Sotto wants death penalty for high-level drug traffickers

Acting Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday pushed anew for the imposition of death penalty on high-level drug trafficking, after the VIP treatment on convicted drug lords at the New Bilibid Prison was exposed.

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Female detainee in Taguig seeks Pope’s help to secure her release

A female detainee has asked Pope Francis, who is set to visit the Philippines in January, to help her regain her freedom, saying she needs to take care of her newborn baby.

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DFA to serve Pemberton’s warrant of arrest at US Embassy

The Philippine government is preparing to serve the warrant of arrest on US Marine PFC Joseph Scott Pemberton at the US Embassy in Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.

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With arrest warrant, PHL to insist sole custody over Pemberton – De Lima

Now that formal charges have been filed in connection with the killing of Filipina transgender Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, the Philippine government would be moving to gain sole custody over murder suspect US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday.

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PNoy most concerned about firearms found inside Bilibid – Palace

Luxurious items may have been found inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), but President Benigno Aquino III is most concerned about the firearms recovered inside the quarters of some high-profile inmates.

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Arrest warrant out for Laude murder accused Pemberton

The Olongapo Regional Trial Court on Tuesday afternoon issued a warrant for the arrest of US Marine PFC Joseph Scott Pemberton in connection with the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude on October 11.

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No bulletproof popemobiles for Pope Francis during PHL visit

Pope Francis will use two popemobiles during his five-day visit to the Philippines in January, and both of them will not be bulletproof, Philippine church officials said Tuesday.

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PHL extends condolences to victims of Sydney cafe siege

The Philippine government on Tuesday extended its condolences to victims of the hostage crisis in Sydney, Australia.

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4 military tipsters get P12-M cash reward

Four military informants on Tuesday received a total of P12.1 million reward money for giving information that led to the arrest of a New People's Army leader and three Abu Sayyaf members.

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VP Binay to accusers: See you before the Ombudsman

As in the previous plunder case filed against him, Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday said he was prepared to answer the most recent charge against him before the Ombudsman.

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Govt employees to get P5,000 ‘productivity enhancement’ bonus

It’s a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for some 1.4 million government employees, who will receive a one-time P5,000 “productivity enhancement” bonus this week.

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SolGen: Sending EDCA to Senate would result in int’l embarrassment for PNoy

Government lawyers on Tuesday maintained that the country's Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States is a valid executive agreement that does not need Senate concurrence.

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Keep Christ focus of season, CBCP chief says in Simbang Gabi message

CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said the pope himself had repeatedly stressed the focus must be on Christ, who is already present in the country long before Pope Francis arrives.

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US asserts custody over Marine in Jennifer Laude slay

The Embassy of the United States in Manila on Tuesday asserted its custody on Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton as he faces murder charges over the killing of transgender woman Jennifer Laude.

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Jinggoy worried about ‘outside forces’ affecting his case

Detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is worried that the inhibition of the three justices handling his case could have been influenced by politics.

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Ona not on his way out of DOH – Palace exec

On-leave Health Secretary Enrique Ona may have packed up, but his time in the Cabinet is not yet up.

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CBCP: Pope expected to pray over Yolanda mass grave

When he visits the Philippines in January, Pope Francis is expected to pray over the mass grave of those who died in the wake of super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013.

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Plunder, graft raps filed vs. VP Binay over ‘overpriced’ Makati Science HS bldg

A former political opponent of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday has filed graft and plunder charges against him and 30 others in connection with the alleged overpricing of the construction of the P1.33-billion Makati Science High School. Lawyer Renato Bondal said the construction of the building was overpriced by P862 million.

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DepEd: Christmas break to start after Dec. 19; classes resume Jan. 5

Elementary and high school students may start enjoying their Christmas break after Friday, December 19, until January 5, the first Monday of 2015.

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Militant urban groups go a-caroling at PNoy’s QC house to call for higher wages

Militant urban poor groups on Tuesday attempted to serenade President Benigno Aquino III at his Quezon City house with their version of caroling, calling for higher wages and lower costs of living.

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Most Pinoys cofident national govt, LGUs can respond to super typhoons – SWS

Most Filipinos are confident that both the national government and the local governments can respond properly to future storms that would be as powerful as Super Typhoon Yolanda, a poll taken by the Social Weather Stations concluded.

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More inmates could follow drug convicts to another facility—De Lima

More high value inmates could follow the 20 drug convicts that were transferred to an undisclosed facility after the latter were found to be living too comfortably and amid reports that they were continuing their drug transactions inside the Maximum Security Compound of the New Bilibid Prison, GMA News' "24 Oras" reported on Monday.

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Secretary Ona’s belongings leave DOH compound

Health Secretary-on-leave Enrique Ona has asked staff of the Department of Health to gather his personal belongings and have them delivered to his residence, multiple sources confirmed on Monday.

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Tupas Sr., 3 other Iloilo execs indicted for graft

Former Iloilo governor Niel Tupas Sr. and three other provincial officials have been charged with graft for allegedly overpaying a company nearly P4 million in unconsumed electricity in 2007.

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De Lima: ‘Heads will roll’ for convicted drug lords’ luxurious lifestyle in Bilibid

After leading a surprise inspection of the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison earlier Monday, Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that those who allowed convicted drug lords to live luxuriously inside the penitentiary are "definitely" at risk of losing their jobs.

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DOJ: Significant portion of drug trade may be traced from inside NBP

The surprise inspection at the New Bilibid Prisons on Monday was meant to help the government's cause against the "significant" contribution of convicted and incarcerated drug traffickers to the trade of narcotics at large.

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Jinggoy’s furlough request in limbo after justices recuse themselves from his case

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada has asked the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division for a Christmas and New Year’s furlough, but the chances of its being granted are slim to none.

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Laude murder case a test for court system taking on LGBT case—groups

The murder case of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude is a case test on how the Philippine justice system would respond to crimes against the members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

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Erap: Binay still opposition’s bet despite lower ratings

Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada on Monday expressed his support to Vice President Jejomar Binay for the upcoming 2016 general elections even if the latter's survey results continued to drop in recent polls.

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CA grants Ted Failon plea for admin raps vs. two PNP generals

The Court of Appeals has ruled that two Quezon City police officers should face administrative charges for arresting without warrant relatives and househelpers of broadcaster Ted Failon - Mario Teodoro Failon Etong in real life - in connection with the death of his wife.

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Despite Erap’s support, Grace Poe still undecided on 2016 plans

While she welcomed Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada's pronouncement that he would choose her as the one to campaign for in 2016, Sen. Grace Poe on Monday said she is not yet ready to make a decision as to her political plans in the next elections.

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PNoy signs open distance learning law

President Benigno Aquino III has signed a law seeking to provide government support for open distance learning programs in the country.

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Laude camp: Murder case vs. Pemberton a victory

A big victory, and yet only the first hurdle. This was how the family of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude described the prosecutors' decision to file murder and not homicide charges against the suspect, US Pfc. Joseph Scott Pemberton.

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Murder raps filed vs. Pemberton in Jennifer Laude slay

The Olongapo City Prosecutor's Office on Monday has found probable cause to file a murder case against US Marine Private First Class Scott Joseph Pemberton for the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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Palace vows to capitalize on Pinoys’ optimism for 2015

Malacañang on Monday pledged to capitalize on Filipinos’ positive outlook for the coming year as shown in a recent Pulse Asia survey.

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Coast Guard on heightened alert for holiday exodus starting Dec. 17

The Philippine Coast Guard will go on heightened alert starting Wednesday, Dec. 17, in anticipation of Filipinos starting to flock to their home provinces to celebrate the holidays.

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Drug lords at Bilibid transferred to ‘undisclosed’ facility

At least 20 drug convicts at the New Bilibid Prison have been ordered transferred to an "undisclosed" facility, amid reports that they managed to continue their drug-related transactions despite being incarcerated in the NBP's Maximum Security Compound.

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PNoy approves holiday ceasefire with NPA

President Benigno Aquino III has approved a Christmas ceasefire with the communist New People's Army, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Monday.

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Sandiganbayan justices ask for recusal in Jinggoy’s plunder case

Justices of the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division have inhibited themselves from the trial of the pork barrel scam case of detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada “for personal reasons”

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PNoy to new AFP officers: Resist corruption

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday enjoined new officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to resist corruption.

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VP Binay: Mercado trying to convince more friends in US to testify against me

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday alleged that his former ally turned enemy, former Makati Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado, was trying to convince their common friends in the United States to testify against him.

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DepEd reminds schools of no collection policy for Christmas party

No collections for Christmas parties. This was the stern reminder to public schools from the Department of Education, which also exhorted them to keep such parties simple.

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Pulse Asia: 88% of Pinoys facing 2015 with hope, more see prosperous Christmas

Despite the problems they faced this year, nearly nine out of 10 Filipinos or 88 percent will face the coming New Year with hope, according to a new survey by pollster Pulse Asia.

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Justice Sec. De Lima holds surprise inspection at Bilibid

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday morning held a surprise inspection of facilities at the New Bilibid Prison.

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CBCP head pushes state, society to move vs. trafficking

The head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines over the weekend pushed for efforts by the state and society to thwart human trafficking, even as he echoed Pope Francis' concern on the scourge.

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Palace: PNoy will miss most of Pope Francis' events

A Malacañang official on Sunday said that while Pope Francis will be meeting President Benigno Aquino III when the pontiff visits the country in January, they will spend less than two hours together.

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Solon wants unclaimed lotto prize money donated to DSWD

A lawmaker has proposed channeling the billions in unclaimed lotto prizes that have accumulated through the years to pay for the Department of Social Welfare and Development's programs.

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PHL to get $500-M development loan from ‘fruitful’ Busan summit – Palace

President Benigno Aquino III brought home a $500-million development loan the 25th Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit in Busan, South Korea, a Palace official said on Sunday.

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MIAA announces updated list of canceled flights for December 14

The Manila International Airport Authority announced the cancellation of the following flights due to bad weather conditions.

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Susan Roces expressed hopes Grace Poe has lived up to supporters’ expectations

On the 10th anniversary of her husband Filipino action King Fernando Poe Jr's death, veteran actress Susan Roces expressed hopes their daughter Senator Grace Poe has lived up to her supporters' expectations, but remained mum on the lawmaker's plans for the 2016 polls.

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