SC keeps Ampatuan driver as witness in massacre case

SUSPECTED murderer Andal Ampatuan Jr. suffered a setback in the Supreme Court when it junked a petition to exclude his former driver as state witness in the Maguindanao massacre case.

Written by Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, the SC First Division upheld the ruling of the Manila Regional Trial Court branch 26 that denied Ampatuan's petition to order the Department of Justice to include Kenny Dalandag in the charge sheet.

Senate bets divided over P125 legislated wage hike

LUCBAN, QUEZON -- Administration senatorial candidates are divided over the proposed P125 legislated across-the-board wage hike.

Records show the proposal has been pending in Congress for the past 12 years. The present 15th Congress will adjourn sine die in June.

Albay guv asked to explain presence at UNA rally

LUCBAN, QUEZON -- Albay Governor Joey Salceda is being asked by a Team PNoy senatorial candidate as to why he was present at the campaign rally of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) in Legaspi City despite being a member of the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

Ramon Magsaysay Jr., a Team PNoy senatorial bet, said that while no sanction should be imposed on Salceda for accompanying Vice President Jejomar Binay in the UNA rally, he should explain himself to the LP leadership.

UNA gears up for last 2 weeks of campaign

TRAILING in surveys, the nine senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) will have to work double time to convince as many voters as possible.

But the strategy has not changed, that is to go directly to the people and present a legislative agenda, which include the promotion of transparency in governance and improvement of delivery of government services.

Catholic group dares chosen bets to keep pro-life stance

SENATORIAL candidates who clinched the support of Catholic lay groups should make good on their commitment to uphold the Church’s pro-life teachings or risk backlash in the next polls.

“Every three years, we have a day of reckoning. We will make steps toward the right direction instead of exacting revenge,” said White Vote Movement spokesperson Bro. Mike Velarde, whose group endorsed nine candidates for the May 13 elections.

China’s call to withdraw from disputed islands rejected

MANILA -- The Philippine government will not withdraw its citizens who have been occupying some islands and reefs in the disputed West Philippine Sea.   Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte made the statement in reaction to the call made by China that the Philippines "withdraw all its nationals and facilities from China's islands and reefs."

3-day local absentee voting starts April 28

MANILA -- The three-day local absentee voting (LAV) for members of the military, police, media and some government workers will start on April 28, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

Of the 18,322 who registered to avail of the privilege to vote ahead of the May 13 polls, 575 of them are members of the mass media.

Palace asks public cooperation vs poll saboteurs

MALACAÑANG urged Saturday the public to help the government in preventing any group or individuals who would try to sabotage the May 13 elections through the use of jamming devices.   Authorities warned the public this week that using signal jammers aimed at disrupting the May 13 midterm elections next month is a criminal offense and punishable by law.   In a press conference at Camp Crame on Thursday, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the use of signal jammers near polling centers during the May elections can delay the transmission of election returns.  

Family of 6 in metro needs P1,200 per day to survive

A LABOR group said Saturday that the cost of living in Metro Manila is getting more expensive today, as a family of six needs P1,200 per day to survive.

In a statement, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) said the cost of living has reached P1,217 a day, expenses of which include food items, utilities, toiletries, education for the children, transportation, and communication.

Army commander relieved after Guingona ambush

THE commander of the Army's 4th Infantry Division based in Cagayan de Oro City had been ordered relieved by the military leadership in the wake of last week's ambush on the convoy of Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona.

Major General Nestor Añonuevo was due to be replaced Friday by Brigadier General Ricardo Visaya who had been designated as the officer in charge of the division. Before his designation, Visaya was the deputy commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao.

Government won't hold formal talks with Maoist rebels

MANILA (Updated) -- The government will no longer hold formal negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), an official said Friday.

Government chief negotiator Alexander Padilla said the Philippines is considering a "new approach" to end the four decades armed conflict with the communist insurgents.

Palace alarmed over ambuscades targeting politicians

MALACAÑANG said Friday that it was alarmed over the separate ambuscades in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Cavite Thursday night killing at least 14 people and wounding some nine others.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a news briefing, said that the Philippine National Police had already deployed additional security personnel to secure the candidates and civilians not only in Lanao del Norte but also in other election "hot spot" areas in the country.

Pagadian mayor asks CA to junk syndicated estafa case

PAGADIAN City Mayor Samuel Co turned to the Court of Appeals last week, asking it to junk the syndicated estafa case against him for lack of merit and alleged irregularities in the preparation of the complaint.

Co sought a temporary restraining order with the CA-Cagayan de Oro after the Iligan City Regional Trial Court branch 1 stood by its decision not to check if there was probable cause to put him to trial, his lawyer Trixie Angeles said Friday.

Binay hits Drilon for claiming 12-0 for Team PNoy

SENATOR Franklin Drilon is guilty of making people believe that administration senatorial candidates will sweep the 12 seats up for grabs in the May 13 polls, Vice President Jejomar Binay said Thursday.

Binay, stalwart of the rival United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), did not mince words in criticizing the Team PNoy campaign manager, saying a sweep for either coalition is a punch at the moon.

Binay takes credit for daughter’s rise in surveys

WITH his daughter continuously moving upward in surveys, Vice President Jejomar Binay admitted the favorable ratings could be attributed to his performance as the second most powerful person in the Philippines today.

"Isa sa mga magiging tulong kay Nancy ay dahil sa kung ano ang puno, siya ang bunga… Meron pa bang maggagarantiya na yung mga programang sinasabi na gaganda ang buhay kapag UNA (United Nationalist Alliance) ang sinamahan? O, eto, ako sinusundan niya," the Vice President told reporters on Thursday.

Escudero waives secrecy of bank accounts, submits SALN

SENATOR Francis Escudero has submitted his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and signed a bank waiver, granting the Office of the Ombudsman authority to scrutinize his bank accounts

Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees requires all government officials and personnel to submit sworn SALN documents within 30 days after assuming office and not later than April 30 every year thereafter.

Government ready to help Filipinos in Jeddah

THE Philippine government is ready to shoulder the fees and penalties that will be imposed on Filipinos camping outside the consulate in Saudi Arabia, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

Raul Hernandez, Foreign Affairs spokesman, assured in a press briefing that the department will shoulder the costs of repatriation of some 1,000 Filipinos camping outside the consulate in Jeddah if the Saudi Arabia government did not waive the penalties and fees.

Arbitral panel to hear Philippines case vs China complete

THE international arbitral tribunal that will hear the case filed by the Philippines against China on the West Philippine Sea dispute is finally complete with the appointment of three new panel members.

Raul Hernandez, Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesman, said in a press briefing Thursday that Itlos President Shunji Yanai appointed three more members to the five-member Unclos Arbitral Tribunal.

Aquino asks Cabinet to work harder after unchanged poverty level

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III said that he wants his Cabinet officials to work harder after the unchanged poverty level in the country for the past six years despite the growing economy.

The Chief Executive issued the statement during the interview by some members of the press Wednesday night at the sidelines of the 22nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Brunei Darussalam.

Philippines, Vietnam agree to further cooperate

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III and Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung have agreed to further enhance the cooperation of the two countries.

The two leaders held a bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the 22nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit held in Brunei Darussalam, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.

Cebuano company charged for smuggling sugar

ELEVEN people including seven officials of a Cebu-based freight service firm were charged with smuggling before the Department of Justice by the Bureau of Customs on Thursday for illegally sneaking in P10 million worth of sugar from Thailand.

They were Calorama Freight Services, Inc. president Judith Escudero; directors Carolina Rama, Democrito Rama, Christine Rama, Fatima Qui, Emeline Archival, Shiela Cecilia Ignacio; brokers Junrey Arreglo and Tita Austria; port dispatcher Rodilin Solidarios; and warehouse owner Jesse Yu.

Comelec junks with finality disqualification case vs Estrada

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed Thursday with finality the disqualification case filed against Manila mayoralty bet Joseph "Erap" Estrada.

In an en banc resolution, the Comelec denied for lack of merit the appeal filed by lawyer Alicia Vidal.

Comelec warns bets over surveys

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) warned Wednesday candidates against refusing to declare having spent for pre-election surveys, saying it now has a way to counter-check it.   Commissioner Christian Lim, head of the Comelec Campaign Finance Unit (CFU), said their resolution mandating surveying companies to disclose names of their survey sponsors, commissioners, and even subscribers would also be used against bets.   "They have to disclose it. They cannot just keep it a secret for themselves," said Lim in an interview.  

P7M earmarked for Aquino’s trip to Brunei

THE government has allocated around P7 million for President Benigno Aquino III's attendance to the 22nd high-level meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Brunei Darussalam from April 24 to 25, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said on Wednesday.

Senator bats higher budget for poverty reduction

SENATOR Franklin Drilon considers increasing the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in 2014 to lower the poverty incidence in the country.

"We will continue to address the socio-economic programs. (We will push for) increased budget of the DSWD in so far as the 4Ps program is concerned," Drilon, chairman of the Senate committee on finance, told reporters in a Team PNoy briefing Wednesday.

Drilon: Ilocos Sur guv assures Team PNoy of support

TEAM PNoy said Wednesday that its senatorial candidates no longer need to woo voters in the Ilocos Region, as Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson has already assured the administration coalition of his support.

"He said majority of Team PNoy will win in Ilocos Sur. Ang sabi niya sa akin (he told me) personally, 'huwag na kayo pumunta dun, ako na ang bahala' (No need to go there, I will take care)," Drilon said in a press briefing held at the Team PNoy headquarters in Makati.

De Lima to meet activist’s mom over security arrangement

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima will know on Thursday if the mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos will accept the security arrangement prepared by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

De Lima said she will meet Edita Burgos to discuss the department’s compliance with the temporary protection order issued recently by the Supreme Court, which was in response to the sensitive nature of the newly-discovered evidence on Jonas’ abduction.

Palace asks help from local bets vs NPA illegal activities

MALACAÑANG urged Tuesday the local candidates to help the government gather information to stop the illegal operations of the communist New People's Army (NPA), particularly its extortion activities.

In a press briefing, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte admitted that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has limitations and does not have the resources to guard all the hot spots in the country.

De Lima to consult DFA on Amalilio extradition

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday she will ask the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to assess if it is ripe for the Philippines to proceed with extradition and forfeiture proceedings against Aman Futures founder Manuel Amalilio.

In a chance interview, de Lima noticed that the tension in Sabah between the Malaysian security forces and followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III has "died down."

Brillantes, Lagman to debate over source code

CHALLENGE issued. Challenge accepted.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes challenged Tuesday his former colleague, Gus Lagman, to a debate on the source code and this was promptly accepted by the ex-poll commissioner.