'Your friend killed my friend': What Pemberton's Marine pals recall about night of Laude killing

Three colleagues of US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton have revealed what they remember about what happened on the night Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude was killed.

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Osmeña wants to cut APECO’s budget to P40 million

Instead of a proposed budget of P250 million for 2015, Senator Sergio Osmeña III will be pushing for a caretaker budget of only 40 million for the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), saying it is just a waste of people’s money.

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Cayetano to bare documents showing VP Binay owns Batangas property on Wednesday

All documents lead to Vice President Jejomar Binay as the owner of the 350-hectare property in Batangas, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said Tuesday, a day before the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee resumes its hearing on the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building II.

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Sandiganbayan allows Mike Arroyo to travel to HK, Japan

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Tuesday allowed former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo to travel to Hong Kong and Japan.

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Pangasinan governor, 13 others face graft charges over black sand mining

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of graft charges against Pangasinan governor Amado Espino and 13 others for allegedly engaging in illegal black sand mining trade in the Lingayen Gulf area.

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Defaced Lotto ticket keeps Batangas man from being a multimillionaire

Even with several lawmakers on his side, Calaca, Batangas resident Antonio Mendoza is not getting his P12 million, the amount he claimed to have won in a 6/42 Lotto draw earlier this month. At least not yet.

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Palace: Yolanda rehab undertaken prior to master plan’s approval

The government started rebuilding areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) even prior to President Benigno Aquino III's approval of the rehabilitation master plan, Malacañang clarified Tuesday.

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Prosecution wants Pemberton to attend Oct. 27 prelim probe

The prosecution panel in the Jeffrey Laude slay case on Tuesday asked that Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, the main suspect, be allowed to attend the next preliminary investigation on Monday, October 27.

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Pemberton no-show at preliminary investigation for Laude slay

OLONGAPO CITY - US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, the suspect in the killing of Filipino transgender Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude in Olongapo City, did not attend the murder case's preliminary investigation on Tuesday.

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VP Binay on critics: They want me out of 2016 polls

Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is facing a corruption probe at the Senate and the Ombudsman, on Tuesday said various allegations have been thrown against him because his critics want him out of the 2016 presidential elections.

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EDCA oral arguments set for Nov. 18

Oral arguments for the petitions contesting the legality of the Philippines' Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States will be held on November 18, Supreme Court Public Information Office chief and spokesperson Theodore Te said Tuesday.

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SC affirms dismissal of Sandiganbayan Justice Gregory Ong

The Supreme Court has affirmed its earlier decision to dismiss Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gregory Ong over his supposed links with alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

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Kerry: US not seeking special treatment for Pemberton

The United States will not seek special treatment for US Marines Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton in the investigation on the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude in Olongapo City, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.

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De Lima: DOJ probe vs. VP Binay in support of Ombudsman investigation

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said there was no problem in considering the probe being conducted by her department as a support effort to the Ombudsman's investigation on the corruption allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay.

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De Lima: ‘Appropriate’ to demand custody of Pemberton when arrest warrant comes out

While the government plans to insist on getting custody of US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, the "appropriate time" to do so will be when the court has issued a warrant of arrest against him, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday.

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Militants picket Olongapo hall of justice before Pemberton’s prelim investigation

Militant groups picketed before noon Tuesday the Olongapo City Hall of Justice where the preliminary investigation of Pfc. Joseph Pemberton, the suspect in the killing of transgender woman Jennifer Laude, was to take place.

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Kin, ‘Barbie’ to attend Senate probe on Laude’s killing

The family of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude and one of the witnesses have confirmed their attendance to the Senate probe on the killing set on Wednesday.

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DOH sets up triage screening tents for potential Ebola, MERS-CoV cases

The Department of Health on Tuesday set up a triage screening tent for potential cases of Ebola virus disease and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City.

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Laude’s German fiancé dares Pemberton: Face slay probe

Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiancé of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, has challenged suspect US Marines Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton to face the investigation on the killing, a television report said Tuesday.

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CBCP: Slow judicial process a continued bane for prisoners

The country's slow justice system remains a bane for most prisoners languishing in jails with poor conditions, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Tuesday.

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Pre-trial hearing of Tiamzon couple deferred anew; rallyists outnumber cops

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 81 on Tuesday deferred the pre-trial hearing of suspected communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon over the kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases filed against them.

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9 Fil-Am groups to get $100k for projects in Yolanda-affected areas

At least nine Filipino-American groups will get $100,000 (P4.485 million) grants from a group seeking to help victims of super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) rebuild their lives and communities.

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Picket prompts suspension of work at QC Hall of Justice

No thanks to an early morning picket by militant groups, court hearings at the Quezon City Hall of Justice were suspended for the day on Tuesday. The militants picketed the facility to demand the release of so-called political prisoners - including Communist Party of the Philippines "power couple" Wilma and Benito Tiamzon.

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Cops, barricades secure Olongapo Hall of Justice for Pemberton prelim probe

Barricades and uniformed police personnel secured the Olongapo City Hall of Justice for the preliminary investigation of US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton over the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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PHL has primary custody over US servicemen involved in crimes in the country —lawyer

A lawyer clarified that the Philippines has the automatic jurisdiction over a US serviceman involved in a crime in the country, a report on State of the Nation with Jessica Soho aired on Monday said.

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Violence against gays ‘contrary to Gospel spirit’, CBCP head reminds Catholics

Violence, whether verbal or physical, against homosexuals is an offense against God, the head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Sunday night.

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PNoy: Yolanda rehab taking time because of procedures

The rehabilitation of areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) is taking time to complete because the government wants to do it right, President Benigno Aquino III said Monday.

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Speaker Belmonte: VFA needed for PHL’s defense posture

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Monday thumbed down proposals to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) despite the alleged involvement of a US Marine in the recent death of a transgender Filipina, saying the incident should not affect the Philippines’ defense strategy.

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CA allows De Lima to resolve review plea of Gerry Ortega kin

The Court of Appeals has allowed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to resolve the petition filed by the family of slain environmentalist Gerry Ortega against the junking of complaint against the suspects, which include former Palawan governor Joel Reyes.

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Show up at Senate probe, Belmonte urges Binay

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Monday urged Vice President Jejomar Binay to finally appear at the Senate to answer allegations of corruption raised against him and his family at hearings there.

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Laude’s fiancé emotional at wake, continues to seek justice

Marc Sueselbeck turned emotional the moment he saw the remains of Jeffrey (Jennifer) Laude in Ologanpo City, a report on 24 Oras on Monday showed.

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Chief NDFP negotiator accuses military of war crimes in Abra

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) committed "atrocious war crimes" during military operations in Lacub, Abra last September, the chairman of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) negotiating panel said Monday.

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Senate OKs bill prohibiting chemical weapons

Voting 15-0, the Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to prohibit the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons in the country.

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JV Ejercito: VP Binay should answer allegations before Senate panel

Even an ally of Vice President Jejomar Binay believes he should answer the allegations of corruption being hurled against him at the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee.

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Demand attendance of 4 US Marines in Laude death probe, DFA, DOJ told

Senator Francis Escudero on Monday said the Foreign Affairs and Justice Departments should immediately get in touch with their counterparts and demand the attendance of the four US Marines who were witnesses in the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude.

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Jinggoy: My only mistake was endorsing Napoles NGOs

In denying his supposed involvement in the alleged P10-billion peso pork barrel fund scam Monday, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada made one admission: that he did endorse Napoles-owned NGOs.

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Trillanes denies buying overpriced multicabs

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday denied that he bought overpriced multicabs costing P300,000 each through his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), as accused by the United Nationalist Alliance.

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4 US Marine witnesses to Jeffrey Laude slay already out of PHL –DFA

Four members of the US Marines summoned by the Olongapo City Prosecutor's Office in connection with the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude have already left the county, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

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PNoy confirms telling VP Binay: Talk to senators, not me, on corruption probe

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday confirmed refusing Vice President Jejomar Binay's request for him to talk to some senators about the ongoing investigation on corruption allegations against the Binays.

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Jinggoy camp blocks Benhur’s testimony on computer files

The bail hearing of detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Monday was cut short after the defense team moved to block principal whistleblower Benhur Luy's testimony on the alleged record of anomalous pork barrel transactions.

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Ex-Arroyo poll lawyer dares LGUs to close establishments violating Senior Citizens Law

Election lawyer turned senior citizen rights advocate Romulo Macalintal on Monday challenged local government units to close down establishments found to be violating the Senior Citizens Law.

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Aquino orders relentless offensive vs. Abu Sayyaf

President Benigno Aquino III wants a relentless hunt against the Abu Sayyaf Group members after the bandits released two German captives last week.

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Flower prices start going up as All Saints’ Day draws near

Prices of flowers started going up in Metro Manila as All Saints' and All Souls' Days draw closer.

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Jeffrey Laude’s mom willing to forgive slay suspect

The mother of slain transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude said she is willing to forgive the US serviceman accused of killing her child, but vowed to continue her family's fight for justice.

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PNoy: No reason to junk VFA after Laude slay

between the Philippines and the United States (US) despite the alleged involvement of an American soldier in the killing of Filipina transgender Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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Jeffrey Laude’s German fiancé arrives in PHL

Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiancé of slain Filipina transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, arrived in the country on Monday to pay his last respects to the victim whose remains lie in Olongapo City.

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Miriam wants witnesses in Laude’s killing to appear before Senate panel

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Monday asked Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to allow two witnesses in the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude in Olongapo City to testify before a Senate panel.

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Senate wants to know PHL’s preparedness for Ebola

Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chair of the Senate committee on health, on Monday said a hearing will be conducted on Wednesday to determine the preparedness of the country's frontline agencies in dealing with the possible spread of Ebola in Asia.

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PNoy to PHL’s wartime allies: Honor peace, never again to war

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday rallied the Philippines' wartime allies behind peaceful resolution to modern-day conflicts between countries.

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De Lima: Olongapo prosecutor to insist on Pemberton’s appearance in prelim probe

The Olongapo City prosecutor will insist on the personal appearance of US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton at Tuesday's preliminary investigation of the killing of transgender Jennifer Laude, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Monday.

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