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1 month ago | 
philstar.com | Alexis Romero |Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang is leaving it up to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to handle matters related to the possible freezing of assets of former president Rodrigo Duterte to provide reparations for the victims of his deadly crackdown on illegal drugs.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Janvic Mateo |Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos who are “very happy” with their love life has dropped to its lowest in two decades, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed. Only 46 percent of respondents are “very happy” with their present relationship, down 12 points from 58 percent in December 2023, based on the Dec. 12 to 18 survey released ahead of Valentine’s Day. The result matched the 46 percent obtained in a similar survey in 2004.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Ghio Ong |Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis has designated the St. Gregory the Great Parish in Majayjay town in Laguna as a minor basilica. The CBCP News, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the parish, commonly known as Majayjay Church, is the first in the Diocese of San Pablo to receive the honor. The Vatican granted the designation in a decree issued on Jan. 25, following a petition submitted by the diocese in December.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking to recapture the six security guards charged for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of several missing cockfight enthusiasts or sabungero in Manila in 2022. Prosecutors asked the lower court to order the arrest of the defendants who were granted bail, DOJ National Prosecution Service Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said yesterday. “It was orally manifested during the hearing,” Fadullon said in a text message.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — Nearly a month after its enactment, the 2025 national budget may again come under scrutiny – this time by the Supreme Court, which is being asked to declare the outlay unconstitutional. Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab and former executive secretary Vic Rodriguez have filed before the Supreme Court (SC) a petition for certiorari and prohibition against the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reverse its decision to withdraw 98 Dengvaxia-related complaints of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide filed in court against former health secretary and incumbent Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin and two other former officials of the Department of Health (DOH). The PAO has filed a motion for reconsideration seeking the reversal of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s Jan.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — The deputy commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Masbate Station was “removed” from his post over his failure to check on a P170-million illegal drug shipment to Cebu City on Jan. 23. According to the PCG, the official is being administratively investigated after the K9 inspection unit of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency caught a woman and her son transporting 25 kilos of shabu from Manila via Masbate.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Evelyn Macairan |Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — Six human trafficking victims who were bound for Thailand have been rescued by government agents. In a statement over the weekend, Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the victims attempted to leave the country through Bancalaan Island in Balabac, Palawan on a boat.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — The use of threat, force or coercion is not required to convict a person who recruited children for sexual exploitation, the Supreme Court ruled as it affirmed the conviction of two child traffickers. In a decision penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the high court upheld the conviction of Jhona Villaria and Lourdes Maghirang for eight counts of qualified human trafficking, sentencing each to life imprisonment and to pay a fine of P16 million.
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2 months ago | 
philstar.com | Rudy Santos |Daphne Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — Four suspected victims of human trafficking were rescued at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, according to the Bureau of Immigration. The BI said the four, aged 28, 31, 35 and 43, claimed to be officemates traveling to Hong Kong for a vacation. However, inconsistencies in their statements prompted immigration officers to refer them for secondary inspection where they admitted that a travel agent provided them with the fake documents.
