October 31 a working day, says Palace

Malacañang on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of President Benigno Aquino III declaring October 31, Friday, as a non-working holiday.

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Grace Poe to recommend further probe on Purisima’s ‘riches’

Inconsistencies in his testimony and lack of proper documents led Sen. Grace Poe to believe there is a discrepancy between Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima’s source of income and his acquired properties.

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Belmonte says House to pass P2.6-T budget on Wednesday

The House of Representatives is set to pass the P2.6-trillion national budget for 2015 on Wednesday despite the demand of two progressive lawmakers to again subject the appropriations bill to more debates because of the purported multibillion-peso worth of amendments the executive has proposed.

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Allegations against our family just part of politics – Elenita Binay

Former Makati Mayor Elenita Binay, wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay, on Tuesday dismissed the allegations against their family as part of politics.

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Palace reminds solons: PNoy wants VFA continued

A Malacañang spokesperson on Tuesday reminded administration lawmakers that President Benigno Aquino III wants the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States continued.

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Roxas thanks Erap for saying he’s not behind demolition job against VP Binay

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas on Tuesday thanked former President and now incumbent Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada for saying he is not behind a supposed demolition job against Vice President Jejomar Binay.

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VP Binay ready for the debate with Trillanes –spokesman

There is no backing out for Vice President Jejomar Binay in his debate with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who has accused him of corruption, his spokesman said Tuesday.

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Coast guard: 4K liters heavy fuel leaked from Sual power plant; charges eyed vs plant operators

The Philippine Coast Guard is eyeing charges against the operator of the Sual power plant, following an oil leak there.

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De Lima: BI to decide Sueselbeck’s voluntary deportation

The Bureau of Immigration has the final say whether to grant German Marc Sueselbeck's request for voluntary deportation, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Tuesday.

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Laude family to ask BI to declare Pemberton as ‘undesirable alien’

The family of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude is set to file a motion before the Bureau of Immigration to declare murder suspect US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton as an "undesirable alien."

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No date yet for Binay’s appearance in Building II probe –Guingona

The Senate blue ribbon committee has yet to set a date for the hearing allowing Vice President Jejomar Binay to personally answer the corruption allegations being hurled against him.

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PNoy shuts down possibility of second term: ‘It’s not the right solution’

President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday shut down the possibility of seeking a second term.

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Sueselbeck on possible ban in PHL: Worst punishment for ‘stupid thing’

Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiancé of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, has filed a motion for voluntary deportation in connection with the undesirability case filed against him before the Bureau of Immigration. "Worst punishment they can do is to ban me permanently," Sueselbeck said. "What else do they want from me? I am not charged for any crime, it was just a very stupid thing, and I have apologized for it," he added.

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LTO warns vs. illegal use of special, protocol plates

Motorists were warned anew against abusing special and protocol plates, even if it is just to avoid the number coding scheme.

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Sueselbeck asks for voluntary deportation

Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiance of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, on Tuesday said he will ask the Bureau of Immigration for voluntary deportation.

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Gov't needs to re-engineer policies on hunger – Sen. Poe

Senator Grace Poe on Monday called for the comprehensive re-engineering of the government’s policies on hunger and malnutrition, given that at least 9.3 million Filipino families considered themselves as “food-poor” and 7.36 million children below the age of five were malnourished.

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Prosecution panel rejects Pemberton motion to reduce charge to homicide

Prosecutors on Monday rejected a motion filed by the camp of US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton seeking to reduce the murder complaint filed against him to homicide, saying it would be premature to do so. "Do not teach us what to do. We will base our resolution on the evidence that we've gathered," Olongapo City Chief Prosecutor Emilie Fe Delos Santos said during the proceedings, which lasted less than an hour.

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Binay daughter linked to aviary inside controversial farm estate

Several birds, including exotic ones, in an aviary inside the sprawling estate in Batangas allegedly owned by Vice President Jejomar Binay are registered under the name of her daughter, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay.

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Sen. Binay confirms membership in Tagaytay Highlands, denies owning home there

Senator Nancy Binay said Monday that she is a member of Tagaytay Highlands but denied owning any unit there.

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Prosecution: Jinggoy’s motion vs. Luy’s testimony ‘lacks merit’

Government prosecutors have asked the Sandiganbayan to deny Senator Jinggoy Estrada's motion asking the court to suppress the use of Benhur Luy's ledger as evidence in the plunder and graft cases filed against him in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam.

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‘Underdog’ Trillanes confident in debate vs. VP Binay

As a former soldier, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV sees himself as the underdog in his forthcoming debate with Vice President Jejomar Binay, whom he is accusing of corruption.

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You’ll meet Pemberton, prosecutor assures Laude family

OLONGAPO CITY — The chief city prosecutor handling the case of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude on Monday assured Laude's family that they will meet the American who was named suspect in the killing.

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DFA tells military to keep mum on Pemberton

Only the Department of Foreign Affairs is authorized to answer questions on US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton, the main suspect in the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, the chief of the armed forces said Monday.

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Palace exec asks VP Binay: Who are you really attacking?

Vice President Jejomar Binay should identify the real target of his criticisms, President Benigno Aquino III's spokesman said Monday.

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Ex-JLN Corp. employee: Jinggoy attends Napoles parties almost every year

A former employee of Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the multi-billion pork barrel fund scam, on Monday corroborated the testimony of primary whistleblower Benhur Luy that Senator Jinggoy Estrada was a frequent guest in some of the parties organized by controversial businesswoman.

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Laude kin ask AFP to allow them to see Pemberton

The family of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude on Monday formally asked the military to allow them to see US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton, the suspect in the October 11 killing currently detained in Camp Aguinaldo.

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Despite SWS poll, Palace insists anti-poverty efforts are working

Malacañang on Monday maintained that the government's anti-poverty measures are working despite a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) showing a rise in the number of Filipinos who consider themselves poor.

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Church remains most trusted PHL institution, government the least – 3rd PHL Trust Index

The Church and the Academe are the most trusted institutions among Filipinos, while Government and Non-Governmental Organizations are the least, according to the latest Philippine Trust Index released Monday by EON Stakeholder Relations.

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Senate to implement Revilla, Cambe suspensions next month

The Senate has decided to implement next month the 90-day suspension orders against Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. and his staff, lawyer Richard Cambe, who are both detained over plunder and graft charges.

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Palace backs Immigration move to bar Sueselbeck from leaving PHL

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) was correct in barring Marc Sueselbeck, German fiancé of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, from leaving the Philippines on Sunday, a Malacañang spokesman said Monday.

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No to revival of death penalty, CBCP reiterates

Saying the death penalty has failed to curb criminality, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on Monday reiterated its stance against calls to revive capital punishment.

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Govt wants to secure P224M worth of Revilla assets

Government prosecutors on Monday filed a motion seeking to secure the assets of Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. equivalent to the amounts of kickbacks he allegedly received from the supposed multi-billion pork barrel fund scam.

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Unliquidated cash advances of govt agencies reach P10B – COA

The unliquidated cash advances of government agencies in 2013 ballooned to some P10 billion, about 25 times the amount recorded the previous year, the Commission on Audit (COA) found.

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Over 50,000 pass teacher licensure exams –PRC

A total of 25,301 elementary teachers out of 70,786 examinees (35.74%) and 26,767 secondary teachers out of 77,803 examinees (34.40%) passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (L.E.T.) given last August 17, 2014, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Monday.

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Oplans Nognog, Maligno just ‘political noise’ —Palace

Malacañang described on Monday supposed campaigns to discredit possible presidential candidates for the 2016 polls, such as "Oplan Nognog" and "Oplan Maligno" as "political noise."

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Pemberton snubs prelim probe anew

Suspect US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton was again a no-show at the preliminary investigation on the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude in Olongapo City on Monday.

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Soldier pushed by Laude’s fiance cited by AFP

The soldier who blocked the sister and the German fiance of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude from entering the compound where suspect Joseph Scott Pemberton is being detained last week was cited on Monday for not using force against the two.

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Akbayan Rep. Bello files joint resolution seeking to terminate VFA

Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello on Monday filed a joint resolution calling for the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, claiming the US is using the treaty to evade accountability for the crimes its soldiers are implicated in.

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Steel railings set up anew outside Olongapo venue of Laude preliminary probe

Steel railings were again placed outside the Olongapo City Hall of Justice hours before the resumption of the preliminary investigation into the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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Some commuters in Cebu reported stranded due to protest caravan

Some commuters in Cebu were reported stranded Monday morning due to a protest caravan by militant public transport drivers and operators.

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Avoid carrying too much baggage, Coast Guard advises Undas travelers

Filipinos taking sea vessels to their home provinces for Undas (All Saints' and All Souls' Days) were advised Monday to avoid carrying too much baggage for the trip.

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Militant transport groups start protest in NCR, Cebu

Militant transport groups in parts of Metro Manila and Cebu started early Monday their protest actions against a joint admimistrative order imposing heavier penalties on colorums and other traffic violations.

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12.1M families consider themselves poor – SWS Q3 poll

A third quarter 2014 survey taken by pollster Social Weather Stations estimated that around 12.1 million families considered themselves poor.

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PHL thanks US Jewish community anew for Yolanda assistance

Philippine officials in the United States over the weekend thanked the Jewish community there anew for their assistance to residents affected by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year.

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Church starts gathering signatures for people's initiative vs. pork barrel

The signature campaign for the people's initiative against pork barrel was launched on Sunday with a sign-up booth set up outside Quiapo Church in Manila.

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Sueselbeck rushed to hospital after being blocked from leaving

Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiance of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, was rushed to a hospital Sunday evening after he was barred from leaving the Philippines.

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House bill makes chief justice interim president in case of failed elections

In case of a general failure of national polls, who is supposed to lead the country when the president- and vice president-elect have not yet been proclaimed, and the Senate and House of Representatives have yet to elect their leaders?

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House seen to OK budget on Wednesday despite solon’s threat of going to SC

The chair of the House appropriations committee is determined to have the P2.6-trillion national budget passed by Wednesday despite a progressive lawmaker’s threat to go to the Supreme Court if House leaders block the discussion of the errata inserted in the general appropriations bill (GAB).

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Bar examinees file out of UST as test ends

Some of year's Bar examinees started filing out of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila past 5 p.m. on Sunday.

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De Lima: BI to bar Sueselbeck from leaving PHL

Marc Sueselbeck, the German fiance of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, will not be allowed to leave the country because he will have to face deportation proceedings first, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Sunday.

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