 11:26 p.m. on Sept. 9, the article gained 373 reactions, 92 comments, and 11 shares.
The students of Jose Maria College Foundation, Inc. (JMCFI) called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Legal Education Board (LEB), and the Department of Education (DepEd) to stand on the right side of history amid the ongoing tensions caused by a police raid in search for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo C. Quiboloy.
“Your silence amid these attacks on academic freedom and the right to education is complicit in emboldening these abuses,” a group statement issued on Wednesday read.
In a powerful call for peace, sobriety, and mutual respect among the residents of Davao City, Davao Archbishop Romulo G. Valles, D.D. on Wednesday expressed alarm over the prolonged search for Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo C. Quiboloy since Saturday dawn.
“The prolonged search being conducted, coupled with the overwhelming presence of law enforcers in a place dedicated for religious worship, and for the education of the youth, is alarming and troubling, as it touches some sensitive issues on religious freedom,” Valles said in a statement.
Former Senator and Police Chief Panfilo Lacson urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday to keep critical details of the search for Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo C. Quiboloy under wraps.
Lacson’s comments, shared on social media, came in the wake of a high-profile raid involving around 2,000 police officers that has intensified since August 24 at the sprawling 30-hectare KJC Compound in Davao City.
Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday said that while political separation is inevitable, respect and civility should always prevail.
“Ang hindi ko nagugustuhan ay iyong pambabastos. Pwede naman tayo maghiwalay sa pulitika, wag lang iyong maging bastos (What I don't like is profanity. We can separate from politics, just don't be rude)," Duterte added.
Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday the accusations of former customs intelligence officer Jimmy Gubanagainst her husband and brother were clearly "political harassment" and "political attacks."
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) criticized the National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) outrageous claim that a Filipino can thrive on just ₱64 for three meals daily.
TUCP, in a statement Thursday, said the low poverty threshold is an insult to Filipino workers.
“How can anyone expect families to survive on such a meager amount? It said this assertion is not just absurd; it’s a slap in the face to those struggling to make ends meet.
The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has announced the release of ASEAN Post commemorative stamps featuring the iconic “Manila Central Post Office Building” to mark the Joint Issue of the General ASEAN Post Office 2024.
The ASEAN POST stamp features the “General Post Office” building as the theme for 2024. Ten countries in the ASEAN Postal Region have introduced each façade of their main post office building, which symbolizes unity, integration, and cooperation among the ASEAN Post member states.
Vice President Sara Duterte topped the people's preference for the presidency in the 2028 elections, according to survey results from Oculum Research and Analytics.
Based on the survey conducted from June 25 to June 30, 2024, Vice President Duterte received a 25.4% voter preference, making her the "top presidential contender" in the survey.
Senator Raffy Tulfo ranked second in the survey with 18.5 percent, while 10.6 percent chose former vice president Leni Robredo.
Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte said he would only endorse candidates in the 2025 midterm elections whose primaryfocus is the well-being of the Filipino people.
The former president and current PDP-Laban chairman made this statement in a pre-recorded "Basta Dabawenyo" podcast on Monday with Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte after Senator Francis Tolentino resigned from the party over differences in foreign policy regarding the West Philippine Sea.
A political analyst called on government officials to practice what they preach in tackling the illegal drug crisis by embodying the values they advocate.
Marlon Villarin, a Political Science professor at the University of Santo Tomas, took to Facebook on Monday to challenge President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and all legislators to embody the values they promote by leading by personal example to effectively combat illegal drugs.
Vice President Sara Z. Duterte on Wednesday said the Philippines continues to "starve, suffer, and sink" due to the actions of deceitful government officials under the Marcos administration.
In a statement titled “Message to My Muslim Brothers and Sisters,” posted on Facebook, Duterte said Filipinos deserve a government as they claimed that the current administration is poorly running the country.
A recent Social Weather Station (SWS) poll from June 23 to July 1 found that 51 percent of Filipinos see almost no benefit from President Marcos’ foreign visits.
Of that 51 percent, 34 percent of respondents believe the international trips had "little benefit," while 17 percent feel they had "almost no benefit at all."
Compared to a similar survey conducted in October 2022, the percentage of respondents who perceived little or almost no benefit from the President's foreign trips has risen from 30 percent to 14 percent, respectively.
Lawyer Harry Roque on Thursday urged a senator to desist from using the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) controversy as a “convenient excuse to demonize the family members and close allies of former President Rodrigo Duterte.”
Lawyer Harry Roque on Tuesday vowed to fully cooperate with the Bureau of Immigration, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, and the Chinese Embassy in bringing an alleged fugitive from China to justice.
Roque, former presidential spokesperson, assured Filipino and Chinese authorities that PH2 Corporation, where he is a stockholder, would never abet or harbor a wanted foreign criminal in any of its properties.
In a statement, Roque said PH2 had rescinded its lease contract this month with its Chinese female lessee, Wan Yun.
The most recent hunger survey data released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) has dealt a significant blow to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s claims of success in combating malnutrition, challenging the credibility of his touted achievements in hunger alleviation efforts.
Marcos Jr. cited his administration's initiatives to address hunger and malnutrition in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, which coincided with Nutrition Month.
MANILA – Around 16 million or 58 percent of Filipino families consider themselves poor under the Marcos administration, the Social Weather Survey (SWS) said this week.
The latest SWS survey results showed that self-rated poverty among Filipino families is among the highest levels recorded since former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's term.
The highest self-rated poverty level reached 66 percent during Arroyo’s presidency, which the SWS recorded in July 2001, May 2002, and September 2002.
Vice President Sara Duterte still holds the highest approval and trust ratings among leading government officials. At the same time, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Speaker Martin Romualdez are the least trusted among the country’s top officials, Pulse Asia said on Wednesday.
Based on Pulse Asia's June 2024 Ulat ng Bayan national survey, Vice President Sara Duterte's approval ratings increased by two percentage points from 67 percent in March to 69 percent in June.
TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte – More than 500 indigenous people (IPs) and their supporters come together in a powerful display of unity for justice and reconciliation.
Beneath the scorching sun on Tuesday, a defiant spirit blazes and their fervor cause radiates along the national highway in front of the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex here.
ASUNCION, Davao del Note – A group of former cadres and members of the CPP-NPA-NDFP yesterday lauded the conviction of former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-Teachers) Rep.France Castro for child kidnapping charges.
“The court decision is a crucial step toward justice for the lumads (indigenous peoples) of Talaingod, who have long been exploited by false promises of radical change,” KalinawSoutheastern Mindanao Region said in a statement.
The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), in collaboration with Museo Orlina, is inviting students, designers, and Illustrators to join the nationwide stamp-design contest in celebration of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) 150th founding anniversary.
The UPU is a specialized agency of the United Nations created on 9 October 1984 under the Treaty of Bern. It unites the postal networks of 192 member countries.
The competition is open to high school and college students, artists, designers, illustrators, and other interested individuals.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY – In a gripping saga in Davao City, three courageous student leaders from Mindanao are raising their voices against the ongoing police operations, now on their 10thday, at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound.
These operations in search for KOJC leader Apollo C. Quiboloy, they said, are not just a matter of law enforcement but a direct assault on their educational rights.
By Omar Fernando
DAVAO CITY – Veteran lawyer Caesar Europa provided a detailed legal opinion in response to Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla of the Department of Justice (DOJ), who recently said charges would be filed against Judge Mario Duaves of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15 in Davao City.
