Tag: Nationwide Round-Up

IMMIGRATION officers allegedly involved in a bribery scheme that allows easier entry for Chinese nationals at the country’s main airport have been relieved of duty, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo announced Thursday.

PHILIPPINE HEALTH Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) officials are facing a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged inaction over anomalous transactions reported to them.

DUTERTE-ALLIED Senator Ronald M. dela Rosa is not supporting the Senate leaders’ plan to question before the Supreme Court the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States without the Senate’s concurrence.

THE PRESIDENT’s spokesperson said the Duterte administration is ready to defend the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States should legislators question the move before the Supreme Court.

A SWEDISH national whose name is included in an international list of suspected terrorists was denied entry into the country, the Bureau of Immigration reported on Thursday.

MALACAÑANG will “validate the veracity” of reports that Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, the controversial police officer who led a bloody operation against members of an influential family allegedly involved in the narcotics trade, is among the 357 police officers who are under investigation for illegal drugs.

THE NATIONAL Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has proposed the creation of a Department of Economics and Development Planning (DEDP) to strengthen the government’s planning system.

RESEARCH GROUP IBON Foundation, Inc. (IBON) filed an administrative complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday against a former high-ranking military officer and two government officials for red-tagging the institution.

THE MAKABAYAN bloc in the House of Representatives, with support from the members of the minority, has filed a resolution seeking to investigate the alleged misuse of P300 million in confidential funds in the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

FORMER SENATOR Gregorio B. Honasan II, who now heads the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), may be summoned for the proposed Senate inquiry over alleged irregularities in the agency’s confidential funds.

ALBAY REPRESENTATIVE Jose Maria Clemente S. Salceda filed on Wednesday a bill seeking to create the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which will have “broader policy making, implementation, surveillance, disease and control and prevention powers” over communicable and infectious diseases.

THE NEWLY-established Zero Hunger Task Force will be implementing its initial projects this year in 32 provinces across the country.

PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte, in an interview with Russian TV network RT on Tuesday, said he is not going to the United States for the US-ASEAN Summit set in March despite an invitation from American President Donald Trump.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. has reiterated his position of an “eye for an eye” approach in the murder of Filipino overseas worker Jeanelyn Villavende, even as the Philippines and the Kuwaiti government have began meeting to settle issues.

House committee targets assembly by May for new constitutional change proposals THE HOUSE committee on constitutional amendments will recall the approved report on the resolution...

BI calls on foreigners traveling for Chinese New Year to process fees in advance THE BUREAU of Immigration called on foreigners living in the country,...

President awaits report on alleged overpriced speed guns PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON Salavador S. Panelo said President Rodrigo R. Duterte will “act accordingly” after the Department of...

REPRESENTATIVE Weslie T. Gatchalian has renewed his call for the immediate passage of the bill seeking to protect consumers against security threats in parking spaces as well as regulate the imposition of “unreasonable and exorbitant” parking fees by various establishments, including shopping malls, schools, and hospitals.

VICE PRESIDENT Maria Leonor G. Robredo defended her report tagging the Duterte administration’s drug war as a “massive failure,” citing that her office was “very careful” in its preparation and that all data were taken from government agencies.

JOEL JOSEPH S. Marciano, Jr. will be leading the Philippine’s space program following his appointment as the first director general of the newly-established Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).

POLICE officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco F. Gamboa has ordered overweight cops to shape up or lose opportunities for career advancement trainings and promotion.

THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) resolved more petitions for review in 2019 compared to recent years, officials reported.

Duterte mulls ceasefire termination after alleged NPA attacks PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte is considering the termination of the unilateral ceasefire with the communist faction after...

A BILL seeking to impose a 20% tax on the sale of firecrackers and fireworks has been filed at the House of Representatives.

A BILL has been filed before the House of Representatives seeking to institutionalize the right to access to information and create a Freedom of Information Commission.

VICE PRESIDENT Maria Leonor G. Robredo on Monday deferred the release of her report on the government’s drug war, citing the need to focus first on assisting those affected by Sunday’s earthquake in the Davao Region.

THE HOUSE of Representatives subcommittee on labor standards took up Bill 1904 on Monday, working out issues relating to overtime pay under the proposed compressed work week scheme.

A JOB caravan around the country, starting on Nov. 28 with the first stop at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, will have 22,000 local and foreign employment opportunities on offer, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) announced on Wednesday.

WITH AT least two reported injuries as workers scramble to finish structures that will be used for the ongoing 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) warned employers of possible administrative charges for failure to follow safety standards.

JUSTICE SECRETARY Menardo I. Guevarra has declined his nomination for the Supreme Court associate justice position vacated by Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta.

DoLE officials express support for Bello amid graft, treason charges DEPARTMENT OF Labor and Employment (DoLE) officials on Thursday expressed support for Silvestre H. Bello...

THE SEMI-PROFESSIONAL Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) has filed a complaint against 21 individuals allegedly involved in game-fixing and other related schemes affecting the competition.

A JOINT Senate panel agreed on Monday to create the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR), but an Office of Civil Defense (OCD) official said such an agency might could be “overwhelming” considering the many aspects of disaster management.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is now finalizing a nationwide zoning plan that will control the movement of pork products to contain the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF).

A TOTAL of 8,245 law graduates are taking the Bar examination to be held on the four Sundays of November at the University of Santo Tomas, the Supreme Court announced.

MALACAÑANG ON Tuesday expressed condolences for the death of Sadako Ogata, who served as Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) president from 2003 to 2012, recognizing her contribution to strengthening relations between the Philippines and Japan.

Duterte offers Robredo power over drug war PRESIDENT RODRIGO R. Duterte on Monday said he is ready to give Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo...

THE OFFICE of the Ombudsman has directed the Commission on Education (CHEd) to suspend former executive director Julito D. Vitriolo after finding him guilty of simple misconduct.

RETIRING SENIOR Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio on Monday took pride in having a zero backlog record as he leaves the Supreme Court (SC).

THE TRADE Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has expressed support on the proposed phased increase in monthly contributions by members of the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund.

THE JUDICIAL and Bar Council (JBC) has shortlisted three associate justices as nominees for the Supreme Court’s chief justice position.

A LAWMAKER has filed a bill that would provide an additional personal tax exemption on individuals taking care of their elderly parents.

THE SUPREME Court has again reminded the parties of Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. to refrain from discussing the electoral protest filed by the latter before the public.

THE COMMITTEE on Justice and Human Rights will be presenting new evidence and witnesses in Wednesday’s continuing hearing on anomalies in the state penitentiary system, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has allowed the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to use express-lane fees and other charges to augment the salaries of its employees.