US envoy underscores commitment to PHL amid Laude slay controversy

US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Golberg on Monday underscored his country's commitment to the Philippines amid the alleged involvement of a US Marine in the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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Despite SWS survey, VP Binay still won’t attend Senate probe —Remulla

Vice President Jejomar Binay has no plans of facing a Senate inquiry on corruption allegations against him despite the result of a survey showing that majority of Filipinos want him to.

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US helping ‘liberate’ Yolanda victims, says PHL envoy to US

Like it did 70 years ago, the United States is helping liberate the Philippines, this time from the devastation brought by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year.

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79% want VP Binay to face Senate probe – SWS poll

Nearly four out of five Filipinos want Vice President Jejomar Binay to appear before a Senate sub-committee that is investigating corruption allegations against him, a survey by pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS) concluded.

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Revised Vatican document on gays ‘not a total loss’, Pinoy LGBT rights advocates say

Although disappointed in the outcome of the final version of a Vatican document that was supposed to "welcome homosexuals" in the Catholic Church, Filipino leaders of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups lauded the Church for at least discussing homosexuality.

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Jennifer Laude’s mother cries for justice, demands that suspect attend hearing

The mother of slain transgender woman Jennifer Laude on Sunday demanded that the United States government bring forward US soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton, the man suspected of killing her child.

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Senate set to pass ban on chemical weapons as session resumes

The Senate will try to pass several important pieces of legislation, including a bill prohibiting chemical weapons, when it resumes plenary sessions on Monday, Oct. 20 after a three-week break.

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PHL Coast Guard to raise alert for Undas starting Oct. 24

Anticipating an exodus to the provinces starting his coming weekend, the Philippine Coast Guard will raise its alert for Undas (All Saints' and All Souls' Days) later this week.

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US to cooperate in probe over killing of Filipino

MANILA — The United States said Saturday it would cooperate with a Philippine prosecutor's effort to question a murder suspect and four other US Marines over the killing of a transgender Filipino.

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List of flights canceled due to bad weather

At least four flights were canceled Sunday due to bad weather, the Department of Transportation and Communications said.

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US Embassy: Appearance before PHL prosecutor up to Pemberton, lawyer

The US Embassy will leave it to Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton whether to appear before the Olongapo City Prosecutor's Office for his preliminary investigation over the killing of transgender woman Jennifer Laude.

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Group pushes passage of anti-hunger bill

A group marked World Food Day last Thursday by calling for the passage of a bill ensuring adequate food for Filipinos.

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MIAA reminds air passengers: Integration of terminal fee with ticket starts Nov. 1

For airline passengers using the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, their terminal fees will be integrated into their airline tickets starting November 1.

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PNP to go on full alert for ‘Undas’

In anticipation of Filipinos flocking to cemeteries on Undas (All Saints' and All Souls' Days), the Philippine National Police has announced it will be on full alert on those days.

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Palace to Laude lawyer: VFA is separate issue

Malacañang on Saturday reminded Harry Roque, the lawyer of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude's family, to keep the issue of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) separate from the case he is handling.

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Japan to provide firetrucks, ambulances for cyclone-hit areas in PHL

Japan is providing firetrucks and ambulances to cyclone-affected areas in the Philippines, including those hit by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year.

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Palace: PNoy concerned over freed Germans’ health

Malacañang on Saturday said President Benigno Aquino III is concerned over the health of the two freed German hostages who had been held by the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu since April.

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German foreign ministry thanks PHL govt for release of hostages

Germany on Saturday thanked the Philippine government for Friday night's release of two Germans abducted and held by the Abu Sayyaf since April.

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Palace: Aquino to attend 70th Leyte Gulf Landing anniversary

President Benigno Aquino III will be in Leyte this coming week to attend the anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landing, Malacañang said Saturday.

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AFP spokesman rebukes critics speculating on German hostages’ release

Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc on Saturday lashed out at critics insinuating Abu Sayyaf bandits freed their German hostages after ransom was paid, and not through military action.

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US envoy to visit Yolanda-hit town before attending Leyte Gulf Landing anniversary

United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg will visit Palo town in Leyte this Monday, before attending the 70th anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landing.

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Palace: Govt taking proactive measures vs. Ebola

Malacañang on Saturday reassured the public the government is taking proactive measures against the possible entry and spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in the Philippines.

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AFP: Alleged ransom payment for freed Germans Abu Sayyaf’s propaganda

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Saturday denied any negotiation or payment of ransom for the release of two German nationals who were abducted by bandit group Abu Sayyaf in Sulu last April.

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BI: Student visa section transferring to new office Oct. 20

Starting next Monday, October 20, the Bureau of Immigration's student visa section will transfer to a new office in Quezon City.

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AFP: Freed Germans arrive in Manila

Following their release Friday night, two German nationals abducted by the Abu Sayyaf were brought to Metro Manila early Saturday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.

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Palace: Pursuit vs. Abu Sayyaf to continue after Germans’ release

After Friday night's release of two German hostages held by the Abu Sayyaf, the government on Saturday vowed to continue operations against the group. In Malacañang, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said, "Our security forces will continue efforts to stem the tide of criminality perpetrated by bandit elements." Coloma added the Philippine government will maintain its "no ransom" policy in dealing with kidnapping.

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NAIA personnel fear Ebola infection despite specialized training

Personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are afraid that they might contract Ebola from incoming passengers, saying they are not prepared for contact with an infected traveler.

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CBCP to help spread information on ebola

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines will help the government prevent the spread of ebola among Filipinos by conducting its own education campaign on the virus and the disease it brings.

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Equipment vs. Ebola may not be enough in case of outbreak in PHL

The amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Ebola isolation rooms in the country may not be enough in case of an outbreak, a doctor from the Lung Center of the Philippines admitted Friday.

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Medical marijuana could be gateway to drug abuse, groups warn

Various groups have thumbed down a move to legalize medical marijuana in the Philippines, saying allowing use of the drug for medical purposes could lead to its abuse, a report on GMA 7's "24 Oras" said on Friday.

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US Marine tagged in Jeffrey Laude slay gets subpoena

The US Embassy in Manila received on Friday afternoon the subpoena for the US Marine who was tagged in the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude over the weekend, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

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Ombudsman to file plunder raps vs. ex-Rep. Valdez, Napoles over PDAF scam

The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to indict former Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives Party-list Rep. Edgar Valdez, as well as businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and her driver and bodyguard, John Raymund De Asis, with plunder in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

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PHL rebuffs request to send medics to Ebola-hit areas

The Philippines has rebuffed a US request to dispatch medical workers to Ebola-hit regions, with the health ministry saying boosting the country's defences against any local outbreaks was the priority.

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Napoles lawyer says ‘pork’ projects implemented

The lawyer of alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles on Friday insisted that some projects funded by the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) of lawmakers were implemented.

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DFA: Subpoena for Pemberton on its way to US Embassy

The Department of Foreign Afairs is about to deliver the subpoena to the US Embassy in Manila for the US Marine who was tagged in the killing of Filipino transgender Jeffrey Laude.

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AFP reiterates: No negotiations with Abu Sayyaf holding 2 Germans

The Armed Forces of the Philippines remains firm against negotiating with the Abu Sayyaf group for the release of German nations who were abducted in Sulu.

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Mom of slain transpinay vows to fight case ‘until the end’

A fight to the end. The mother of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude said in a television interview Friday that she will reject any attempts of an out-of-court settlement should the murder complaint against US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton reaches the court.

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Criticizing DOJ won’t prove VP Binay’s innocence, De Lima says

Crying "selective justice" and questioning the Department of Justice's jurisdiction over allegations of corruption will do Vice President Jejomar Binay no good, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said on Friday.

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NBI deploys 2 teams to probe Binays, others

The National Bureau of Investigation has deployed not one but two separate teams of agents to probe allegations of appropriation irregularities and ill-gotten wealth of Vice President Jejomar Binay, his family, and alleged cohorts.

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Anti-coal groups slam efforts to grant PNoy emergency powers

Thousands of Filipino environmental activists joining the Global Day of Action Against Coal on Friday called on the government to stop efforts seeking to grant President Benigno Aquino III emergency powers, purportedly to avert a looming power crisis.

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List of flights canceled due to bad weather on Oct. 17

At least two domestic flights were canceled Friday afternoon due to bad weather.

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Indian tries to enter PHL as a fake air traffic controller

Human smuggling rings at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport appear to have become more brazen, with those involved pretending to be airport employees to skip immigration checks.

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Pemberton summons sent to DFA, says Laude lawyer

Prosecutors have sent a summons for Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton over the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, according to the Laude family's lawyer, Harry Roque Jr., who said the summons will be coursed through the Department of Foreign Affairs.

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Napoles defends Revilla over alleged P87M unexplained wealth

Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains behind the pork barrel scam, on Friday came to the defense of Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. over the alleged P87 million unexplained wealth found in his bank accounts at the height of the supposed scam.

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Spare us from controversy hounding VP Binay, Boy Scouts ask public

Spare us. This was the appeal Friday of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines to the public amid the controversy hounding their national president, Vice President Jejomar Binay.

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VP Binay asked PNoy to stop DOJ probe on Building II

Vice President Jejomar Binay tried to persuade President Benigno Aquino to stop the Department of Justice from probing the accusations against him, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Friday. Binay's camp promptly denied Trillanes' latest allegation.

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PNP to verify Sereno’s claim police fail to enforce court orders

The Philippine National Police on Friday said it will look into Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno's claim that police have been failing to enforce court orders in recent years.

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Napoles denies authorizing whistleblowers to withdraw pork funds

Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged mastermind behind the multibillion-peso pork barrel fund scam, on Friday denied authorizing members of her staff to withdraw huge amounts of money from the bank accounts of several non-government organizations (NGOs).

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Palace assures Laude family: PHL govt intent on seeking justice

The Philippine government is "intent on pursuing justice" for slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, Malacañang assured the victim's family on Friday.

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Subpoena ready for suspect in Jeffrey Laude killing –De Lima

A subpoena may soon be served to the US serviceman accused of killing 26-year-old Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude in Olongapo City last weekend, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Friday.

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