BIFF extortion behind Bukidnon bus blast—PNP

Police are now looking at extortion as the motive behind the bus explosion that killed ten and injured several others in Bukidnon last week, the Northern Mindanao regional police office confirmed to GMA News Online on Wednesday.

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Olongapo City Jail prepares a cell for Pemberton

A cell at the Olongapo City Jail has been readied for Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, the Marine charged with murder for the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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PHL to get frigates, gunboats, helicopters as sea row tension simmers

The Philippines aims to buy two frigates, two helicopters and three gunboats for deployment in the South China Sea where a territorial dispute with China has lent urgency to the need to bolster forces, a Philippine Navy officer said on Wednesday.

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Govt ensuring crowd safety during Pope Francis’ visit —Palace

Malacañang on Wednesday said the government is ensuring not only the security of Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines next month, but also the safety of Filipinos who will troop to Metro Manila to see the Roman Catholic leader.

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PHL formally asks US govt for Pemberton’s custody

The Philippine government has formally asked the US Embassy in Manila for custody over Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is charged with murder for allegedly killing Filipina transgender Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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De Lima: 2nd wave of Bilibid raid on the way

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday revealed authorities would be conducting a second raid inside the New Bilibid Prison to look for other inmates enjoying special privileges and being allowed to sneak in prohibited items while in detention.

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Canada to provide P200M for Ruby victims

Canada will provide some P200 million (5 million Canadian dollars) in humanitarian assistance to those affected by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit).

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PHL govt sought Pemberton’s custody to pave way for his arrest —Palace

The Philippine government is seeking custody over US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton to pave the way for his arrest for the alleged murder of Filipina transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, Malacañang said Wednesday.

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Sandigan rejects recusal request of justices in Jinggoy cases

The Sandiganbayan has unanimously refused the request for recusal of the three justices handling the graft and plunder cases of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang said Wednesday.

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Miriam: Let rich inmates pay for their ‘kubols’

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago reiterated Wednesday her proposal for the government to let rich convicts pay for their “kubols” since these have already been built.

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Militants call anew for VFA junking if US refuses to surrender Pemberton

Militants on Wednesday made a fresh call for the scrapping of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement following the United States' position not to surrender Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, the Marine charged with murder for the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.

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DOTC Sec. Abaya no show at Senate hearing on MRT maintenance

Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya on Wednesday snubbed the Senate inquiry on the maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) system, drawing the ire of Senator Grace Poe.

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Miriam says Pemberton should be brought to city jail

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Wednesday said Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, the US Marine facing murder charges in connection with the killing of Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, should be transferred to the city jail.

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Voter registration suspended Dec. 20, resumes Jan. 5

The registration of voters for the 2016 elections will be suspended starting Dec. 20, the Commission on Elections said.

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NDRRMC: Number of people affected by Ruby nears 4M

The number of people affected by Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) moved closer to the four-million mark as of Wednesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

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US envoy insists Pemberton should be in US custody

Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, the Marine charged with murder for the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude, should be in the United States' custody, the US envoy to Manila said Wednesday.

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PNoy condemns Taliban attack on Pakistani school

The Philippines on Tuesday joined the world in condemning the massacre at a school in Pakistan by the Taliban.

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West PHL Sea, climate change, extremism still high on DFA’s list

For 2015, the Department of Foreign Affairs is renewing its commitment to push the rule of law in the territorial row in the West Philippine Sea, while promoting Philippine interests on other issues like extremism and climate change.

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Ad hoc panel chair sees House passage of Bangsamoro bill by March 2015

The chairman of the House of Representative's ad hoc committee which is deliberating on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) said on Tuesday that he expected the Lower House to pass the measure on third and final reading by March 2015.

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Smartmatic-TIM now lone eligible bidder for P32.6-M 2016 polls contract – Comelec bids body

Smartmatic – Total Information Management Corporation is the sole remaining eligible bidder for the P32.6-million lease supply contract for the 2016 polls' election management system and Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) machines after the other contender was deemed ineligible.

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Senator Osmeña: Charge present, past officials for prisoner excesses in Bilibid

Not only the present but also the past officials of the Bureau of Corrections and New Bilibid Prisons should be held accountable for the special treatment and presence of high-end facilities inside the Bilibid, Senator Sergio Osmeña III said Tuesday.

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NBP execs face possible raps over convicts’ special amenities

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday threatened to file charges against officials of the New Bilibid Prison responsible for the proliferation of prohibited items inside the maximum security compound of the national penitentiary.

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NBI finds hospital bills in Bilibid; drug lords may have left prison for treatment

The National Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday said that convicted drug lords imprisoned at New Bilibid Prison may have left the penitentiary without permission at certain times to seek medical treatment.

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LP stalwart on Sec. Mar Roxas: Hindi kasalanan ang maging mayaman

A Liberal Party (LP) stalwart on Tuesday said Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II ought to make his being born rich an asset in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.

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NBP exec on luxury items behind bars: We have corrupt colleagues

A Bureau of Corrections official admitted that they allowed the construction of decent holding areas or "kubol" inside the New Bilibid Prison where luxury items were found, a report from GMA's “24-Oras” program said Tuesday.

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PMA backs nixing expanded clinical trial of disputed anti-dengue drug

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) on Monday supported the cancellation of the expanded clinical trial of the controversial anti-dengue drug, ActRx TriAct.

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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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