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Ex-BI officer in ‘pastillas’ scam fined P5,000

MANILA, Philippines — A former Bureau of Immigration (BI) officer ended her legal battle in connection with the so-called “pastillas” scam with a fine of P5,000. During the proceedings on Thursday, former immigration officer Asliyah Maruhom was allowed by the Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division to plead guilty to a lesser offense of “prohibited acts and transactions” under Section 7 (d) of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical...

Butcher dies in freak accident as he was slaughtering a pig in Camotes

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A butcher in Camotes Island in northern Cebu died of a freak accident. This was while he was slaughtering a pig on September 22, 2023, in Pilar town. Police Captain Michael Echavez, Pilar Police Station chief, identified the victim as Marcelito Lapeciros of Sitio Batang, Barangay Moabog, Pilar town of Camotes

Philippines, Japan, US reaffirm cooperation

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo held a trilateral meeting in New York with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko to ensure cooperation in establishing a rules-based order in the South and East China seas and in the Indo-Pacific region. The three officials met on Friday during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week in New York. In his remarks before the meeting held...

Six groups eye NAIA contract

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has sold bidding documents to six firms so far for the privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), enticing the interest of aviation players as far as Turkey. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said at least six companies, both local and international have bought bid documents for the rehabilitate-operate-expand-transfer project for NAIA. GMR Airports...

Typhoid cases, deaths increasing

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoid cases in the country has continued to increase with 13,216 reported in the past eight months, according to the Department of Health (DOH). In its latest disease surveillance report, the DOH said the cases reported from Jan. 1 to Aug. 12 represent an increase of 42 percent compared to the 9,336 recorded during the same period last year. The Cordillera Administrative Region has the highest number of cases at 2,244...

Zelensky is really cracking down on corruption in Ukraine

Kindergarten In The Philippines, Is It Mandatory?

Let's take a closer look at the law that made Kindergarten mandatory (and some history, too!)

Drug boss jailed in M. Manila allegedly ordered hit on man killed in Camp 7 — police

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The killing of the man, who was shot dead and whose body was dumped in a ravine in Camp 7, Minglanilla town last week, was a hit ordered allegedly by a drug boss, who was inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila. Police Captain Kelvin Jomari Golitod, Minglanilla Police

More think tanks lower growth forecasts for Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — ING Bank cuts below five percent its 2023 economic growth forecast for the Philippines due to the further pickup in inflation as well as the possibility of additional interest rate hikes to be delivered by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). ING Bank lead economist Nicholas Mapa said the Dutch financial giant further lowered its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for the Philippines to 4.8 percent from the...

EPD: Bayani Fernando’s death an accident

MANILA, Philippines — The death of former Marikina congressman and mayor Bayani Fernando was the result of an accident, police reported on Saturday. Brig. Gen. Wilson Asueta, Eastern Police District (EPD) director, said in a phone interview that this was the information gathered by police officers. Asueta declined to give other details, stressing they want to respect the privacy of Fernando’s family. The 77-year-old Fernando was rushed to the...

Maasai evicted in Tanzania: are tourists and hunting safaris more important than human rights?

Suspect killed, 9 cops wounded in shootout

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A drug suspect wanted for illegal possession of firearms was killed while nine police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos were wounded in a shootout in Panamao, Sulu before dawn on Friday. The fatality was identified as Muksidal Jumadil. In a report to Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, Sulu police chief Col. Narciso Paragas said Capt. Nolie Agmaliw; Lieutenants...

Explain premature campaigning, 1,955 BSKE bets told

MANILA, Philippines — The number of candidates in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) who are being asked to explain why they engage in premature campaigning has increased to 1,955. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said show-cause orders have been issued to the candidates. The poll body said it has so far received 228 responses. Upon initial asssessment, the Comelec said 66 candidates are facing disqualification...

Fentanyl caused the death of Austin Majors, 27, from 'NYPD Blue'

Teodoro hits China's 'hypocritical' remark on BRP Sierra Madre

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. hit back at China on Saturday over its claim that the grounded Philippine Navy ship at Ayungin Shoal could bring ''irrevocable harm'' to the marine environment. ''The statement of China that the grounded Sierra Madre is causing irrevocable harm is to put it as politely as possible—hypocritical. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!'' Teodoro said in a statement. ''China continues to damage the WPS...

Man confesses to stabbing, killing wife, 2 kids

MANILA, Philippines — The murder of a woman and her two children in Barangay Pupua in Catbalogan, Samar on Aug. 30 has taken a new twist after her partner and father of the victims confessed to the killing. Edito Candiz surrendered to the police on Thursday. Rhea Orio, 26; her daughter, Rina, 3, and her five-month-old son were found dead at their house. Candes, who said he found the bodies which bore multiple stab wounds, reported the incident...

Clark Devt Corp. issues desist order to illegal earth moving

THE Clark Development Corp. (CDC) issued a cease and desist order (CDO) on September 12 to stop the unauthorized digging and other "earth moving activities" within the Clark Special Economic Zone. The order was prompted by the lack of the required environmental and construction permits as mandated by CDC. Leoncio Tan, CDC acting building official and Building Facilities Permits Division manager, issued the CDO to Rolando Capiz pursuant to the...

KO duels determine V-L finals cast

MANILA, Philippines — Far Eastern U clashes with Perpetual Help while Ateneo slugs it out with La Salle in a pair of sudden deaths for the other final berths in the women’s and men’s sides, respectively, of the V-League Collegiate Challenge at the Paco Arena in Manila. Rookie Keisha Bedonia stepped up to power the top-seeded Lady Tamaraws past the Lady Altas, 23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-13, last Friday as they forced the decider in their...

Philippines: Upholding int'l law to keep Indo-Pacific free, open

Adherence to international law will help keep the Indo-Pacific region ''free and open,'' the Philippines told the United Nations on Saturday (early Sunday morning in Manila) as it reiterated its call for amicable resolution of disputes in the South China Sea. Speaking at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York City, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the ''preservation of a rules-based global order is our collective...

Gilas boys book World Cup entry

MANILA, Philippines — From Manila to Surabaya to Doha and now, Turkey. The red-hot Gilas Pilipinas boys took down erstwhile unbeaten Japan, 64-59, to advance to the FIBA U16 Asian Championship semifinals and punch an outright ticket to the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup yesterday at the Al-Gharafa Sports Club Multi-Purpose Hall in Doha, Qatar. Gilas, which started its campaign by sweeping the SEABA Qualifiers in Indonesia, clawed back from 10 points...

Ten people dead after truck bomb explosion in central Somalia

A truck bomb exploded at a checkpoint in the central Somali town of Beledweyne on Saturday, killing at least 10 people and obliterating nearby buildings, a police officer said. It was not immediately clear who was responsible but the Islamist group al Shabaab frequently carries out bombings in the Horn of Africa country. "So far I have seen 10 dead...

3 cars damaged in NAIA-3 parking lot blast

MANILA, Philippines — Three vehicles were damaged when a still unidentified person threw a Molotov bomb at the open parking lot of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) open parking lot yesterday morning. No one was injured in the incident, which is being investigated by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the police Aviation Security Group. Corporal Manuel Supan said in an initial report that a Toyota...

Marcos optimistic on lower rice prices

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos expressed optimism yesterday that the harvesting of palay or unhusked rice would lower rice prices as he expressed readiness to ease rice price controls once the market prices of the food commodity go down. Speaking to reporters in Camarines Sur, Marcos said it is impossible for price adjustments in agricultural goods not to affect other sectors, so the government has undertaken measures to address it. He...

Marcos launches service caravan

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday led the simultaneous launch of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF), a caravan bringing major government services to underprivileged Filipinos. "This program is just one of the first initiatives of the government to give Filipinos new hope and a new beginning. Our islands may be detached from one another, but we are united by one spirit and one dream — a new Philippines for the new Filipino,"...

Asian Games open with Obiena, Didal leading PH team in parade of nations

HANGZHOU, China — The 19th Asian Games opened with a festival of lights, a dazzling visual show which started after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on Saturday night on September 23, 2023. The space-age opening ceremony featured splendid cultural attractions and the best China could offer. This is

Russia's Lavrov says Armenia, Azerbaijan have settled Karabakh dispute

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a speech at the UN General Assembly on Saturday that time was ripe for trust-building measures between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, and that Moscow's troops would help that. Lavrov accused the West of trying to force themselves as mediators between the two countries, which he said was n...

Golden Haven Iligan's vision becomes reality

GOLDEN Haven Memorial Parks — a subsidiary of the publicly listed, Villar-owned Golden MV Holdings Inc. — stands proud as the Philippines' most trusted provider of premium death care services. With chapels, crematoria, columbaria and more than 30 themed memorial parks located nationwide, Golden Haven, likewise, enjoys recognition as one of the country's largest and most prominent names in the real estate industry. The centerpiece of Golden Haven...

HEADLINES: Bautista faces money laundering raps in US | September 24,2023

Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Sunday, September 24, 2023. Today's episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner. READ: Bautista faces money laundering raps in US The U.S. Justice Department has filed money-laundering charges against Andres Bautista, former chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), in a case...

Morris named ADB VP for SE Asia

MANILA, Philippines — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has named Scott Morris as vice-president for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In a statement, the multilateral lender said Morris will be responsible for the management of the operations of ADB’s East Asia Department, Southeast Asia Department, and Pacific Department for three years. An expert on development finance and debt policy, Morris has over 25 years of experience in...

Last day of Bar Exams 2023 for more than 10,000 aspiring lawyers

The last day of the grueling Bar examinations 2023 has come on Sunday, September 24, for more than 10,000 aspiring lawyers. Well-wishers — parents, siblings, school mates — trooped to 14 local testing centers nationwide to cheer for the Bar examinees. At the Manila Adventist College in Pasay City, examinees began arriving before 6 a.m. for the test which was to start at 8 a.m., according to a report by Mao dela Cruz on Super Radyo dzBB. The...

Taal vog subsides – Phivolcs

(UPDATE) THE volcanic smog above Taal area has cleared, the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Saturday. "In Taal, it's clear now unlike the low visibility yesterday (Friday). So now, the Taal Volcano is visible from Batangas, so basically there is no vog already," Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol told The Manila Times. Vog is composed of fine droplets mixed with volcanic gases, including sulfur dioxide from...

Habagat to affect CV, Metro Cebu until Wednesday — Pagasa

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Rainy days in Cebu will still prevail in the following days. According to the forecast by Engineer Al Quiblat, chief of Pagasa Mactan, the southwest monsoon, locally known as “habagat” will continue to affect Central Visayas including Metro Cebu. For the next four days, which is until Wednesday, September 27, Metro

Government urged: Protect Sta. Ana ‘heritage zone’

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Sta. Ana, Manila are appealing to national government agencies and the city government to protect the area’s “heritage zone.” Residents gathered at the grounds of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Abandoned, the 303-year-old parish church of Sta. Ana, yesterday morning. They then staged a rally in front of a house less than 300 meters away from the site where three high-rise buildings would reportedly be...

Civilian militias ambush cop in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur -- A member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and a civilian community peace volunteer, ambushed a police officer in Barangay Parangbasak, Lamitan City, on Friday afternoon, police said. The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. as Police Staff Sgt. Jun Jabbal Arasal was driving past the village going to Ungkaya Pukan town when met with a volley of fires, said Colonel Arlan Delumpines, city...

Filipinos and English language teaching in Japan

THE need to learn and communicate in English is becoming more and more apparent in the present age of globalization. And even countries with highly-intellectualized national languages are aware of this need for English. Countries like China, South Korea and Taiwan are now taking bigger and bolder steps to enhance the teaching of English in their educational systems. And one such country is Japan. The East Asian country has been a global...

Broader world damning the dams; PH continues love affair

HIGH UP in Ukraine's Carpathian mountain range, determined farmers and environmentalists recently dismantled the Bayurivka Dam, a minor dam, undeterred by the ongoing war. The dam's dismantling is part of a global effort to decommission aging dams that have outlived their usefulness, which, in turn, is driven by the effort to free up rivers for both fishery and navigation. Over the past several years, over 150,000 minor dams, weirs and culverts...

Presyo Merkado: Current prices of food in Metro Cebu markets

Presyo Merkado is a daily guide of prices of goods in different markets around Metro Cebu. Stay updated by checking our site and social media platforms every morning. (UPDATED) CEBU CITY, Philippines —The prices of fuel have soared again, so you might want to check the prices of your basic needs today, September 24, at

UK study: Long Covid linked to organ anomalies

A THIRD of people hospitalized with Covid-19 have "abnormalities" in multiple organs months after getting infected, a UK study said on Saturday, and probably shedding light on the elusive condition of long Covid. Millions worldwide are estimated to suffer from long Covid, in which a range of symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue and brain fog last long after patients first contracted the virus. Yet much about the condition, including...

Phivolcs eyes lowering Mayon alert level

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — Mayon Volcano’s alert level may be lowered if pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) continue to decline, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). Mayon has been under Alert Level 3 since June 8. Paul Alanis, Phivolcs resident volcanologist at the Lignon Hill Observatory in this city, said PDCs were observed to be decreasing in the past week. Phivolcs data showed that 32 PDCs were...

Taal Volcano vog now 'very light' —Batangas PDRRMO

The situation in the province of Batangas has improved as fewer amounts of volcanic fog or vog caused by Taal Volcano’s activity have been observed, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMO) said Sunday. “Simula kahapon, malaki na ang improvement. Walang nakitang smog. Kung mayroon man, very little lang dahil very light lang, magaan lang ang binubuga na gas, ‘yung gas emission natin at saka height ng plume,” Batangas...

Crowds march through Westminster in protest against the American Bully XL ban

Crowds, many of them dog owners, march through Westminster and stage protests outside New Scotland Yard and in Parliament Square against the American Bully XL ban.

FACES OF CEBU: Father Samuel Mary Liedel, 29, Cebuano speaking American priest

CEBU CITY, Philippines—In the bustling city of Cebu, where Cebuano is the language of the streets, learning the local language is an essential part of any foreign visitor in order to navigate, adapt and understand the local culture, traditions, and customs of the area. Among those who recognize that learning the language is an effective

Court belies use of AI in checking Bar exams

THE Supreme Court on Saturday belied social media posts claiming the 2023 Bar exams would be sorted, checked and corrected using artificial intelligence (AI). "The Office of the 2023 Bar Chair condemns these social media publications as false, baseless, irresponsible, defamatory, contumacious, detestable, and formulated with apparent intent to erode the integrity of the digitalized Bar Examinations," Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando said in...

Alleged Socorro cult ready to face any impartial investigation

The Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI), an organization accused of abusing minors in Surigao del Norte's Socorro town, said it was willing to face any impartial investigation and urged Senators to participate in the probe. “Ang hiling ko lang is ‘yung fair naman, fair,” said the group leader, Jey Rence Quilario, also known as “Senior Aguila” in a “24 Oras Weekend” interview with Marisol Abdurahman. (All I ask is that it be fair.) Quilario...

New poll shows most Americans want to keep supporting Ukraine

Davao del Norte village chief gets 13 years

Over sale of barangay dump truck MANILA, Philippines — A village chief in Kapalong, Davao del Norte may spend up to 13 years in prison over the sale of a dump truck owned by his barangay. In a 37-page decision promulgated on Sept. 19, the Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division junked the appeal of Arthur Lontoc Jr., chairman of Barangay Pag-asa, to reverse the ruling of the Tagum City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 1, which found him guilty of...

Philhealth temporarily shuts down systems after hackers attack website

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) has temporarily shut down affected online systems after computer hackers attacked the website and its application system. The computer hackers managed to take down the systems of Philhealth on Friday and blocked access to the site for more than 24 hours. READ: For weeks, PNP staff

This Western tank used in Ukraine is the best at crushing Russian tanks

POC vows to keep fighting for Gilas, but issues reminder to NSAs

Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino reiterated his earlier statement of standing by Gilas Pilipinas and appeal for the inclusion of the four PBA veterans- Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, Moala Tautuaa and Jason Perkins - into the final 12 in time for the 19th Asian Games men's basketball in Hangzhou, China. Justin Brownlee (left) PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIO Tolentino said the appeal he has been making to the Hangzhou Asian Games...

China Embassy stresses importance of cooperation amid rescue of Pinoy fishermen

The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Saturday said the recent rescue of two Philippine fishermen by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) emphasized the importance of humanitarian efforts and cooperation between nations. "The PLA naval medics kindly examined the wound then brought the fisherman aboard their vessel for further treatment, immediately disinfecting, bandaging, and closing the wound," the embassy said in a statement. On Friday...