Politics

MANILA, Philippines - An opposition legislator forced Sara Duterte's Office of the Vice President (OVP) to admit that cash was used to distribute the P125 million it received in 2022, but it argued the confidential fund was depleted in 19 days, not 11. "Was the P125 million disbursed in cash?The OVP was questioned by House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela on September 27 during discussions on the House's planned 2024 budget. OVP's budget sponsor, Davao de Oro 1st District Representative Maria Carmen Zamora, responded, "That is correct." Brosas was shocked by the revelation and had trouble conceiving how…

(UPDATE) According to independent pollster OCTA Research, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte's performance and trust ratings declined in the second quarter. Marcos' trust ratings were 75 percent in the second quarter of the Tugon ng Masa Survey, which was performed from July 22 to July 26, 2023. This is an 8 percent decline from the first quarter's 83 percent trust rating. Only 8% of Filipinos have mistrust for him, while 17% of Filipino adults are unsure. The National Capital Region and socioeconomic classes D and E had the greatest trust ratings for the President, both at…

An organization called Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI), which is accused of abusing children in Surigao del Norte's Socorro town, declared that it was ready to cooperate with any unbiased investigation. In an interview with Marisol Abdurahman for "24 Oras Weekend," the group's leader, Jey Rence Quilario, also known as "Senior Aguila, remarked, "Ang hiling ko lang is 'yung fair naman, fair." (All I ask is for fairness.) The accusations, Quilario said, had harmed him and that no one from the government had ever shown up to conduct an investigation. “Wala naman. Wala naman talagang nangyari dito. Meron naman mga…