2 TV networks to get hold of SALN of SC justices

SOLAR News and GMA have been allowed by the Supreme Court to get copies of last year's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of its 15 members.

TV5 reporter Marlene Alcaide also has a similar request but she needs to elaborate on its purpose, said SC spokesperson Theodore Te in a briefing Tuesday.

NPA rebels seize 5 soldiers in Davao City

FIVE soldiers were kidnapped by suspected members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) Monday afternoon, the military said Tuesday.

Captain Raul Villegas of the Army's 10 Infantry Division said that the Peace and Development Team composed of six soldiers of 60th Infantry Battalion under 10th Infantry (Agila) Division were held at gunpoint by the rebels at vicinity Sitio Lubas, Barangay Paquibato Proper, Paquibato District, Davao City around 4:30 p.m.

De Lima wants probe into delayed release of suspected drug pusher

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima will investigate the much delayed filing of a drug-related case against a woman who was illegally detained for more than five years.

De Lima said she is not offering an excuse to the Department of Justice's mishandling of the case of Joanne Urbina, pushing her to order the agency's Internal Affairs Unit to look into the matter.

10-day registration period set for village, youth polls

IN 10 days, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking to register almost 2.75 million regular and youth voters for the October 28 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body has already set the registration period during the last two weeks of July.

Mini-tornado hits Cebu villages

CEBU CITY (3rd Update, 5:30 p.m.) -- A mini-tornado hit Minglanilla, Cebu on Tuesday afternoon, damaging 20 houses in barangays Tungkil and Calahuan.

Florenda Gaviola of the Office of Civil Defense-Central Visayas said that initial assessment of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in the area showed that the mini-tornado, which started as a waterspout before it traversed to land, “totally unroofed” 18 raw houses of Deca Homes in Barangay Tungkil.

Classes, work suspended in parts of Metro Manila

MANILA (Updated) -- Several Metro Manila cities as well as universities and colleges have suspended classes due to anticipated rains on Tuesday.

San Juan City suspended classes in all levels in both private and public schools after the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) warned of heavy downpour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. as Tropical Depression "Emong" intensified into a storm.

Emong intensifies into tropical storm

MANILA (Updated, 2:48 p.m.) - Tropical Depression "Emong" has gained strength as it intensified into tropical storm and accelerated towards the northerly direction and hovering east of Luzon, said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Tuesday.

Pagasa defines a tropical storm as moderate tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed of 64 to 118 kilometers per hour (kph).

Murder case vs ex-Batangas mayor yet to reach court

A FORMER mayor in Batangas will not yet be charged with murder in court for the killing of a ranking prosecutor last week.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano said Tuesday former Sta. Teresita mayor Anna Marie Mendoza and husband Hermogenes Mendoza will undergo preliminary investigation on the death of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Alexander Sandoval on Friday at the Department of Justice in Manila.

UST cancels afternoon classes, work anew

MANILA (Updated) -- The University of Sto. Tomas (UST) announced on Twitter that classes in high school, college, and postgraduate levels as well as office work will be cancelled from 3 p.m. onwards Tuesday.

US convenience stores exploited immigrants

NEW YORK — Nine owners and managers of 7-Eleven convenience stores were charged Monday in a scheme to exploit immigrants from Pakistan and the Philippines, in part by paying them using the stolen Social Security numbers of a child and three dead people while stealing most of their wages.