PHL troops clash with suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu

In a press release, the AFP said soldiers of the 35th Infantry Battalion were scouring a forested area in Bungkaong village when they spotted five to 10 armed bandits at around 7:20 a.m.

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‘March of saints’ offers alternative to trick-or-treat in parishes

While children in many neighborhoods took part in trick-or-treating on the eve of All Saints' Day, those in some parishes participated in an alternative activity: the "march of saints."

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UK warns of heightened terror threat, reiterates caution on travel to parts of Mindanao

The United Kingdom over the weekend reiterated its advice to its nationals in the Philippines against travel to some parts of Mindanao as it warned of a heightened threat of terrorist attack "globally."

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CBCP social action arm sets up 1,600 houses for Yolanda survivors

At least 1,600 houses in nine dioceses have been built with help from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' social arm National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA).

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Cayetano: Binay scheme ‘Mafia-like’

Vice President Jejomar Binay may face another plunder complaint over the “systematic” and “Mafia-like” way he and his family allegedly hold on to their supposed illegal riches, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said Friday.

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No terror threat for Undas –military

The military on Friday said it has not monitored any threat during the All Saints' and All Souls' Day holidays, where thousands are expected to flock to cemeteries and the provinces to visit their departed loved ones.

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Sandiganbayan acquits former Zambo del Sur town mayor, six others

The Sandiganbayan has acquitted a former mayor of Lapuyan town in Zamboanga del Sur and six others from graft charges.

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Alan Cayetano dares opposition solons to cross-examine Mercado

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday dared the opposition to have minority bloc senators cross examine former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado and other witnesses against Vice President Jejomar Binay if it thought the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee had been unfair to the opposition leader.

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PNoy pays final respects to ex-Senator Flavier

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday paid his final respects to former Senator and Health secretary Juan Flavier, who passed away Thursday afternoon.

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Review of Cheaper Medicines Law implementation sought

A former lawmaker on Friday called for the review of the implementation of the Cheaper Medicines Law, saying more drugs should be covered by it.

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PNoy lowers real estate taxes for IPPs

With a looming power shortage next year, President Benigno Aquino III on Friday ordered the easing of real property taxes for independent power producers (IPPs) operating under build-operate-transfer (BOT) contracts.

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Alan Cayetano: Tiu could also be laundering money for Binays

Aside from being an alleged dummy of Vice President Jejomar Binay, businessman Antonio Tiu could also be laundering money for the second highest official of the land, Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said Friday.

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Govt making sure Laude slay case won’t be dismissed – Palace

The Philippine government is making sure that the murder complaint against a US Marine who allegedly killed Filipina transgender Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude will not be dismissed, a Malacañang spokesperson said Friday.

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Sueselbeck’s deportation a ‘win-win’ for German, military—AFP spokesperson

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday said the order of the Bureau of Immigrations to deport Marc Sueselbeck, fiancé of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, is a "win-win" situation for both parties.

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‘Huwag magtatampo,’ Cardinal Tagle asks groups vying to meet Pope Francis in PHL

Amid numerous request for an audience with Pope Francis when he visits the Philippines in January 2015, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Thursday asked groups to understand that not all of them may be accommodated.

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Traffic getting heavy on parts of NLEX as Undas exodus peaks

Traffic grew heavy on parts of the North Luzon Expressway as the yearly exodus for Undas (All Saints' and All Souls' Days) began to peak before noon Friday.

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Laude’s German fiancé to leave PHL on Nov. 1

Marc Sueselbeck, fiancé of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, is set to leave the Philippines on Saturday, two days after the Bureau of Immigration issued a deportation order against him.

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Erap visits FPJ tomb at Manila North Cemetery

Former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Friday visited the tomb of his close friend, actor Fernando Poe Jr., at the Manila North Cemetery.

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Senate panel urges Ombudsman to expedite probe on Purisima

A Senate panel has called on the Office of the Ombudsman to expedite the resolution of the complaints filed against PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima to ensure the integrity of the police force.

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SC shortens Oct. 31 work day in courts by 30 more minutes

The Supreme Court shortened by 30 more minutes the work day for courts nationwide for Friday, the eve of Undas (All Saints' and All Souls' Days).

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Bettor wins P46.578M in Superlotto draw

A lotto bettor is now nearly P50 million richer, after winning the jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office's Superlotto 6/49 draw Thursday night.

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UP Diliman info office inaccessible online until Nov. 3

The University of the Philippines' Diliman campus information office may be inaccessible until after Undas (All Saints' and All Souls' Days).

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Bells in 50k churches to ring on Yolanda anniversary Nov. 8

Bells in as many as 50,000 churches nationwide will ring simultaneously on Nov. 8 to mark the first anniversary of super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Thursday.

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2 suspected Kiram followers shot dead in Sabah —report

Two men believed to be followers of the late Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III were gunned down in Sabah on Thursday, Malaysia's Bernama news agency reported.

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COA testimony was on irregularities, not direct evidence in ‘pork’ scam – Ombudsman

It is misleading to say that the Commission on Audit did not find direct evidence to prove that Sen. Jinggoy Estrada benefited from the pork barrel scam, the Office of the Ombudsman said Thursday.

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Youth representative calls on Drilon to answer raps ‘conclusively’

The lawmaker who alleged that the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) was pricier than the iconic Bird’s Nest in Beijing on Thursday urged Senate President Franklin Drilon to “conclusively explain” before the Office of the Ombudsman his alleged involvement in the P700-million construction project.

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Juan Flavier's remains to lie in state at UP Diliman

The remains of former senator Juan Flavier, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 79, will lie in state at the Church of the Risen Lord at the Diliman campus of University of the Philippines Diliman. Members of the public can attend the wake from Friday morning until Monday afternoon.

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Palace declares half-day work in govt offices on Oct. 31

Malacañang on Thursday declared half-day work in government offices on Friday, October 31.

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Miriam says goodbye to ‘best friend’ Flavier

Colleagues and friends took to social media Thursday evening to sympathize with the family of the late former Health Secretary and Senator Juan Flavier.

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Public warned vs. fake priests blessing tombs

People going to the cemeteries for All Souls' and All Saints' Days have been warned against fake priests offering to bless the tombs of their departed loved ones for a fee.

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Ex-ally: Document signed by Elenita Binay shows ownership of Rosario property

Former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado on Thursday presented to the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee a document that supposedly proved that the Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family were the real owners of a controversial farm estate in Rosario, Batangas.

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Jinggoy dares Guingona, Blue Ribbon panel to probe Drilon

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday dared the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the allegation against Senate President Franklin Drilon with the same enthusiasm as in the case of Vice President Jejomar Binay if it was committed to ensuring the accountability of public officers.

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Party-list lawmakers clash over VP Binay at news forum

What was supposed to be an exchange of views the controversies hounding Vice President Jejomar Binay ended in a shouting match between two lawmakers at a news forum on Thursday.

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Ombudsman may ask SC to disallow opening of Luy’s bank accounts

The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday said it might ask the Supreme Court to prevent the Sandiganbayan 5th division from opening the bank accounts of Benhur Luy and other witnesses in the supposed multi-billion anomaly.

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VP Binay’s camp wants Mercado’s testimonies stricken off record

The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday urged the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee investigating irregularities linked to him to strike out from its records all the testimonies of former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado.

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House OKs bill barring bus stops from charging passengers for toilet use

Passengers may heave a sigh of relief after the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a bill prohibiting companies from collecting fees for the use of toilets and other sanitary facilities in bus stops and terminals.

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Cabinet execs dragged in Iloilo center issue for ‘media mileage’ – Palace

Cabinet officials are only being dragged in the alleged overpricing of the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) so that the issue will get more attention from the media, a Malacañang official said Thursday.

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Prosecutors see more delays in Ampatuan bail hearing

The camp of the main suspects in the high-profile Maguindanao massacre case has been accused of trying to further delay the bail proceedings after the new defense lawyer asked the court to defer the hearings until December.

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Ombudsman justifies motion to secure Bong Revilla’s assets

The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday justified its decision to file a motion seeking to secure the assets of Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., one of the senators charged in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam.

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Binay daughter’s Instagram posts used as evidence in Senate probe

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday presented photos posted on Instagram by Vice President Jejomar Binay's youngest daughter as evidence backing that Binay is the real owner of a sprawling farm estate in Rosario, Batangas.

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PNoy didn’t axe DOH chief Ona – Palace

Health Secretary Enrique Ona is not being eased out of the Cabinet, a Malacañang spokesperson said Thursday.

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House gives human rights victims until May 2015 to file claims

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure extending the period for the filing of claims by victims of human rights violations during the Marcos regime from November 2014 to May next year.

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Itinerary for Pope Francis’ 2015 PHL visit to be released later this year

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle on Thursday said the itinerary for the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines in January 2015 will be released later this year, following a visit from representatives of the Vatican.

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Youth solon wants House to probe expensive funeral, burial services

Two days before All Saints Day, a lawmaker has asked Congress to investigate the local death care industry amid reports that some funeral parlors offer substandard but pricey burial services.

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SC inches closer to resolving JPEPA petition

The Supreme Court has gone a step closer to resolving a six-year-old petition seeking to stop the implementation of the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

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Audio tape of VP Binay claiming Batangas property submitted to Senate

The audio recording of the interview in which Vice President Jejomar Binay admitted owning the Batangas farm estate was submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee now looking into allegations of hidden wealth against the country's second highest official.

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VFA an imperfect but necessary agreement, DFA chief says

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario admitted Thursday that there are flaws in the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and United States, but said abrogating it at this time would interrupt the two allies’ ongoing defense cooperation.

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Quit with the delaying tactics, Bong Revilla tells prosecution

Detained Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla on Thursday appealed to government lawyers to stop delaying the proceeding of his bail hearing.

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DOH chief goes on leave due to health reasons

Health Secretary Enrique Ona has gone on leave "for health reasons," Undersecretary Janette Garin said Thursday.

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DAR chief: Batangas property leased, not owned, by Tiu

Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes on Thursday faced a Senate panel seeking to unmask the real owner of a sprawling farm estate in Batangas province being linked to Vice President Jejomar Binay.

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