National

President Duterte to public: Marawi terror attack could be repeated in other places if public won’t cooperate with gov’t

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — If the public will not help and cooperate with the government in stopping extremists, the terror attack in Marawi City may occur in any place in the Philippines, according to President Rodrigo Duterte. The President said the public should help the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) by informing them about unusual and suspicious individuals who may be connected to the Islamist terrorists. […]

Lawmakers gather Php 13M donation for Marawi victims

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — Members of the House of Representatives were able to collect almost Php 13 million worth of donation for families affected by the conflict in Marawi City. House Majority Leader Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said that almost all of the 200 members of the House of Representatives donated from their personal funds. Local government officials also joined in the donation drive. The amount will be placed in a trust […]

Policemen tagged in Espinosa killing released on bail

Eagle News — The 18 policemen who were tagged in the killing of former Albuera, Leyte mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., have all been released on bail. The policemen led by Supt. Marvin Marcos of the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Grouo (PNP-CIDG) Region 8 had been released from the Leyte Sub Provincial Jail last Saturday, June 17 after having been detained for more than two months.  They were arrested on March 20, 2017. Judge Carlos Arguelles of […]

Maute sister, two other suspected terrorists, arrested in Iloilo port

(Eagle News) — A sister of the two Maute brothers Omarkhayam and Abdullah was arrested on a ship near the Iloilo port together with two other suspected terrorists, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. Capt. Leopoldo Panopio, Coast Guard commander in Northern Mindanao said that the Maute sister was arrested while on board 2GO’s MV St. Therese of the Child Jesus. According to Panopio, the Maute sister, whose name was withheld by the authorities, was […]

President Duterte’s return to duty eases health concerns

President Rodrigo Duterte returned to public duties Saturday after several days of absence that prompted some to speculate about the state of his health. Duterte, 72, attended a ceremony commemorating the founding of a province and later met with troops in Butuan city, both in Mindanao. Responding to questions from reporters, a jovial Duterte said: “My state of health is — what you see is what you get,” he said, adding that his last medical […]

Wounded Vietnamese held hostage by Abu Sayyaf for months rescued

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AFP) — Government troops have rescued a Vietnamese sailor held hostage for seven months by members of the Abu Sayyaf group in the country’s south, the military said Saturday. Hoang Vo, 28, was rescued by troops on Friday after an air strike and artillery fire on an Abu Sayyaf camp in the island of Basilan dispersed the kidnappers, regional military spokesperson Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay said. She said the sailor was being treated for an […]

President Duterte denies failure of intel paved way for situation in Marawi

Blames “soft policy toward rebels,” the “taking for granted of the arms game” (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday denied a failure of intelligence on the part of government paved the way for the situation in Marawi now. “It was not a question of failure on the part of government. We have adopted a very soft policy toward rebels,” Duterte said in his first public appearance since he took a rest for several […]

AFP tells public to report “suspicious individuals,” activities; says some Maute members may have slipped out of Marawi

Security heightened in cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro (Eagle News) — The Philippine military advised the public to report to the government any “suspicious individuals” or activities that they will observe in their areas, especially in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro after concerns were raised that some Maute members may have slipped out of Marawi City and mingled among evacuees. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brigadier General Restituto Padilla admitted on […]

SC orders martial law petitioners, gov’t to submit final memoranda on June 19; Lorenzana, Año explain gov’t position in closed-door session

The Supreme Court has ordered the martial law petitioners and the government to submit their final memoranda on June 19. The three-day oral arguments have ended on Thursday, June 15, but both parties still need to submit their final memoranda before the high court justices decide on the petition. After the internal and closed-door oral arguments on the third day, Solicitor General Jose Calida said what happened was a fruitful discussion of issues and facts that would […]

House leadership won’t free 6 Ilocos Norte employees detained for alleged misuse of tobacco funds

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — The leadership of the House of Representatives, through House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, said that they will not release the six employees and officials of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, known as the “Ilocos 6,” who were earlier detained due to the alleged misuse of tobacco funds in Ilocos Norte. The House of Representatives detained the “Ilocos 6” at the Batasan complex where they were cited for contempt for refusing […]

Foreign journalist hit by stray bullet undergoes successful operation

QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — Australian journalist Adam Harvey of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation underwent a one-hour surgery for the extraction of a bullet slug that hit his neck near the capitol building of Lanao del Sur. Harvey, through his twitter account, said that the operation was successful. He said that the bullet that was removed from his neck came from an M-16 rifle. Because of the incident, strict measures were implemented for journalists and […]