Politics

Weeks after the Malolos court ruled in favour of Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Raymond Manalo, the witness who helped lead to Palparan's conviction in a 2018 case, filed a plea for reconsideration in his abduction case on Tuesday. Manalo said that their evidence was adequate to show a conspiracy including Palparan and the two other accused, and sought that the Malolos Regional Trial Court reconsider its ruling. Palparan was exonerated on October 6 by Malolos RTC Branch 19 because to discrepancies in the accuser's identification and the elements of the crime alleged. "This is to humbly submit that the Honourable…

Due to suspected campaign infractions, the Commission on Elections issued show cause orders against hundreds of Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) candidates. "As of yesterday, roughly 341 [candidates] were already given show cause for engaging in illegal campaigning," Comelec chair George Garcia stated in a Saturday interview with Dobol B TV in Filipino speaking. In addition to the placement of campaign materials in unapproved locations, instances of enormous campaign posters are among the purported infractions. In conjunction with the BSKE, the poll body last Friday initiated a simultaneous nationwide "operation baklas" to remind candidates to abide by election regulations.…

Philippines' Manila According to the head of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), drug lords serving sentences at the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in the province of Occidental Mindoro are allegedly "moving heaven and earth" to be transferred back to the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City, where they can allegedly continue their drug operations in the capital area even behind bars. On Wednesday, Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. sent BuCor authorities an order to closely monitor the actions of SPPF detainees. The order was based on information that the inmates were being "recruited" by drug lords to stage a…

Philippines' Manila A coalition of Martial Law victims stated on Thursday that passing legislation designating the EDSA People Power anniversary as a regular holiday is crucial to maintaining the legacy of the Filipino people's fight against Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s dictatorship. The bill introduced by Representative Edcel Lagman (Albay) to make February 25th, the anniversary of EDSA, a regular national non-working holiday was well received by the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (CARMMA). The day, which commemorated the overthrow of the father and namesake of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., was left from the list of…

Philippines' Manila The Maharlika Investment Fund will be operational by the end of 2023, according to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who made this announcement on Thursday. This is despite the government's ongoing efforts to optimize and improve the sovereign wealth fund. "The Maharlika Fund is coming together quickly. However, what I have done is identify more areas for improvement, particularly with regard to the Maharlika Fund's organizational structure, Marcos stated on Thursday. "We're committed to having the Maharlika Fund operational before the end of the year, and the concept of the fund as a sovereign fund remains sound," he…

Philippines' Manila The list of regular and special holidays for the upcoming year was issued by Malacañang on Friday, October 13. Proclamation 3268, which established regular holidays and extraordinary non-working holidays for 2024, was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. National holidays attributed to Islamic holidays, such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, will be declared after the roughly defined days specified by the Islamic calendar. Regular holidays January 1 (Monday) New Year’s Day March 28 (Thursday) Maundy Thursday March 29 (Friday) Good Friday April 9 (Tuesday) Araw ng Kagitingan May 1 (Wednesday) Labor Day June 12 (Wednesday) Independence Day…

Philippines' Manila Jeff Tumbado, a former executive assistant of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), has recanted his accusations of corruption directed at Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III and other officials. In an affidavit signed on Wednesday, Tumbado, a former executive assistant to the suspended Guadiz, said that Guadiz's claims were the result of "impulse, irrational thinking, poor decision-making, and misjudgment." After considerable thought and consideration, Tumbado declared, "It is my sincere desire to reiterate that any accusations made during the press conference on October 9, 2023, where the public declaration was made, were all unintentional and misguided." He…