PNP issues travel safety tips as Holy Week exodus nears

The Philippine National Police on Saturday issued travel safety tips to motorists heading to the provinces for the Holy Week.

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DepEd stands by K to 12 program, says preps for implementation almost done

The Department of Education defended the impending implementation of the K to 12 program that has been the subject of criticism from the public.

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Gloria Arroyo may seek house arrest due to poor health – lawyer

The camp of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, now Pampanga representative, is now considering asking the Sandiganbayan to place her under house arrest because of her poor health.

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Ampatuan patriarch's men involved in Mamasapano clash, AFP says

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Saturday confirmed the involvement of the private armed group of former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. in a firefight with the Philippine National Police Special Action Force in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

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Congested prison cells pose health risks to prisoners

An unnamed prisoner died in a Zamboanga City due to rising temperatures and cramped conditions in the jail where 60 inmates are squeezed together in a facility made for 20.

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Palace debunks collapse rumors, maintains PNoy healthy

Malacañang on Saturday debunked rumors that President Benigno Aquino III had collapsed and maintained he is healthy.

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LTO waives validity period of temporary licenses due to shortage of materials

The Land Transportation Office has waived the 150-day validity period of temporary driver's licenses until a shortage of materials for license cards is resolved.

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Bettor wins P59.206M in Megalotto draw

A lotto bettor is nearly P60 million richer after bagging the jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office's Megalotto 6/45 draw Friday night.

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LP's Erice: VP Binay, Grace Poe tie in commissioned presidential poll

Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Grace Poe tied in a commissioned survey conducted earlier this month, with a Liberal Party official pointing out that Binay's ratings have been dropping.

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Grade Six pupil who needs to ride boat to school is his class’ valedictorian

While most students are used to being driven or walked to school, Grade Six pupil Angelo Castro of Barangay Maniango rides a boat on the Pampanga river daily to reach his school.

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Napoles unaware of some transactions made by her NGOs –witness

Some of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles' alleged non-government organizations (NGOs) had made transactions without her knowing about it, a witness in the pork barrel scam case admitted before the Sandiganbayan on Friday.

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LOOK: President Aquino's big fall in approval rating

President Benigno Aquino III received his lowest approval rating since his election in 2010 in the latest release from pollster Pulse Asia this week. The results of the poll reflect public opinion after the bloody January 25 Mamasapano operation which left over 60 people dead.

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DOJ witness identifies MILF, BIFF leaders in Mamasapano clash

A witness in the Department of Justice investigation into the Mamasapano clash has identified the supposed leaders of groups that engaged the Special Action Force in a firefight on Jan. 25.

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Week-long grass fire causes damage to 120 hectares in Cebu town

A grass fire that started nearly a week ago has damaged 120 hectares of land and caused some P285,000 in damage in Oslob town in Cebu province.

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Coast Guard to go on heightened alert for Holy Week exodus

Starting next week, the Philippine Coast Guard will go on heightened alert to ensure safe sea trips during the Holy Week exodus.

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Makati business district in chaos as two mayors stand off

The Philippines' financial capital Makati has been plunged into chaos with two politicians claiming to be mayor, forcing courts to close and delaying government business during a bitter stand-off triggered by graft claims.

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BI: Napoles daughter back in PHL, placed under lookout bulletin

The Bureau of Immigration has confirmed that Jeane Napoles has returned to the country, contradicting what her mother, alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, said.

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Amid arrest threat, Maguindanao massacre witness gets govt protection

Despite pending arrest warrants against him, a "crucial" witness against a new batch of suspects in the Maguindanao massacre case has been placed under the government Witness Protection Program.

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Binay-linked law firm asks SC to stop AMLC bank probe

A law firm connected to the Binay family has asked the Supreme Court to stop the Anti-Money Laundering Council from examining its bank accounts without notice.

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Napoles denies daughter Jeanne is in the country

Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged brains of the pork barrel fund scam, on Friday denied reports that her youngest daughter, Jeanne Napoles was already in the country.

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CA seeks Roxas, De Lima, Ombudsman side on Mayor Binay contempt plea

The Court of Appeals has ordered Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to file their respective comments on Makati Mayor Junjun Binay’s contempt plea against them.

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Palace reminds MILF: Only govt can enforce law

A day after Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Al Haj Murad maintained that their fighters involved in the January 25 Mamasapano clash will not be surrendered to authorities, Malacañang on Friday reminded the Moro group that only the Philippine government can enforce the law.

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Comelec begins testing PCOS machines for 2016 elections

The Commission on Elections on Friday began the diagnostic tests on 80,000 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines that will be used in the 2016 national elections.

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De Lima decries ‘double standard’ on supposed defiance: 'I defied Arroyo TRO too'

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Friday slammed what she sees as a double standard over her alleged defiance of a Court of Appeals restraining order on Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay's suspension.

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Suspension of DBM exec Relampagos, three others deferred

The implementation the 90-preventive suspension issued by the Sandiganbayan against Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos and three other employees of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has been deferred.

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Pamatong asks Supreme Court to resolve two-year-old petition vs. BBL

A lawyer who tried to seek the presidency twice has asked the Supreme Court to finally resolve his two-year-old petition against the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement.

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Enrile to have eye checkup on Saturday

Senator Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile is scheduled to leave the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital again, on Saturday, to under an eye check-up.

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Palace to House: PNoy willing to help in Mamasapano probe, but be wary of ‘personal motives’

Malacañang on Friday said President Benigno Aquino III is willing to cooperate in the continuation of the House of Representatives’ probe on the January 25 Mamasapano operation, which left over 60 people dead.

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Alan Cayetano wants Senate to continue Mamasapano probe

The Senate should continue its investigation on the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident as more information were brought to fore after the hearings, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said Friday.

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Trader nabbed for trying to bribe highway patrol in Cagayan De Oro

A trader was arrested for allegedly trying to bribe Highway Patrol Group police personnel with P50,000 for the release of a vehicle they seized in Cagayan de Oro City last Wednesday.

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Cerbo: It’s PNoy’s prerogative to coordinate directly with Napeñas

It was President Benigno Aquino III's “prerogative” to coordinate directly with relieved Special Action Force chief Director Getulio Napeñas Jr. and bypass several officials regarding the January 25 Mamasapano mission, PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said Friday.

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LTFRB starts bus inspections for Holy Week trips

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board this week started inspecting bus terminals in the provinces in time for Holy Week.

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American senators seek US strategy to stop China’s South China Sea reclamation

WASHINGTON - Leading US senators expressed alarm on Thursday at the scale and speed of China's land reclamation in the South China Sea and said a formal US strategy was needed to slow or stop the work.

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Widows of Fallen 44 ask PNoy to apologize for Mamasapano

Widows of some of the commandos killed in the Mamasapano incident on Thursday openly called on President Benigno Aquino III to apologize for what befell their loved ones after they successfully neutralized a suspected terrorist in late January.

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Napeñas balked at giving whole truth on US role in Mamasapano —Poe

Senator Grace Poe admitted Thursday that she was shocked by the alleged hesitation of relieved Special Action Force chief Director Getulio Napeñas Jr. in telling the Senate joint committee the whole truth about participation of Americans in the Mamasapano operation in January.

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BBL still needs to be explained more to the public –Palace

After a Pulse Asia survey revealed that nearly half of Filipinos are opposed to the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), Malacañang said Thursday that the controversial measure still needs to be explained more the public.

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De Lima: Don't judge PNoy based on incomplete findings

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Thursday appealed to the public not to cast judgment on President Benigno Aquino III over the Mamasapano clash, especially when probe findings on the matter did not even include his side of the story.

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Poe: PNoy's deviation from chain of command spelled difference in Mamasapano

Senator Grace Poe insisted Thursday that President Benigno Aquino III's failure to follow the police chain of command spelled the difference in the Mamasapano operation, where more than 60 people died.

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Businesses close early in Cagayan De Oro Wednesday due to brownouts

Some business establishments in Cagayan de Oro City closed early on Wednesday due to an "emergency" power interruption caused by a power plant leak.

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PNoy won't say sorry over Mamasapano because of self-righteousness, ex-ally says

President Benigno Aquino III refuses to apologize for his involvement in the Jan. 25 Mamasapano police operation not only because he believes he hasn’t done anything wrong, but also because his closest advisers are afraid to criticize him, a former ally said.

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MILF says report on Mamasapano clash finished

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has finished its report from a separate investigation on the January 25 Mamasapano clash, a TV report said Thursday.

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AFP wants MILF to dismantle alleged camp in Iligan City

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PNoy was open to give his side to BOI, Senate on Mamasapano, Palace says

President Benigno Aquino III was open to give his side on the deadly January 25 Mamasapano operation to the Senate and the police’s Board of Inquiry (BOI) if only they formally asked for it, Malacañang said Thursday.

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Ex-cops in Congress seek probe on ‘anomalous’ P1.2-B AFP chopper deal

Three lawmakers who are former police officials have asked Congress to look into the alleged anomalies surrounding the procurement of 21 obsolete UH-1D helicopters for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

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Charges filed against rice traders for illegal importation of P31M worth of rice

The Bureau of Customs filed another batch of smuggling charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against two Cagayan de Oro-based rice traders for the alleged illegal importation of 780,000 kilos of rice worth P31.2 million.

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PNoy not yet done explaining Mamasapano incident – Palace

President Benigno Aquino III is not yet done explaining to the public the January 25 Mamasapano operation, Malacañang said on Thursday after a Pulse Asia survey showed general discontent on the President’s statements about the bloody incident.

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BBL supporters rosy-eyed on passage despite opposition of 44 percent of Pinoys

Proponents of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) at the House of Representatives remain optimistic on its approval despite a Pulse Asia poll showing nearly half of Filipinos are against it

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Poe open to updating, correcting Senate report on Mamasapano clash

Senator Grace Poe said on Monday that she is open to updating the report of the Senate Committee on Public Order on the Mamasapano clash if new, vital information is presented.

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Trillanes on calls for PNoy to apologize for Mamaspano: ‘It’s a trap’

Saying sorry for his involvement in the Mamasapano incident will do President Benigno Aquino III no good, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said on Thursday.

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US involvement in Mamasapano incident did not violate PHL laws – DFA

American forces did not engage in combat or violate any Philippine law when they provided help to the PNP Special Action Force commandos during the Jan. 25 Mamasapano operations, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

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