Junjun Binay asks CA to cite in contempt DOJ secretary, Ombudsman

After going after Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and several police officials, Makati Mayor Junjun Binay has set his sights on Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. In an amended petition filed on Thursday, Binay has asked the Court of Appeals to also cite Carpio-Morales and De Lima in contempt for defying a restraining order against his suspension.

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UP system on half-day work Holy Wednesday

The University of the Philippines system will adopt a half-day work schedule on Holy Wednesday, April 1.

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Binay, Peña both show who’s the boss but whose signature will the bureacracy follow?

The struggle for top leadership in Makati City continued as both suspended Mayor Junjun Binay and acting Mayor Romulo Peña insisted on their authority, causing confusion among officials who to follow, GMA News TV reported Thursday.

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Sonny to run for VP as Pinoys ‘not ready for Trillanes presidency’

Saying Filipinos were not yet ready to have him as President, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Thursday that he was instead eyeing the vice presidency in 2016. “I believe it is a function of the readiness of the people to have somebody like me, to run this country. Hindi natin ipipilit yun,” he said in a news forum at the Senate.

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Sandiganbayan reiterates: Napoles needs to attend hearings

The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Thursday demanded, once again, that alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles must attend her bail hearings and other court procedures regarding her cases.

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Enrile back at PNP General Hospital

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile is back at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame after nearly a month of confinement at the Makati Medical Center (MMC).

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Pulse Asia: Majority of Pinoys disagree with PNoy’s absence during SAF 44’s arrival honors

Majority of Filipinos disagreed with President Benigno Aquino III's decision not to attend the arrival honors for 44 police commandos killed during the January 25 Mamasapano operation, a Pulse Asia survey showed Thursday.

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Magalong: Meeting with PNoy does not change results of BOI probe

The chairman of the PNP Board of Inquiry on Thursday reiterated that they are standing by their findings on the bloody January 25 Mamasapano clash despite a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III.

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42% of Pinoys don’t want PNoy to resign over Mamasapano debacle – Pulse Asia

Although majority of Filipinos found President Benigno Aquino III’s explanation on the deadly January 25 Mamasapano operation as insufficient, nearly half do not want him to quit his post over the bloody incident, a Pulse Asia poll showed Thursday.

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Majority of Pinoys think PNoy explanation on Mamasapano fiasco ‘not enough’ – Pulse Asia

A big majority of Filipinos think President Benigno Aquino III's explanation regarding the deadly January 25 Mamasapano operation was “not enough," a Pulse Asia poll showed Thursday.

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44 percent of Pinoys oppose passage of BBL —Pulse Asia

Nearly half of Filipinos oppose the passage of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law, a Pulse Asia poll revealed Thursday.

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PPCRV launches ‘One Good Vote’ voter-ed initiative for 2016

Barely over a year before the 2016 elections, a Church-based poll watchdog group on Wednesday launched an education campaign to encourage enlightened voting among Filipinos.

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PPCRV launches ‘One Good Vote’ voter-ed initiative for 2016

Barely over a year before the 2016 elections, a Church-based poll watchdog group on Wednesday launched an education campaign to encourage enlightened voting among Filipinos.

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NBI arrests two 'sextortion' suspects in Bulacan

The National Bureau of Investigation has arrested two men allegedly involved in "sextortion" who had victimized a parliament member from a European country, GMA News 24 Oras reported Wednesday.

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Catapang: Firing protocols caused delay in support delivery during Mamasapano ops

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Gregorio Catapang on Wednesday denied reports saying Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, considered only the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in his decisions during the Mamasapano operation last January 25.

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Catapang: In hunt for BIFF, AFP monitoring GenSan, areas outside Maguindanao

After the arrest of suspected rebel leader leader Mohamad Ali Tambako in General Santos City over the weekend, the military said it is not discounting the chance that some of the rebels they are pursuing may have fled Maguindanao.

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Catapang: More ships, planes needed to patrol the West Philippine Sea

As China continues its reclamation activities in the South China Sea, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang said more planes and ships are needed to patrol the disputed waters and assert the Philippines' sovereignty.

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House probe on Mamasapano set for April 7 - 8, BBL hearings rescheduled

Some Members of the House of Representatives will have a short Holy Week vacation because their commitees probing the Mamasapano clash will resume hearings on April 7 and April 8.

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Senate panel passes bill authorizing barangay chairmen to swear in officials

A joint Senate committee has approved a bill seeking to authorize punong barangay or barangay chairmen to administer the oath of office of any government official, including the President of the Philippines.

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House solons, staff chip in for 'Fallen 44'; aid totals P5.3M

The House of Representatives capped off its legislative work for the first quarter of the year by extending P5.3 million in financial aid to families left behind by the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos killed in Mamasapano last Jan. 25, as well as their surviving colleagues.

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Malacañang ready to take up issue of poachers in Masinloc with Vietnam

Malacañang has said that it was ready to report Vietnamese fishermen to their government if it is proven that they were poaching in Philippine seas, a special report on "News To Go" has said.

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Coloma: No admin crisis despite ratings drop, criticism over Mamasapano

Malacañang on Wednesday stressed that the administration is nowhere near a crisis, despite persistent criticisms it has received over the January 25 Mamasapano clash and in light of plunging trust and approval ratings for President Benigno Aquino III.

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BOI chair says PNoy didn’t have full grasp of ‘time on target’ in Mamasapano mission

President Benigno Aquino III wasn't fully appraised of the implications of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force's plan to coordinate Oplan Exodus with the Armed Forces of the Philippines at "time on target" or only when its teams were in the area to neutralize suspected terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.

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Tingting Cojuangco, 13 others face Comelec probe for election offense charges

Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco and 13 others are now facing a preliminary investigation by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for various election offense charges.

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BOI chairman: Mar Roxas failed to relay plan to interview PNoy on Mamasapano ops

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas wasn't able to relay the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry's intention to interview President Benigno Aquino III as regards the tragic Mamasapano mission, the chairman of the fact-finding panel said on Wednesday.

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Clamor for postponement of BBL hearings gains ground in House

A battle for numbers is brewing in the House of Representatives over the resumption of executive sessions on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) next month.

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Impeachment vs. PNoy won’t prosper in House —Belmonte

With just a little over a year remaining in his term, the House of Representatives will not vote to impeach President Benigno Aquino III, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte has said.

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Violence mars last session day in House before recess

A protester from a militant organization was left with a bloody nose on the last day of session in the House of Representatives before Congress goes on recess after he was allegedly punched in the face during a protest at the session hall lobby.

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Victims’ kin eye lookout bulletin order vs. new Maguindanao massacre suspects

The camp of Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu will ask the Department of Justice to place the "second wave" of new suspects in the Maguindanao massacre case under a lookout bulletin.

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PNoy angered by misinformation during Mamasapano mission –Palace exec

President Benigno Aquino III is angered by the fact that he was misinformed about the deadly January 25 Mamasapano operation, his deputy spokesperson said Wednesday.

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Equipment, belongings lost in Mamasapano clash returned to SAF

The military has turned over to the PNP-Special Action Force combat equipment and belongings lost by SAF personnel who clashed with Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, last January 25.

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DILG says contempt charges vs. Roxas, officials baseless

There is no basis for the court to cite officials of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), including Secretary Mar Roxas, in contempt for serving the suspension order on Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, the agency said in a statement Wednesday.

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SC suspends lawyer for forged signatures in affidavits

The Supreme Court has suspended for six months a lawyer for falsifying an affidavit, and disqualified another from being a notary public for two years for notarizing a deed of absolute sale without the presence of the affiant.

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PNoy ready to face possible charges over Mamasapano clash after term –Palace

President Benigno Aquino III is ready to face charges that may be filed against him when he finishes his term over the January 25 Mamasapano operation, Malacañang said Wednesday.

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House to resume Mamasapano probe in May

The House of Representatives is set to resume its investigation into the bloody Jan. 25 Mamasapano police operation when Congress resumes session on May 4.

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Palace: Mamasapano findings not enough grounds to impeach PNoy

Findings of a joint Senate committee and the police Board of Inquiry (BOI) on the deadly January 25 Mamasapano operation are not enough grounds to impeach President Benigno Aquino III, Malacañang said Wednesday.

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PNP hospital expects Enrile back Wednesday

Detained Senator Juan Ponce Enrile is expected to be brought back to the Philippine National Police General Hospital in Camp Crame on Thursday after being confined for weeks at the Makati Medical Center.

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Trillanes finds Senate report on Mamasapano clash lacking

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday refused to affix his signature on the Senate committee report on January 25 Mamasapano clash, saying he finds it lacking, especially on the part about the decisions made by military and police officials on the ground.

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CA panel defers Maj. Gen. Pangilinan’s confirmation

A panel of the Commission on Appointments deferred Wednesday the confirmation of Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division, upon the motion of Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.

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PNoy meets with BOI to clarify portions in Mamasapano report

President Benigno Aquino III had met with members of the Philippine National Police-Board of Inquiry (PNP-BOI) to clarify some portions of its report on the January 25 Mamasapano clash, where over 60 people, including 44 policemen, were killed.

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Palace denies PNoy allowed Purisima’s usurpation of powers in Mamasapano

President Benigno Aquino III did not condone then-suspended PNP chief Director-General Alan Purisima's alleged usurpation of authority when he talked to the recently resigned official about the Mamasapano mission.

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Peace panel assures govt will receive copy of MILF’s findings on Mamasapano

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) on Wednesday assured the Senate that it will be provided with a copy of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)’s report on the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident, which left over 60 people dead.

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House warned resolution on Arroyo house arrest would be taken as special treatment

Having the House of Representatives prod the Sandiganbayan to place former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo under house arrest might send an “ominous message” that special treatment can be accorded to a lawmaker on trial, Akbayan party-list Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez III has warned.

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PNP probes officials’ liabilities in Mamasapano incident

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it has started an internal investigation to determine the criminal liabilities of police officials involved in the January 25 Mamasapano clash.

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PNP to probe alleged military turnover of SAF guns to MILF

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will investigate the military's alleged turnover to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of the firearms of some of the Special Action Force (SAF) members killed and injured in the January 25 Mamasapano clash.

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Aglipayans call for Aquino resignation over Mamasapano incident

The Iglesia Filipino Independiente (Aglipayan church) on Tuesday called on President Benigno Aquino III to step down from office, saying he has lost his "credibility and integrity" in the wake of the incident that killed 44 Special Action Force troopers in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

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Army general in Mamasapano controversy faces appointments body

An Army general caught in the controversy surrounding the bloody Jan. 25 Mamasapano clash is currently facing the bicameral Commission on Appointments for the confirmation of his two-star rank.

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PNoy liable in Mamasapano incident for violating command responsibility rule –FVR

Former President Fidel V. Ramos on Wednesday agreed with the findings of a Senate panel and the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry (BOI) that President Benigno Aquino III is “ultimately” responsible for the bloody Mamasapano incident.

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SAF44 equipment turned over by civilians now with PNP

Several equipment of the elite PNP Special Action Force troopers slain in a clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25 have been officially turned over to the PNP.

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14 senators sign committee report on Mamasapano clash

At least 14 senators have already signed the draft committee report on the Senate probe on the Mamasapano clash and two others are set to affix their signatures, Senator Grace Poe said Wednesday.

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