Purisima to comply with Ombudsman’s suspension order —spokesman

Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima will now comply with the preventive suspension order issued against him by the Office of the Ombudsman, after President Benigno Aquino III asked him to do so, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said Saturday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Sketches of 2 suspects in ambush on Iligan Rep. Belmonte out

The National Bureau of Investigation has produced sketches of at least two suspects in the ambush on Iligan Rep. Vicente Belmonte Jr. last Thursday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

UK reminds nationals vs. travel to parts of Mindanao following bus bombing

Following the deadly bombing of a bus in Bukidnon Tuesday, the United Kingdom over the weekend reminded its nationals against travel to parts of Mindanao.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Distributor of anti-dengue ActRx TriAct disputes DOH criticisms

The local distributor of the ActRx TriAct, an herbal drug that is claimed to be effective against dengue and malaria, on Friday disputed assertions made by the Health Department that the clinical trials of the drug were illegal and that the drug could have long-term harmful effects.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Miriam on VP Binay’s Pulse Asia ratings decline: Nowhere to go but down

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Friday said Vice President Jejomar Binay's ratings may continue to slide down as he suffered another decline in Pulse Asia's latest poll among probable presidential candidates.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

PNoy: No failure in having loved and having been loved

For President Benigno Aquino III, who is still single at 54, it is better to have loved and lost.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

PNoy: Authorities to ‘harden’ buses, terminals in wake of Bukidnon blast

Security forces are working to minimize risks to passengers in the wake of a bomb explosion on a bus in Bukidnon on Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino III said on Friday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

PNoy: China tried to block S. Korea from selling jets to PHL

President Benigno Aquino III said that China tried to pressure South Korea to not sell a squadron of brand new FA-50 fighter jets to the Philippines worth P18.9 billion, a report from GMA News TV's “State of the Nation” program said Friday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Special services for PWDs and senior citizens readied for 2016 polls – Comelec

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens will again be given preferential services such as special voter registration and accessible polling places for the 2016 elections, the Commission on Elections said on Friday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Alan Purisima’s fate decided on PNoy’s return

Suspended Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima's fate will be discussed upon President Benigno Aquino III return from an ASEAN summit in Korea.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

BI hikes alert as Pope Francis visit nears

With just one month to go before Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration has heightened its alert against possible foreign terrorists and human traffickers.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Soliman: No double insertions in DSWD budget for Yolanda housing projects

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman on Friday assured the public that there was no double insertion in her department's budget for the shelter programs for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Meeting with families: Pope to hear about poverty, migration and disability

Pope Francis will be hearing how the Filipino family life is affected by poverty, migration, and physical disabilities, organizers of the papal visit said on Friday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Implementing rules for prison modernization law signed

The transfer of the New Bilibid Prison to Laur, Nueva Ecija. A prison guard for every 60 inmates. A 100-percent salary grade increase for jail personnel. And a new training academy in Metro Manila for jail officials, and personnel from other attached agencies of the Department of Justice.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

'Ang kuryente, may spark... tayo wala': Miriam takes on PHL energy issue with trademark humor

Senator Miriam Santiago weighed in on the issue of using renewable energy in the country by opening with her trademark punchlines.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Govt matching education with jobs to lower underemployment –Palace

The government is taking steps to ensure that Filipinos have proper education and training to land them jobs in the future, Malacañang said Friday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Australia sends kits for pregnant, lactating moms in Ruby-hit areas

Some 3,000 pregnant and lactating women in areas affected by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) will get health and dignity kits from Australia.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

De Lima on running for Senate: ‘I really don’t know yet’

Some individuals have been prodding her to run for Senate in 2016. Even Interior Secretary Mar Roxas has teased her to become a lawmaker. But Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has not yet made up her mind whether to secure a seat in the upper chamber.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

US condemns Bukidnon bus bombing

The United States on Friday condemned last Tuesday’s bombing of a passenger bus in Bukidnon province which killed 10 people and injured dozens others.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Mudslinging won’t distract VP Binay, spokesman says

Vice President Jejomar Binay remains focused on his work in the Cabinet as adviser on migrant workers' affairs and housing czar even after the lates Pulse Asia survey showed a steep decline in his approval and trust ratings, his camp claimed on Friday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Sandiganbayan allows Tokyo trip of VP Binay’s wife

The Fourth Division of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has granted the motion of Elenita Binay, wife of Vice President Jejomar Binay to travel to Tokyo, Japan this month.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Palace hopes Aquino’s popularity would rub off on 2016 bet

Malacañang is hoping President Benigno Aquino III’s improving trust and approval ratings would rub off on the candidate he would endorse for the presidential elections in 2016.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Miriam: PNP chief Purisima should vacate White House out of ‘delicadeza’

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Friday said Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima should leave his official quarters, dubbed as the White House, inside Camp Crame as he has been preventively suspended from his duties.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Ruby victims to get P8.2M worth of relief goods from Japan

Victims of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) stand to benefit from some P8.2 million worth of emergency relief goods from Japan.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Supplemental budget may be used to ‘go around’ SC ruling on DAP – Miriam

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Friday said the proposed supplemental budget may be a strategy to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling partially striking down the administration's Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

APO frat to seek respect for rule of law in Oblation Run in UP Diliman

Respect for the rule of law and a reexamination of the pork barrel system will top the calls of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity in this year's Oblation Run at the University of the Philippines Diliman Friday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Pulse Asia survey: PNoy most trusted official

President Benigno Aquino III is the country's most trusted official, according to a new survey by pollster Pulse Asia.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

US govt providing $750,000 aid for Ruby victims

The United States government is providing $750,000 (at least P33 million) in aid and emergency humanitarian assistance to victims of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Special task group formed to probe ambush on Iligan solon

The Philippine National Police has formed a special task group to investigate an ambush that wounded Iligan Rep. Vicente Belmonte and killed three people in Laguindigan town in Misamis Oriental Thursday afternoon.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

NDRRMC: Damage from Ruby up to P3.339B

The total Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) damage estimate rose to P3.339 billion as of Thursday night, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Aquino, Singaporean PM meet South Korean President

President Benigno Aquino III and South Korean President Park Geun-hye held a bilateral meeting on Thursday (December 11) in Busan, a port city of South Korea, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-South Korea Commemorative Summit.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

SC upholds Robredo’s transparency policy for LGUs

The Supreme Court has upheld the legality of a policy introduced by the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo requiring local government units (LGUs) to post their budget and transaction reports in public places, local newspapers, or websites.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

House realigns SC’s P715-M supplemental budget allocation to Yolanda housing

The House Appropriations committee has scrapped the P715.4-million budget for the Supreme Court’s Enterprise Information System plan in the proposed P22.4-billion supplemental budget to augment funds for the construction of emergency shelters for typhoon Yolanda victims.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

UP Diliman grad tops 4,021 passers in Civil Engineer Licensure Exam

A UP Diliman graduate topped the 4,021 passers of the recent Civil Engineer Licensure Examination, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Thursday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Govt working to make Pinoys to feel benefits of credit rating upgrades – Palace

Malacañang on Thursday said that the government is working towards making more Filipinos feel the benefits of credit rating upgrades that the Philippines has been getting.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Sandiganbayan allows GMA to undergo mammogram at Makati Med

Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been allowed to leave her place of detention to undergo a digital mammogram, her lawyer said Thursday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

For the 3rd time, Cudia asks SC to resolve plea vs. dismissal from PMA

For the third time, dismissed Cadet Jeff Aldrin Cudia has asked the Supreme Court to finally resolve his petition seeking to overturn his dismissal from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Jinggoy to Sandiganbayan: Make AMLC comply with subpoena

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan to flex its legal muscle and order the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to present numerous bank records of whistleblowers as requested by the lawmaker's camp.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

UN exec: ISIS not yet in PHL, but gov’t should remain alert

A ranking official of the United Nations on Thursday assured Filipinos that the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has not yet penetrated the Philippines, despite earlier reports that the group was recruiting students in Mindanao.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Osmeña, Escudero still not sold on PNoy emergency powers

A day after the House of Representatives approved President Benigno Aquino III's request for special powers to address a looming power crisis, two senators said they are not keen on doing the same.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Iligan Rep. Belmonte, 2 others wounded in ambush, 4 killed

Iligan Rep. Vicente Belmonte was wounded in an ambush that killed four people in Laguindigan town in Misamis Oriental province Thursday afternoon.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

CHR chair says torture ‘prevails up to now’ in PHL

Just like in the United States, torture allegedly committed by authorities on suspects or prisoners “prevails up to now” in the Philippines, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Etta Rosales said Thursday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

State lawyers oppose Gloria Arroyo’s request for Christmas furlough

Government lawyers have asked the Sandiganbayan to deny the requested Christmas furlough of former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, saying it has no legal basis and will set a dangerous precedent for other detainees.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

PNoy’s Busan trip to cost gov’t P11.2M

The government will spend P11.2 million for President Benigno Aquino III’s visit to Busan to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian and South Korean leaders, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said Thursday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

NDRRMC lowers Ruby death toll to 18

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Thursday corrected its official death toll from 19 to 18, with its head, Alexander Pama, owning up to reading one of the names of the fatalities twice.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

AFP confirms Abu Sayyaf release of abducted fish breeder

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday confirmed the release by the Abu Sayyaf bandit group of a fish breeder abducted in Sabah last June.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

Roxas: Situation in Eastern Samar post-Ruby now stable

The situation in Eastern Samar, one of the areas hit by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit), is now "stable," Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said at a press briefing Thursday.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

PNoy directs Cabinet to ensure recovery of Ruby-hit areas

President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday directed Cabinet officials to ensure the recovery of areas hit by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

NDRRMC: Ruby death toll jumps to 19

The official death toll from Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) jumped to 19 as of Thursday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation

PNP in ‘quandary’ over who will lead while Purisima is suspended

Philippine National Police officials are in a “quandary” on who will lead the agency while their chief, Director General Alan Purisima, is on a six-month preventive suspension.

Read the rest of the news GMA News Online / News / Nation