De Lima: NBI has yet to probe death of Binay accuser’s partner in 2002

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday clarified that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has never investigated the death of the live-in partner of former Makati vice mayor Ernesto Mercado, a chief accuser of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

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Some Borongan residents eye hospitals as evacuation sites

Some residents in Eastern Samar are planning to stay in rooms in hospitals just to get to safer from approaching Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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PNoy to media: Report Ruby responsibly

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday appealed to the media to report responsibly on Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit), which threatens to hit central Philippines on Saturday.

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VP Binay to media: Be fair to people accused of corruption

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday lamented being the "flavor of the months" as he appealed to the media to give equal treatment even to those accused of corruption.

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Thousands stranded as PHL braces for super typhoon Ruby

Ports were shut across the country, leaving thousands of travellers stranded, and some local governments ordered forced evacuations on Friday as super-typhoon Ruby (international name: Hagupit) swept toward eastern coasts of the archipelago.

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PNoy not keen on seeking lower govt post after 2016

After ruling out the possibility of seeking another term, President Benigno Aquino III on Friday said he is not keen on running for a lower government post after he relinquishes his post in 2016.

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Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) Person Finder and Crisis Map

If you are worried about someone in any of the areas hit by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit), or if you're directly affected by the storm and want to inform your loved ones of your whereabouts, please fill out the following form. Your information will be entered into Google's People Finder database.

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LTFRB suspends bus trips to E. Visayas; residents evacuated in Iloilo

On orders of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, bus trips have been suspended from Metro Manila to Eastern Visayas, where Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) is expected to make landfall this weekend.

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PAGASA monitoring Angat's water level in anticipation of Typhoon Ruby

State weather agency PAGASA is keeping watch over Angat Dam in Bulacan should Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) bring heavy rain to Luzon.

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Walang pasok: Class suspensions Dec. 5 and 6

Classes on Dec. 5 and 6 have been suspended in parts of the Visayas and Luzon in anticipation of bad weather conditions from Typhoon Ruby (international name Hagupit).

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CBCP chief: No pressure from Palace on Pope Francis’ PHL itinerary

The head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has belied claims that Malacañang is trying to pressure it into scrapping Pope Francis' visit to Tacloban City in Leyte.

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SWS: 10.4M Pinoys without work but joblessness eases in Q3 2014

Although some 10.4 million of them were jobless in the third quarter of 2014, Filipinos are now more optimistic of work available in the next 12 months, a new survey by pollster Social Weather Stations showed.

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Tiangco twits Roxas for touting ‘tuwid na daan’, cites ‘selective’ prosecution

Vice President Jejomar Binay's United Nationalist Alliance on Thursday lashed back at Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II for telling a broadsheet that he is bothered by the possibility that a Binay presidency might spell the end of “tuwid na daan (straight path).”

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Cardinal Tagle: Be good neighbors when Typhoon Ruby hits

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urged everyone on Thursday to help those in need especially with Typhoon Ruby expected to make landfall over the weekend.

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Ombudsman indicts NLRC labor arbiter

The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday formally charged a National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) arbiter for alleged unethical behavior.

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NGCP implements safety measures for power facilities as Typhoon Ruby approaches

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines has implemented safety measures for power transmission facilities as Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) moved closer to the country on Thursday.

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Guilt prompts ‘pork’ witness to testify vs. Napoles

A witness presented by the prosecution panel in the plunder case against Janet Lim-Napoles admitted on Thursday that she decided to testify because of the guilty feelings she is having over the illegal acts she committed under Napoles' employ.

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Typhoon Ruby: Quick Links

GMA News Online compiled these links for easy access to information as the nation deals with Typhoon Ruby and its aftermath:

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Most torture cases in PHL perpetrated by police officers – report

Incidences of torture remains prevalent in the Philippines and most of the perpetrators are police officers, international human rights group Amnesty International said.

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Prosecutors confident Jinggoy will be denied bail

After the Sandiganbayan junked the bail petitions of Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla and his two co-accused, government prosecutors said they are confident that Sen. Jinggoy Estrada's plea for bail will also be denied.

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SC asked to strike down lump-sum appropriations in 2014 budget

A petitioner against the Priority Development Assistance Fund asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to strike down as unconstitutional the lump-sum appropriations in the P1.6-trillion national budget for 2014 saying these violate the court's ruling against "pork barrel" funds.

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PNP preps for papal visit, Ruby will not be affected by Purisima suspension

Security and disaster preparations for Pope Francis' visit next month and the expected landfall of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) this weekend, respectively, will not be affected by the suspension of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima.

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Senator calls for PNP chief Purisima's resignation

Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima, whom the Office of the Ombudsman ordered suspended for six months, should resign from his post for the good of the PNP, Senator Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III said Thursday.

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Coast Guard cancels vessel trips in Bohol area

Citing the danger from big waves, the Philippine Coast Guard in Bohol has canceled trips in the area amid the threat from Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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PNoy to agencies: Failure is unforgiveable

President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday issued a stern warning to government officials involved in preparations for Typhoon Ruby: Failure to prepare for the weather disturbance will be “unforgivable.”

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‘Code blue’ alert up in 5 regions ahead of Ruby –DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday declared “Code Blue” alert for all DOH-retained hospitals in five regions expected to be affected by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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Palace to Bong Revilla: You're not a trophy

Malacañang on Thursday casually brushed aside detained Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.’s statement that the administration was treating the Sandiganbayan's decision junking his bid for bail like a trophy.

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Ombudsman insists they not targeting opposition in ‘pork’ case

Assistant Ombudsman and spokesman Asryman Rafanan on Thursday insisted that members of the political opposition are not being singled out by the administration in the filing of cases in connection with the alleged pork barrel scam.

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Binay’s campaign donors also face contempt

As they face tax evasion charges, Vice President Jejomar Binay's campaign donors—James Lee and Ann Lorraine Tiu—may also be cited for contempt for their failure to attend the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearing on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Ball Building II.

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AFP on red alert as gov’t prepares for Ruby’s landfall

The military, particularly its units in the Visayas, is now on red alert in preparation for Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit), which is expected to make landfall over Samar on Saturday morning.

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Binay’s contributors charged with P39-B tax case

The Bureau of Internal Revenue has filed complaints for tax evasion against a couple who contributed P15 million to the campaign of Vice President Jejomar Binay in 2010.

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Govt using lessons from Yolanda to better prepare for Ruby – Palace

As another weather disturbance roars toward the country, Malacañang on Thursday said it is using lessons learned from Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) last year to better prepare for the effects of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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Australian, UK nationals in PHL advised to take precautions on Ruby

Australian and British nationals staying in the Philippines were advised Thursday to take precautions amid the threat from Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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Open doors to those displaced by Ruby, CBCP president asks churches, schools

The head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on Thursday asked churches and schools to open their doors to those who may be displaced by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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Schools, offices shut as Typhoon Ruby bears down on PHL

Schools and government offices were shut in parts of the central Philippines on Thursday and residents stocked up on supplies and food, as provinces yet to recover from last year's devastating super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) braced for another category 5 storm.

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ASEAN prays for PHL as it braces for Ruby

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Thursday offered prayers for the Philippines as it braces for Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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Arroyo insists on need to be granted 12-day Christmas furlough

Former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, through her lawyer, on Thursday reiterated before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan her plea to be allowed a 12-day furlough for the Christmas holidays.

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PNoy to convene NDRRMC on Hagupit

President Benigno Aquino III will convene the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Thursday to map out actions on dealing with the effects of Typhoon Hagupit, whose local name is Ruby.

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Walang pasok as of Dec. 4

Classes are suspended in at least two areas in Eastern Visayas in anticipation of bad weather conditions from Typhoon Hagupit.

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Three bettors share P47.139M Megalotto jackpot

Three lucky bettors will share some P47.139 million after winning Wednesday night's Megalotto 6/45 draw of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

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LTFRB has new hotline for five-man complaints desk

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has a new hotline number for commuters who want to complain against public utility vehicles, GMA News' 24 Oras reported on Wednesday.

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PCGG wants 15 Marcos paintings transferred to National Museum

The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) has asked the Sandiganbayan to authorize the transfer of 15 valuable paintings seized from the Marcos family.

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Why Miriam isn't too keen on running for president in 2016

During the launch of her new book "Stupid Is Forever" on Wednesday, the introduction for Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago took some 10 minutes, as it listed the many honors, awards, and accolades she had received throughout her life.

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CPP: No threat from NPA during Francis’ visit

The Communist Party of the Philippines on Wednesday assured that there will be no threat coming from among its ranks and from the New People's Army during the visit of Pope Francis in January.

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DOJ won’t replace prosecutor in Laude case

The government prosecutor handling the preliminary investigation on the killing of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude will remain in the case.

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Right to privacy of traffic offenders caught on video not absolute –lawyer

Taking videos of traffic offenders may not constitute violation of a person's right to privacy, a lawyer said Wednesday .

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Roxas orders evacuation in coastal areas in preparation for Hagupit

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Wednesday ordered local leaders in the Visayas and Mindanao to immediately evacuate residents leaving in coastal communities in preparation for Typhoon Hagupit.

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Philippines starts evacuating residents ahead of typhoon Hagupit

The Philippine government on Wednesday sent food and medical supplies to central provinces on the path of a category 3 typhoon, with many of them still reeling from devastation brought by super typhoon Haiyan late last year.

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DSWD says ready with food packs, shelters for Hagupit

The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Wednesday assured those in the path of Typhoon Hagupit that the government is prepared to respond.

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Lakas: 2016 candidacy up to Bong Revilla

The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) is leaving it up to Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. to decide if he still wants to push through with his plans to run for a higher office in 2016 despite the legal battles he is facing in connection with the pork barrel scam.

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